Curated OER
Surface Water Supplies And The Texas Settlements
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the allocation and finding of water resources. The location of different settlement areas is considered as one looks how the water is distributed. They map some of the early Spanish and...
Curated OER
Transformation With A Firefly Gene
High schoolers understand the process of bacterial transformation through experimentation. They describe the function of two important genes of the pBestLuc plasmid. They explain how to induce competence in E. coli cells.
Curated OER
Who We Are
Students analyze population data and trends in Canada over a given amount of time. As a class, they are introduced to the concept of dependency load and use a population pyramid to calculate the figure. Using the internet, they...
American Chemical Society
Energy and Entropy of a Stretched Rubber Band
Stephen Perry invented and patented the modern rubber band in 1845. Young scientists put his discovery to work as they use rubber bands to observe entropy and enthalpy. They determine the change in free energy to figure out if it...
Curated OER
Primate Characteristics and Exaptation
High schoolers compare the features of gorilla to humans. In this biology activity, students simulate adaptation using materials found in the classroom. They explain what exaptation means.
Curated OER
Blocks And Screws (or "screwy Contrivances")
Students, given a block of wood and a screw or nail, are asked to put that screw or nail into a block. They examine how many contrivances and other imperfections found in living things are best explained by the process of evolution.
Curated OER
13 Ways to Tell Time Backwards
Students explore different ways geological time can be measured: comparing the time dimensions for each method, the mechanisms of each method, and the materials used.
Curated OER
Why Do We Need Vitamin C in Our Diet?
Students compare/contrast the DNA sequence data of the rat GULO gene to the inactive human GULO gene. They translate and align the sequences, and propose a scenario to explain the occurrence of an inactive DNA sequence to that of an...
Curated OER
The Evolution of Canis pedatus
Students examine the given characteristics of a previously unknown dog-like creature, Canis pedatus, to decide if the creatures would survive when relocated to a new environment. They work in small groups to decide whether or not the...
Curated OER
The Evolution of Canis pedatus
Pupils, in groups, examine the given characteristics of a previously unknown dog-like creature, Canis pedatus. They discuss whether or not this species would show adaptations and survive if it were relocated to a new environment.
Curated OER
Circular Motion
Twelfth graders discuss centrifugal force, frictional force, and critical speed as it relates to the popular amusement park ride, the Gravitron.
Curated OER
Ancient Egypt/Mummification/Preservation
Sixth graders identify characteristics of preserved artifact, distinguish between an example and non-example of a preserved artifact, and connect the definition of preserve to the Egyptian art of mummification.
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Associative Properties
Students investigate the associative property of addition. In this associative property of addition lesson, students work in pairs and build addition problems with six blocks. They sit on either side of a desk so that they can "read" the...
Curated OER
Edible Color Wheels
Learners create an edible color wheel using cookies and frosting. They mix tints into frosting to simulate the color of the color wheel.
Curated OER
Miami Metrozoo & Mathematics
Twelfth graders use Algebra and Geometry to solve a real life problem at the Zoo.
Virginia Department of Education
Charles’ Law
Searching for a relatively interesting way to demonstrate Charles' Law? Here is a lesson in which pupils heat air inside a flask and then cool the flask to quickly cool the air. They make observations about what occurs during the...
ARKive
Biodiversity and Evolution – Darwin’s Finches
Teens experience natural selection firsthand (or first beak) in an activity that has them act as finches foraging for food. Using different household items to act as different beak styles, your little finches will collect as much...
Curated OER
Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students recognize that they haven't seen a dinosaur because they no longer exist. In this dinosaur instructional activity, students view videos and understand what the dinosaur habitat was like. Students role play dinosaurs. Students...
Curated OER
Sneetches: Diversity of Learners
For Learners wanting to practice verbal/linguistic intelligence, any Dr. Seuss book is an excellent text for examining rhyming words. They explore words that rhyme with bully, mean, snooty, nasty, tease, harass, hurt.
Virginia Department of Education
States of Matter
Scientists have been studying exothermic reactions before they were cool. The lesson begins with a discussion and a demonstration of heat curves. Scholars then determine the heat of fusion of ice and the heat needed to...
Cornell University
Catapults
Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome.
College Board
AP® Psychology: Teaching Statistics and Research Methodology
Psychologists use statistics? Scholars investigate the research behind the methodology of statistical analysis. Using hands-on practice, case-studies, and scatterplots, they complete various tasks to understand the very roots of high...
Odell Education
Plant and Animal Cells
Incorporate multiple facets of the cell into your next high school lab! Through an introduction to cell organelles, class members observe each cell type and draw visuals to further demonstrate understanding of cellular processes in both...
Curated OER
Even/Odds Game
Using a game format, learners review what they know about theoretical probability. As they roll tetrahedron dice, they record their results as odd or even. Afterwards, they discuss their findings.