Biology 1 Honors   (#2000320)

Version for Academic Year:

Course Standards

General Course Information and Notes

General Notes

While the content focus of this course is consistent with the Biology I course, students will explore these concepts in greater depth. In general, the academic pace and rigor will be greatly increased for honors level course work. Laboratory investigations that include the use of scientific inquiry, research, measurement, problem solving, laboratory apparatus and technologies, experimental procedures, and safety procedures are an integral part of this course. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) recommends that at the high school level, all students should be in the science lab or field, collecting data every week. School laboratory investigations (labs) are defined by the National Research Council (NRC) as an experience in the laboratory, classroom, or the field that provides students with opportunities to interact directly with natural phenomena or with data collected by others using tools, materials, data collection techniques, and models (NRC, 2006, p. 3). Laboratory investigations in the high school classroom should help all students develop a growing understanding of the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work, as well as the skills to calibrate and troubleshoot equipment used to make observations. Learners should understand measurement error; and have the skills to aggregate, interpret, and present the resulting data (National Research Council, 2006, p.77; NSTA, 2007).

Honors and Advanced Level Course Note: Advanced courses require a greater demand on students through increased academic rigor.  Academic rigor is obtained through the application, analysis, evaluation, and creation of complex ideas that are often abstract and multi-faceted.  Students are challenged to think and collaborate critically on the content they are learning. Honors level rigor will be achieved by increasing text complexity through text selection, focus on high-level qualitative measures, and complexity of task. Instruction will be structured to give students a deeper understanding of conceptual themes and organization within and across disciplines. Academic rigor is more than simply assigning to students a greater quantity of work.

Special Notes:

Instructional Practices
Teaching from a range of complex text is optimized when teachers in all subject areas implement the following strategies on a routine basis:

  1. Ensuring wide reading from complex text that varies in length.
  2. Making close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.
  3. Emphasizing text-specific complex questions, and cognitively complex tasks, reinforce focus on the text and cultivate independence.
  4. Emphasizing students supporting answers based upon evidence from the text.
  5. Providing extensive research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).

Science and Engineering Practices (NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education, 2010)

  • Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering).
  • Developing and using models.
  • Planning and carrying out investigations.
  • Analyzing and interpreting data.
  • Using mathematics, information and computer technology, and computational thinking.
  • Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering).
  • Engaging in argument from evidence.
  • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information.

Literacy Standards in Science
Secondary science courses include reading standards for literacy in science and technical subjects 6-12 and writing standards for literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects 6-12. The courses also include speaking and listening standards. For a complete list of standards required for this course click on the blue tile labeled course standards. You may also download the complete course including all required standards and notes sections using the export function located at the top of this page.

English Language Development ELD Standards
Teachers are required to provide listening, speaking, reading and writing instruction that allows English language learners (ELL) to communicate information, ideas and concepts for academic success in the content area of Science. For the given level of English language proficiency and with visual, graphic, or interactive support, students will interact with grade level words, expressions, sentences and discourse to process or produce language necessary for academic success The ELD standard should specify a relevant content area concept or topic of study chosen by curriculum developers and teachers which maximizes an ELL's need for communication and social skills. To access an ELL supporting document which delineates performance definitions and descriptors, please click on the following link: https://cpalmsmediaprod.blob.core.windows.net/uploads/docs/standards/eld/sc.pdf

Additional Instructional Resources:
A.V.E. for Success Collection is provided by the Florida Association of School Administrators: http://www.fasa.net/4DCGI/cms/review.html?Action=CMS_Document&DocID=139. Please be aware that these resources have not been reviewed by CPALMS and there may be a charge for the use of some of them in this collection.

General Information

Course Number: 2000320
Course Path:
Abbreviated Title: BIO 1 HON
Number of Credits: One (1) credit
Course Length: Year (Y)
Course Attributes:
  • Honors
  • Class Size Core Required
Course Type: Core Academic Course
Course Level: 3
Course Status: Course Approved
Grade Level(s): 9,10,11,12
Graduation Requirement: Biology

Educator Certifications

One of these educator certification options is required to teach this course.


Equivalent Courses

Any of these are equivalent to the course required for graduation or certification.

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this course.

Original Student Tutorials

Graphing Linear Functions Part 1: Table of Values:

Learn how to graph linear functions by creating a table of values based on the equation in this interactive tutorial.

This is part 1 of a series of tutorials on linear functions.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Quadratic Function Part 2: Launches:

Learn about different formats of quadratic equations and their graphs with experiments involving launching and shooting of balls in this interactive tutorial.

This is part 2 of a two-part series: Click HERE to open part 1.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Quadratic Functions Part 1: Ball Games:

Join us as we watch ball games and explore how the height of a ball bounce over time is represented by quadratic functions, which provides opportunities to interpret key features of the function in this interactive tutorial.

This is part 1 of a two-part series: Click HERE to open part 2.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Movies Part 2: What’s the Spread?:

Follow Jake along as he relates box plots with other plots and identifies possible outliers in real-world data from surveys of moviegoers' ages in part 2 in this interactive tutorial.

This is part 2 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 1.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Movies Part 1: What's the Spread?:

Follow Jake as he displays real-world data by creating box plots showing the 5 number summary and compares the spread of the data from surveys of the ages of moviegoers in part 1 of this interactive tutorial.

This is part 1 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 2.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Exponential Functions Part 3: Decay:

Learn about exponential decay as you calculate the value of used cars by examining equations, graphs, and tables in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Linear Functions: Jobs:

Learn how to interpret key features of linear functions and translate between representations of linear functions through exploring jobs for teenagers in this interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Exponential Functions Part 2: Growth:

Learn about exponential growth in the context of interest earned as money is put in a savings account by examining equations, graphs, and tables in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Exponential Functions Part 1:

Learn about exponential functions and how they are different from linear functions by examining real world situations, their graphs and their tables in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Major Parts of the Human Brain Part 3: The Cerebrum, Cerebellum, and Meninges:

Explore the cerebrum and the cerebellum--the seats of thoughts and emotions in the human brain. You'll also learn about their functions and how they are surrounded and protected by the meninges..

This interactive tutorial is part 3 in a three-part series about the human brain. Click below to open other tutorials in this series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Major Parts of the Human Brain Part 2: The Hypothalamus and Thalamus:

Explore the hypothalamus and the thalamus, two regions in the center of the human brain that are among the areas responsible for constantly controlling mechanisms that we are hardly aware of, such as keeping our body temperature stable. 

This interactive tutorial is part 2 in a three-part series about the human brain. Click below to continue this series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Major Parts of the Human Brain Part 1: The Brainstem:

Learn about the three components that make up the brainstem of the human brain, including their specific functions and how the brainstem relates to the brain and the rest of the body.

This interactive tutorial is part 1 in a three-part series about the human brain. Click below to continue this series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Evaluating Sources of Information:

Learn how to identify different sources of scientific claims and to evaluate their reliability in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Testing Scientific Claims:

Learn how to test scientific claims and judge competing hypotheses by understanding how they can be tested against one another in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Year-Round School Debate: Identifying Faulty Reasoning – Part Two:

This is Part Two of a two-part series. Learn to identify faulty reasoning in this interactive tutorial series. You'll learn what some experts say about year-round schools, what research has been conducted about their effectiveness, and how arguments can be made for and against year-round education. Then, you'll read a speech in favor of year-round schools and identify faulty reasoning within the argument, specifically the use of hasty generalizations.

Make sure to complete Part One before Part Two! Click HERE to launch Part One.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Year-Round School Debate: Identifying Faulty Reasoning – Part One:

Learn to identify faulty reasoning in this two-part interactive English Language Arts tutorial. You'll learn what some experts say about year-round schools, what research has been conducted about their effectiveness, and how arguments can be made for and against year-round education. Then, you'll read a speech in favor of year-round schools and identify faulty reasoning within the argument, specifically the use of hasty generalizations. 

Make sure to complete both parts of this series! Click HERE to open Part Two. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Evaluating an Argument – Part Four: JFK’s Inaugural Address:

Examine President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address in this interactive tutorial. You will examine Kennedy's argument, main claim, smaller claims, reasons, and evidence.

In Part Four, you'll use what you've learned throughout this series to evaluate Kennedy's overall argument.

Make sure to complete the previous parts of this series before beginning Part 4.

  • Click HERE to launch Part One.
  • Click HERE to launch Part Two.
  • Click HERE to launch Part Three.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Evaluating an Argument – Part Three: JFK’s Inaugural Address:

Examine President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address in this interactive tutorial. You will examine Kennedy's argument, main claim, smaller claims, reasons, and evidence. By the end of this four-part series, you should be able to evaluate his overall argument. 

In Part Three, you will read more of Kennedy's speech and identify a smaller claim in this section of his speech. You will also evaluate this smaller claim's relevancy to the main claim and evaluate Kennedy's reasons and evidence. 

Make sure to complete all four parts of this series!

  • Click HERE to launch Part One.
  • Click HERE to launch Part Two.
  • Click HERE to launch Part Four.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Genes and Health:

Genetic mutations can cause illness. Learn how genetic diseases can affect you and your communities in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Hidden Mutations:

Dive into genetic mutations and learn how they can alter the phenotypes of organisms.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

When the Immune System Isn't Enough:

Explores how vaccines and antibiotics provide an extra level of protection from infectious agents and pathogens. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Structure and Function of Fungi: Asexual and Sexual Reproduction (2 of 3):

Learn about asexual and sexual reproduction of fungi in this interactive tutorial. This is Part 2 of 3 in this series on the Structure and Function of Fungi. 

Click  to open Part 1, Basic Characteristics and Structures

Click HERE to open Part 3, Nutrition and Mutualistic Relationships

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Ready for Takeoff! -- Part Two:

This is Part Two of a two-part tutorial series. In this interactive tutorial, you'll practice identifying a speaker's purpose using a speech by aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. You will examine her use of rhetorical appeals, including ethos, logos, pathos, and kairos. Finally, you'll evaluate the effectiveness of Earhart's use of rhetorical appeals.

