Curated OER
The ABC's of DNA
Young scholars describe genetics as if they were explaining it to a young child. After reading an article, they discover new discoveries in the human genome project. Using the internet, they research a pair of genetic terms and develop...
Curated OER
Teaching Biology Through Bioinformatics
Learn more about the processes assisted by Bioinformatic Tools. Your class will learn how to research primary biological databases and the complex data that can be analyzed and manipulated to provide information. This information will...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Cancer Discovery Activities
Explore the genetic component of the second-leading cause of death in the world using a hands-on activity. After watching a video discussing the basics of cancer, learners complete activities that study the genes involved in cancer. The...
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
Peas in a Pod: Genetics
Can peas have grandparents? Learn about inherited traits and heredity with a set of activities focused on Mendelian genetics. As your class learns about the process of passing traits along in Punnett squares, they take on the role of...
CK-12 Foundation
Meiosis
"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" makes the perfect theme song for meiosis. The simulation encourages scholars to move the chromosomes and chromatids to properly illustrate the meiosis break up. Multiple-choice questions allow...
Beyond Benign
What is Biotechnology
Examine the sequence of key events in the history of genetics. An engaging lesson asks scholars to sort events to create a timeline of biotechnology milestones. Arranging the events gives learners a perspective on the development of...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Viral Lysis and Budding
How do some viruses spread so quickly, and why do they make us feel terrible? Answer these (and many more) questions through a simple yet impactful lessons. Pupils observe demonstrations that show the two methods viruses use to escape...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Mapping Genes to Traits in Dogs Using SNPs
Genetic analysis has gone to the dogs! Learners use real DNA information collected from dog saliva to study the relationship between genotypes and phenotypes. They analyze alleles to determine correlations to coat color, length, and...
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Case Study: The 1918 Influenza Pandemic – Factors Beyond the Biological that Influence the Spread of Disease
A very timely instructional activity looks at the social and political factors that affect the spread of disease. Using the 1918 Influenza Pandemic as a case study, pupils research factors that influenced the spread of the disease,...
Personal Genetics Education Project
How Does Ancestry Testing Work? Exploring Admixture Testing
Find out the science behind ancestry testing! Investigators watch a video exploring how ancestry works before participating in a hands-on group activity. Scholars role play scientists while learning about testing protocols and test...
Curated OER
Gel Electrophoresis: Sort and See the DNA
Students construct DNA fingerprints. For this genetics lesson, students watch an on-line gel electrophoresis animation, then they work in groups to use a restriction map to create a restriction enzyme and use that to arrange a DNA...
Curated OER
Genetic Engineering of Crop Plants
Students explore genetic engineering and it biological and ethical implications. By conducting experiments with genetically engineered corn and plain corn they determine the difference in taste. Students also discover the effects of...
Curated OER
cDNA Sequencing By Restriction Project
Learners try to confirm the sequence of a given cDNA clone using the WWW tools and traditional restriction analysis. They grow the clone, prep the plasmid, cut the plasmid with restriction enzymes and compare their results to what was...
Curated OER
Doggy DNA: The Power of PCR
Pupils listen as the teacher lectures about Polymerase Chain Reaction, and the technical information about its uses. They collect dog saliva and run/analyze a gel electrophoresis. Students use a computer to integrate information, and...
Curated OER
Evidence of Evolution by Natural Selection - Testable Hypotheses
The factors that affect selection and evolution are investigated here. Information about some common ancestry examples are given but with no real scientific evidence. This presentation is very obvious in making biased claims about...
Curated OER
Genome: The Secret of How Life Works
Students become aware that genetic issues impact many areas of life, such as medicine, food and agriculture, and law. They become aware that there are many ethical issues related to genetics.
Curated OER
Gene Regulation Mechanisms
Students explore genetics. They discuss how chromosomes and/or genes are regulated during the life of an organism. In a lab setting, students compare and contrast the genomic regulation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells using...
Curated OER
Karyotypes and Inheritance of Chromosomes
Students explore the mode of inheritance of chromosomes. Given a scenario, students use the Human Genome sheet to determine inherited chromosomes. They illustrate the difference between genotype and phenotype. Students develop a model...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Eukaryotic Cell Cycle and Cancer
How does cancer begin, and why can it get so out of control? Curious young cytologists use an interactive resource to study the cell cycle. After reviewing the background information, individuals go step-by-step through the process of...
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
A Gene Is a Discrete Sequence of DNA Nucleotides
Frederick Sanger won two Nobel prizes for protein sequencing and DNA sequencing. Young scientists learn about Dr. Sanger's research and amazing discoveries. They read an article and a biography, view videos and animations, and apply...
Curated OER
Why do we need Vitamin C in our diet? Or Why do we carry old inactive genes in our genome?
Pupils explore and explain how mutations in the DNA sequence of a gene may be silent or result in phenotypic change in an organism and in its offspring. They analyze how evolution and biodiversity are the result of genetic changes that...
Curated OER
X or Y- Does it Make a Difference?
Young scholars examine the X and Y chromosomes. In this research lesson, students use the 5E lesson model as they read articles about human chromosomes then discuss their findings and opinions.
Curated OER
The Human Geonome Project Structured Controversy
High schoolers debate government funding of the Human Genome Project. In this ethics instructional activity, students use the stuctured controversy framework to research the opposing viewpoints regarding project funding.
Curated OER
Cracking the Genetic Code
High schoolers explain what the knowledge of DNA can tell us about ourselves and other organisms and species. They also explore the systematic study of the human genome.