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.
Discovery Education
How's the Weather?
Young meteorologists explore different aspects of the weather while learning about measurement devices. They build instruments and then set up a weather station outside and measure temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind speed, and...
American Museum of Natural History
Going, Going...Gone?
Young environmentalists consider how scientists are attempting to save endangered species. They read about what causes extinction and steps to take to minimize the threats.
TED-Ed
How Does Your Brain Respond to Pain?
Zap! Ouch! That hurts! But why? And how come people don't experience or respond to pain in the same way? Take a journey on the sensing pathway, from your nociceptors, along your nerves, up your spinal cord, to neurons and glial, through...
Smarter Balanced
How the Brain Works
Cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem, pituitary gland, and spinal cord. Prepare your class for a performance task assessment on the brain and how it works with a scripted plan that defines these terms and identifies the functions the...
Sea World
Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses
Learn about the mammals of the sea with a lesson about seals, sea lions, and walruses. Kids study the characteristics of each pinniped with flash cards and information, and then analyze data about elephant seals, measure heat loss...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Frog Dissection
Guide your students through the process of opening up a frog. The resource provides step-by-step instructions for dissecting a frog, as well as guiding questions to answer throughout the lab.
Steinhardt Apps
Kinetic Molecular Theory
Building off young chemists' knowledge of the states of matter, kinetic molecular theory is the focus of the unit. Eight days of lessons including multiple demonstrations, one lab experiment, directed instruction, and worksheets,...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 3: Unit 1, Lesson 5
Science over humanity? Scholars analyze an excerpt from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. They must consider if the experimentation of Henrietta's cells without her consent was worth the information gained about cancer. They discuss...
American Museum of Natural History
Saving Species
Some scientists dedicate their lives to researching and protecting endangered species. An online lesson teaches about three scientists around the world who do just that. They learn about spiders, mollusks, and reptiles from North...
American Museum of Natural History
What's This? Sensing
There is a scallop that relies on sight so much that it actually has more than 100 eyes! There are many species that rely heavily on one sense or another. An online interactive resource has youth read about several of these animals. The...
Curated OER
Tornadoes
Middle schoolers examine the characteristics of a tornado. They practice using new vocabulary and participate in a question and answer session. They use the internet to gather more specific information.
Curated OER
Plant Nutrition and Nutrients
Students observe seeds growth and examine the different parts of the seedling. In this biology instructional activity, students compare the growth of seeds planted in soil and in hydroponics. They record their observations in their...
Curated OER
Mock-Muck
Students purify water samples using various techniques. In this water treatment lesson, students complete a variety of activities to learn about the process. A data chart is included for recording results. A crossword puzzle is included...
Curated OER
Biology: Genetics and Heredity
Seventh graders explore the connection between genetics and heredity by examining the cellular structure. Among the numerous activities to engage students are drawing DNA molecules, vocabulary puzzle sheets, and predicting possible...
Virginia Department of Education
The Effects of Heat and Acid on the Enzyme Catalase
How quickly do enzymatic reactions occur? Assist the class as they examine heat and pH change to determine the rate of chemical reactions using catalase as an enzyme. Watch them "glow" with excitement!
Virginia Department of Education
Viruses
Germs, parasites, and viruses, oh my! Facilitate a lesson plan on viruses as individuals explore functions of Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. They learn how viruses compare with other organisms in nature and how they contribute to...
Virginia Department of Education
Biomes of the World
Incorporate knowledge about biomes and ecosystems in multiple ways while encouraging creativity. Emerging ecologists collaborate and perform research to complete a graphic organizer about various biomes of the world. They conclude the...
Virginia Department of Education
A Salt Marsh Ecosystem
What a web we weave. Pupils use yarn as the primary resource to create a web depicting the intricacies of a salt marsh ecosystem. They participate in a question and answer session, which leads to an in-depth facilitated discussion...
Virginia Department of Education
Osmosis, Diffusion, and Active Transport
No, it really is okay to play with your food! Emerging scientists manipulate popcorn, eggs, and other household objects as they demonstrate multiple cellular processes. The activity, capable of modifications, is designed to reflect...
Virginia Department of Education
The Cycles of Nature
Encourage peer collaboration and assist with the creation of visual aids to identify carbon, water, and nitrogen cycles as your class learns more about nature. They discuss relative information, create a visual aid...
Workforce Solutions
A Colony for Lunar Living
Two lessons explore the possibility of living on the moon. First, scholars read various scenarios to identify which careers would best transfer to life in space. Finally, pupils examine a website to locate items made for outer space,...
Purdue University
Food Waste Solutions
Easy doesn't always mean better. In an era with pre-packaged everything, learners consider the environmental impact of the convenient trend. They critique the packaging of food and how waste impacts cost and then look for solutions.
Biology Corner
Human Genetics
Explore how our chromosomes work to define human attributes. A complete unit presentation includes topics such as genetic disorders, blood typing, and Punnet squares. Learners answer questions throughout the presentation to apply the...