Be sure to complete Part One first. Click here to launch PART ONE.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Ready for Takeoff! -- Part One:

This is Part One of a two-part tutorial series. In this interactive tutorial, you'll practice identifying a speaker's purpose using a speech by aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. You will examine her use of rhetorical appeals, including ethos, logos, pathos, and kairos. Finally, you'll evaluate the effectiveness of Earhart's use of rhetorical appeals. 

Click here to launch PART TWO.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Genes and Environment:

Learn how the expression of genes is affected our environment, including lifestyle choices. In this interactive tutorial, you'll also explore how a combination of genes and environmental factors can impact the risk of multifactorial disease.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Cell Cycle and Mitosis:

Follow the life of a cell in the tightly controlled process called the cell cycle! In this interactive tutorial, you will learn how a single cell gives rise to two identical daughter cells during the cell cycle and mitosis.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Mitosis and Cell Division:

Explore the steps of mitosis and cell division in this interactive tutorial, and see how they result in the separation of a cell's genetic material and division of its contents into two identical daughter cells. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Biodiversity and Non-native Species:

See how non-native species can impact ecosystem biodiversity to create problems for native species in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Endosymbiosis:

Explore the Theory of Endosymbiosis which links the origins of mitochondria and chloroplasts in eukaryotes with prokaryotic ancestors. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Expository Writing: Eyes in the Sky (Part 4 of 4):

Practice writing different aspects of an expository essay about scientists using drones to research glaciers in Peru. This interactive tutorial is part four of a four-part series. In this final tutorial, you will learn about the elements of a body paragraph. You will also create a body paragraph with supporting evidence. Finally, you will learn about the elements of a conclusion and practice creating a “gift.” 

This tutorial is part four of a four-part series. Click below to open the other tutorials in this series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Conditions for Natural Selection:

Explore three conditions required for natural selection and see how these conditions lead to allele frequency shifts in a population. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Phosphorus in the Everglades:

Learn how phosphorus pollution can lead to changes in the Everglades. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Expository Writing: Eyes in the Sky (Part 3 of 4):

Learn how to write an introduction for an expository essay in this interactive tutorial. This tutorial is the third part of a four-part series. In previous tutorials in this series, students analyzed an informational text and video about scientists using drones to explore glaciers in Peru. Students also determined the central idea and important details of the text and wrote an effective summary. In part three, you'll learn how to write an introduction for an expository essay about the scientists' research. 

This tutorial is part three of a four-part series. Click below to open the other tutorials in this series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Structure and Function of Fungi: Basic Characteristics and Structures (1 of 3):

Learn about the basic characteristics and structures of fungi in Part 1 of 3 in this series on the Structure and Function of Fungi.

Click  to open Part 2, Asexual and Sexual Reproduction

Click HERE to open Part 3, Nutrition and Mutualistic Relationships

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Structure and Function of Fungi: Nutrition and Mutualistic Relationships (3 of 3):

Learn about the nutrition and mutualistic relationships of fungi in this interactive tutorial. This is Part 3 of 3 in this series on the Structure and Function of Fungi. 

Click  to open Part 1, Basic Characteristics and Structures

Click HERE to open Part 2, Asexual and Sexual Reproduction

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Drones and Glaciers: Eyes in the Sky (Part 2 of 4):

Learn how to identify the central idea and important details of a text, as well as how to write an effective summary in this interactive tutorial. This tutorial is the second tutorial in a four-part series that examines how scientists are using drones to explore glaciers in Peru. 

This tutorial is part two of a four-part series. Click below to open the other tutorials in this series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Human Reproductive System, Part 1:

Explore the genetic advantage of sexual reproduction, describe the basic anatomy and physiology of both the male and female human reproductive systems, describe the process of human development leading up to birth, and identify major changes associated with each trimester of pregnancy.

This interactive tutorial is part 1 in a two-part series. Click here to 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Human Reproductive System (Part 2):

Explore the process of human development leading up to birth, and identify major changes associated with each trimester of pregnancy.

This interactive tutorial is part 2 in a two-part series. Click here to launch .

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Drones and Glaciers: Eyes in the Sky (Part 1 of 4):

Learn about how researchers are using drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs, to study glaciers in Peru. In this interactive tutorial, you will practice citing text evidence when answering questions about a text.

This tutorial is part one of a four-part series. Click below to open the other tutorials in this series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Pathogens and Disease:

Pathogens of all sorts can make us sick. Learn the whats, whys, and hows of the process in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Migration in the Kenyan Savannah:

Examine migration and factors affecting both population sizes and distributions of key species in the Kenyan savannah with this interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Untangling Food Webs:

Learn how living organisms can be organized into food webs and how energy is transferred through a food web from producers to consumers to decomposers. This interactive tutorial also includes interactive knowledge checks.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Macromolecules of Life: Carbohydrates:

Learn about the basic molecular structures and primary functions of carbohydrates with this interactive tutorial.

This is part 2 in a five-part series. Click below to explore other tutorials in the series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Methylmercury in the Everglades:

Explore the impact of methylmercury pollution in the Everglades wetland ecosystem.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Reproduction Strategies:

Explore consequences and challenges of reproductive strategies of sea anemones.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Challenges to Public Health :

Learn to distinguish between public health issues and individual health issues in this interactive tutorial. 

This is part 1 of 4 in a series of tutorials addressing this standard.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Periphyton in the Everglades:

Explore species interdependence focusing on roles played by periphyton in the Everglades ecosystem with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Microscope Mathematics:

Learn how you can use a microscope as a tool to measure objects in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Ecological Data Analysis:

See how data are interpreted to better understand the reproductive strategies taken by sea anemones with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Beyond Natural Selection: Mechanisms of Evolution:

Explore mechanisms of evolutionary change other than natural selection such as mutation, gene flow, and genetic drift in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Ecology Sampling Strategies:

Examine field sampling strategies used to gather data and avoid bias in ecology research. This interactive tutorial features the CPALMS Perspectives video .

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Analyzing Patterns of Inheritance:

Learn strategies to help you solve genetics problems by applying your knowledge of inheritance patterns. You’ll encounter a few “mystery cases” that you’ll solve through your genetics analysis in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Macromolecules: Lipids:

Learn about the basic molecular structures and primary functions of lipids with this interactive tutorial.

This is part 3 in a five-part series. Click below to explore other tutorials in the series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

A Study in Sustainability:

Learn how individual and societal choices affect sustainability and explore ways that you can reduce your impact on the environment with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

DNA to Genes to Proteins:

Learn about the first step of protein synthesis, transcription of DNA to RNA. In this interactive tutorial, you'll explore epigenetics as a mechanism to activate or inactivate gene expression.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Mystery of Muscle Cell Metabolism:

Explore the mystery of muscle cell metabolism and how cells are able to meet the need for a constant supply of energy. In this interactive tutorial, you'll identify the basic structure of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), explain how ATP’s structure is related it its job in the cell, and connect this role to energy transfers in living things.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Data and Frequencies:

Learn to define, calculate, and interpret marginal frequencies, joint frequencies, and conditional frequencies in the context of the data with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Enzymes are the Stuff of Life:

At any instant in your life, millions and millions of enzymes are hard at work in your body as well as all around you making your life easier!

By the end of this tutorial you should be able to describe how enzymes speed up most biochemical reactions as well as identify the various factors that affect enzyme activity like pH and temperature.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Sustainability:

Learn the definition of "sustainability" and understand how our throw away consumer lifestyle has affected the environment in a negative way. In this interactive tutorial, you'll explore possible solutions to prevent further harm to the environment.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Cells, Cells Everywhere!:

Learn how to identify explicit evidence and understand implicit meaning in the basic principles of the cell theory. The cell theory states that all organisms are made of cells. These cells are the smallest and basic unit of life. And finally, cells can only come from other cells.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Eliminating Exotics: Identifying and Assessing Research for Quality and Usefulness:

Learn how to better conduct research in this interactive tutorial. You'll learn to distinguish relevant from irrelevant sources when conducting research on a specific topic. In addition, you'll practice identifying authoritative sources and selecting the appropriate keywords to find quality sources for your topic.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Cell Types:

Learn how to classify cells as prokaryotic or eukaryotic and distinguish eukaryotic cells as plant or animal with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Mitosis and Meiosis:

Compare and contrast mitosis and meiosis in this interactive tutorial. You'll also relate them to the processes of sexual and asexual reproduction and their consequences for genetic variation.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Protein Synthesis: Your Personal Protein Factory:

Explore the basic processes of transcription and translation, and how they result in the expression of genes as you complete this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Natural Selection:

Describe the conditions required for natural selection and tell how it can result in changes in species over time. In this interactive tutorial, follow Charles Darwin through a life of exploration, observation, and experimentation to see how he developed his ideas.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Macromolecules of Life: Proteins:

Learn about the basic molecular structures and primary functions of proteins with this interactive tutorial.

This is part 4 in a five-part series. Click below to explore other tutorials in the series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Evolution: Examining the Evidence:

Learn how to identify explicit evidence and understand implicit meaning in a text.

You should be able to explain how different types of scientific evidence support the theory of evolution, including direct observation, fossils, DNA, biogeography, and comparative anatomy and embryology.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Energy and Matter Movement through Biogeochemical Cycles:

Learn how to trace matter and energy through living and non-living systems and understand that matter and energy are transferred on a global scale.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Earliest Beginnings:

Learn how to identify and describe the leading scientific explanations of the origin of life on Earth.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Scientific Laws and Theories:

Learn what scientific laws and scientific theories are and how they are different from what we commonly call laws and theories outside of science with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Changing with the Times: Variation within Ecosystems:

Explore how environmental changes at different time scales affect living organisms within ecosystems in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Fueling the Body: Cellular Respiration:

Explore how organisms gain usable energy and compare the two types of cellular respiration; aerobic and anaerobic. In this interactive tutorial, you'll also learn about reactants and products of both aerobic and anaerobic respiration.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

What Makes Your Blood Flow?:

Learn about factors that affect the blood flow in your body in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

DNA Replication:

Learn how DNA is copied and explain how this process allows cells to have identical genetic information with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Graphing Quadratic Functions:

Follow as we discover key features of a quadratic equation written in vertex form in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

ATP: Fuel for Cells:

Explore how cells use ATP as an energy source for cellular activities in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Cellular Transport: The Role of the Cell Membrane:

Learn about the function of the cell membrane as a selective barrier that moves material into and out of the cell to maintain homeostasis with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Macromolecules of Life: Nucleic Acids:

Learn to identify and describe the structural and functional features of nucleic acids, one of the 4 primary macromolecule groups in biological systems, with this interactive tutorial.

