The goal of this exercise is to explore gender differences in occupation. Summary statistics, including the mean, median, mode, and standard deviation will be used.
Build a gene network! The lac operon is a set of genes which are responsible for the metabolism of lactose in some bacterial cells. Explore the effects of mutations within the lac operon by adding or removing genes from the DNA.
"Genetic Engineering Challenge - How can scientists develop a type of rice that could prevent vitamin A deficiency?" is an analysis and discussion activity. This activity begins with an introduction to vitamin A deficiency, rice seeds, and genetic engineering. Next, several questions challenge students to design a basic plan that could produce a genetically engineered rice plant that makes rice grains that contain pro-vitamin A. Subsequent information and questions guide students in developing an understanding of the basic techniques of genetic engineering. Students use fundamental molecular biology concepts as they think about how to solve a practical problem. This activity can be used to introduce students to genetic engineering or to reinforce basic understanding of genetic engineering.
5E model lesson covering genetic engineering tools and technologies.
In this activity, students will explore some of the common uses of DNA information in better understanding one’s ancestry and in making more informed health decisions. Life science students have learned that DNA provides the instructions for making proteins, and those proteins have a great deal to do with a person’s physical and mental characteristics as well as their likelihood of suffering from certain medical conditions. At the same time, companies like Ancestry.com and 23andMe advertise a DNA analysis service through which – for a nominal fee – they reveal hidden information about a person’s heritage and predisposition toward certain diseases.
This activity begins with sections that help students to understand basic principles of genetics, including (1) how genotype influences phenotype via the effects of genes on protein structure and function and (2) how genes are transmitted from parents to offspring through the processes of meiosis and fertilization. Then, a coin flip activity models the probabilistic nature of inheritance and Punnett square predictions; this helps students understand why the characteristics of children in many real families deviate from Punnett square predictions. Additional concepts covered include polygenic inheritance, incomplete dominance, and how a new mutation can result in a genetic condition that was not inherited. This activity helps students meet the Next Generation Science Standards.
These lessons demonstrate how a good understanding of mitosis, meiosis and fertilization and a basic understanding of the roles of DNA and proteins can provide the basis for understanding genetics. Important genetics concepts for students to learn are summarized and multiple learning activities are suggested to help students understand Punnett squares, pedigrees, dominant/recessive alleles, X-linked recessive alleles, incomplete dominance, co-dominance, test crosses, independent assortment, genetic linkage, polygenic inheritance, etc. This overview provides links to suggested activities which include hands-on simulation and laboratory activities, analysis of class data, review games and discussion activities and questions.
This Jeopardy game reviews genetics, with 25 questions of varying levels of difficulty.
This game helps students to enjoy reviewing genetics vocabulary. Each card in the deck has a target vocabulary word and two related taboo words that the student may not use when giving clues so the other students in his or her small group can guess the target word. Many students have trouble learning the substantial new vocabulary required for biology, and this game lets students have fun while reinforcing their understanding of key terms.
The Geniverse software is being developed as part of a five-year research project funded by the National Science Foundation. Still in its early stages, a Beta version of the software is currently being piloted in six schools throughout New England. We invite you to try the current Beta version, keeping in mind that you may encounter errors or pages that are not fully functional. If you encounter any problem, it may help to refresh or reload the web page.
The main goal of this lesson is to get students familiar with the idea that geology is
something tangible and that it affects the world around them. They should be inspired to
ask questions about how geologic processes shaped the world around them and make
observations to answer those questions. All of this on their schoolyard.
During the introductory activity, students learn that geology is a lot like detective work.
Geologists infer the sequence and timing of events by collecting evidence and making
observations, just like a detective.
Students first make observations of a murder mystery.
Then, they try to use simple principles to develop a story that is consistent with these
observations. Many of the principles they use in the murder mystery are exactly the
same as a geologist uses in determining the history of a landscape. Photographs relate the murder mystery to real geology.
Teachers can then take their students outside to explore their new found geologic
interpretation skills. Because every schoolyard is slightly different, teachers will need to
adapt this excursion to their own unique setting. The rest of the web site is a collection
of example geologic features that might have analogs in the schoolyard.
Teachers should browse the images and walk around their schoolyard looking for similar features. There are also links to background information and classroom activities about those features that serve as a jumping off point for teaching a wide variety of topics in earth science.
A teacher could plan a single fifty minute field trip to the schoolyard to explore all the
features, or use images from this section throughout their entire earth science unit.
Content PDF url: https://prd-wret.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/atoms/files/lessonthreeGeoSleuth_3.pdf
The main goal of this lesson is to get students familiar with the idea that geology is
something tangible and that it affects the world around them. They should be inspired to
ask questions about how geologic processes shaped the world around them and make
observations to answer those questions. All of this on their schoolyard.
During the introductory activity, students learn that geology is a lot like detective work.
