Serendip
How Eyes Evolved – Analyzing the Evidence
Octopodes existed for hundreds of thousands of years before humans, yet our eyes share many similarities. Scholars analyze the evidence to determine if the evolution of eyes best fits a homology or analogy model. They discuss the issue...
Baylor College
Drugs, Risks and the Nervous System
In cooperative groups, middle schoolers contemplate the probability of 18 different situations occurring. After they make predictions, they compare them to the actual risk factors. This eye-opening exercise demonstrates that the odds of...
California Academy of Science
Color Vision Genetics Evolution Simulation
At one point, all mammals carried only two color receptors, but now most humans carry three. An informative presentation and hands-on activity demonstrate how this evolved through genetics. By participating in the activity, pupils...
ReadWriteThink
Teaching Point of View With Two Bad Ants
What better way to explain the concept of point of view than from an ant's perspective! After reading Two Bad Ants, pupils identify the point of view of the ants by studying the text and pictures. Then, they fill out a chart that...
Curated OER
Bird Break Buffet
Students discuss what human traits might help a person be more successful. They discuss how all birds are of the same species but have different beak traits. Students comprehend that the birds that eat the most food will have a baby with...
Curated OER
Sight and Light
Students examine the eyeball and its parts. In this sight instructional activity students divide into groups and complete a lab activity that includes creating a model.
Curated OER
Bird Beak Buffet
Young scholars complete an activity that allows them to better understand that birds traits are closely related to what they eat, where they live, etc. In this bird trait lesson students complete an activity, create a data board and...
Curated OER
Genetics
Students create a checklist of traits common in all of their families. Uisng a table, they compare and contrast their family members to non-family members. They also review dominant and recessive traits and discuss how knowing about...
Curated OER
Once I Was a Baby Trout
Students sing a song about the trout life cycle. In this trout life cycle lesson plan, students learn trout vocabulary and make motions while singing this song.
Curated OER
Moving Lines
Young scholars gain an introduction to gestural line drawing along with art history correlations. They are encouraged to focus on the energy, mass, and expression of the subject rather than on illustrated replication.