Course Standards
General Course Information and Notes
General Notes
While the content focus of this course is consistent with the Integrated Science 2 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).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:
- Ensuring wide reading from complex text that varies in length.
- Making close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.
- Emphasizing text-specific complex questions, and cognitively complex tasks, reinforce focus on the text and cultivate independence.
- Emphasizing students supporting answers based upon evidence from the text.
- 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.
General Information
- Honors
Student Resources
Original Student Tutorials
Learn to calculate the gravitational force on an object or its acceleration due to gravity using Newton's law of universal gravitation in this interactive science tutorial.
This is part 2 in a two-part series. Click HERE to open Part 1.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Follow Isaac Newton's journey from watching the apple fall to explaining the motion of the Moon by deriving the law of universal gravitation in this interactive science tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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!
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Genetic mutations can cause illness. Learn how genetic diseases can affect you and your communities in this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Dive into genetic mutations and learn how they can alter the phenotypes of organisms.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Explores how vaccines and antibiotics provide an extra level of protection from infectious agents and pathogens.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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
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
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
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
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
Explore the Theory of Endosymbiosis which links the origins of mitochondria and chloroplasts in eukaryotes with prokaryotic ancestors.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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.
- Drones and Glaciers: Eyes in the Sky (Part 1)
- Drones and Glaciers: Eyes in the Sky (Part 2)
- Expository Writing: Eyes in the Sky (Part 3)
- Expository Writing: Eyes in the Sky (Part 4)
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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.
- Drones and Glaciers: Eyes in the Sky (Part 1)
- Drones and Glaciers: Eyes in the Sky (Part 2)
- Expository Writing: Eyes in the Sky (Part 3)
- Expository Writing: Eyes in the Sky (Part 4)
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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.
- Drones and Glaciers: Eyes in the Sky (Part 1)
- Drones and Glaciers: Eyes in the Sky (Part 2)
- Expository Writing: Eyes in the Sky (Part 3)
- Expository Writing: Eyes in the Sky (Part 4)
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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
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
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.
- Drones and Glaciers: Eyes in the Sky (Part 1)
- Drones and Glaciers: Eyes in the Sky (Part 2)
- Expository Writing: Eyes in the Sky (Part 3)
- Expository Writing: Eyes in the Sky (Part 4)
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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
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
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.
- The Macromolecules of Life: Lipids
- The Macromolecules of Life: Proteins
- The Macromolecules of Life: Nucleic Acids
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Explore consequences and challenges of reproductive strategies of sea anemones.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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
Explore species interdependence focusing on roles played by periphyton in the Everglades ecosystem with this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
See how data are interpreted to better understand the reproductive strategies taken by sea anemones with this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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
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
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.
- The Macromolecules of Life: Carbohydrates
- The Macromolecules of Life: Proteins
- The Macromolecules of Life: Nucleic Acids
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
- The Macromolecules of Life: Carbohydrates
- The Macromolecules of Life: Lipids
- The Macromolecules of Life: Nucleic Acids
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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
Explore how environmental changes at different time scales affect living organisms within ecosystems in this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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
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
Follow as we discover key features of a quadratic equation written in vertex form in this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Explore how cells use ATP as an energy source for cellular activities in this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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:
- Macromolecules: Carbohydrates
- Macromolecules: Nucleic Acids
- Macromolecules: Lipids
- Macromolecules: Proteins
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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
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
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
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
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.
- The Macromolecules of Life: Lipids
- The Macromolecules of Life: Proteins
- The Macromolecules of Life: Nucleic Acids
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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
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
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
Learn about the structure, function, and evolutionary origins of plant tissues and organs with this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how the distribution of aquatic life forms is affected by light, temperature, and salinity with this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
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
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
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
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
Learn how to name the major regions of the brain and identify them on a diagram with this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to differentiate and describe how geologic features affect the climate patterns of a region in this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Explore intermolecular bonding and attractive forces in this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Educational Game
Type: Educational Game
Educational Software / Tool
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
- Modify column and row headings to match your data.
- Input joint frequency data.
- Click the second tab at the bottom of the window to see the automatic calculations.
