activities for teaching biology

In this discussion/worksheet activity, research concerning the health effects of vitamin E is used as a case study to help students understand why different research studies may find seemingly opposite results. Students learn useful approaches for evaluating and synthesizing conflicting research results, with a major focus on understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different types of studies (laboratory experiments, observational studies, and clinical trials). Students also learn that the results of any single study should be interpreted with caution, since results of similar studies vary (due to random variation and differences in specific study characteristics).

The Student Handout is provided in the first attached file and the Teacher Notes are provided in the second attached file.

This discussion/worksheet activity is designed to develop students' understanding of the scientific process by having them design an experiment to test a hypothesis, compare their experimental design with the design of a research study that tested the same hypothesis, evaluate research evidence concerning two hypothesized effects of carbohydrate consumption, evaluate the pros and cons of experimental vs. observational research studies, and finally use what they have learned to revise a standard diagram of the scientific method to make it more accurate, complete and realistic.

The Student Handout is provided in the first attached file and the Teacher Notes are provided in the second attached file.

These Teacher Notes describe multiple learning activities that introduce students to varied aspects of cancer biology. These Teacher Notes also describe multiple sources of reliable information about cancer and provide suggestions about how to convert information sources to learning activities.

This analysis and discussion activity introduces students to the biology of HIV infection and treatment, including the molecular biology of the HIV virus lifecycle and the importance of understanding molecular biology and natural selection for developing effective treatments.

The questions in this activity challenge students to apply their understanding of basic molecular and cellular biology and natural selection and interpret information presented in prose and diagrams in order to understand multiple aspects of the biology of HIV/AIDS and treatment.

In this minds-on analysis and discussion activity, students learn how a mistake in meiosis can result in Down syndrome. Students also analyze karyotypes to learn how other mistakes in meiosis can result in the death of an embryo. Finally, students consider how a health problem can be genetic, but not inherited.

The Student Handout is available in the first two attached files and as a Google doc designed for use in online instruction and distance learning. The Teacher Notes, available in the last two attached files, provide instructional suggestions and background information and explain how this activity supports the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

The questions in this activity help students to understand the effects of consuming sports drinks and when and how the consumption of sports drinks can be beneficial or harmful. This activity provides the opportunity to review some basic concepts related to osmosis, cellular respiration, mammalian temperature regulation, and how our different body systems cooperate to maintain homeostasis.

 The first and third attached files have the Student Handout and the second and fourth attached files have the Teacher Notes.

This overview reviews key concepts and learning activities to help students understand how genes influence our traits by molecular processes.  Topics covered include basic understanding of the important roles of proteins and DNA; DNA structure, function and replication; the molecular biology of how genes influence traits, including transcription and translation; the molecular biology of mutations; and genetic engineering. 

To help students understand the relevance of these molecular processes, the suggested learning activities link alleles of specific genes to human characteristics such as albinism, hemophilia, sickle cell anemia and muscular dystrophy. Suggested activities include analysis and discussion activities, hands-on laboratory and simulation activities, web-based simulations, and a vocabulary review game.

This activity is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. The attached files have the overview of key concepts, with descriptions of relevant learning activities and links to the activities. 

This analysis and discussion activity begins with a brief video presenting the anchoring phenomenon – a teenager who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Then, students investigate the types of deletion mutation that cause the more severe Duchenne muscular dystrophy vs. the milder Becker muscular dystrophy. During this analysis, students review transcription and translation, learn how to use a codon wheel, and analyze the molecular effects of different types of deletion and point mutations.

Finally, students investigate X-linked recessive mutations to understand why almost all Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients are male.

The Student Handout is available in the first two attached files and as a Google doc designed for use in online instruction and distance learning. (For additional instructions, see https://serendipstudio.org/exchange/bioactivities/Googledocs, especially item 7.) The Teacher Notes, available in the last two attached files, provide instructional suggestions and background information and explain how this activity is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

In this analysis and discussion activity, students learn the basics of DNA function, structure, and replication.

The sequence of nucleotides in a gene determines the sequence of amino acids in a protein, which determines the structure and function of the protein. Different versions of a gene give the instructions to make different versions of a protein, which can result in different characteristics.

Since many different proteins are needed for a cell to be alive, each cell needs a complete copy of the DNA with all of the genes. Therefore, before a cell divides, it needs to make a copy of all its DNA. Students analyze DNA replication to understand how the double helix structure of DNA, the base-pairing rules, and DNA polymerase work together to produce two identical copies of the original DNA molecule.

This activity can be used to introduce your students to key concepts about DNA or to review these concepts.

This game helps students to enjoy reviewing vocabulary related to molecular biology, including DNA and RNA structure and function, transcription and translation. 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.