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...
Curated OER
Are Fruits And Vegetables Really Made of Cells?
Learners design and carry out an exercise to determine if a given fruit or vegetable is composed of cells. They dissect out sections of the fruit or vegetable, prepare stained slides, and make observations under a compound microscope.
Curated OER
Parts of the Cell
Students examine plant and animal cells to observe the organelles present in the cell, to match the function of each to the organelle on a cell model and to build a model of the plant or animal cell.
Curated OER
Cells are 3-D!
Students design three dimensional models of plant and animal cells. They identify the cells parts, and compare animal and plant cells.
Curated OER
Cell Swelling and Shrinking
Students examine the concept of osmosis in relation to dehydration. They identify the function and structure of semi-permable membranes. They predict how certain processes can affect the characteristics of an organism.
Curated OER
Cells Study Questions and Definition
In this cells worksheet, students define 14 words associated with cells. They answer 12 short answer questions about the structure and function of the cellular system.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
How Do Fibers Form?
The proteins inside a cell determine the shape of the cell. While most red blood cells have a circular shape, those with sickle cell take the shape of a sickle. This change in shape causes multiple issues in the system. Scholars solve...
Curated OER
How Genes Work Lesson Plan
Students define the key terms that are the structure and function of DNA. In this genetics lesson students complete a lab activity in which they construct a model DNA structure.
Serendip
How Do Biological Organisms Use Energy?
When an organism eats, how does food become energy? Young biologists follow glucose through the process of cellular respiration to the creation of ADP using a discussion-based activity. The resource also highlights conservation of mass...
Curated OER
Cell 5 Diffusion and Osmosis
Students distinguish between active and passive transport. Students identify key words associated with active and passive transport. They draw and explain the structure f the cellular membrane. They are able to define phospholipid...
It's About Time
Who Eats Whom?
Packed with visual aids and multiple learning opportunities, an engaging exercise challenges individuals as they explore the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers. After discussing differences between food chains, food...
Curated OER
Apoptosis: Programmed Cell Death During Development
Pupils 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.
Curated OER
Games and Activities to Teach Molecular Genetics
Students demonstrate a working knowledge of cell interactions such as DNA replication, protein synthesis (transcription and translation), through active participation in a cooperative group.
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
Making Connections: Exploring Our Brains through the Five Senses
Students identify structures of the brain, and neurons and analyze their functions. In this nervous system lesson students create drawings and models of anatomy.
Teach Engineering
Active and Passive Transport: Red Rover Send Particles Over
I can move about freely, but you cannot. The class models the movement through cell membranes by way of passive and active transport. Members of the class play the roles of various proteins, atoms, compounds, and cell actions and mimic...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Viral DNA Integration
How do reverse transcriptase inhibitors work? Young virologists examine the function of azidothymidine, a drug doctors use to treat HIV patients, during a hands-on modeling activity. Groups create a strand of DNA from an HIV RNA strand...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Can We Absorb Nanoparticle Pollutants?
Just because we can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there! A growing concern for environmental scientists is toxic nanoparticles in our air and water. Young scholars conduct an experiment to demonstrate how these particles can cross our...
Curated OER
Biology - Virus Modeling
Students research one of the many types of viruses. They create a 3-D model of the virus they researched with graphics software.
Curated OER
The Structure of DNA
Young scholars describe the structure of the double helix, explain how DNA copies itself, and recognize that the sequence of DNA is what makes each individual unique.
Curated OER
Slimy cells
Students study the parts of a cell. In this chemistry lesson students complete an activity in which they make as much slime as they want.
Curated OER
Plant And Animal Cells
Students identify parts of plant and animal cells and describe the functions of each part. They distinguish between plant and animal cells. After a lecture/demo, students perform experiments which help them construct models of plant and...
Curated OER
Study of the Cell
Students draw a diagram to show the fluid mosaic model of a membrane. They explain how hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties help membranes hold their shape. They identify the functions of different cell membrane proteins as well.