Search results for: “need”
-
Investigation: Properties of Water (with Stats)
This investigation asks students to review the properties of water as they relate to life, usually a topic covered in the first or second chapter of most biology textbooks. Students then perform an experiment where they test the number of drops that can be placed on penny and compare that test to drops that…
-
Cell City
This popular activity asks students to read a story about a fictional town where each part of the city is compared to the parts of a cell. For example: “Widgets are generally produced in small shops around the city, these small shops can be built by the carpenter’s union (whose headquarters are in town hall.)” In this…
-
Flashcard Creators and Templates
If you teach a class that requires students to memorize information, then you have probably worked with students on developing strategies for memorization. I often tell my anatomy students that they might forget some of the details of what they have learned, but study strategies will stay with them through college. I could get…
-
Investigation: Tools and Measurements
I designed this activity to help students become familiar with basic equipment found in the lab. Students take volume measurements using a graduated cylinder, beaker, and a 3ml pipette. Ultimately, they must determine how many single drops of water are in 1 milliliter by designing a way to test this given the tools provided.…
-
Video Lessons and Taking Notes
Many teachers have adopted a “flipped” model of instruction, where students view lectures from home and then use class time for discussions, experiments, and problem-solving. I have not fully gone to this model because many of my lectures have been redesigned as cases and include information with a discussion and a problem to solve.…
-
Investigation: What Factors Affect Seed Germination?
This activity can be used as part of a unit on plants or as an activity to illustrate the scientific method. The materials are cheap and can be obtained from the grocery store. Students design an experiment to determine what factors affect seed germination. They are given a list of variables that are appropriate…
-
Why Does Biology Corner Have Advertisements?
When I started this website in 2001, it was a simple project required to earn my graduate degree in educational technology. At the time, all of the pages were created by writing html into a text file. It was a painstakingly long process and the pages never really looked like I wanted them to. Eventually,…
-
Investigation: What Organisms Are Found in Ponds?
Does your community have ponds, streams, or lakes? Students enjoy working with real biology, and though it may not be possible to take students to a lake, you can bring the lake to the student. This open-ended activity gives students the opportunity to explore pond water and compare the types of species found in…
-
Investigation: Stride Length and Bone Lengths
This activity is intended to introduce students to spreadsheets while also reinforcing concepts learned in the unit on the skeletal system. While graphs may be easier to create using google sheets, student can still create graphs by hand using graph paper. Your class will need a set of meter sticks or rules to…
-
Investigation – Animal Behavior with Isopods
An isopod is a crustacean with a segmented body and seven pairs of legs. They are commonly known as pill bugs, roly-polys, or woodlice. Isopods are found in a variety of habitats, including soil, under rocks, and in decaying wood. They are detritivores, meaning they eat dead and decaying matter. Isopods are an important part…
-
Practice Genetics: Sex Linked Genes
Students learn basic Mendelian genetics by crossing traits from fruit flies and pea plants. In this extension, students can practice doing crosses that involve sex-linked traits, where the alleles are located on the X chromosome which affects the pattern of inheritance. This worksheet is designed for beginning biology students, as it provides in most…
-
Investigation: Modeling Heredity with Popsicle Sticks
In this activity, you will use popsicle sticks to model the process of gamete formation and the combining of sperm and egg to create offspring. Results of the simulation can then be compared to Punnet square expected results. Popsicles should be made in advance, the set contains a male and female set with the genotypes…
-
Construct a DNA Model Using Marshmallows
Use marshmallows and toothpicks to construct a model of DNA. Mini marshmallows represents the nucleotides, large marshmallows represent deoxyribose.
-
Case Study: Why Are There No Male Calico Cats?
This presentation case study asks two important questions regarding cat coloration: The case is presented as a slide presentation where students consider evidence and data related to cat coloration and chromosomes. Working in small groups, they discuss the case and eventually answer the two main questions. I usually collect their answers at the end of class…
-
Inquiry in Genetics Using Wisconsin Fast Plants
Genetic Experiments can be intimidating for teachers due to the time and cost of breeding plants or animals in a classroom. These issues are further complicated in a public school setting which may have space issues, limited funds, and lack of access to labs. My favorite model for genetic experiments is the Wisconsin Fast…