Geologists infer the sequence and timing of events by collecting evidence and making
observations, just like a detective.
Students first make observations of a murder mystery.
Then, they try to use simple principles to develop a story that is consistent with these
observations. Many of the principles they use in the murder mystery are exactly the
same as a geologist uses in determining the history of a landscape. Photographs relate the murder mystery to real geology.
Teachers can then take their students outside to explore their new found geologic
interpretation skills. Because every schoolyard is slightly different, teachers will need to
adapt this excursion to their own unique setting. The rest of the web site is a collection
of example geologic features that might have analogs in the schoolyard.
Teachers should browse the images and walk around their schoolyard looking for similar features. There are also links to background information and classroom activities about those features that serve as a jumping off point for teaching a wide variety of topics in earth science.
A teacher could plan a single fifty minute field trip to the schoolyard to explore all the
features, or use images from this section throughout their entire earth science unit.
Content PDF url: https://prd-wret.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/atoms/files/lessonthreeGeoSleuth_3.pdf
The main goal of this lesson is to get students familiar with the idea that geology is
something tangible and that it affects the world around them. They should be inspired to
ask questions about how geologic processes shaped the world around them and make
observations to answer those questions. All of this on their schoolyard.
During the introductory activity, students learn that geology is a lot like detective work.
Geologists infer the sequence and timing of events by collecting evidence and making
observations, just like a detective.
Students first make observations of a murder mystery.
Then, they try to use simple principles to develop a story that is consistent with these
observations. Many of the principles they use in the murder mystery are exactly the
same as a geologist uses in determining the history of a landscape. Photographs relate the murder mystery to real geology.
Teachers can then take their students outside to explore their new found geologic
interpretation skills. Because every schoolyard is slightly different, teachers will need to
adapt this excursion to their own unique setting. The rest of the web site is a collection
of example geologic features that might have analogs in the schoolyard.
Teachers should browse the images and walk around their schoolyard looking for similar features. There are also links to background information and classroom activities about those features that serve as a jumping off point for teaching a wide variety of topics in earth science.
A teacher could plan a single fifty minute field trip to the schoolyard to explore all the
features, or use images from this section throughout their entire earth science unit.
Content PDF url: https://prd-wret.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/atoms/files/lessonthreeGeoSleuth_3.pdf
The main goal of this lesson is to get students familiar with the idea that geology is
something tangible and that it affects the world around them. They should be inspired to
ask questions about how geologic processes shaped the world around them and make
observations to answer those questions. All of this on their schoolyard.
During the introductory activity, students learn that geology is a lot like detective work.
Geologists infer the sequence and timing of events by collecting evidence and making
observations, just like a detective.
Students first make observations of a murder mystery.
Then, they try to use simple principles to develop a story that is consistent with these
observations. Many of the principles they use in the murder mystery are exactly the
same as a geologist uses in determining the history of a landscape. Photographs relate the murder mystery to real geology.
Teachers can then take their students outside to explore their new found geologic
interpretation skills. Because every schoolyard is slightly different, teachers will need to
adapt this excursion to their own unique setting. The rest of the web site is a collection
of example geologic features that might have analogs in the schoolyard.
Teachers should browse the images and walk around their schoolyard looking for similar features. There are also links to background information and classroom activities about those features that serve as a jumping off point for teaching a wide variety of topics in earth science.
A teacher could plan a single fifty minute field trip to the schoolyard to explore all the
features, or use images from this section throughout their entire earth science unit.
Content PDF url: https://prd-wret.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/atoms/files/lessonthreeGeoSleuth_3.pdf
Science Instructional Plans (SIPs) help teachers align instruction with the Science Standards of Learning (SOL) by providing examples of how the content and the scientific and engineering practices found in the SOL and curriculum framework can be presented to students in the classroom.
The geologic timeline activity is a hands-on experience that will have your students create a geologic timeline. Students will complete this after notes on the geologic timeline have been given as a reinforcement activity. Students love the ability to get on the floor and create a timeline.
Students explore geomagnetism with compasses, navigation exercises, and a geo-caching activity and explore aurora and space weather, with an optional field trip to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
This is a set of four, one-page problems about the distance craft travel on Mars. Learners will use the Pythagorean Theorem to determine distance between a series of hypothetical exploration sites within Gale Crater on Mars. Options are presented so that students may learn about the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission through a NASA press release or by viewing a NASA eClips video [6 min.]. This activity is part of the Space Math multi-media modules that integrate NASA press releases, NASA archival video, and mathematics problems targeted at specific math standards commonly encountered in middle school.
