University of Minnesota
Chemotaxis Using C. elegans
Have you ever wondered what roundworms are like? Or what they don't like? Explore the sensory preferences of C. elegans through this controlled chemotaxis experiment. Biology class members brainstorm what substances might attract—or...
University of Minnesota
Ethics of Dissection
There's an elephant in your classroom. That's right — a big, awkward elephant named Dissection. Sure, you'd like to talk about him ... but how? Whether you're a seasoned teacher or fresh out of student teaching, the topic of dissection...
University of Minnesota
Memory Items
Ready to have an "unforgettable" time in science class? Try a fun and insightful activity, suitable for a wide age group of learners. Explore how human memory works when pupils try to remember objects they've seen before comparing the...
Scholastic
Study Jams! The Senses: Tasting
Mmmmmmm, here is a tasty little slide show to use when introducing upper-elementary learners to the sense of taste. Photographs and detailed computer images accompany explanatory text about how the taste buds and the nose send signals to...
Scholastic
Study Jams! The Nervous System
Get your class thinking with animations of neurons in action and explanations of how stimuli is transported and processed. This film makes an ideal introduction or review of the nervous system. The parts of the brain and what they...
Scholastic
Study Jams! The Senses: Hearing
How does this sound? It's a rockin' video starring two teenage girls talking about music, hearing, and the ear. Listeners hear that the ear does not only gather sound waves, but also helps us maintain balance. They also will get an...
University of Minnesota
Caeno-WHAT??
Can you feel that? Can you smell that? Since pupils can't ask worms about their sense of smell and touch, they design and complete an experiment to answer these questions. Individuals expose nematodes to different stimuli using their...
University of Minnesota
Inquiry Cubes
How do you teach kids to "science" effectively? Inquiry cubes are a "sort of" puzzle with no answer—promoting even more questions! Group members work together to use the evidence on the visible sides of each cube to infer what lies on...
University of Minnesota
Motor Learning and Memory
What do our brains have to do with reaction timing? Everything! In a hands-on learning activity, young scientists participate in four card activities that measure reaction timing. Each activity gets progressively more complex, and...
University of Minnesota
Attention and Sensory Processing
Ever wondered how your brain manages all of the information it receives every second of every day? The sights, the sounds, the smells ... each one filed away for later use or moved to the front of the line so your body can react. Through...
University of Minnesota
Makes Me Sweat
Never let them see you sweat ... unless you can't help it! Scholars design an experiment to determine the effects of stress on the body. They monitor sweat production under different conditions and relate the response to the function of...
University of Minnesota
Bead Neuron
What do you call a skull without neurons? A no-brainer! A hands-on activity asks scholars to build a model of a neuron using beads. They use their models to study the parts of the neuron and their functions.
University of Minnesota
C. elegans and Alcohol
Investigate experimental design through a hands-on exploration. A creative lesson allows learners to design an experiment to monitor the effects of alcohol on the C. elegans worm. After conducting the experiment, individuals analyze...
University of Minnesota
Whose Choice Is It Anyway?
Your taste buds may be saying Pepsi, but your brain is saying Coke! By analyzing experimental research, learners discover ways in which our brains impact decision making. They conclude with a discussion of neuromarketing and how it...
University of Minnesota
Balance: The Ears Have It
Don't go around and around with the same concept! A hands-on activity explores the vestibular system and circular motion. After spinning a group member, lab partners examine their eye movement. Making observations allows the group to...
University of Minnesota
Manduca sexta Wax Model
Caterpillars' and moths' most obvious change is physical, but what happens to their nervous systems as they complete metamorphosis? Through a hands-on investigation, young scholars construct the nervous system of a caterpillar. They then...
University of Minnesota
Ways of Knowing: Apples as Models
Use apples as a way of thinking about models. Young scientists consider how the word apple, a two-dimensional drawing, a three-dimensional image, a photograph, and plastic apples all model real apples in preparation for developing models...
University of Minnesota
Manduca sexta: Caterpillar Dissection
Caterpillars have an amazing, yet tough job to perform in their short lives — eat much, avoid predators, and try not to let all those comments about being the unattractive stage of the life cycle get to them. How do they handle it all?...
University of Minnesota
Welcome To Your Senses
Sound, sight, taste, touch, and smell—oh the world of senses! What do these five senses have to do with the brain? The answer: everything. Explore how the brain sends and receives messages by having the class participate in several sense...
Curated OER
Open Inquiry Using C. elegans
Ever wondered what motivates a roundworm? Introduce your biology class to C. elegans, a non-parasitic model organism that can help them understand behavioral stimuli. Paired pupils design an experiment to test the worm's reaction to...
National Science Teaching Association
Why Do We All Have to Stay Home?
Learners, especially young ones, might be confused about why or frustrated that we have to stay at home. Help answer questions and calm emotions with a nine-page resource that details topics regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aquarium of the Pacific
Sensational Sharks
Pray that you are not the prey of sharks! The class watches a video and a webcam on sharks and make observations about the different types of sharks. Learners compare two sharks and list their similarities and differences. They then...
Acoustical Society of America
How Loud Is Too Loud?
How loud was that? Individuals build wheels displaying different sounds. Then, learners use the wheels to find the number of decibels the sound creates and how long they could withstand the sound before potential hearing damage.
Purdue University
Animal Diversity and Tracking
What exactly are those glowing eyes in the night? Learners run an experiment to attract local wildlife and then document the number of visitors by identifying their tracks. They then analyze the data to draw conclusions about the types...