This is Part 3 in 5-part series. Click below to open the other tutorials in the series:

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Meiosis: A Special Kind of Cell Division:

Learn how to describe Meiosis, the process by which sex cells--the sperm and the egg--are created in living things. In this interactive tutorial, you will also discover how sexual reproduction results in genetically diverse offspring.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Observation vs. Inference:

Learn how to identify explicit evidence and understand implicit meaning in a text and demonstrate how and why scientific inferences are drawn from scientific observation and be able to identify examples in biology.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Cool Case Files:

Learn that a scientific theory is the culmination of many experiments and supplies the most powerful explanation that scientists have to offer with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Cancer: Mutated Cells Gone Wild!:

Explore the relationship between mutations, the cell cycle, and uncontrolled cell growth which may result in cancer with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Population Interactions:

Explore population interactions and how those interactions can affect population size in this interactive tutorial. You'll also learn about competition, predation and symbiosis.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Diagramming Diversity 1:

Learn how living organisms are classified according to their characteristics, which reflects their evolutionary history and relationships, as you complete this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Types of Microscopes:

Learn how to determine differences and similarities of the structure and function of compound light microscopes, dissecting microscopes, scanning electron microscopes and transmitting electron microscopes.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Diagramming Diversity II:

Learn to explain how a phylogenetic tree, or cladogram, is used to classify living organisms based on inherited similarities, and how it relates to other methods of hierarchical classification.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Defining Science:

Learn how to define what science is and what it is not. In this interactive tutorial, you will identify why certain ways of exploring the universe can and cannot be considered scientific practices.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Macromolecules of Life: Overview:

Learn to identify the four basic biological macromolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids) by structure and function with this interactive tutorial.

This is part 1 in a five-part series. Click below to explore other tutorials in the series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Water and Life:

Learn how the chemical properties of water relate to its physical properties and make it essential for life with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Classification using DNA:

Learn how to explain differences in genetic and non-genetic classification methods. You should also know why genetic evidence is very powerful for understanding evolutionary relationships among organisms.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Complex Modes of Inheritance:

Learn the basics of inheritance in this interactive tutorial. You discover how to differentiate between polygenic and multiple alleles, predict genetic outcomes using a Punnett square, and analyze inheritance patterns caused by various modes of inheritances including codominant, incomplete dominance, sex-linked, polygenic, and multiple alleles. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Photosynthesis: Capturing the Sun's Energy to Create Sugar:

Learn how to identify and describe the role of all of the major molecules needed for photosynthesis. You'll also be able to explain the role that photosynthesis plays in capturing carbon from the atmosphere to produce sugars.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Classification of Living Organisms:

Explore the characteristics of domains and kingdoms used to classify living organisms with this interactive tutorial. You also will learn more about the reasons behind how and why this classification is done.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Question Quest:

Learn to distinguish between questions that can be answered by science and questions that science cannot answer. This interactive tutorial will help you distinguish between science and other ways of knowing, including art, religion, and philosophy.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Plant Organs:

Learn about the structure, function, and evolutionary origins of plant tissues and organs with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Diving the Depths of Underwater Life:

Learn how the distribution of aquatic life forms is affected by light, temperature, and salinity with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Universal Genetic Code:

Learn how to better understand the composition of DNA, the purpose of the information in DNA, why the DNA sequence is considered a universal code, and what might happen if mistakes appear in the code with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Impact of Biotechnology:

Learn how to identify and define types of biotechnology and consider the impacts of biotechnologies on the individual, society and the environment in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Climbing Around the Hominin Family Tree:

Learn to identify basic trends in the evolutionary history of humans, including walking upright, brain size, jaw size, and tool use in "Climbing Around the Hominin Family Tree" online tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Energy and Carbon in Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration:

Learn more about photosynthesis and cellular respiration. In this interactive tutorial, you will gain awareness of the connections between these two very important processes with regard to energy and carbon.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Immune System: Your Body’s Private Defense System:

Learn how to identify the basic functions of the immune system. You will also be able to distinguish between nonspecific and specific immune responses.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Brain Basics:

Learn how to name the major regions of the brain and identify them on a diagram with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Educational Games

The Control of the Cell Cycle:

The Control of the Cell Cycle educational game is based on the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, which was awarded for discoveries concerning the control of the cell cycle.

Type: Educational Game

EvoDots - Software for Evolutionary Analysis:

The software application, which allows the students to simulate natural selection in a population of dots, goes along with a tutorial which is also at this site.

Type: Educational Game

Transcribe and Translate a Gene:

See how cells "read" the information in a DNA sequence to build a protein, then build one yourself!

Type: Educational Game

Cell Structure Crossword Puzzle:

This cell structure crossword puzzle uses vocabulary from CELLS alive! If you have trouble and need a hint, use the "Search this Site" engine in the lefthand menu. Good Luck!

Type: Educational Game

Educational Software / Tool

Two Way Frequency Excel Spreadsheet:

This Excel spreadsheet allows the educator to input data into a two way frequency table and have the resulting relative frequency charts calculated automatically on the second sheet. This resource will assist the educator in checking student calculations on student-generated data quickly and easily.

Steps to add data: All data is input on the first spreadsheet; all tables are calculated on the second spreadsheet

  1. Modify column and row headings to match your data.
  2. Input joint frequency data.
  3. Click the second tab at the bottom of the window to see the automatic calculations.

Type: Educational Software / Tool

Lesson Plans

The Surprising World of Complex Systems:

This lesson introduces students to complex systems and to basic concepts from the field of system dynamics that lie at the heart of systems thinking. These concepts include stocks and flows, feedback loops, unintended consequences, and the basic principle that the behavior of complex systems can best be understood by looking at the system as a whole, and specifically by analyzing the system’s underlying structure. The lesson introduces these topics through an immersion in (and a role-play simulation of) the dynamics of urban recycling systems, many of which have been thrown into crisis in the past two years. Through this current-affairs example of complex systems in crisis, we identify some key structural features that help to explain how these systems behave over time. We also discover how well-intentioned action can cause negative unintended consequences when we try to intervene in a complex system without understanding how it operates.

Type: Lesson Plan

Elasticity: Studying How Solids Change Shape and Size:

This lesson's primary focus is to introduce high school students to the concept of Elasticity, which is one of the fundamental concepts in the understanding of the physics of deformation in solids. The main learning objectives are: (1) To understand the essential concept of Elasticity and be able to distinguish simple solids objects based on degree and extent of their elastic properties; (2) To appreciate the utility of the elastic force vs. deformation curve through experiments; (3) To be aware of potential sources of error present in such experiments and identify corrective measures; and (4) To appreciate the relevance of Elasticity in practical applications.

Type: Lesson Plan

CO2: Find Out What It Means to You:

This BLOSSOMS lesson discusses Carbon Dioxide, and its impact on climate change. The main learning objective is for students to become more familiar with human production of Carbon Dioxide gas, as well as to gain an awareness of the potential for this gas to effect the temperature of Earth’s atmosphere. This lesson should take about an hour to complete. In order to complete the lesson, the teacher will need: printed copies of signs representing the different products and processes that take place in the carbon cycle (included), samples of matter that represent those products, handouts for the students to create a graphic of the carbon cycle (included) and graph paper or graphing software for students to create graphs. In the breaks of this BLOSSOMS lesson, students will be creating models of the carbon cycle as well as observing experiments and analyzing data from them. It is hoped that this lesson will familiarize students with ways in which carbon moves through our environment and provide them with some personal connection to the impact that an increased concentration of CO2 can have on air temperature. The goal is to spark their interest and hopefully to encourage them to ask and investigate more questions about the climate. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Meet the Family: Investigating Primate Relationships:

In this lesson students will see the different types of evidence scientists use to understand evolutionary relationships among organisms. They will first practice by using shared physical characteristics to predict relationships among members of the cat family and then use this approach to predict primate relationships. They will compare their predictions to evidence provided by analyzing amino acid sequences and build a phylogenetic tree based on these sequences. Finally, they will look at the tree in the context of time in order to see divergence times.

Type: Lesson Plan

Using DNA to Identify People:

 Learning objectives:  Students will learn what DNA fingerprinting is, what it is used for, and how it is used in paternity testing and forensics.  Students will see how this technique actually works in lab.  Students will learn how to analyze the gels used in this technique to match babies to parents, and crime scene evidence to suspects.

Type: Lesson Plan

Perspectives Video: Experts

Jumping Robots and Quadratics:

<p>Jump to it and learn more about how quadratic equations are&nbsp;used in robot navigation problem solving!</p>

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Mathematically Exploring the Wakulla Caves:

The tide is high! How can we statistically prove there is a relationship between the tides on the Gulf Coast and in a fresh water spring 20 miles from each other?

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

MicroGravity Sensors & Statistics:

Statistical analysis played an essential role in using microgravity sensors to determine location of caves in Wakulla County.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Proteins and Secretory Pathways:

A cell has made a protein; now what? Learn more about protein secretion!

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Biochemistry and Medicine:

Advances in "big data" are leading to rapid developments in personalized medicine. Learn more!

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Mutations and Genetic Diversity:

Mutations don't just happen to comic book heroes and villains. Learn more about this natural biological phenomenon!

