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Hands-on Biology Activities

Is Yeast Alive?

In the lab, Is Yeast Alive?, students evaluate whether the little brown grains of yeast obtained from the grocery store are alive by testing for metabolism and growth.

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Mitosis, Meiosis and Fertilization

Newer Version Available

The activity below has a new and improved version available as two separate handouts; this older version is available as an archive to teachers still using it. Please find the new version at: Mitosis - How Each New Cell Gets a Complete Set of Genes and Meiosis and Fertilization – Understanding How Genes Are Inherited.

 

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In the  hands-on activity, Mitosis, Meiosis and Fertilization, students use model chromosomes to simulate the processes of mitosis, meiosis and fertilization, and they answer questions designed to promote understanding of these processes. To demonstrate the principle that genes are transmitted from parents to offspring through the processes of meiosis and fertilization, students follow two alleles of a gene through gametes to zygotes as they model meiosis and fertilization. Students also learn how a mistake in meiosis can result in Down Syndrome.

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Download Minds-On Activities for Teaching Biology

Introduction and Activities Listing

Intro and Biological Molecules

Cell

Cell Structure and Function

Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis

Cell Division

Cell Division

Genealogy

Genetics

Genealogy

Molecular Biology

Natural Selection

Evolution

Natural Selection

Ecology

Runner

Human Physiology and Health

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Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To preserve the value of these learning activities for other teachers, please do not post keys for any questions from any of these activities!

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Authors

Dr. Ingrid Waldron is Professor Emerita in the Biology Department at the University of Pennsylvania. Co-authors include Dr. Jennifer Doherty, who is an Assistant Professor in the Physiology Department at Michigan State University, and Dr. Lori Spindler, who is a Lecturer in the Biology Department at the University of Pennsylvania. They have developed these activities in collaboration with colleagues at Penn and middle school and high school teachers in the Philadelphia area. We are grateful to Craig Douglas for his generous help with graphics.

 

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Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities

Scanning electron microscope image of SARS-CoV-2

Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities has 50 remote-ready activities, which work for either your classroom or remote teaching.

Narrative is determined not by a desire to narrate but by a desire to exchange. (Roland Barthes, S/Z)

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