Type: Educational Software / Tool
Lesson Plans
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
The goal of this lesson is to explain how sailboats work by exploring basic physics principles. At the end of this lesson, students will be able to identify the forces acting on a sailboat and explain how the combination of these forces results in the forward motion of a sailboat. Students should be familiar with vectors and be able to use them to represent forces and moments, and also should be familiar with using free body diagrams to represent forces and moments. The classroom activity challenges are centered around small-group discussions based on the questions posed before each break. Free body diagrams, or another conceptual representation of his or her answer, should support each student’s solution to the questions posed in the video.
Type: Lesson Plan
Perspectives Video: Experts
<p>Jump to it and learn more about how quadratic equations are used in robot navigation problem solving!</p>
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
Explore how pendulums show the transformation of gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy and back with Dr. Simon Capstick in this engaging video. Don't miss his broken-nose defying test of the physics with a bowling ball pendulum.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
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?
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
Statistical analysis played an essential role in using microgravity sensors to determine location of caves in Wakulla County.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
A cell has made a protein; now what? Learn more about protein secretion!
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
Advances in "big data" are leading to rapid developments in personalized medicine. Learn more!
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
Keep an eye on pH as you learn about what makes acids and bases.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
Mutations don't just happen to comic book heroes and villains. Learn more about this natural biological phenomenon!
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
What's in a molecular biologist's toolbox? Very small tools for working with cellular machines and molecules!
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
A climatologist rains down information about how physical factors form regional climates.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
This plant geneticist wants to propagate knowledge about different kinds of plant propagation.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
Your understanding of agriscience will bloom and grow as this plant geneticist describes how they use mitosis and meiosis when developing new grape varieties.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
A NASA botanist explains how studying photosynthesis now can help feed astronauts in the future.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
<p>A plant geneticist describes observable inheritance patterns and genetic mutations in maize.</p>
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
A viticulture scientist explains grape expectations for medicine and society.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Expert
Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiasts
An engineer that has previously worked on the F-22 Raptor explains how resistivity in wires plays a role in the development of a large machine.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast
Why can't you put Ethanol fuel in a boat motor?
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast
<p>Get fired up as you learn more about ceramic glaze recipes and mathematical units.</p>
Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast
Learn how molecules have the potential to be polar, but not all are.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast
Learn how the shape of a didgeridoo affects its sound in this totally tubular video.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast
<p>Math is important to help you get where you want to go in life, especially if you plan to fly there!</p>
Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast
Physics is cool, especially if you want to make super-cold, super-efficient, superconductive materials.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast
Want to watch a video on audio engineering and frequency? Sounds good to me.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast
It's okay if you're not on quite the same wavelength as this ethnomusicologist. In Balinese gamelan tuning, that's a good thing!
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast
When you watch this video, your knowledge related to flight and physics will really take off!
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast
If physics has you down, don't fret - this musician covers all the bases.
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast
Physical science and social science connect in this discussion of Balinese gamelan. Full STEAM ahead!
Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.
Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast
Presentation/Slideshows
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
A PowerPoint with speaker notes covering infectious diseases, causes, transmission, and control.
Type: Presentation/Slideshow
Problem-Solving Tasks
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
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
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
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
This problem solving task asks students to examine the relationship between shops and crimes by using a correlation coefficient. The implications of linking correlation with causation are discussed.
Type: Problem-Solving Task
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
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
The task provides a context to calculate discrete probabilities and represent them on a bar graph.
Type: Problem-Solving Task
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
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
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
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
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
This problem solving task gives an interesting context for implementing ideas from geometry and trigonometry.
Type: Problem-Solving Task
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
This task asks students to calculate the cost of materials to make a penny, utilizing rates of grams of copper.
Type: Problem-Solving Task
Students are asked to use units to determine if the given statement is valid.
Type: Problem-Solving Task
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
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
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
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
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
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
This task requires students to recognize the graphs of different (positive) powers of x.
Type: Problem-Solving Task
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 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
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
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
This website contains units focused on Earth's systems and cycles, which illustrate a sequence for learning the concepts through reading, data analysis activities, satellite imagery, computer visualizations, and hands-on experiments. This unit focuses on the ocean carbon cycle.
Type: Text Resource
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
NASA's "Beginner's Guide to Aerodynamics" provides some general information on the basics of aerodynamics. The site allows users to explore at their own pace and level of interest. The topics available include equations of motion, free falling, air resistance, force, gas properties, and atmosphere. Movies, reading materials, and activities are all available to accommodate a variety of different learning styles.