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Mutations, the Cell Cycle, and Cancer:

Sometimes the cell cycle gets derailed a bit, which can lead to the development of tumors. Learn more about mutations!

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Protein Structure and Function:

Don't get twisted in a knot about proteins; learn about their structure!

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Measuring Biodiversity to Evaluate Human Impact:

Humans impact the environment in a number of ways. Learn more about how we interact with nature!

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Coral Varieties and their Place in Aquatic Systems:

Learn all the information about coral and corral that knowledge!

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Protein Factories:

What's in a molecular biologist's toolbox? Very small tools for working with cellular machines and molecules!

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Agriculture: Plant Propagation via Asexual Reproduction:

This plant geneticist wants to propagate knowledge about different kinds of plant propagation.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Agriculture: Mitosis and Meiosis:

Your understanding of agriscience will bloom and grow as this plant geneticist describes how they use mitosis and meiosis when developing new grape varieties.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Physical Adaptation to Low Light Aquatic Environments:

This biologist will brighten your day with a discussion on colorful (or not) ways that marine organisms have adapted to ocean lighting.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Oil Spills and Biodiversity:

Do you think you know oil there is to know about human impact on the environment? Let this biologist explain.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Physical Environment and Natural Selection:

This video is a natural selection for learning about evolution.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Methods of Evolution in Animal Populations Big and Small:

Interested in how evolution happens? Drift into this video and go with the flow.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Oil Fingerprinting:

Humans aren't the only ones who get their fingerprints taken. Learn how this scientist is like a crime scene investigator using oil "fingerprints" to explain the orgins of spilled oil.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Photosynthesis in Space:

A NASA botanist explains how studying photosynthesis now can help feed astronauts in the future.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

How do Fish Stay in their Zone?:

Sink into science as a biologist floats a few thoughts about physiological adaptations marine animals use to stay at the right depth.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Dissolved Oxygen in Aquatic Ecosystems:

Dissolved oxygen is important to all life in and out of the water! Learn more in this video!

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Protect our Fisheries from Invasive Species:

Lionfish and other species are roaring past our native populations. Learn more.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Sea Turtle Conservation:

Watch as this scientist shines a light on a type of pollution that affects sea turtles.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Observable Inheritance Patterns:

<p>A plant geneticist describes observable inheritance patterns and genetic mutations in maize.</p>

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Negative Impacts of Oil Spills:

Learn how the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution experts track oil-soaked sand patties on the Gulf Coast to monitor possible negative environmental impacts from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Viticulture and Biotechnology:

A viticulture scientist explains grape expectations for medicine and society.

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Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiasts

Unit Conversions:

<p>Get fired up as you learn more about ceramic glaze recipes and mathematical units.</p>

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Estimating Oil Seep Production by Bubble Volume:

<p>You'll need to bring your computer skills and math knowledge to estimate oil volume and rate as it seeps from the ocean floor. Dive in!</p>

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Presentation/Slideshows

Cell Processes and Energy: Photosynthesis and Respirataion:

This presentation, a narrated PowerPoint, provides detailed information regarding photosynthesis and cellular respiration. It is provided by a teacher for his students, but is well-done and engaging enough to be useful for other students.

Type: Presentation/Slideshow

What Killed the Dinosaurs?:

It is often difficult, sometimes impossible, to get a definitive answer to some of life's most enduring questions. Scientific processes provide alternative explanations for a wide variety of phenomena by piecing together all the available information. This interactive activity on the Evolution website explores four possible hypotheses to explain what caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, inviting the viewer to consider the evidence and come to their own decision.

Type: Presentation/Slideshow

Introduction to Infectious Diseases:

A PowerPoint with speaker notes covering infectious diseases, causes, transmission, and control.

Type: Presentation/Slideshow

Problem-Solving Tasks

Speed Trap:

The purpose of this task is to allow students to demonstrate an ability to construct boxplots and to use boxplots as the basis for comparing distributions.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Musical Preferences:

This problem solving task asks students to make deductions about the kind of music students enjoy by examining data in a two-way table.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

SAT Scores:

This problem solving task challenges students to answer probability questions about SAT scores, using distribution and mean to solve the problem.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Haircut Costs:

This problem could be used as an introductory lesson to introduce group comparisons and to engage students in a question they may find amusing and interesting.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Should We Send Out a Certificate?:

The purpose of this task is to have students complete normal distribution calculations and to use properties of normal distributions to draw conclusions.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Do You Fit in This Car?:

This task requires students to use the normal distribution as a model for a data distribution. Students must use given means and standard deviations to approximate population percentages.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Random Walk III:

The task provides a context to calculate discrete probabilities and represent them on a bar graph.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

How thick is a soda can? (Variation II):

This problem solving task asks students to explain which measurements are needed to estimate the thickness of a soda can. Multiple solution processes are presented.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

How thick is a soda can? (Variation I):

This problem solving task challenges students to find the surface area of a soda can, calculate how many cubic centimeters of aluminum it contains, and estimate how thick it is.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

How many leaves on a tree? (Version 2):

This is a mathematical modeling task aimed at making a reasonable estimate for something which is too large to count accurately, the number of leaves on a tree.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

How many leaves on a tree?:

This is a mathematical modeling task aimed at making a reasonable estimate for something which is too large to count accurately, the number of leaves on a tree.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

How many cells are in the human body?:

This problem solving task challenges students to apply the concepts of mass, volume, and density in the real-world context to find how many cells are in the human body.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Eratosthenes and the circumference of the earth:

This problem solving task gives an interesting context for implementing ideas from geometry and trigonometry.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Archimedes and the King's Crown:

This problem solving task uses the tale of Archimedes and the King of Syracuse's crown to determine the volume and mass of gold and silver.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

As the Wheel Turns:

In this task, students use trigonometric functions to model the movement of a point around a wheel and, through space. Students also interpret features of graphs in terms of the given real-world context.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Finding Parabolas through Two Points:

This problem-solving task challenges students to find all quadratic functions described by given equation and coordinates, and describe how the graphs of those functions are related to one another.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Warming and Cooling:

This task is meant to be a straight-forward assessment task of graph reading and interpreting skills. This task helps reinforce the idea that when a variable represents time, t = 0 is chosen as an arbitrary point in time and positive times are interpreted as times that happen after that.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Throwing Baseballs:

This task could be used for assessment or for practice. It allows students to compare characteristics of two quadratic functions that are each represented differently, one as the graph of a quadratic function and one written out algebraically. Specifically, students are asked to determine which function has the greatest maximum and the greatest non-negative root.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Average Cost:

This task asks students to find the average, write an equation, find the domain, and create a graph of the cost of producing DVDs.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Weed Killer:

The principal purpose of the task is to explore a real-world application problem with algebra, working with units and maintaining reasonable levels of accuracy throughout. Students are asked to determine which product will be the most economical to meet the requirements given in the problem.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Telling a Story with Graphs:

In this task students are given graphs of quantities related to weather. The purpose of the task is to show that graphs are more than a collection of coordinate points; they can tell a story about the variables that are involved, and together they can paint a very complete picture of a situation, in this case the weather. Features in one graph, like maximum and minimum points, correspond to features in another graph. For example, on a rainy day, the solar radiation is very low, and the cumulative rainfall graph is increasing with a large slope.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Logistic Growth Model, Explicit Version:

This problem introduces a logistic growth model in the concrete settings of estimating the population of the U.S. The model gives a surprisingly accurate estimate and this should be contrasted with linear and exponential models.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Logistic Growth Model, Abstract Version:

This task is for instructional purposes only and students should already be familiar with some specific examples of logistic growth functions. The goal of this task is to have students appreciate how different constants influence the shape of a graph.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

How Is the Weather?:

This task can be used as a quick assessment to see if students can make sense of a graph in the context of a real world situation. Students also have to pay attention to the scale on the vertical axis to find the correct match. The first and third graphs look very similar at first glance, but the function values are very different since the scales on the vertical axes are very different. The task could also be used to generate a group discussion on interpreting functions given by graphs.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Dinosaur Bones:

The purpose of this task is to illustrate through an absurd example the fact that in real life quantities are reported to a certain level of accuracy, and it does not make sense to treat them as having greater accuracy.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Bus and Car:

This task operates at two levels. In part it is a simple exploration of the relationship between speed, distance, and time. Part (c) requires understanding of the idea of average speed, and gives an opportunity to address the common confusion between average speed and the average of the speeds for the two segments of the trip.

At a higher level, the task addresses MAFS.912.N-Q.1.3, since realistically neither the car nor the bus is going to travel at exactly the same speed from beginning to end of each segment; there is time traveling through traffic in cities, and even on the autobahn the speed is not constant. Thus students must make judgments about the level of accuracy with which to report the result.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Accuracy of Carbon 14 Dating I:

This task examines, from a mathematical and statistical point of view, how scientists measure the age of organic materials by measuring the ratio of Carbon 14 to Carbon 12. The focus here is on the statistical nature of such dating.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Accuracy of Carbon 14 Dating II:

This task examines, from a mathematical and statistical point of view, how scientists measure the age of organic materials by measuring the ratio of Carbon 14 to Carbon 12. The focus here is on the statistical nature of such dating.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Fuel Efficiency:

The problem requires students to not only convert miles to kilometers and gallons to liters but they also have to deal with the added complication of finding the reciprocal at some point.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

How Much Is a Penny Worth?:

This task asks students to calculate the cost of materials to make a penny, utilizing rates of grams of copper.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Runner's World:

Students are asked to use units to determine if the given statement is valid.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Harvesting the Fields:

This is a challenging task, suitable for extended work, and reaching into a deep understanding of units. Students are given a scenario and asked to determine the number of people required to complete the amount of work in the time described. The task requires students to exhibit , Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. An algebraic solution is possible but complicated; a numerical solution is both simpler and more sophisticated, requiring skilled use of units and quantitative reasoning. Thus the task aligns with either MAFS.912.A-CED.1.1 or MAFS.912.N-Q.1.1, depending on the approach.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Sum of Even and Odd:

Students explore and manipulate expressions based on the following statement:

A function f defined for -a < x="">< a="" is="" even="" if="" f(-x)="f(x)" and="" is="" odd="" if="" f(-x)="-f(x)" when="" -a="">< x="">< a.="" in="" this="" task="" we="" assume="" f="" is="" defined="" on="" such="" an="" interval,="" which="" might="" be="" the="" full="" real="" line="" (i.e.,="" a="">

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Graphs of Quadratic Functions:

Students compare graphs of different quadratic functions, then produce equations of their own to satisfy given conditions.

