activities for teaching biology

This web search activity provides instructions and recommended sources to investigate genetic conditions and diseases.

This minds-on discussion/worksheet activity challenges students to analyze which types of genetic conditions will be more common among children of first cousin marriage and to use evidence concerning the magnitude of observed health effects to evaluate whether laws banning first cousin marriage in 25 states should be repealed.  

The first attached file has the Student Handout and the second attached file has the Teacher Notes.

This minds-on discussion/worksheet activity guides students to think about how mutations and meiotic nondisjunction can result in genetic conditions that are not inherited (most cases of achondroplasia and Down syndrome, respectively). 

The first attached file has the Student Handout and the second attached file has the Teacher Notes.

This minds-on discussion/worksheet activity contains five episodes that can be used to reinforce understanding of genetic principles and the relevance of genetics to everyday life. Each episode focuses on different fundamental genetics concepts, including Punnett squares, codominance, incomplete dominance, sex-linked inheritance, test cross, polygenic inheritance and the interacting effects of genes and the environment on phenotypic characteristics,. You can use all five episodes or use just the specific episodes that help students to understand the specific topics you want to review.

The first attached file has the Student Handout and the second attached file has the Teacher Notes.

This overview summarizes important genetics concepts and provides links to suggested hands-on simulation and laboratory activities, discussion activities, and review games. These learning activities demonstrate how (1) understanding meiosis and fertilization provides the basis for understanding how genes are transmitted from parents to offspring and (2) a basic understanding of the roles of DNA and proteins provides the basis for understanding how genes influence phenotypic characteristics. The suggested activities help students to understand Punnett squares, pedigrees, dominant/recessive alleles, X-linked recessive alleles, incomplete dominance, co-dominance, independent assortment, pleiotropy, polygenic inheritance, test cross, and the interacting effects of genes and environment on phenotypic characteristics.

The attached file has the key concepts and suggested learning activities.

These teacher notes summarize important concepts concerning mitosis and meiosis and propose a sequence of learning activities that will help students understand and learn these concepts and progress beyond common misconceptions. Students also learn how understanding meiosis and fertilization provides the basis for understanding how inheritance occurs.  Links to suggested activities are provided, including a hands-on simulation of mitosis, meiosis and fertilization, a card sort activity, a discussion activity about the effects of mistakes in meiosis, and a vocabulary review game.

The attached file has the key concepts and suggested learning activities.

This game helps students to enjoy reviewing vocabulary related to mitosis, meiosis and fertilization.  Each card in the deck has a target vocabulary word and two related taboo words that the student may not use as he/she gives clues so the other students in his/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 first file below provides the master copy for creating the card decks for this game, and the second file below provides the teacher notes, including instructions for playing the game.

Mitosis and Meiosis Card Sort Activity

Multiple hands-on, minds-on activities for teaching biology to high school and middle school students are available at http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/waldron/. 

Additional teaching resources presented here include:

• minds-on discussion/worksheet activities, games, and web-based activities for learning and review
• overviews of important biological topics, including major concepts, common misconceptions, and suggested learning activities.

The topics covered include biological molecules, cellular respiration and photosynthesis, cell structure and function,  cell division, genetics, molecular biology and human health, biological concepts, and scientific method. 

The overview at the beginning of each major section suggests a sequence of activities which can be used to help students overcome common misconceptions and develop a genuine, solid understanding of important biological concepts. 

In the hands-on activity, Enzymes Help Us Digest Food, experiments with the enzyme lactase and discussion questions help students to learn about enzyme function, enzyme specificity, and the molecular basis for lactose intolerance. Students also learn about the scientific method by interpreting evidence to test hypotheses and designing the second and third experiments to answer specific scientific questions about lactase. An alternative version of the Student Handout which gives specific instructions for all three of the experiments is provided as an attachment below.

Download Student Handout: PDF format or Word format

Download Teacher Preparation Notes: PDF format or Word format