Type: Text Resource
This site presents the basic ideas of magnetism and applies these ideas to the earth's magnetic field. There are several useful diagrams and pictures interspersed throughout this lesson, as well as links to more detailed subjects. This is an introduction to a larger collection on exploring the Earth's magnetosphere. A Spanish translation is available.
Type: Text Resource
Tutorials
Type: Tutorial
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
Type: Tutorial
You will learn how the parent function for a quadratic function is affected when f(x) = x2.
Type: Tutorial
This tutorial will help the students to identify the vertex of a parabola from the equation, and then graph the parabola.
Type: Tutorial
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
This tutorial will help you to learn about exponential functions by graphing various equations representing exponential growth and decay.
Type: Tutorial
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
Would a brick or feather fall faster? What would fall faster on the moon?
Type: Tutorial
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
This Khan Academy video explains how variation can be introduced into a species and the importance of sexual reproduction in this process.
Type: Tutorial
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
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
This Khan Academy video briefly describes DNA replication and then goes into a thorough explanation of both transcription and translation.
Type: Tutorial
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
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
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
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
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
This Khan Academy video describes B lymphocyte cells, and how they are activated and produce antibodies within the immune system.
Type: Tutorial
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
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
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
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
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
This tutorial will help you to understand the differences and similarities between meiosis and mitosis.
Type: Tutorial
This tutorial will help you to understand the three unique features of meiosis and how meiosis is related to genetic inheritance.
Type: Tutorial
This Khan Academy video explains how the molecule ATP stores the energy needed for biological systems within organisms.
Type: Tutorial
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
This animation shows the process of glycolysis. The reactants, products, and the basic functions of aerobic and anaerobic cellular respiration are identified.
Type: Tutorial
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
This video discusses how to figure out the horizontal displacement for a projectile launched at an angle.
Type: Tutorial
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
This tutorial is about projectile motion. This powerpoint lecture discusses the independence of the vertical and horizontal motion of projectiles. Students will be asked to solve problems involving projectile motion of both projectiles fired horizontally and at an angle. This tutorial is geared for advanced students.
Type: Tutorial
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
This tutorial will help the learners with their understanding of chemical structure of DNA.
Type: Tutorial
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
This tutorial provides the learners with detailed information about forces. Topics covered include Newton's Laws, friction, gravity, balanced and unbalanced forces, vectors, weight, motion and momentum.
Type: Tutorial
This tutorial contains information about the characteristics of longitudinal, transverse, and surface waves. This tutorial will also provide information about the amplitude, frequency, wavelength, speed, refraction, reflection, diffraction, and constructive and destructive interference of the waves.
Type: Tutorial
This tutorial will help the learners to understand structure of DNA and how this structure allows for accurate replication.
Type: Tutorial
This tutorial will help the learners understand glycolysis, which is the process of enzymes breaking down glucose to release energy.
Type: Tutorial
The Krebs cycle is the central metabolic pathway in all aerobic organisms. This tutorial will help the learners understand the Krebs cycle.
Type: Tutorial
This tutorial will help the learners to understand the molecular structure of the water molecule, its inter- and intra-molecular bonds, and the formation of hydroxide ions.
Type: Tutorial
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
This resource explores the electromagnetic spectrum and waves by allowing the learner to observe the refraction of light as it passes from one medium to another, study the relation between refraction of light and the refractive index of the medium, select from a list of materials with different refractive indicecs, and change the light beam from white to monochromatic and observe the difference.
Type: Tutorial
- Observe how the eye's muscles change the shape of the lens in accordance with the distance to the object being viewed
- Indicate the parts of the eye that are responsible for vision
- View how images are formed in the eye
Type: Tutorial
- Learn how a concave spherical mirror generates an image
- Observe how the size and position of the image changes with the object distance from the mirror
- Learn the difference between a real image and a virtual image
- Learn some applications of concave mirrors
Type: Tutorial
- Learn how a convex mirror forms the image of an object
- Understand why convex mirrors form small virtual images
- Observe the change in size and position of the image with the change in object's distance from the mirror
- Learn some practical applications of convex mirrors
Type: Tutorial
- Explore the relationship between wavelength, frequency, amplitude and energy of an electromagnetic wave
- Compare the characteristics of waves of different wavelengths
Type: Tutorial
- Learn to trace the path of propagating light waves using geometrical optics
- Observe the effect of changing parameters such as focal length, object dimensions and position on image properties
- Learn the equations used in determining the size and locations of images formed by thin lenses
Type: Tutorial
This online tutorial is designed to help students understand the events that occur in process of meiosis.