This exploration can be done in class near the beginning of a unit on graphing parabolas. Students need to be familiar with intercepts, and need to know what the vertex is. It is effective after students have graphed parabolas in vertex form (y=a(x–h)2+k), but have not yet explored graphing other forms.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Traffic Jam:

This resource poses the question, "how many vehicles might be involved in a traffic jam 12 miles long?"

This task, while involving relatively simple arithmetic, promps students to practice modeling (MP4), work with units and conversion (N-Q.1), and develop a new unit (N-Q.2). Students will also consider the appropriate level of accuracy to use in their conclusions (N-Q.3).

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Selling Fuel Oil at a Loss:

The task is a modeling problem which ties in to financial decisions faced routinely by businesses, namely the balance between maintaining inventory and raising short-term capital for investment or re-investment in developing the business.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Felicia's Drive:

This task provides students the opportunity to make use of units to find the gas needed (). It also requires them to make some sensible approximations (e.g., 2.92 gallons is not a good answer to part (a)) and to recognize that Felicia's situation requires her to round up. Various answers to (a) are possible, depending on how much students think is a safe amount for Felicia to have left in the tank when she arrives at the gas station. The key point is for them to explain their choices. This task provides an opportunity for students to practice MAFS.K12.MP.2.1: Reason abstractly and quantitatively, and MAFS.K12.MP.3.1: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Graphs of Power Functions:

This task requires students to recognize the graphs of different (positive) powers of x.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

The Canoe Trip, Variation 2:

The primary purpose of this task is to lead students to a numerical and graphical understanding of the behavior of a rational function near a vertical asymptote, in terms of the expression defining the function.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

The Canoe Trip, Variation 1:

The purpose of this task is to give students practice constructing functions that represent a quantity of interest in a context, and then interpreting features of the function in the light of the context. It can be used as either an assessment or a teaching task.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Calories in a Sports Drink:

This problem involves the meaning of numbers found on labels. When the level of accuracy is not given we need to make assumptions based on how the information is reported. An unexpected surprise awaits in this case, however, as no reasonable interpretation of the level of accuracy makes sense of the information reported on the bottles in parts (b) and (c). Either a miscalculation has been made or the numbers have been rounded in a very odd way.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Student Center Activity

Dihybrid Cross Problem Set:

In this problem set, multiple choice problems are displayed one at a time. If students answer correctly, they are shown a short explanation. If their answer is incorrect, a tutorial will follow, and the students will be given another chance to answer.

Type: Student Center Activity

Text Resources

Know Your Genes:

This website is a good resource for reviewing the basics of the study of genetics. It conveniently lists and describes common genetic disorders, and describes procedure for setting up a medical family tree.

Type: Text Resource

What you Need to Know about Energy:

This site from the National Academy of Sciences presents uses, sources, costs, and efficiency of energy.

Type: Text Resource

Tutorials

Phases of Meiosis II:

This video discusses the phases of Meiosis (Part 2 of 2).

Type: Tutorial

Phases of Meiosis I:

This video discusses the phases of Meiosis (Part 1 of 2).

Type: Tutorial

Risk Factors for Stroke:

In this Khan Academy video you will learn some of the modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors that can lead to a stroke.

Type: Tutorial

Cerebral Blood Supply: Part 2:

In this Khan Academy tutorial video, learn about the arteries that serve your brain. This is a continuation from Cerebral Blood Supply: Part 1.

Type: Tutorial

Cerebral Blood Supply: Part 1:

In this Khan Academy video tutorial, learn the main important arteries in the brain that bring necessary oxygen to all parts of the brain.

Type: Tutorial

What is a Stroke?:

Learn the conditions present in your brain that cause a stroke.

Type: Tutorial

Complications After a Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction):

Learn about the complications that may occur after a heart attack (myocardial infarction).

Type: Tutorial

Treatment of Stroke with Interventions:

In this Khan academy video tutorial, learn about the possible treatments and interventions of different types of strokes.

Type: Tutorial

Diagnosing Strokes by History and Physical Exam:

Learn how strokes are often diagnosed.

Type: Tutorial

Graphs and Solutions of Functions in Quadratic Equations:

You will learn how the parent function for a quadratic function is affected when f(x) = x2.

Type: Tutorial

Post Stroke Inflammation:

Learn about post-stroke inflammation.

Type: Tutorial

Healing after a Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction):

Learn about the process your body goes through in healing after a heart attack (myocardial infarction).

Type: Tutorial

Graphing Quadractic Functions in Vertex Form:

This tutorial will help the students to identify the vertex of a parabola from the equation, and then graph the parabola.

Type: Tutorial

Graphing Quadratic Equations:

This tutorial helps the learners to graph the equation of a quadratic function using the coordinates of the vertex of a parabola and its x- intercepts.

Type: Tutorial

Graphing Exponential Equations:

This tutorial will help you to learn about exponential functions by graphing various equations representing exponential growth and decay.

Type: Tutorial

Vaccine and Active Immunity:


A vaccine allows a person to develop acquired immunity against an illness without actually getting the disease. This interactive tutorial will help the learners to understand the process by which vaccines work in the human body.

Type: Tutorial

Photosynthesis: The Calvin Cycle:


This tutorial is a step by step explanation of what occurs in photosynthesis during the Calvin Cycle. It describes and uses visuals for the chemical reactions in this biochemical pathway. This challenging tutorial addresses the standard at a high level of complexity.

Type: Tutorial

Photosynthesis: The Light Reaction:


This tutorial shows and describes what occurs during the light reactions of photosynthesis which is the first stage of photosynthesis when plants capture and store energy from sunlight. In this process, light energy is converted into chemical energy, in the form of the energy-carrying molecules ATP and NADPH.

Type: Tutorial

Oxidation and Reduction in Cellular Respiration:

This Khan Academy video explains how oxidation and reduction reactions occur in cellular respiration. The chemical equation for cellular respiration is examined and broken down to show where each type of the reactions occur.

Type: Tutorial

CAM Plants:

This Khan Academy video explains how CAM plants fix carbon dioxide at night so they do not lose water by opening their stomata during the day.

Type: Tutorial

C4 Photosynthesis:

The Khan Academy video discusses how some plants avoid photorespiration by fixing carbon in the bundle sheath cells instead of the mesophylll cells.

Type: Tutorial

Photorespiration:

This Khan Academy video reviews the Calvin Cycle in C3 photosynthesis and discusses the reactants and products of this process. The video then describes photorespiration which is what occurs when the enzyme RuBisCO fixes oxygen instead of carbon dioxide and explains why this is considered an inefficient pathway for plants.

Type: Tutorial

Taxonomy and the Tree of Life:

This Khan Academy video discusses the science of taxonomy and where humans fit into the tree of life.

Type: Tutorial

Species:

This Khan Academy video explains the definition of species and provides examples of animals that belong to the same species.

Type: Tutorial

Punnet Square Fun:

This Khan Academy video explains and demonstrates how to use Punnett Squares for monohybrid crosses and dihybrid crosses. The video also shows how to use Punnett Squares for inheritance patterns such as codominance, incomplete dominance, and multiple alleles.

Type: Tutorial

Chromosomes, Chromatids, and Chromatin:

This Khan Academy video reviews the basic processes of DNA replication and protein synthesis. It then goes on to explain how the terms chromosome, chromatin, and chromatid, relate to each other.

Type: Tutorial

Embryonic Stem Cells:

This Khan Academy video describes what happens to a zygote as it becomes an embyro. It further explains what a stem cell is and discusses why there are questions concerning the use of stem cells.

Type: Tutorial

Variation in a Species:

This Khan Academy video explains how variation can be introduced into a species and the importance of sexual reproduction in this process.

Type: Tutorial

Cytotoxic T Cells:

This Khan Academy video explains how cytotoxic t cells get activated by MHC-I antigen complexes and then proceed to kill infected cells. This video addresses the concept at a high level of complexity.

Type: Tutorial

Helper T Cells:

This Khan Academy video discusses helper t cells in the immune system. The role of helper t cells in activating b cells is detailed. This challenging tutorial addresses the concept at a high level of complexity.

Type: Tutorial

Transcription and Translation:

This Khan Academy video briefly describes DNA replication and then goes into a thorough explanation of both transcription and translation.

Type: Tutorial

DNA:

This Khan Academy video describes the structure of the molecule DNA in great detail. It also discuses the role DNA plays in the process of protein synthesis, explaining transcription and translation. The video discusses the relationship between DNA and chromosomes as well.

Type: Tutorial

Oxidative Phosphorylation and Chemiosmosis:

This Khan Academy video explains how ATP is generated in the electron transport chain through the process of oxidative phosphorylation and chemiosmosis. It also explains the differences between oxidative phosphorylation and substrate level phosphorylation.

Type: Tutorial

Cellular Respiration: The Electron Transport Chain:

This Khan Academy video explains how the NADH And FADH2 that were made during glycolysis and the Kreb's Cycle are used to generate ATP through the electron transport chain.

Type: Tutorial

Cellular Respiration: Glycolysis:

This Khan Academy tutorial describes in detail the process of glucose being broken down into pyruvate during glycolysis. Glycolysis is the first biochemical pathway of cellular respiration.

Type: Tutorial

Cellular Respiration: Kreb's Cycle:

This Khan Academy video describes how the pyruvate produced in glycolysis undergoes oxidation to produce Acetyl CoA. The video then explains what occurs when Acetyl CoA enters the Kreb's cycle and how NADH and FADH2 are produced.

