A Peek at the Past: Gradualism vs. Punctuated Equilibria

Junior geologists work through three mini-lessons that familiarize them with the formation and location of fossil fuels. Part one involves reading about petroleum and where it comes from via a thorough set of handouts. A lab activity...

More of a mini-unit than a lesson plan, these activities lead inquisitors through a survey of oil deposits. In the first part, they read about and view diagrams of sedimentary rock layers that trap oil. Next, they test porosity and...

College-level or AP chemists use phthalic anhydride to synthesize two different polyesters, one linear and one cross-linked in structure. A detailed materials list and well-written procedures are provided on a lab sheet. Learners write...

How quickly do animals evolve? Can comparing different samples of the same fossil answer timeline questions? Scholars use virtual labs to examine fossils and learn about stickleback evolution. They compare pelvic morphology in lakes...

West of the West's documentary Arlington Springs Man and a two-page scientific article about the same topic provide the text for a reading comprehension exercise that asks individuals to craft a one page summary of information gathered...

Advanced chemistry classes compare the polymerization of styrene using two different initators: benzoyl peroxide and aluminum chloride. Once they synthesize polystyrene, they compare the two producet for melting point and density. There...

What creatures lurk in the rainforest at night? Meet three of them in one short video. Part of a playlist exploring mammals, the video presents a look at night research in the Amazon. Scientists locate and photograph two bat species and...

This brief video segment adapted from NOVA uses illustrations and the well-preserved footprints of a small reptile to portray the history of the Grand Canyon's top two rock layers.

Students discover that proteins that are the product of DNA translation are different for different species. They determine that by analyzing their mass and charge they can differentiate between two different species. They use some of...

Part two of this entertaining series looks at Darwin's visit to the Galapagos, his return home, and his determination to support his theories with evidence. What fun!