Type: Tutorial
Video/Audio/Animations
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
This video presentation will help you to understand how HIV infects a cell and replicates itself using reverse transcriptase and the host's cellular machinery.
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
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
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
- 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
- This activity provides a historical background about research related to bacterial analysis
- Contains an animation that shows how enzymes work on cutting DNA strands
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
- Background on tracking human ancestry using the alu marker
- Animation on polymerase chain reaction, PCR
- Interactive activity for performing PCR
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
This video provides a historical background about the definition of a planet and how different objects discovered in space were classified as planets or fir into a different category
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
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
Learn how to build a circuit
Show the difference between AC and DC
Describe the effect of an inductor on a circuit
Describe the effect of a capacitor on a circuit
Learn how to use an ammeter and a voltmeter in a circuit
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
- Identify the driving force in a circuit using a battery model
- Explain the difference between conductive (metals and photoconductors) and non-conductive (plastics) materials
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
- 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
- Explain the concept of concentration
- Explain the effect of concentration changes on colors of solutions
- Demonstrate the effect of changing the amount of solute, or solvent, or both on the concentration of the solution
- Identify a saturated solution
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
Khan Academy video tutorial on graphing linear equations: "Algebra: Graphing Lines 1"
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
Khan Academy tutorial video that demonstrates with real-world data the use of Excel spreadsheet to fit a line to data and make predictions using that line.
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
This video gives more detail on the light reaction and photophosphorylation that occur in photosynthesis.
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
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
This video discusses how bacteria spread and the pros and cons of bacteria.
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
This video describes the chromosomal basis for gender and sex-linked traits.
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
This site has fantastic short Flash animations of intricate cell processes, including photosynthesis and the electron transport chain.
Type: Video/Audio/Animation
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
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
Learn more about collisions with the use of a virtual air hockey table. Investigate simple and complex collisions in one and two dimensions.Experiment with the number of discs, masses and initial conditions. Vary the elasticity and see how the total momentum and kinetic energy changes during collisions.
Some of the sample learning goals can be:
- Draw "Before and After" pictures of collisions.
- Construct momentum vector representations of "Before and After" collisions.
- Apply law of conservation of momentum to solve problems with collisions.
- Explain why energy is not conserved and varies in some collisions.
- Determine the change in mechanical energy in collisions of varying "elasticity".
- What does "elasticity" mean?
Type: Virtual Manipulative
Precipitation reactions occur when cations and anions of aqueous solutions combine to form an insoluble ionic solid, called a precipitate. This simulation explores systems for which precipitation reactions are possible.A precipitation reaction is controlled by the magnitude of the solubility product, solubility product constant and the concentrations of the ions in solution.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
This virtual manipulative will help you understand the process of titration, which is a neutralization reaction that is performed in order to determine an unknown concentration of acid and base. With this simulation, you will be able to calculate the moles of the acid with the understanding that the moles of acid will be equal to the moles of base at the equivalence point.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
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
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
This virtual manipulative will help the students to understand how the light shines on a metal surface. Students will recognize a process called as photoelectric effect wherein light can be used to push electrons from the surface of a solid.
Some of the sample learning goals can be:
- Visualize and describe the photoelectric effect experiment.
- Predict the results of the experiment, when the intensity of light is changed and its effects on the current and energy of the electrons.
- Predict the results of the experiment, when the wavelength of the light is changed and its effects on the current and the energy of the electrons.
- Predict the results of the experiment, when the voltage of the light is changed and its effects on the current and energy of electrons.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
Learn how to build a circuit
Learn how to measure voltage in a circuit using a voltmeter
Determine the resistance of certain objects that can be used as part of an electric circuit
Explain the difference between parallel and series circuits
Type: Virtual Manipulative
This virtual manipulative will allow the students to understand how does a lens form an image. Students can see how light rays are refracted by a lens. Students can recognize that the image changes when they adjust the focal length of the lens, move the object, move the lens, or move the screen.
