Virginia Department of Education
Isotopes
Lead your class through the amazing world of isotopes as they investigate the various properties they contain and further understand their respective location on the periodic table. They explore half-lives and radioactivity as each...
Curated OER
Life or Death Food Chain Decision
Students discuss how energy is transferred to different trophic levels. For this biology lesson, students solve a theoretical problem and debate on a solution. They explain how energy is lost during cellular respiration.
Curated OER
What's Inside
Students become more familiar with life science in the context of the scientific method which helps them to become familiar with the various kinds of life science diagrams they may see on a GED science test.
Curated OER
Photosynthesis
Fifth graders work in small groups to brainstorm responses to a problem related to some disaster that wipes out half or all plant life on earth. Groups complete a graphic organizer to compare and contrast their ideas. Students select...
Curated OER
Solar Arrays for the Space Station
Students explore the challenges that are faced when transporting materials into space. They review the various forms of energy, including solar arrays, that are used on the International Space Station and how generating this energy calls...
Curated OER
Ice Cream
Students create ice cream in a bag and snow ice cream to study the effects of freezing on foods. In this ice cream lesson plan, students understand the effects of freezing on cells.
Curated OER
Cell Works
Young scholars identify the different parts of the cells and their functions. For this biology lesson, students create an analogy of a cell and its organelles. They make a poster and present it to class.
Curated OER
Pond 2: Life in a Drop of Pond Water
Students observe organisms found in pond water with a microscope. In groups, they discuss how single-celled organisms satisfy their needs for food, water and air. They compare and contrast the needs of macroscopic and microscopic...
Curated OER
What is Life? Demonstrations & Discussion
Display seven items for your biologists to consider. Are they living or non-living? How can you tell? This is a simple outline of what you can display and questions that can be discussed as this topic is explored. One way to use this...
Curated OER
It's Alive! Or is it?
Students differentiate the characteristics of living and nonliving things. In this life science lesson, students compare and contrast robots and living things. Given an object, they decide whether it's is living or not and defend...
Curated OER
Genetics and Heredity: The Next Generation
Tenth graders work in teams to order events of DNA transcription and translation protein synthesis. In the second lesson, they put the steps of mitosis and meiosis in order using a concept map poster. They use modeling clay to create...
Curated OER
The Virtual Electron Microscope
Young scholars explore the world of the very small using a Flash plug-in Virtual Electron Microscope. They complete and discuss an activity in which unknown samples are placed under the computer simulated microscope to determine where...
Curated OER
Osmosis and Diffusion: Egg Lab
Students examine why diffusion and osmosis happen in an egg cell. In this diffusion instructional activity students demonstrate a semi permeable membrane.
Curated OER
Pond Life
Young scholars explore pond ecosystems. In this living environment lesson, students observe the local pond and identify the living things they find by drawing pictures. Young scholars observe organisms that were found in the pond by...
Curated OER
Effects of the Sun on Our Planet
Students examine the effect of different types of light on the Earth. They discover the role of evaporation and the effects of the sun on the magnetosphere. They also observe different solar phenomena.
Curated OER
Science: Entomology in Action
Students discover how coroners use insect life cycles to estimate the time of death in cases. they describe how forensic entomologists combine environmental factors with insect life cycles to note the changes. Students examine an...
Curated OER
Evolution
Explore the concept of evolution and cell biology; your class can work in groups to use the internet to view websites on evolution, take a quiz, and complete a lab activity.
Virginia Department of Education
Genetic Variation and Mutations
Young scientists demonstrate their creativity while completing several activities, to assess genetic variations and mutations. Instructors provide a list of options and scientists choose to write a comic strip, create a book,...
Curated OER
Creative Ways To Teach Evolutionary Concepts
Research how DNA, the genetic blueprint of living organisms, plays an essential role in the continuity of life. High schoolers will summarize how their influence may very well effect the destiny of the population from one generation to...
LABScI
Photosynthesis: How Do Plants Get Energy?
Examine the mechanism of photosynthesis through different light scenarios. Pupils vary the amount and type of light exposure on plant leaves in the fifth lesson plan in a 12-part series. Through observation, they determine the rate of...
Serendip
DNA
Get up close and personal with DNA! A two-part hands-on activity has learners extract DNA from a small organism and then their own cheek cells. Scholars then explore DNA replication using questions to guide their analyses.
Curated OER
Plankton in the Air
Here is a lab activity adequate for use with any full lesson plan on environmental factors that shape animal adaptations or marine animal characteristics. Pupils will discuss the role plankton plays in the environment and filter-feeding...
Curated OER
LP 6--8: Xenopus laevis (frog) Development for a 7th Grade Audience
Seventh graders view lab stations with Xenopus at different stages of development. They identify the life stage of the sample, as well as the previous and next stages. Students must explain their reason for selecting the specific stage.
Curated OER
Apoptosis: Programmed Cell Death During Development
Young scholars model the plasticity of neural pathways for memory in the brain. They simulate the cell activity according to dots on cards that they are given. They complete various simulations of different cell combinations.