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Mission Possible
Students, in teams, solve a crime using forensic lab techniques. They apply lab techniques to a real life situation using a crime scenario that takes place on campus. Sample activities include Blood, Fiber, and Hair Lab.
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Bacteria's Role in Food
Students grow bacteria cultures on agar in petri dishes and do a plate count. They participate in a yogurt making lab to see how bacteria produce lactic acid. They prepare a recipe and identify fungi, fermentation and the role of...
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Cell (Biology)
Students conduct a series of activities to explore the nature of cells. In this biology activity, students observe plant and animal cells under the microscope and compare them. They differentiate osmosis and diffusion.
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Science: Bees: An Interdisciplinary Approach
Students investigate the world of bees and describe their characteristics. by identifying the bees' parts, they demonstrate how these parts function. In the lab, students dissect bees and view the various parts under microscopes. ...
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Plants: Scattering Seeds
Students collect and microscopically examine seeds from the school yard and neighborhood. In small groups, they draw and discuss the shapes of the seeds to determine each plant's method of dispersal. they also test two types of seeds...
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Frosty the Snowman Meets His Demise: An Analogy to Carbon Dating
Students read and discuss an article about carbon dating, then participate in a hands-on lab to discover how carbon dating works. Students also write a letter to a friend explaining the process, and how archeologists use the process to...
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Case Study Two: Shark Dissection
Students read an article on sharks prior to beginning a dissection lab. As part of the lab, students identify differences between the shark anatomy and human anatomy and hypothesize why those differences exist.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Are All Plants Created Equal?
Photosynthesis requires energy and produces food, and cellular respiration produces energy and requires food. An interesting lesson analyzes the factors that affect the rates of photosynthesis and respiration. Classes spend one day...
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Dishing the Dirt Part 1
Students create a soil center on their school grounds. They begin to write in their science journals. They participate in an experiment that helps the community begin their own gardens.
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Collect Your Own Drosophila Lab
Learners study Drosophila by catching them. They construct catcher-containers to catch Drosophila using fruit as bait. After collection, they examine the flies and collect data to be displayed.
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Plasmolysis in Elodea Plant Cells
High schoolers microscopically observe various subcellular components. They determine the effects of different salt solutions on Elodea plant cells. Students explain the major function of a cell membrane and describe its structure.
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Introduction To Cell Structure and Function: What's Inside a Cell?
Tenth graders are introduced to the cell and some of its parts. Through the use of video, 10th graders see animal and plants cells and their parts. They learn terms used to explain the cell.
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Find the Speed of a Protist
Young scholars identify protists under a microscope, and using a stopwatch calculate the speed of a protist from a pond water sample. They use distance and time to identify the speed of a protist, and create a distance versus time graph...
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Critters in the Classroom
Students investigate with sea urchins. In this ocean habitat lesson, students observe sea urchins and other ocean grazers. Students work with lab equipment to examine the anatomy of these creatures.
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Cell Structure and Function
Pupils identify the main ideas of different cell theories. Using a microscope, they compare and contrast the structures and functions of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. They also compare and contrast animal and plant cells and complete...
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CSI: Native America
Students discuss the murders of Native Americans in Indiana. In groups, they research and make drawings of the scene as if they were part of a CSI team. They complete any needed experiments to help them solve the crime and create a...
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Comparing Light Bulbs
Fifth graders compare filaments in different light bulbs. In this science lesson, 5th graders view the filaments of light bulbs under a microscope.
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BIoluminescence
Students investigate the concept of bioluminescence. They use dinoflagellates in a lab situation to study photosynthesis. They conduct research into the concept using a variety of resources. Also the class is taken on a field trip to...
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Shells on the Mountain Top?
Students work in groups to remove fossils from sediments, classifying as many organisms and parts of organisms as possible into major groups. They study the data from each formation and make conclusions about the types of organisms and...
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Pollen Tube Growth
Learners demonstrate the proper usage of the compound and dissecting microscopes. They identify the parts of a flower and the functions of the flower parts. Students describe the process of gamete formation and fertilization in a flower.
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Fungal Viewing
Students recognize slides of different fungi. They work in lab groups. Students view slides under the microscope, then draw and label the parts, magnification, and the organism. Students discuss similarities between some fungi and...
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Ecosystems
Sixth graders perform various labs, create presentations, and do hands on activities to explore the ecosystem.
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Relationships and Biodiversity
Young scholars examine diversity on the planet and the differences within a species. In this investigative lesson students complete a lab that allows young scholars to better understand the relatedness between plants.
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The Human Cheek Cell
Students list the parts of cell theory and describe and define vocabulary. In this cell lesson students complete a handout that includes sketching a cell.