Curated OER
Evaluating the Strength of Scientific Evidence: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker
A happy discovery occurred in Arkansas in 2004: a woodpecker, believed to be extinct since the 1940s, reappeared! Or did it? Middle to high school ecologists examine scientific evidence and use critical-thinking skills to determine...
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Answering the Call of the Wild
Students explore wildlife conservation by investigating the reintroduction of species into their natural habitats and species near extinction. They create a poster and a position paper that explains the importance of preserving this...
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Maritime Shipping on the Great Lakes and the Link to the Lake Erie Water Snake
Eager ecology learners read about characteristics of the Lake Erie water snake and the round goby fish. They find that the goby is an invasive species, introduced to Lake Erie in 1990, and has since had an impact on the water snake...
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Captive Breeding and Species Survival
Learners research and assess programs that strive to preserve biodiversity, such as captive-breeding programs and species-survival plans adopted by zoos, aquariums, and other institutions.
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Maritime Shipping on the Great Lakes and the Lake Erie Water Snake
After reading about the Lake Erie water snake and the change in its population after the introduction of the round goby in 1990, young ecologists graph water snake diet data. They analyze the data and answer 10 questions based on their...
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How do new species form?
Tenth graders conduct a critical analysis of current evolutionary concepts. They describe how scientists continue to investigate theories. Students examine examples with experimental data that suggest alternative methods of species...
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Replacing Missing Links in the Evolutionary Chain
Examine the evolution of various species of hominids from their earliest existence approximately 4.5 million years ago to today. In small groups, learners research one of the ten stages of hominid evolution and then create a poster and...
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Birds of a Feather Flock to the Web
Students define the term "evolution" and relate it to species adaptation, supporting their ideas with examples. They locate, correctly cite, and briefly review two Web sites with information on finches commonly found in their state or count
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Jewel of the Earth
Students investigate several organisms, set sticky traps to collect them, and attempt to identify and classify them using a variety of sources. The origins of the organisms are traced and their adaptive features examined.
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Illegal Fish
Your young fishermen learn about exponential function growth by interpreting the pieces of the given equation within the context of numbers of fish in a lake.
Tennessee Technical University
Carousel Brainstorm
A variation of the Walkabout Review process, carousel brainstorming directs groups to rotate through a series of stations posting ideas on the topic or question posted at each stop.
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A Field of Beans
Beans, or legumes as they are sometimes called, are the topic for an integrated multi-subject instructional activity. Youngsters will read, write, observe, and research everything there is to know about beans. They read a bean story,...
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A Tree Full of Ancestors
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.
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Non Native Species: English Ivy-Landscape Plant or Deadly Killer?
Students study the impact that invasive species have on biodiversity and more natural areas.
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Tale of a Tuna
Junior marine biologists access the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas' data on Atlantic Bluefin Tuna catches. As they analyze the data, they answer three questions. Background information and links to...
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Origins Video Questions
In this biology worksheet, students complete 19 short answer questions about biodiversity and information obtained during a class video.
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Galapagos Adaptations
Students examine photographs of closely related species found in the Gal??pagos environment, observe differences and similarities between species, and form hypotheses about species differences and the relationship to the environment of...
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In Strawberry Fields
Students discuss the origin of strawberries and employees involved with picking strawberries. In this algebra instructional activity, students discuss how much a worker who picks strawberry makes based on their flats. They create a table...
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Extinct Animals Of The Louisiana Purchase
Students investigate two extinct species of birds that existed during the time of the Louisiana Purchase in Arkansas. They conduct research to describe the characteristics of the bird and look for the causes for its eventual extinction.
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Alien Invasions
Students create an educational pamphlet on the origins, spread and impact of invasive plant species in their community.
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Illustrating Endangered Species
Students conduct research to answer the questions for each section. They critique a work of art using the levels of art criticism. Also they prepare gathered facts for a final presentation.
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Investigating Endangered Species
Students pick an endangered animal to research and report their findings to the class.
Curated OER
Under the Sea
Students imagine and describe fictitious sea animals that might live in the ocean. After reading an article, they reflect on new discoveries found in the ocean recently. Using the internet, they research the interdependence of animals...
Curated OER
Making Cladograms
Students construct cladograms (evolutionary trees), showing how shared derived characters can be used to reveal degrees of relationship. They interpret and analyze cladograms, and determine where unclassified vertebrates would fit on a...