GeoSleuth Murder Mystery
U.S. Geologic Service Educator Lesson Plans
LINK: https://www.usgs.gov/science-support/osqi/yes/resources-teachers/school-yard-geology
Lesson Overview
This murder mystery introduces both the nature of scientific inquiry and important geologic concepts in a very student-friendly, accessible manner. Geology is a lot like detective work. The power of this exercise is that it exposes students to the main goals of geology and even some of the fundamental principles in a setting that they can understand -- a murder mystery. After the class explores the murder mystery, the teacher then shows a range of geologic photos that relate to features in the mystery.
Learning Outcomes
Geologists reconstruct the sequence of events that shaped the present-day landscape by making observations.
Observations are different from interpretations.
Observations are descriptions of things we see. Interpretations are stories about what happened that are based on the observations.
Events that happened in the past are similar to events that we observe today. They follow the same laws of physics.
Materials
Presentation (either as overhead transparency or computer projector). The activity is based around the GeoSleuth murder mystery drawing, shown on the lesson link provided.
Materials have two options:
1. Recommended: Download a prepared presentation complete with the image, supplementary geologic images, and a teacher's guide.
2. Presentation: Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF ~ 3 MB; Teacher's Guide: Acrobat PDF, 1 MB Use the image provided and show on a projector or print it on transparency.
Procedures
1. Have students look at the photo for 1 minute silently by themselves.
2. Ask students to list observations about the image. Write them down on the board as students give them. Be very clear about the difference between observations and interpretation and don't write any interpretations on the board.
3. When you have collected all the observations, ask the class if everyone agrees with these observations.
4. Now the fun begins. Ask for students to volunteer their interpretation about the sequence of events that happened.
5. Let chaos reign for a few minutes as students argue competing theories.
6. Summarize the different interpretations, highlighting the geologic principles that each theory depends upon (shown below).
7. Show the geologic images from the Powerpoint presentation.
8. Put the murder mystery image up and go over the geologic principles again.
9. End class without giving them an answer about what really happened.
Closing the Lesson
It's key to end the activity by returning to the GeoSleuth murder mystery photo. You should not, however, give students a definitive answer to the mystery. That's part of the nature of science -- there is never a right answer. There is only a "best answer," meaning one that is most consistent with the observations and most likely to be true. Different scientists often disagree about which answer is best, even when looking at the same data. This is because data are often incomplete or have large uncertainty.
Homework/Exension
Students can write their own murder mystery, carefully trying to integrate clues that will give the reader evidence of the sequence of events leading up to the murder.
GeoSleuth Murder Mystery
U.S. Geologic Service Educator Lesson Plans
LINK: https://prd-wret.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/atoms/files/lessonthreeGeoSleuth_3.pdf
Lesson Overview
This murder mystery introduces both the nature of scientific inquiry and important geologic concepts in a very student-friendly, accessible manner. Geology is a lot like detective work. The power of this exercise is that it exposes students to the main goals of geology and even some of the fundamental principles in a setting that they can understand -- a murder mystery. After the class explores the murder mystery, the teacher then shows a range of geologic photos that relate to features in the mystery.
Learning Outcomes
Geologists reconstruct the sequence of events that shaped the present-day landscape by making observations.
Observations are different from interpretations.
Observations are descriptions of things we see. Interpretations are stories about what happened that are based on the observations.
Events that happened in the past are similar to events that we observe today. They follow the same laws of physics.
Materials
Presentation (either as overhead transparency or computer projector). The activity is based around the GeoSleuth murder mystery drawing, shown on the lesson link provided.
Materials have two options:
1. Recommended: Download a prepared presentation complete with the image, supplementary geologic images, and a teacher's guide.
2. Presentation: Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF ~ 3 MB; Teacher's Guide: Acrobat PDF, 1 MB Use the image provided and show on a projector or print it on transparency.
Procedures
1. Have students look at the photo for 1 minute silently by themselves.
2. Ask students to list observations about the image. Write them down on the board as students give them. Be very clear about the difference between observations and interpretation and don't write any interpretations on the board.
3. When you have collected all the observations, ask the class if everyone agrees with these observations.
4. Now the fun begins. Ask for students to volunteer their interpretation about the sequence of events that happened.
5. Let chaos reign for a few minutes as students argue competing theories.
6. Summarize the different interpretations, highlighting the geologic principles that each theory depends upon (shown below).
7. Show the geologic images from the Powerpoint presentation.
8. Put the murder mystery image up and go over the geologic principles again.
9. End class without giving them an answer about what really happened.
Closing the Lesson
It's key to end the activity by returning to the GeoSleuth murder mystery photo. You should not, however, give students a definitive answer to the mystery. That's part of the nature of science -- there is never a right answer. There is only a "best answer," meaning one that is most consistent with the observations and most likely to be true. Different scientists often disagree about which answer is best, even when looking at the same data. This is because data are often incomplete or have large uncertainty.
Homework/Exension
Students can write their own murder mystery, carefully trying to integrate clues that will give the reader evidence of the sequence of events leading up to the murder.