Lesson Plan
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Genes-R-Us: or, Real Genetics For Real Students

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Young scholars explore genetics and genetic counseling. They research information on human genetic disorders. Students simulate developing a complete counseling service to assist the community.
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Then, Now, and Tomorrow

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students will use this unit to investigate the past, present, and future of the architecture and plan of New York's Lower East Side. Students will research the history of the Lower East Side neighborhood in photographs used from the...
Lesson Plan
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Simple Machines, Engines and the Environment

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine and describe the six main simple machines. In groups, they work with an inclined plane to calculate the ideal and actual mechanical advantages of the plane. Using their results, they must determine the efficiency of the...
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Fidel Castro: El Comandante

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students view a documentary on Fidel Castro. After nearly forty years of rule, he remains one of the most controversial political figures of the twentieth century. After viewing, students discuss what they saw and research the Cuban...
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Making The Geologic Time Scale Real

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students are assigned significant geologic events in Earth's history. They convert the date of the events into distances and then space themselves (on an outside playing field) away from other groups, to represent time between various...
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Habitat Dynamics

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students develop an interactive diary to record bird seed consumption. In this habitat lesson, students predict and record the amount of birdseed eaten each week by birds.
Lesson Plan
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Transgenic Mammals

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students are provided with a real life example of research in the areas of genetic and molecular biology. Students examine ethical considerations and related issues such as patent laws and regulatory procedures.
Lesson Plan
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Biodiversity in Illinois-Pond Habitats

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders construct a pond habitat in the classroom using a small swimming pool partially filled with water, real cattails, a tree log adjoining, and plastic animal life appropriate to a pond setting. They examine the frog in detail...
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A Statistical Look at Jewish History

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students complete their examination over the Jewish Diaspora. Using population figures, they discover the importance of percentages in exploring trends. They use their own ethnic group and determine how it is represented in the United...
Lesson Plan
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Can You Walk a Mile With My Foot?

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the measurement of a foot as a customary unit. They take part in a series of activities to help them acquire skills of using a foot to compare other units of measurement. The teacher...
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Quieting Down Muscles and Bones

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students familiarize themselves with the proper names of muscles and bones and where they are located.
Lesson Plan
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Stocking Up For The Next Millennium

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Look back on the inventions, concepts, cultural items, and literary contributions of the past one hundred years. Young historians will compose a presentation based on the research they do in favor of one thing that should withstand the...
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Reel Remembrances

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners interview adults, ages 71-75. They ask them questions concerning events of 60 years ago and create a media presentation based upon background information and interview responses.
Lesson Plan
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Composting

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students discover the concept of decomposition. They examine how it makes the soil more fertile and how it helps plants. They put a compost bin in their backyard and record their observations.
Lesson Plan
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Happy Birthday Mathematicians and Me

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers choose a mathematician or scientist born on the same day as the student and research them. They create a cube or tetrahedron and place required information on the sides (such as birth year, death yr., greatest...
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Making a Human Tree

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students explore botany by defining the anatomy of a tree. In this environmental exploration lesson plan, students research plant vocabulary terms and discuss the uses of each word. Students create a "human" tree by role-playing as one...
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Hey, I've Got A Question!

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders explore the Solar System. They develop a research question and use inquiry-based research skills to find the answers to their questions. Students write up their findings and create a multimedia presentation.
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Ecosystems, Habitats and Survival

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students analyze the habitats of animals and people, how they are developed and maintained, and what factors affect shelter selection. They create a classified ad that describes a specific animal's habitat.
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Lesson 5, What Kind of Research Should Our Government Support?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine research ethics. In this scientific research ethics lesson, students examine hypothetical research scenarios and determine which proposals should be funded with tax dollars.
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Art and Anatomy: The Vitruvian Teen

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Pupils are introduced to the history of showing the human anatomy. In groups, they measure their height and arm spans to create a graph and determine if their measurements support Vitruvius' work. Individually, they make their own...
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Schoolyard Jungle: What's Out There?

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders create a plant study guide using their outdoor classroom environment. For this ecology lesson, 8th graders take photographs of plants they collect from the outdoor classroom and create plant field...
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The Human Geonome Project Structured Controversy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils debate government funding of the Human Genome Project. In this ethics instructional activity, students use the stuctured controversy framework to research the opposing viewpoints regarding project funding.
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Patterns In Time

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders examine fossils.  In this vertebrate fossils lesson plan students view a demonstration.
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Lesson 18, My Friend Linda

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students explore Huntington's Disease. In this biology lesson, students read My Friend Linda and examine the ethical issues brought to light in the story. Students discuss biotechnology issues and genetic testing.