Students examine the genetic relationships of different organisms. In groups, they discover the importance of genes and how different amino acids show various evolutionary relationships. They use an online database to continue their...

Students investigate the physical characteristics of dinosaurs. They participate in a puppet show, take a field trip to a dinosaur museum, and compare/contrast dinosaur characteristics at the museum.

Using 2-liter bottles, junior ecologists create composting tubes in which they place nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich materials. They observe what changes occur over two weeks' time. Provide more specific direction to your class as to what...

Young scholars watch a caterpillar change and become a butterfly. In this lesson about the life cycle of a caterpillar and a butterfly, students prepare and maintain the habitat of the caterpillar. Young scholars observe the stages of...

Students use egg cartons to construct models of coral colonies showing many aspects of the coral's natural history - including the structure of coral polyps and the coral colony's colonial life style.

Using a hands-on approach, learners explore the effect of friction on objects. Learners use toy cars, shoes, wood, metal, and more to experiment with the causes and effects of friction. Afterwards, they conduct experiments in which they...

Middle schoolers design, revise and construct a method for protecting an egg from cracking when it is dropped from a height. They work in small groups to develop their protection method and then collect and analyze data as a class when...

Learners work with a partner to complete an inventory of their traits and compare and discuss their unique qualities. For this biology lesson, students determine percentages for the frequency of observed traits of classmates, compile the...

Young scholars evaluate current literature on the Internet and in handouts about the energy considerations for the computer industry and calculate energy needs for real life problems. Working in groups, they present the problem they...

Students explore the planets and their atmospheres online. They write the story of "Goldilocks and the Nine Planets" to explain how each planet's atmosphere differs from Earth's. They design a viable life form.

Students are introduced to Scientific Inquiry and discover how to design an experiment that answers critical questions using butterflies as the topic. They design experiments that compare the number of species of butterflies in a vacant,...

Students explore the discovery of pulsar stars, and the characteristics of pulsar stars. Theories and ideas behind black holes are discussed. The issues of women's historical role in science are also touched on.

Second graders investigate the life cycle using brine shrimp as an example. They conduct observations by watching the shrimp hatch out of cysts. Students design simple experiment to structure an observation. The experiment is approved...

Students investigate various aspects of the planet Mars. They examine a core sample that is simulated to make observations. Then compare the known sample with one that is unknown and differentiate between the two. Students hypothesize...

Second graders engage in a instructional activity that seeks to discover information about Brine Shrimp. They conduct research using a variety of print and electronic resources. Students study the type of environment the shrimp need and...

Students create terrariums (mini rainforests). They observe and discuss the life processes that occur in their terrariums and how changes in these processes affect the plants and organisms inside. They collect and graph data and present...

Students redesign a human, using data in research, so that s/he can fly. In this flying lesson, students examine the characteristics and adaptations of groups of animals that can fly.  Using this research, students work...

Middle schoolers examine the characteristics of a tornado. They practice using new vocabulary and participate in a question and answer session. They use the internet to gather more specific information.

Studdents are able to identify the metamorphosis of a frog from tadpole to frog. They are able to communicate through writing what they learned about frogs. Students are able to compare what they included in the KWL chart.

Structure and Function SynopsisStudents choose some biological object, examine its structure, and identify or speculate on one particular function. Next they create a blueprint of the object, focusing on the particular function. Then...

Students are able to recognize that scientists use different definitions of species. They are able to assess the strengths and limitations of species definitions depending on their context. Students are able to use definitions of...

Students apply the use of technology to real life scenarios. In this technology lesson, students discuss and identify a method to move sponge bob from one location to the next, without touching the floor. They share the same landmark and...

Students participate in a lab experiment to observe and measure the opening and closing of stomata. They focus on photoperiod, locate and identify stomata on a leaf and explain the role of stomata in the daily functioning of a plant.

Learners perform an experiment with different types of bird eggs to determine what factors make them strong and able to stay on a cliff without rolling off.