Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why is Evolution Controversial?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the controversy surrounding evolution --- the challenges to science, the battles over teaching evolution in the schools, and the reconciliation of religion and science. They also examine an interactive time line of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why Does Evolution Matter Now?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are shown why they should care about evolution. They become specialists in one sphere influenced by evolution and then share their findings with their group. Students are lead into a class discussion, so that each student can...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Human Evolution

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students recognize that achievements of human beings throughout human history can be considered part of the ongoing story of human evolution. They research settings such as the biosphere and Mars and write imaginative short stories using...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

PRIMATE CLASSIFICATION: Evolution, Cladograms,

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students transfer examples (names) of primates from their location in an outline hierarchy of primate groups into a set of nested boxes reflecting that same hierarchy. A cladogram can then be drawn illustrating how these groups are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why Is Evolution Controversial?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the legal side of the teaching of evolution. They study the Scopes Trial and reflect on what it means for a teacher to be denied the right to teach a key scientific concept. In addition, they design their own...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Journey with a Scientist

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students work in groups as they read chapters of Charles Darwin's, Voyage of the Beagle. They take notes on the chapter and in their group make a timeline of the chapter. They tape the timelines together in order to depict the entire...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Molecular Sequences & Primate Evolution: Amino Acids, Hemoglobins in Evolution

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students compare differences in amino acids in the beta hemoglobin from representative primates, complete a matrix of those differences, and from these data, construct and interpret cladograms as they reflect relationships and timing of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What a Cosmic Web We Weave

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore, using journals and discussion in small groups, how the universe has evolved since the theoretical Big Bang and create dramatizations of various eras in cosmic evolution.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the concept of evolution and its implications upon the origin and development of life. They conduct research using a variety of resources while focusing upon cross-over and mutations. The information is used to set...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is Evolution Just Monkey Business?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the presentation of the theory of evolution in the science classroom. They define and discuss aspects of evolution, evaluate the presentation of evolutionary theory, and write a persuasive essay.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

WHAT, IF ANYTHING, IS A ZEBRA?

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Young scholars read the essay, "What, If Anything, Is a Zebra?" following a teacher made reading guide. They investigate cladistics, shared derived characteristics, with further online research to enhance their study of evolution and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Darwin's Finches

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders engage in a study of the Theory Of Evolution with the use of Darwin's finches as examples while making a connection to adaptive radiation. They use class discussion in order to further the lesson and focus upon...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Star is Born

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research the life cycle of a star. For this astronomy lesson, students work in groups to research on stage in stellar evolution and report back to the class their findings. They will discuss as a class the order of the stages...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Real Eve

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research about human migration during a specific time period. In this physical science lesson, students watch a video about human evolution. They prepare a presentation on human migration and share it with the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Tree Full of Ancestors

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners study human evolution and the scientific process. They complete the Origins of Humankind Web activity to become familiar with the hominid species as well as the associated evidence found, in the form of fossils and artifacts.
Lesson Plan
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Evolution

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners illustrate the results of natural selection by identifying the specific adaptation of an organism that allows the species to survive in that environment. They illustrate the results of natural selection by recognizing examples...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Biology

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students examine the principles of natural selection and explain how it is the basis of the theory of evolution.  For this natural selection lesson students research the web on the theory of evolution. 
Lesson Plan
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"Making a Good Impression"

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students are shown how fossils are formed and to learn how extinct organisms lived based on their remains and surroundings. They are shown TAKS review problems on the overhead related to evolution and fossil evidence. Students discuss...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Happy Birthday, Earth!

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students visualize the Earth's ecosystem at a specific time period and how Earth has changed over time. They create a detailed journal entry for a specific time period and create a birthday card to Earth.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classification and Binomial Nomenclature

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students practice identifying different groups of living organisms using a dichotomous key. Students also examine the history of an organism and its lineage by writing a paragraph about it and "three generations" of ancestors.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African-American Soldiers in World War I: The 92nd and 93rd Divisions

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students research the role played and contributions made by African American soldiers during World War I. They discuss the evolution of civil rights in America's history, and the progress that has been made in the last 100 years.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

FOOTSTEPS IN TIME

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students measure and correlate their foot lengths and body heights, then use this data to estimate height of Laetoli hominids. They use metric measurement and graphing to determine these heights.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparison of Human and Chimpanzee Chromosomes

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students actively engage in the careful analysis of chromosome banding patterns and identify examples of inversion in homologous chromosomes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What about Continental Drift?

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research the Continental Drift by researching for evidence of continental movement. The teaching explains the theory of plate tectonics and the Earth's magnetic field. They conclude the lesson by watching the video of "In...