Type: Tutorial

B Lymphocytes:

This Khan Academy video describes B lymphocyte cells, and how they are activated and produce antibodies within the immune system.

Type: Tutorial

Role of Phagocytosis in Nonspecific Immunity:

This Khan Academy video describes non specific immunity, and the specific role of phagocytes. The tutorial explains how phagocytes engulf pathogens that enter the body as a line of defense.

Type: Tutorial

Types of Immune Responses:

This Khan Academy video contains an overview of the types of immune responses in the body. The differences between humoral adaptive immunity and cell mediated immunity are discussed in detail.

Type: Tutorial

Natural Selection and the Owl Butterfly:

This Khan Academy tutorial explains how the owl butterfly might have evolved the spots on its wings through natural selection.

Type: Tutorial

Sex-Linked Traits:

This Khan Academy tutorial addresses the differences between the X and Y chromosomes in humans. The SRY gene found on the Y chromosome is discussed and the genes that cause color-blindness and hemophilia on the X chromosome are discussed.

Type: Tutorial

Photosynthesis: The Light Reactions:

This Khan Academy tutorial explains in detail the process of the light reactions of photosynthesis including the importance of the thylakoid membrane and the products that are produced from this reaction.

Type: Tutorial

Photosynthesis: The Calvin Cycle:

This Khan Academy tutorial explains how the by-products from the light reactions of photosynthesis are used to produce sugar molecules in the Calvin Cycle.

Type: Tutorial

Comparison of Meiosis and Mitosis:

This tutorial will help you to understand the differences and similarities between meiosis and mitosis.

Type: Tutorial

Unique Features of Meiosis:

This tutorial will help you to understand the three unique features of meiosis and how meiosis is related to genetic inheritance.

Type: Tutorial

The Circulatory System and the Heart:

This Khan Academy video explains the major vessels involved in the flow of blood and follows the steps that blood takes as it travels through the heart.

Type: Tutorial

Diffusion and Osmosis:

This Khan Academy tutorial guides you through the processes of diffusion and osmosis while explaining the vocabulary and terminology involved in detail.

Type: Tutorial

Introduction to the Cell Membrane:

This Khan Academy tutorial addresses the importance of the phospholipid bilayer in the structure of the cell membrane. The types of molecules that can diffuse through the cell membrane are also discussed.

Type: Tutorial

Parts of the Cell:

This Khan Academy tutorial describes the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. It then goes on to discuss in detail the structures and their functions found in the eukaryotic cell.

Type: Tutorial

ATP: Adenosine Triphosphate:

This Khan Academy video explains how the molecule ATP stores the energy needed for biological systems within organisms.

Type: Tutorial

Introduction to Cellular Respiration:

This Khan Academy video describes how energy is extracted from the glucose molecule to make ATP. Each biochemical pathway involved in cellular respiration is discussed.

Type: Tutorial

Proton Pump:

This tutorial will help you to understand how a concentration gradient across a membrane is used. When a molecule or an ion is moved across a membrane from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration then a gradient is generated. This gradient can be chemical or it can also create a difference in electrical charge across the membrane if ions are involved. The proton pump generates an electrical and chemical gradient that can be used to create ATP which can drive a large number of different biochemical reactions.

Type: Tutorial

Cell Membrane Proteins:

Students will learn about the different types of proteins found in the cell membrane while viewing this Khan Academy tutorial video.

Type: Tutorial

Viruses:

This introduction to viruses by the Khan Academy addresses the question: Are viruses alive? How viruses enter cells and replicate is discussed in detail.

Type: Tutorial

Bacteria:

This video from the Khan Academy introduces the symbiotic relationship between the many bacteria that live inside the human body. The basics of bacteria structure, reproduction, and bacterial infections are discussed.

Type: Tutorial

How Glycolysis Works:

This animation shows the process of glycolysis. The reactants, products, and the basic functions of aerobic and anaerobic cellular respiration are identified.

Type: Tutorial

Cancer:

This Khan Academy video discusses the basics of cancer. The relationship between mutation, the cell cycle and uncontolled cell growth is explained.

Type: Tutorial

ATP Synthesis During Photosynthesis:

Photosynthesis is often described as the reverse of cellular respiration. Respiration breaks down complex molecules to release energy that is used to make ATP. Photosynthesis takes energy from photons and uses it to build complex molecules. However both systems use an electron transport chain and associated proton pump and ATP synthase as a key part of the process. This tutorial will help you to understand the electron transport chain and ATP synthesis.

Type: Tutorial

The Role of Vitamins in Human Nutrition:

This tutorial will help you to understand the role that vitamins play in human nutrition. Vitamins interact with enzymes to allow them to function more effectively. Though vitamins are not consumed in metabolism, they are vital for the process of metabolism to occur.

This challenging tutorial addresses the concept at a high level of complexity.

Type: Tutorial

Some Genes are Dominant:

This tutorial will help you to understand how Mendel, the father of genetics, planned and crossed the pure-bred pea plant to understand the process of genetics. With the help of the animation, you should be able to understand how the alleles are transferred from one generation to another.

Type: Tutorial

Genes Come in Pairs:

This tutorial will help you to understand that genes play an important role in determining physical traits. These traits helps us to identify the homozygous or heterozygous variety of genes. When the pair of genes are homozygous, they are known as pure bred, i.e they have two copies of the same gene for each trait. For heterozygous variety, they have different gene for each trait. Out of this pair, one will be dominant and other will be recessive.

Type: Tutorial

The Immune Response:

This tutorial will help students understand how the immune system of vertebrates is characterized by acquired responses that are highly specific to particular antigens. This system has the advantage of having a cellular memory for previous infections.

Type: Tutorial

Polymerase Chain Reaction:

This tutorial will help you to understand the procedure of amplifying a single copy of DNA into millions of copies. Polymerase chain reaction is a molecular prototyping technique which helps in copying small segments of DNA into significant amounts required for molecular and genetic analyses.

Type: Tutorial

Allergy Immune Response:

This tutorial will help you to understand how allergies develop. Allergies are exaggerated immune responses caused by B cells producing excess IgE antibodies. An allergen (food, dust) is a foreign substance, which binds to the antibodies and triggers a reaction that includes the production of histamine.

This challenging tutorial addresses the concept at a very high level of complexity.

Type: Tutorial

Cytotoxic T-Cell Activity Against Target Cells:

One of the functions of the T-Cells in the immune system is to attack and destroy infected cells. Target cells are cells that have been attacked by a virus. When the target cells have been taken over by a virus and they do not have a good chance of surviving, they trigger their own death. This action reduces the chance that other nearby cells will become infected.

This challenging tutorial addresses the concept at a high level of complexity.

Type: Tutorial

Phagocytosis:

This tutorial will help you to understand the function of phagocytes. Phagocytes are specialized cells that ingest and break down foreign material including bacteria and viruses.

This challenging tutorial addresses the concept at a high level of complexity.

Type: Tutorial

Regulated Secretion:

This online tutorial will help you to understand the process of regulated secretion. In regulated secretion, proteins are secreted from a cell in large amounts when a specific signal is detected by the cell. The specific example used in this tutorial is the release of insulin after a glucose signal enters a pancreatic beta cell.

Type: Tutorial

Conducting System of the Heart:

This tutorial will help you to understand how all of the components of the heart are able to work together without direct control from the central nervous system. This video shows that for proper function of the heartbeat, it is necessary that all of the muscle fibers in a region contract in unison.

Type: Tutorial

T-Cell Dependent Antigens:

T-cells perform a wide variety of functions in the immune system. In this tutorial you will understand the structure and function of the T-cells.

Type: Tutorial

Maturation of the Follicle and Oocyte:

This tutorial will help you to understand the function of the follicle. Each follicle is a single egg cell surrounded by several layers of follicle cells. An ovary consists of many follicles. The follicle cells protect and nourish the egg prior to its release into the oviducts during ovulation.

Type: Tutorial

Baroreceptor Reflex Control of Blood Pressure:

Blood pressure is determined by the force of the blood acting on the walls of the blood vessels. Two factors determine the size of this force. One is the volume of blood being pumped through the vessel. The other is the size of the vessels. Changes in blood pressure can be caused by either a change in the amount of blood being pumped or by a change in the size of the blood vessels. Feedback mechanisms, described in this animation, will alter heart rate and blood vessel dilation to maintain blood pressure at appropriate levels.

Type: Tutorial

Chemoreceptor Reflex Control of Blood Pressure:

This tutorial will help students to understand how concentrations of gases in the blood change during breathing. This animation shows high carbon dioxide concentrations and low oxygen concentrations indicating that gas exchage is occurring at a slower than ideal rate. Because of this, heart rate increases or decreases to compensate the exchange of gas.

Type: Tutorial

Virus:


This tutorial will help the student understand about viruses which are small infectious agents that replicate only inside the living cells of other organisms.

Type: Tutorial

Cells Through Different Microscopes:

This tutorial will help the learner visualize how a cell or single celled organism can differ in its view when looked at under different magnifications and different types of microscopes. This tutorial can be used by the teacher as an added resource for their lesson about different microscopes and how they work..

Type: Tutorial

Binary Fission:

This tutorial will help the learners understand the process of binary fission in bacteria. During binary fission, the DNA copies itself, the cell divides in half, and two identical daughter cells are produced.

Type: Tutorial

Cellular Respiration:

This tutorial reviews the process of cellular respiration which is the set of metabolic reactions and processes that take place in the cells of organisms to convert biochemical energy from nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

Type: Tutorial

Polymerase Chain Reaction:

This tutorial introduces the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which is a technique used in molecular biology to make multiple copies of a gene even when only small amounts of DNA are available.

Type: Tutorial

The Simple Story of Photosynthesis and Food :

Photosynthesis is an essential part of the exchange between humans and plants. Amanda Ooten walks us through the process of photosynthesis, also discussing the relationship between photosynthesis and carbohydrates, starch, and fiber -- and how the air we breathe is related to the food we ingest.

