Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Evolution of Digital Organisms

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students are introduced to the concepts of digital organisms and digital evolution. They learn about the research that digital evolution software makes possible, and compare and contrast it with biological evolution.
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Studying Evolution With Digital Organisms

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students observe natural selection in action and investigate the underlying mechanism, including random mutation and differential fitness based on environmental characteristics. They do this through use of the free AVIDA-ED digital...
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Introduction to Evolutionary Computation

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students are introduced to the concepts of evolution by natural selection and digital evolution software. They learn about the field of evolutionary computation, which applies the principles of natural selection to solve engineering...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Evolving Tce Biodegraders

For Teachers 11th - 12th
A hypothetical scenario is introduced in which the class is asked to apply their understanding of the forces that drive natural selection to prepare a proposal along with an environmental consulting company to help clean up an area near...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Competing Evolved & Engineered Digital Organisms

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students engineer and evolve digital organisms with the challenge to produce organisms with the highest fitness values in a particular environment. They do this through use of the free Avida-ED digital evolution software application. The...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Evolution and the Nature of Science Institutes

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A collection of classroom lessons to help high school biology teachers teach evolution and the nature of science. This highly lab-oriented module is a very useful evolution and deep-time teaching site.
Activity
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Why Does Evolution Matter Now?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Discover how evolution affects your world and how understanding evolution can help solve problems in medicine, agriculture, and the environment. Investigate the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
Primary
University of Missouri

Famous Trials: Tennessee Evolution Statutes

For Students 9th - 10th
Site provides the text of the act which banned the teaching of evolution in Tenessee schools in 1925.
Handout
Other

National Center for Science Education: Evolution and Creationism: Court Cases

For Students 9th - 10th
A summary of the court cases related to the teaching of evolution and creation. It contains position statements in support of evolution education and opposed to creation in the science classrooms from scientific, educational, civil...
Website
Indiana University

Indiana University: Human Origins and Evolution in Africa

For Students 9th - 10th
A website that catalogs links related to human origins and evolution in Africa. The links contain teaching resources, research information, and images.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Arthropod Diversity and Evolution an After School Program

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This website provides information required for a hands-on program that enables students to work alongside active museum curators, postdoctoral researchers, and collection managers. The programs will teach students to identify, classify,...
Website
PBS

Pbs: American Experience: Monkey Trial

For Students 9th - 10th
A companion site to the PBS documentary on the John T. Scopes trial, recounting the battle between creationism and evolution.
Article
American Institute of Biological Sciences

Action Bioscience: Issues in (Biology) Education

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A series of articles on current issues in teaching biology. Several are available in Spanish.
Website
Other

Evolution for Teaching: School of Science and Engineering

For Students 9th - 10th
A reference page containing information related to evolution. Topics discussed on the page is the theories, human evolution, evolutionary evidence, Darwin, and Earth's history.
Interactive
BioMan Biology

Bio Man Biology: Angry Aliens: Evolution

For Students 4th - 6th
Teach aliens about evolution as you play this game, and review your own understanding in the process. Topics covered include evolutionary mechanisms, evidence of evolution, natural selection, reproductive isolation, population genetics,...
Website
Other

Evogeneao: Evolution: All in the Family

For Students 9th - 10th
A website created to promote the teaching of evolution. The website features a Tree of Life that helps evolution be understood at a glance.
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Compare Human Made Objects With Natural Objects

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In small groups, students will experiment and observe the similarities and differences between human-made objects and nature. The students will compare the function and structure of hollow bones with drinking straws, bird beaks, tool...
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Nature Is an Engineering Marvel

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson introduces students to the concepts of biomicry and sustainable design. Students will learn to illustrate the wisdom of nature by demonstratiing how organisms adapt to their environment.
Graphic
New York Times

New York Times: Batman's Evolution

For Students 9th - 10th
Audio slideshow explains differences in Batman characterizations that have evolved over time as the superhero, first created in 1939, moved across media formats from print, to television, to film. An interesting overview of a favorite...
Website
PBS

Pbs: Electronic Money Unit

For Students 9th - 10th
Electronic Money is a PBS series of five classroom (grades 9-12) activities and lessons which include great support material on evolution of money and the e-money revolution.
Activity
PBS

Pbs Teachers:how Does Evolution Work?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Complete a hands-on lab simulation of natural selection to learn how it impacts a breeding population. Perform an online laboratory simulation and examine the interplay between natural and sexual selection in a population.
Unit Plan
Space Telescope Science Institute

Space Telescope Science Institute: Amazing Space

For Students 9th - 10th
Amazing Space promotes the "science and majestic beauty of the universe for use in the classroom." Here you can find learning activities, lesson plans, teaching guides, and helpful tips for students eager to learn about space and space...
Website
Other

Canal Kids: Ciencias (Science for Portuguese Speakers)

For Students 3rd - 8th
Colorful, engagingly written information about astronomy and biology for Portuguese-speaking English language learners. Both subjects are broken down into a broad array of related subtopics. The biology section is particularly helpful...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Monkey Trial

For Students 5th - 8th
A very good look at the Scopes Monkey Trial that pit prosecuting attorney, William Jennings Bryan against defense attorney, Clarence Darrow. Read about the issues, the media circus at the trial, and eventual outcome. Find the basis of...