Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Survival of the Fittest - Variations in the Clam Species Clamys sweetus
It's not often that you come across a clever laboratory activity that is both imaginative and comprehensive! Using M&M's and Reese's peanut butter candies to represent two different clam species, young biologists test for "relative...
Curated OER
Food's Altered Ego
Students write in their journals where they believe food comes from. After reading an article, they examine the proceses of cultivation and sale of genetically modified foods. Using the internet, they research specific countries and...
Curated OER
Ethics and Reproductive Issues: The Dilemma of Choice
Students research various websites to answer questions and take part in class discussion regarding Prenatal testing. Students listen to an audio file and complete student worksheet. Students discuss different roles of people and...
Serendip
UV, Mutations, and DNA Repair
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...
Curated OER
Lesson 18, My Friend Linda
Students explore Huntington's Disease. In this biology lesson, students read My Friend Linda and examine the ethical issues brought to light in the story. Students discuss biotechnology issues and genetic testing.
Virginia Department of Education
Biotechnological Issues and Bioethics
Culminate a bioethics unit with the implementation of a activity that incorporates the Socratic method to encourage class feedback and participation. Pupils participate in a discussion on bioethics and morality, complete a...
Curated OER
Ethical and Personal Decisions
Students will learn about the current technology of genetic testing within the
framework of the biology curriculum through a lesson-produced PowerPoint presentation: "Genetic Testing" at: http://jbois.tripod.com/index.html.
Curated OER
Biotechnology: Monster or Miracle
High schoolers explore biotechnology. In this scenario-based lesson, students take a survey on what they know about genetic engineering, view a PowerPoint, and conduct a web quest. High schoolers will then be placed in groups, and...
Curated OER
Your Body, Your Health
Students study sickle cell anemia and other genetic disorders. In this investigative lesson students create a poster and present it to the class on a certain disorder.
Serendip
Is Yeast Alive?
Through two investigations, life science learners determine whether or not yeast is alive. They perform tests for metabolism by providing sugar and observing if gas is produced as a byproduct. They incubate some of the sample for at...
Curated OER
A Tasteless Tasty Test
Students review the inheritance patterns of simple dominant and recessive traits in humans. They use PTC tasting as a model trait. Each student determines whether or not they are a taster using PTC paper then they compile and discuss the...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Help or Hype: The Ethics of Bio-Nanotechnology
Ethical concerns are not always black and white. A well-designed lesson presents learners with scenarios for which ethics may come into question. Scholars learn to consider the different sides of a situation and make an unbiased...
Curated OER
The Secrets of the Sequence
Students explore genetics using a series of selected videos. For this biology lesson series, students study the different advances in life sciences. They research the pros and cons of genetic research.
Curated OER
Games and Activities to Teach Molecular Genetics
Students demonstrate a working knowledge of cell interactions such as DNA replication, protein synthesis (transcription and translation), through active participation in a cooperative group.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
DNA Extraction
What does your DNA actually look like? Use simple materials with this experiment to find out! Geneticists of all ages can follow these instructions to extract their own DNA. For learners who are hoping to extend the activity, there are...
Curated OER
Comparing mtDNA Sequences to Learn about Human Variation
This computer-based lesson will enable students to test their notions of "racial" similarity and difference by comparing mtDNA sequences as the students do in the first episode of RACE - The Power of an Illusion.
Curated OER
Heredity And Environment
Learners complete a pre-test on the relationship between heredity and the environment. As a class, they write down descriptions of themselves and identify which traits can be changed and not changed. In groups, they determine which...
Curated OER
The Effects of Alcohol and other Teratogens: A model using Zebrafish
Students investigate the interference of various drugs on an embryo through experimentation. This is an open-ended lab to allow students to see effects of various chemicals humans choose to put in their bodies and create questions they...
Curated OER
Standard One: Lab Design and Appendix A Lab Skills
In this lab design and lab skills worksheet, students answer questions about experimental design including finding variables, determining controls, and graphing data. They answer questions about microscopy and label the parts of a...
Curated OER
Munching Mice
Students examine different variables and their effects on weight gain in mice. They consider the validity of relating the results in mice to humans.Finally, they discuss the ethics of using animals in experiments.
Curated OER
Last Flight of Bomber 31
Students act as forensic scientists to help solve a long-standing missing persons case. They study nuclear DNA and mtDNA.
Curated OER
How to Conquer a Genetic Disease
Students study the details of DNA restriction analysis and how RFLP's are used to locate genes on a map of DNA.
Curated OER
GM Foods: Are They Safe?
Students examine the process for testing GM foods. They research benefits and hazards of a selection of GM foods. They also create images of new labels and marketing for GM foods.
Curated OER
How Does Evolution Work?
Students pretend they are a scientist like John Endler in this Web activity. They visit his pools, from hypotheses, and test them out. In the process, the explore about natural selection and sexual selection. They are able to explain the...