Students participate in a simulation of a Shark Bay food web to view the relationships between members of that ecosystem.
Students explore a bay ecosystem and how the different organisms of the ecosystem compete with one another for resources.
This is a .pdf of a formative assessment activity where students illustrate biotic and abiotic features of a forest ecosystem.
This is a unit learning plan for Bio 1.1.1, 1.1.2, part of 1.1.3 and 1.2.3 including learning targets, linked lesson plans, and resources. The unit's essential question is how does form influence function in cells?
This lesson is the first of a two-part series focused on how scientists perform their work. These lessons make use of a book called The Frog Scientist, by Pamela S. Turner. Students will read the book and view and analyze supplemental resource materials to better understand how scientists are using the scientific method to study human environmental impact.
This lesson introduces students to the genetic information stored in DNA within the human cell nucleus.
Students will discover ethical issues surrounding the practice of genetic engineering in reproductive medicine and understand key terms and concepts related to the science of genetic engineering. Students will also read the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and write a paper comparing and contrasting the ethical and societal conflicts in Huxley's society with our society's use of biotechnology.
This lesson focuses on how cancer is caused by mutations that accumulate over time in cells' DNA, how the genes mutated in cancer are involved in normal cell growth & division, and how different types of mutations affect the functions of these genes.
Fundamentals of Biology focuses on the basic principles of biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, and recombinant DNA. These principles are necessary to understanding the basic mechanisms of life and anchor the biological knowledge that is required to understand many of the challenges in everyday life, from human health and disease to loss of biodiversity and environmental quality.
In this lesson, students will examine potential benefits and risks of genetically modified (GM) foods. Students conduct an interview at a biotech company, analyze nutritional information on food labels, design enhanced GM food products, and participate in a class debate on the topic. This lesson includes several literacy components, including reading a scientific article, conducting basic research, and writing assignments.
This interactive animation goes through the steps in gene cloning, part of the process of crop genetic engineering.
Students will come to understand that in sexually reproducing organisms, such as humans, typically half of the genes come from each parent. Students will examine a fictional pedigree and determine which gene is responsible for a given trait. The genetic information for individuals is depicted as a jigsaw puzzle.
In this instructional module, students use a bioethical decision-making model to consider the ethical, legal and social implications of actual gene therapy trials.
Students will learn the genetic mechanisms that cause variation among humans (parents and children, brothers and sisters) and how to calculate the probability that two individuals will have an identical genetic makeup.
Students will understand the pattern of genetic variation among humans and how variation has been introduced into our species over time. As a culminating activity, students will pick a trait variation to research and report.
In this lesson, students will demonstrate the synthesis of a DNA plasmid by using a paper model, explain the significance of the new plasmid in terms of its expression of the new traits, and explain the importance of restriction enzymes, polymerases and ligases in the formation of a recombinant DNA.
Students use pennies to determine the traits for a smiley face, then use Microsoft Word to create the smiley face. Faces are displayed in the classroom and students use their knowledge of genetics to answer questions about smiley faces, traits, and probability. NOTE: Teacher notes and a "Wrapping It Up" analysis activity are separate complementary resources.
This resource is a set of teacher notes to accompany the activity "Genetics with a Smile". It includes directions and tips for teachers as well as a sample smiley face.
This student worksheet, with answer key, is used to wrap up the activity "Genetics with a Smile".
This resource is packed with information on the Human Genome Project and how it affects society.