Website
American Museum of Natural History

Around the World with DNA

For Students 6th - 12th
DNA analysis could be what saves some animals from extinction. An interactive lesson shows learners how DNA information proves variation among animals of the same species and how stakeholders use that information to make decisions. Easy...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sampling Variation in a Natural Population

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students examine the phenotypic variation within a natural population of a single species. They collect data on the species and analyze the data using statistical/spreadsheet software. Students interpret their results and present their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

DESIGNER GENES: ONE SIE FITS ALL?

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students explore genetic engineering and issues related to risks and benefits of altering agricultural products.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Island Biogeography and Evolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students develop likely phylogenies for seven related populations of lizards living on the Canary Islands using real data. They organize charts, and record the data for geography, geology, morphology, and molecular genetics.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evolution Lab

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the pattern of natural variation in a society. They examine Darwin's theory of evolution and analyze data. They use computer programs to graphically display the variation in organisms.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Selection and Variation in the Egyptian Origami Bird

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students participate in a contrived natural selection simulation in which they build and modify simple paper airplanes. They study divergent and convergent evolution and how it is isolated in sub-populations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Genetics of Parenthood

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students draws the child's face and compares "mother's" and "father's" perception of characteristics. One student draws the child's face; partner writes a biography of the child at age 30- what is the child like, what have they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physiological Adaptations

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the concepts of genetics and how it is tied to the variations found within different species and how it is tied to adaptations. They review the theory of evolution and factors found to help create variation. The...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetic Screening In The Workplace: Case Study

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers participate in a small group discussion/role play of a specific case study concerning the use of genetic screening in the workplace.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Twin Traits

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore the Nature vs. Nurture controversy and discover how variations in species is due to the interaction of genetic material. Students engage in a twin study experiment in this unit.
Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Natural and Artificial Selection

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Many people oppose genetically modified foods yet support selective breeding in dogs. Learn about the similarities and differences through a short presentation that features many video clips. It covers natural selection, artificial...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bears of Banff

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners pretend they have just entered a national park. They imagine that the park borders are all impassable mountains, and students will play the role of grizzly bears. Learners list three things every animal needs to survive, in this...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genes, Environments, and Behavior 2

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the genetic and environmental factors that interact to produce variation in behavior across a population. They are introduced to the various approaches scientists use to explore this interaction. Students explore how...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Wolves: DNA Pawprinting

For Students 9th - 12th
A mystery canine was shot and killed near Yellowstone National Park in the early '90s. Genetics whizzes explain how they might go about identifying whether the animal was a true grey wolf or a hybrid. A drawing of the animal's DNA bands...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

People Are Like Peas in a Pod

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students experiment with peapods to show the diversity of individual within a population. They examine dominant traits, recessive traits, genotypes, and phenotypes and show the process of making a Punnett Square.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Toothpick Fish

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners experiment with genes and environment for a population of "Toothpick Fish."
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reproduction and Heredity

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate how traits are passed from parents to their offspring. They list things they have in common with family members, read key vocabulary terms, create a poster of shared physical and personality traits, and watch...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing Apples and Onions

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders observe heredity. In this Science instructional activity, 5th graders are introduced to the concept of traits being passed from parents to offspring. Students investigate the concepts through apples and onions.
Lesson Plan
Serendip

UV, Mutations, and DNA Repair

For Teachers 9th - 12th
How effective are cells at repairing UV damage? An inquiry-based lesson has learners experiment with organism by exposing them to various levels of UV light and then examining their DNA after a period of time. Pupils test different...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Meiosis

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students study meiosis and how it leads to variation. In this genetic reproduction lesson students complete a lab activity that calculates different genetic possibilities.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th
In this evolution worksheet, high schoolers review genetic variability, gene mutations, biodiversity and adaptations. This worksheet has 22 fill in the blank and 10 short answer questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making A Face

For Teachers 6th - Higher Ed
Students are introduced to the cellular machinery assorts the pairs of chromosomes randomly and independently during meiosis. They are introduced to the rich genetic variation occurs as a result of the random and independent assortment...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genes, Environments, and Behavior 1

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine how scientists study the genetic and environmental factors that interact to produce variation in behavior across a population.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Living Organisms to Explain Evolution

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students investigate evolution in its most fundamental form: the observation of living organisms. By comparing variations that exist among living animals, students formulate their own hypotheses and conclusions about the evolution of...

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