In this video, Jonathan travels to Canada in search of the Greenland shark, a huge, lethargic shark that lives in arctic waters. It takes days of effort, but finally, in dark, cold, murky water, Jonathan finally meets this elusive animal, and it's nothing like he expected. Please see the accompanying study guide for educational objectives and discussion points.

In this classroom activity, young students are introduced to sets and subsets. The activity opens with background information for teachers about cladistics. After brainstorming different ways to group the class itself, students work in small groups to identify subsets of coins. The groups then complete a worksheet that challenges them to group dinosaurs into sets and subsets and share their results with the class.

This online article, from Biodiversity Counts, is a guide to finding local specialists who are knowledgeable about plants and arthropods. It includes: an overview of how local specialists can be of help; a link to the Directory of Local Specialists, a list of specialists who have agreed to work with participating schools; a list of additional organizations, with links to Web sites, that are good sources for local specialists; tips on how to find local specialists from Linda Beyt, a middle school teacher in Louisiana and a Biodiversity Counts mentor; and tips for enlisting volunteers by Karen Spaulding, a middle school teacher in Massachusetts and a Biodiversity Counts mentor.

This analysis and discussion activity introduces students to the biology of HIV infection and treatment, including the molecular biology of the HIV virus life cycle 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 the information presented in prose and diagrams in order to understand multiple aspects of the biology of HIV/AIDS and treatment.

In this biodiversity activity, students learn how to construct their own cladogram. They consider four coins (quarter, dime, nickel, penny), identifying defining characteristics. Then, students construct a Venn diagram, followed by a cladogram. The two-page printable PDF includes tips for both teachers and students.

In this biodiversity activity, students learn how to construct their own dichotomous keys. They use either specimens they've collected or ones you bring into class, such as shells, fruit, or leaves. The one-page printable PDF includes guidelines about what students should look for and include when creating their dichotomous keys.

These hands-on, minds-on activities engage students in experiments or simulation activities and incorporate multiple questions designed to foster student understanding of important concepts in the life sciences. Topics covered include biological molecules, diffusion, metabolism, cell division, genetics, molecular biology, evolution, diversity, human physiology and design and interpretation of experiments. These activities were designed for teaching high school or middle school students, but many of these activities can also be used in non-major introductory college biology classes. To accommodate limited budgets, most of these activities can be carried out with minimum equipment and expense for supplies. Additional minds-on activities for teaching biology, including discussion activities, are available at http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/bioactivities. Most of the activities are described in student handouts and teacher notes; the student handouts are available as Word files for teachers to customize for their students.

Located in Newport, Oregon, Hatfield Marine Science Center plays an integral role in programs of marine and estuarine research and instruction, as a laboratory facility serving resident scientists, as a base for far-ranging oceanographic studies, and as a classroom for students. Site features information on courses, seminars, facilities, and current research. Education Programs section includes teacher and student resources. Resources applicable to local and distant educators.

Data set and map pertaining to health expenditure per capita for all countries . The World Bank specifies health expenditure as a World Development Indicator (WDI) -- the statistical benchmark that helps measure the progress of development.

This minds-on, hands-on activity begins with analysis and discussion questions that develop student understanding of homeostasis and negative feedback and the differences between negative and positive feedback. Next, students develop a model of negative feedback regulation of blood levels of CO2 and O2 as they learn or review basic information about cellular respiration and basic physiology of the respiratory and circulatory systems. Then, students carry out an experiment to test their negative feedback model and analyze the data. In a final optional section, students develop and carry out an independent investigation. This activity helps students meet the Next Generation Science Standards.

In this classroom activity, young students compare their feet to the foot of a large Apatosaur. The activity opens with background information for teachers about the enormous size range of dinosaurs. After using personal references to describe the size of dinosaurs, students examine the outline of an Apatosaur footprint. Students then estimate how many of their footprints would fit inside the Apatosaur footprint and conduct an experiment to test their estimate.

In this lesson about cosmic rays, students will describe why cosmic rays are dangerous to astronauts. Includes information about student preconceptions. This is activity 3 of 4 from "The Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER)."

This analysis and discussion activity introduces students to the basic principles of how biological organisms use energy. The focus is on understanding the roles of ATP and cellular respiration. In addition, students apply the principles of conservation of energy and conservation of matter to avoid common errors and correct common misconceptions. This activity helps students meet the Next Generation Science Standards.

This analysis and discussion activity reinforces student understanding of the process of meiosis and the importance of having exactly the right number of copies of each chromosome in our body's cells. This activity also helps students to understand that miscarriages are often the result of genetic abnormalities and that genetic conditions sometimes are not inherited (e.g. Down syndrome due to meiotic nondisjunction). Optional additional questions can be used to promote student understanding of sex chromosome abnormalities and X chromosome inactivation.

In this activity, students analyze evidence from comparative anatomy, mathematical modeling, and molecular biology. This evidence suggests a likely sequence of steps in the evolution of the human eye and the octopus eye.  General concepts used to interpret this evidence include natural selection, fitness, and the difference between homology (similarity due to common descent) and analogy (similarity due to convergent evolution). This activity helps students meet the Next Generation Science Standards.

In this kinesthetic activity, the concept of energy budget is strengthened as students conduct three simulations using play money as units of energy, and students serve as parts of a planetary radiation balance model. Students will determine the energy budget of a planet by manipulating gas concentrations, energy inputs and outputs in the system in this lesson that supports the study of climate on Mars, Mercury, Venus and Earth. The lesson supports understanding of the real-world problem of contemporary climate change. The resource includes a teacher's guide and several student worksheets. This is the second of four activities in the lesson, How do Atmospheres affect planetary temperatures?, within Earth Climate Course: What Determines a Planet's Climate? The resource aims to help students to develop an understanding of our environment as a system of human and natural processes that result in changes that occur over various space and time scales.

In this activity, students simulate the interaction of variables, including carbon dioxide, in a radiation balance exercise using a spreadsheet-based radiation balance model. Through a series of experiments, students attempt to mimic the surface temperatures of Earth, Mercury, Venus and Mars, and account for the influence of greenhouse gases in atmospheric temperatures. The activity supports inquiry into the real-world problem of contemporary climate change. Student-collected data is needed from activity A in the same module, "How do atmospheres interact with solar energy?" to complete this activity. Included in the resource are several student data sheets and a teacher's guide. This activity is part of module 4, "How do Atmospheres Affect Planetary Temperatures?" in Earth Climate Course: What Determines a Planet's Climate? The course aims to help students to develop an understanding of our environment as a system of human and natural processes that result in changes that occur over various space and time scales.

Students develop a basic understanding of how taste and olfactory receptor cells function and how sensory messages to the brain contribute to flavor perception and flavor-related behavior. Students plan a hands-on investigation, carry out the investigation, analyze the data, and interpret the results. This activity helps students meet the Next Generation Science Standards.

This OLogy activity teaches kids the many things they can do to preserve biodiversity. The printable checklist includes detailed examples in nine categories.

This article, part of Biodiversity Counts, provides insight into the important task of identifying plant specimens. The article includes a list of tools that are part of a botanist's field kit.