Type: Tutorial

How Polarity Makes Water Behave Strangely:

Water is both essential and unique. Many of its particular qualities stem from the fact that it consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen, therefore creating an unequal sharing of electrons. From fish in frozen lakes to ice floating on water, Christina Kleinberg describes the effects of polarity.

Type: Tutorial

DNA: The Book of You:

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 a detailed manual for building a person out of cells -- with 46 chapters (chromosomes) and hundreds of thousands of pages covering every part of you.

Type: Tutorial

Not All Scientific Studies are Created Equal:

Every day, we are bombarded by attention grabbing headlines that promise miracle cures to all of our ailments -- often backed up by a "scientific study." But what are these studies, and how do we know if they are reliable? David H. Schwartz dissects two types of studies that scientists use, illuminating why you should always approach the claims with a critical eye.

Type: Tutorial

Nature's Smallest Factory: The Calvin Cycle:

A hearty bowl of cereal gives you the energy to start your day, but how exactly did that energy make its way into your bowl? It all begins with photosynthesis, the process that converts the air we breathe into energizing glucose. Cathy Symington details the highly efficient second phase of photosynthesis -- called the Calvin cycle -- which converts carbon dioxide into sugar with some clever mix-and-match math.

Type: Tutorial

The Carbon Cycle:

What exactly is the carbon cycle? Nathaniel Manning provides a basic look into the cyclical relationship of carbon, humans and the environment.

Type: Tutorial

Dead Stuff: The Secret Ingredient in Our Food Chain:

When you picture the lowest levels of the food chain, you might imagine herbivores happily munching on lush, living green plants. But this idyllic image leaves out a huge (and slightly less appetizing) source of nourishment: dead stuff. John C. Moore details the "brown food chain," explaining how such unlikely delicacies as pond scum and animal feces contribute enormous amounts of energy to our ecosystems.

Type: Tutorial

Cells vs. Virus: A Battle for Health:

All living things are made of cells. In the human body, these highly efficient units are protected by layer upon layer of defense against icky invaders like the cold virus. Shannon Stiles takes a journey into the cell, introducing the microscopic arsenal of weapons and warriors that play a role in the battle for your health.

Type: Tutorial

How Does Cancer Spread Through the Body?:

This TED-ED original lesson explains the three common routes of metastasis. Cancer usually begins with one tumor in a specific area of the body. But if the tumor is not removed, cancer has the ability to spread to nearby organs as well as places far away from the origin, like the brain. How does cancer move to these new areas and why are some organs more likely to get infected than others? Ivan Seah Yu Jun explains the three common routes of metastasis.

Type: Tutorial

What Causes Antibiotic Resistance?:

This short video describes the process of antibiotic resistance. Right now, you are inhabited by trillions of micro organisms. Many of these bacteria are harmless (or even helpful!), but there are a few strains of ‘super bacteria' that are pretty nasty -- and they're growing resistant to our antibiotics. Why is this happening? Kevin Wu details the evolution of this problem that presents a big challenge for the future of medicine.

Type: Tutorial

The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees:

In the past decade, the US honeybee population has been decreasing at an alarming and unprecedented rate. While this is obviously bad news for honeypots everywhere, bees also help feed us in a bigger way -- by pollinating our nation's crops. Emma Bryce investigates potential causes for this widespread colony collapse disorder.

Type: Tutorial

Activation Energy-Kickstarting Chemical Reactions:

Chemical reactions are constantly happening in your body -- even at this very moment. But what catalyzes these important reactions? This short video explains how enzymes assist the process, while providing a light-hearted way to remember how activation energy works.

Type: Tutorial

The Secret Life of Plankton:

This short video opens up the oceans' microscopic ecosystem, revealing its beauty and complexity. Footage from the Plankton Chronicles Project is used to create a video designed to ignite wonder and curiosity about this hidden world that underpins our own food chain.

Type: Tutorial

How the Heart Actually Pumps Blood:

This TED ED original lesson takes a closer look at how the heart pumps blood. For most of history, scientists weren't quite sure why our hearts were beating or even what purpose they served. Eventually, we realized that these thumping organs serve the vital task of pumping clean blood throughout the body. But how? Edmond Hui investigates how it all works by taking a closer look at the heart's highly efficient ventricle system.

Type: Tutorial

How Do Cancer Cells Behave Differently From Healthy Ones?:

How do cancer cells grow? How does chemotherapy fight cancer (and cause negative side effects)? The answers lie in cell division. George Zaidan explains how rapid cell division is cancer's "strength" -- and also its weakness.

Type: Tutorial

The Chemical Structure of DNA:


This tutorial will help the learners with their understanding of chemical structure of DNA.

Type: Tutorial

Interactive Carbon Lab:

This lab simulation will allow you to explore how carbon circulates through the environment. Through data collection and analysis, you will experiment with the impact that humans are having on the cycling of carbon and make data based predictions on how these impacts may change environmental outcomes to the year 2100.

Type: Tutorial

Molecular Clock:

Molecular clocks are models that use mutation rates to measure evolutionary time. Mutations tend to accumulate at a constant rate for related species. The rate of mutations is the ticking that powers a molecular clock. This tutorial will help the learners understand this concept in order to recognize how species diverge from a common ancestors.

Type: Tutorial

DNA Structure:

This tutorial will help the learners to understand structure of DNA and how this structure allows for accurate replication.

Type: Tutorial

Glycolysis:

This tutorial will help the learners understand glycolysis, which is the process of enzymes breaking down glucose to release energy.

Type: Tutorial

Krebs Cycle:

The Krebs cycle is the central metabolic pathway in all aerobic organisms. This tutorial will help the learners understand the Krebs cycle.

Type: Tutorial

DNA Replication:

This tutorial will help learners understand the process of DNA replication, including the enzymes involved. Learners will be able to recognize that an exact copy of DNA must be created prior to cell division.

Type: Tutorial

Cell Anatomy:

This tutorial will help the learners to learn about the anatomy of the cell. As the learners move the cursor over each cell organelle, they are shown information about that organelle's structure and function.

Type: Tutorial

Amino Acids and Proteins:

This tutorial will help the learners to review the formation and 3D structures of amino acids with proteins.

Type: Tutorial

Prokaryotes, Eukaryotes, & Viruses Tutorial:

This a mostly text resource that provides accurate, straight-forward descriptions of prokaryotes, eukaryotes, and viruses. It could be a great tool to help students compare and contrast organisms with each other and viruses, or a good review passage.

Type: Tutorial

Solar Cell Operation:

This resource explains how a solar cell converts light energy into electrical energy. The user will also learn about the different components of the solar cell and observe the relationship between photon intensity and the amount of electrical energy produced.

Type: Tutorial

Meiosis Tutorial:

This online tutorial is designed to help students understand the events that occur in process of meiosis.

Type: Tutorial

Video/Audio/Animations

Will an Ice Cube Melt Faster in Freshwater or Saltwater?:

With an often unexpected outcome from a simple experiment, students can discover the factors that cause and influence thermohaline circulation in our oceans. In two 45-minute class periods, students complete activities where they observe the melting of ice cubes in saltwater and freshwater, using basic materials: clear plastic cups, ice cubes, water, salt, food coloring, and thermometers. There are no prerequisites for this lesson but it is helpful if students are familiar with the concepts of density and buoyancy as well as the salinity of seawater. It is also helpful if students understand that dissolving salt in water will lower the freezing point of water. There are additional follow up investigations that help students appreciate and understand the importance of the ocean's influence on Earth's climate.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Marine fossils in the Arctic landscape:

In this video, research is presented describing scientific studies of marine fossils found in Arctic regions.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Development of the Human Embryonic Brain:


This video presentation shows how the fetal brain grows during pregnancy, both in terms of its size and the number of neurons.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Zebrafish Heart Regeneration:


This video presentation will help to understand the regeneration process in a zebrafish. When the zebrafish heart is damaged, the wound site is rapidly sealed with a fibrin clot that stems bleeding within seconds. Following clot formation, the tissue that surrounds the heart muscle, the epicardium, gradually covers the fibrin clot via migration and cell division. Over the next few months, new cardiac muscle is produced and replaces the clot.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Mechanisms of Evolution:

This TED Ed video explains the mechanisms of evolutionary change: change in population size, sexual selection, mutation, gene flow, and natural selection.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Inquiry and Ocean Exploration:

Ocean explorer Robert Ballard gives a TED Talk relating to the mysteries of the ocean, and the importance of its continued exploration.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Photosynthesis:

  • Observe the photosynthesis mechanism in the plant
  • Learn about the main chemical reactions that takes place during photosynthesis
  • Learn how solar energy is converted into chemical energy

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Lab: DNA Fingerprint: Alu:

  • Background on tracking human ancestry using the alu marker
  • Animation on polymerase chain reaction, PCR
  • Interactive activity for performing PCR

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Science Crossword Puzzles:

A collection of crossword puzzles that test the knowledge of students about some of the terms, processes, and classifications covered in science topics

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Shapes of Molecules:

  • Differentiate between electron pair and molecular geometry
  • Learn how to name electron pair and molecular geometries for molecules with up to six electron groups around the central atom
  • Illustrate how electron pair repulsion affects bond angles

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Proteins:

Paul Anderson explains the structure and importance of proteins. He describes how proteins are created from amino acids connected by dehydration synthesis. He shows the importance of chemical properties in the R-groups of individual amino acids in the polypeptide.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Graphing Lines 1:

Khan Academy video tutorial on graphing linear equations: "Algebra: Graphing Lines 1"

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Evolving Ideas: Isn't evolution just a theory?:

This video examines the vocabulary essential for understanding the nature of science and evolution and illustrates how evolution is a powerful, well-supported scientific explanation for the relatedness of all life. A clear definition and description of scientific theory is given.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Cancer:

An introduction to what cancer is and how it is the by-product of broken DNA replication.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Sex-Linked Traits:

This video describes the chromosomal basis for gender and sex-linked traits.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Photosynthesis:

This video provides an overview of photosynthesis.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Photosynthesis: Light Reactions and Photophosphorylation:

This video gives more detail on the light reaction and photophosphorylation that occur in photosynthesis.


Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Mount St. Helens: Rising From the Ashes :

In this NSF video and reading selection evolutionary biologist and ecologist John Bishop documents the return of living things to Mount St. Helens after the largest landslide in recorded history. This is a rare opportunity for scientists to get to study a devastated area and how it comes back from scratch in such detail.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Citizen Science:

In this National Science Foundation video and reading selection lab ecologist Janis Dickinson explains how she depends on citizen scientists to help her track the effects of disease, land-use change and environmental contaminants on the nesting success of birds.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Photosynthesis animation and other cell processes in animation:

This site has fantastic short Flash animations of intricate cell processes, including photosynthesis and the electron transport chain.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Pocket Mouse Evolution:

This simulation shows the spread of a favorable mutation through a population of pocket mice. Even a small selective advantage can lead to a rapid evolution of the population.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Introducing Green Chemistry: The Science of Solutions:

This lesson introduces students to Green Chemistry, the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and/or the generation of hazardous substances. Green chemistry is a proactive approach to pollution prevention that teaches chemists how to develop products and materials in a manner that does not use hazardous substances, thus avoiding much waste, hazards and associated costs. The goal of this lesson is to introduce students to the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry and how they relate to a chemical process. These principles provide a framework for scientists, engineers and chemistry students to use when designing new materials, products, processes, and systems. The Principles focus on sustainable design criteria and have proven to be the source of innovative solutions to a wide range of problems. Through this lesson, students will also use weight and measurement to understand the concept of a recipe as it is applied to a chemical process and think critically about that process and how it might be improved. Students will be asked to use a wasteful, inefficient procedure to make glue and be challenged to improve the procedure-during which they will unknowingly use the 12 Principles. Before starting this lesson, students should have been introduced to the periodic table and properties of matter. The estimated time for this lesson is 50-60 minutes. 

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Variation Is Essential: How Does Variation Within a Population Affect the Survival of a Species?:

This is a lesson about phenotypical variation within populations and how these differences are essential for biological evolution. Students will use a model organism (in this case, kidney beans) to explore variation patterns and subsequently connect these differences to artificial & natural selection. The NGSS’ CrossCutting Concepts and Science & Engineering Practices are embedded throughout the lesson.

The main learning objectives are:

  • Using a model (kidney beans) to explore the natural variations within a population.
  • Measuring differences between individuals in a population (population of beans).
  • Describing how genetic/phenotypic variation is a key part of biological evolution because it is a prerequisite for natural selection.
  • Demonstrating in which ways genetic variation is advantageous to a population because it enables some individuals to adapt to the environment while maintaining the survival of the population.

The NGSS Performance Expectations covered are HS-LS4-2. & HS-LS4-4.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Virtual Manipulatives

Genetics:

This tutorial explores the work of Gregor Mendel and his foundational genetics experiments with pea plants. It provides practice opportunities to check your understanding of inheritance patterns including single gene recessive traits and sex linked traits. The tutorial also covers more complex patterns of inheritance such those resulting from multiple alleles. Note: This resource is part of a larger collection of information regarding Genetics. Users may view information before and after the specific genetics components highlighted here.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Slope Slider:

In this activity, students adjust slider bars which adjust the coefficients and constants of a linear function and examine how their changes affect the graph. The equation of the line can be in slope-intercept form or standard form. This activity allows students to explore linear equations, slopes, and y-intercepts and their visual representation on a graph. This activity includes supplemental materials, including background information about the topics covered, a description of how to use the application, and exploration questions for use with the java applet.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Graphing Equations Using Intercepts:

This resource provides linear functions in standard form and asks the user to graph it using intercepts on an interactive graph below the problem. Immediate feedback is provided, and for incorrect responses, each step of the solution is thoroughly modeled.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Split Brain Experiments:

The split brain experiments revealed that the right and the left hemisphere in the brain are good at different things. For instance, the right hemisphere is good at space perception tasks and music while the left is good at verbal and analytic tasks. This game guides students through some examples of the split-brain phenomenon and how the differences are understood.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

The Blood Typing Game:

This educational game is about blood types, blood typing, and blood transfusions. Your challenge is to save patients in urgent need of blood transfusions. Your job is to decide what blood type these patients belong to in order to administer safe blood transfusions. At the end you will be evaluated: if you make no mistakes at all you will get all five blood drops.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Enzyme-Substrate Docking:

This virtual manipulative will help the students learn about enzyme-substrate docking. Students will observe that the shapes of these surfaces and electrostatic forces are the major factors that govern docking.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Illustrating the process of diffusion :


This virtual manipulative will help the students to understand that osmosis is the movement of water molecules from an area of high concentration across a semipermeable membrane to an area of low concentration. This illustration of the diffusion process will help the students to understand the concept of osmotic pressure which is created by the movement of the water based on their concentration gradient and thus resulting in the difference of the solute concentration.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Graphing Lines:

Allows students access to a Cartesian Coordinate System where linear equations can be graphed and details of the line and the slope can be observed.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Balancing Chemical Equations:

This activity will allow you to practice balancing a chemical equation. You will have to make sure you are following the law of conservation of mass and recognize what can change to balance an equation.
You can:

  • Balance a chemical equation.
  • Recognize that the number of atoms of each element is conserved in a chemical reaction.
  • Describe the difference between coefficients and subscripts in a chemical equation.
  • Translate from symbolic to molecular representation.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Understanding Polarity:

Understanding molecular polarity by changing the electron-negativity of atoms in a molecule to see how it affects polarity. See how the molecule behaves in an electric field. Change the bond angle to see how shape affects polarity. See how it works for real molecules in 3D.

Some learning goals:
•predict bond polarity using electron-negativity values
•indicate polarity with a polar arrow or partial charges
•rank bonds in order of polarity
•predict molecular polarity using bond polarity and molecular shape

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Box Plot:

In this activity, students use preset data or enter in their own data to be represented in a box plot. This activity allows students to explore single as well as side-by-side box plots of different data. This activity includes supplemental materials, including background information about the topics covered, a description of how to use the application, and exploration questions for use with the Java applet.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Data Flyer:

Using this virtual manipulative, students are able to graph a function and a set of ordered pairs on the same coordinate plane. The constants, coefficients, and exponents can be adjusted using slider bars, so the student can explore the affect on the graph as the function parameters are changed. Students can also examine the deviation of the data from the function. This activity includes supplemental materials, including background information about the topics covered, a description of how to use the application, and exploration questions for use with the java applet.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Normal Distribution Interactive Activity:

With this online tool, students adjust the standard deviation and sample size of a normal distribution to see how it will affect a histogram of that distribution. This activity allows students to explore the effect of changing the sample size in an experiment and the effect of changing the standard deviation of a normal distribution. Tabs at the top of the page provide access to supplemental materials, including background information about the topics covered, a description of how to use the application, and exploration questions for use with the java applet.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Function Flyer:

In this online tool, students input a function to create a graph where the constants, coefficients, and exponents can be adjusted by slider bars. This tool allows students to explore graphs of functions and how adjusting the numbers in the function affect the graph. Using tabs at the top of the page you can also access supplemental materials, including background information about the topics covered, a description of how to use the application, and exploration questions for use with the java applet.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Advanced Data Grapher:

This is an online graphing utility that can be used to create box plots, bubble graphs, scatterplots, histograms, and stem-and-leaf plots.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Natural Selection:

Students will explore natural selection by controlling the environment and causing mutations in bunnies. This will demonstrate how natural selection works in nature. They will have the opportunity to throw in different variables to see what will make their species of rabbit survive.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Curve Fitting:

With a mouse, students will drag data points (with their error bars) and watch the best-fit polynomial curve form instantly. Students can choose the type of fit: linear, quadratic, cubic, or quartic. Best fit or adjustable fit can be displayed.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Equation Grapher:

This interactive simulation investigates graphing linear and quadratic equations. Users are given the ability to define and change the coefficients and constants in order to observe resulting changes in the graph(s).

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Histogram Tool:

This virtual manipulative histogram tool can aid in analyzing the distribution of a dataset. It has 6 preset datasets and a function to add your own data for analysis.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Molecular Expressions: Introduction to microscopy:

This site provides an introduction to microscopy and microscopes including history, images, and interactives.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Multi Bar Graph:

This activity allows the user to graph data sets in multiple bar graphs. The color, thickness, and scale of the graph are adjustable which may produce graphs that are misleading. Users may input their own data, or use or alter pre-made data sets. This activity includes supplemental materials, including background information about the topics covered, a description of how to use the application, and exploration questions for use with the java applet.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Histogram:

In this activity, students can create and view a histogram using existing data sets or original data entered. Students can adjust the interval size using a slider bar, and they can also adjust the other scales on the graph. This activity allows students to explore histograms as a way to represent data as well as the concepts of mean, standard deviation, and scale. This activity includes supplemental materials, including background information about the topics covered, a description of how to use the application, and exploration questions for use with the java applet.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Norn Genetics:

This is a simplified, interactive demonstration of genetic principles. Using a fictional species named the Norn, students can predict the outcome of genetic crosses (mono and di-hybrid, sex-linked, and multiple-allele). This could be used to strengthen the students understanding of genetics, practice Punnet squares, or practice calculation of genotypic/phenotypic ratios. However, it is unlikely to be useful as an independent assignment (if used as designed).

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Membrane Channel Simulations:

This interactive cell membrane simulation allows students to see how different types of channels allow particles to move through the membrane.

Sample learning goals:

  • Predict when particles will move through the membrane and when they will not.
  • Identify which particle type will diffuse depending on which type of channels are present.
  • Predict the rate of diffusion based on the number and type of channels present.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this course.