Your body is made of cells -- but how does a single cell know to become part of your nose, instead of your toes? The answer is in your body's instruction book: DNA. Joe Hanson compares DNA to detailed manual for building a person out of cells -- with 46 chapters (chromosomes) and hundreds of thousands of pages covering every part of you.

This activity will help students understand how the enzyme telomerase works to solve the "end replication problem."

The dark reactions of photosynthesis (Calvin Cycle) are presented in this learning experience to show where these processes take place in the plant as well as the specific reactions involved.

Developed for second grade. Students will: use their sense of touch and sight to discover differences between several types of seeds; discuss why seeds come in different shapes and sizes; make connections between art and science; discuss the growth process of a seed; discuss how different seeds are used in different products.Biology In Elementary Schools is a Saint Michael's College student project. The teaching ideas on this page have been found, refined, and developed by students in a college-level course on the teaching of biology at the elementary level. Unless otherwise noted, the lesson plans have been tried at least once by students from our partner schools. This wiki has been established to share ideas about teaching biology in elementary schools. The motivation behind the creation of this page is twofold: 1. to provide an outlet for the teaching ideas of a group of college educators participating in a workshop-style course; 2. to provide a space where anyone else interested in this topic can place their ideas.

Why do objects like wood float in water? Does it depend on size? Create a custom object to explore the effects of mass and volume on density. Can you discover the relationship? Use the scale to measure the mass of an object, then hold the object under water to measure its volume. Can you identify all the mystery objects?

Why do objects like wood float in water? Does it depend on size? Create a custom object to explore the effects of mass and volume on density. Can you discover the relationship? Use the scale to measure the mass of an object, then hold the object under water to measure its volume. Can you identify all the mystery objects?

In this activity, students confront several different models - from the DNA helix Watson and Crick constructed in their laboratory to a map of McDonalds density in the US - and work in small groups to derive their commonalities.

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This is an integration of science leaf observations with musical composition for early elementary students.

This activity is a lab where students will design an experiment dealing with one of the five senses. Students will collect data outside of class, write a formal lab write up as well as a group presentation on their findings.

The Challenge Question of the Legacy Cycle draws the student into considering the engineering ingenuity of nature. It will force him to analyze, appreciate and understand the wisdom of these designs as the student team focuses on meeting each of the challenge's requirements. The student is asked, with his team members, to envision a sustainable design for a future guest village within the Saguaro National Park, outside of Tucson, Arizona. What issues need to be addressed to support the comforts of park visitors without compromising the natural resources or endangering the endemic species of the area? A deeper scope of application will reveal extensions of this design in the incorporation of urban planning and systems design. It also strengthens the concept of manufacturing and building without producing waste or pollution.

This video from Nature offers a description of desirable traits in beef and dairy cattle.

In this activity, students will investigate how much chlorophyll is in olive oil using a Varnier Spectrometer. Students will measure and analyze the visible light absorbance spectra of three standard olive oils obtained from any supermarket: extra virgin, regular, and light.

Mrs. Crowell takes her 2nd and 3rd graders on a nature walk where they use a dichotomous key to identify different species they encounter. This lesson shows a simple way to take students out on a walk and teach them how to identify species, no matter where they are.

In this video segment from Nature, learn about six different breeds of cattle.

As taught Semesters 1 and 2, 2011

This learning object describes As taught Semesters 1 and 2, 2011

The learning object distinguishes between some examples of different types of cells on the basis of their microscopic appearance. The learning object is used as part of the level 1 Biological Sciences module delivered by the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy.

Dr Andy Meal, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy

As taught Semesters 1 and 2, 2011

This learning object which is used as part of the level 1 Biological Sciences module delivered by the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy relates the microscopic appearance and structure of epithelia to their function.

Andy Meal, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy

In this interactive demonstration students will make observations of diffusion of a semi permeable membrane and be able to compare these observations to the functions of a cell membrane.

This lesson introduces the idea of soil as an ecosystem and as a carbon sink.

Step 1 - Inquire: Students view a timelapse video that demonstrates the difference between soils with and without invertebrate decomposers.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students learn about the concept of soil as a carbon sink and examine soil samples to learn how to define soil.

Step 3 - Inspire: Students draw and record their findings demonstrating understanding of soil as an ecosystem and create a model of their soil artistically using found materials in the classroom.

So many dinosaurs have names that come from Greek or Latin roots. This activity lets kids explore those affixes.