Some of the sample learning goals can be:
- Explain how an image is formed by a converging lens using ray diagrams.
- How changing the lens (radius, index, and diameter) effects where the image appears and ho it looks it terms of magnification, brightness and inversion.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
This virtual manipulative will allow the user to see how the equation form of ohm's law relates to a simple circuit. Learners can adjust the voltage and resistance, and see the current change according to Ohm's law. The size of the symbols in the equation change to match the circuit diagram.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
This virtual manipulative will allow you to produce light by bombarding atoms with electrons. You can also visualize how the characteristic spectra of different elements are produced, and configure your own element's energy states to produce light of different colors.
Other areas to investigate:
- Provide a basic design for a discharge lamp and explain the function of the different components.
- Explain the basic structure of an atom and relate it to the color of light produced by discharge lamps.
- Explain why discharge lamps emit only certain colors.
- Design a discharge lamp to emit any desired spectrum of colors.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
This virtual manipulative will allow you to explore what makes a reaction happen by colliding atoms and molecules. Design your own experiments with different reactions, concentrations, and temperatures. Recognize what affects the rate of a reaction.
Areas to Explore:
- Explain why and how a pinball shooter can be used to help understand ideas about reactions.
- Describe on a microscopic level what contributes to a successful reaction.
- Describe how the reaction coordinate can be used to predict whether a reaction will proceed or slow.
- Use the potential energy diagram to determine : The activation energy for the forward and reverse reactions; The difference in energy between reactants and products; The relative potential energies of the molecules at different positions on a reaction coordinate.
- Draw a potential energy diagram from the energies of reactants and products and activation energy.
- Predict how raising or lowering the temperature will affect a system in the equilibrium.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
This virtual manipulative will the students learn about position, velocity and acceleration. Acceleration is the derivative of velocity with respect to time and the velocity is the derivative of position with respect to time. With the elimination of time, the relationship between the acceleration, velocity and position can be represented as x = v2 / 2a. In the stimulation, students will be able to move the man back and forth with the mouse and plot his motion.
Some of the sample learning goals can be:
- Interpret, predict and draw charts (position, velocity, and acceleration) for common situations.
- Provide reasoning used to make sense of the charts.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
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
Explore how a capacitor works in this simulation. Change the plates and add a dielectric to see how it affects capacitance. Change the voltage and see charges built up on the plates. You can observe the electric field in the capacitor, measure voltage and the electric field.
Other investigations can include:
- Determine the relationship between charge and voltage for a capacitor.
- Determine the energy stored in a capacitor or a set of capacitors in a circuit.
- Explore the effect of space and dielectric materials inserted between the conductors of the capacitor in a circuit.
- Determine the equivalent capacitance of a set of capacitors in series and in parallel in a circuit.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
In this simulation, explore the interactions between various combinations of two atoms. Specific features of the simulation allows you to see either the total force acting on the atoms or the individual attractive and repulsive forces.
Options for learning:
- Explain how attractive and repulsive forces govern the interaction between atoms.
- Describe the effect of potential well depth on atomic interactions.
- Describe the process of bonding between atoms in terms of energy.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
This manipulative will help the students to learn about the physics of resistance in a wire. The electrical resistance of a wire would be expected to be greater for a longer wire, less for a wire of larger cross sectional area, and would be expected to depend upon the material out of which the wire is made, to understand this, students can change the resistivity, length, and area to see how they affect the wire's resistance. The sizes of the symbols in the equation change along with the diagram of a wire.
Some of the sample learning goals can be:
- What characteristics of a resistor are variable in this model?
- How does each affect the resistance (will increasing or decreasing each make the resistance correspondingly increase or decrease?)
- Explain your ideas about why they change the resistance.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
This virtual manipulative will allow you to visualize the gravitational force that two objects exert on each other. By changing the properties of the objects, you can see how the gravitational force changes.
Some areas to explore:
- Relate gravitational force to masses of objects and distance between objects.
- Explain Newton's third law for gravitational forces.
- Design experiments that allow you to derive an equation that related mass, distance, and gravitational force.
- Use measurements to determine the universal gravitational constant.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
How do strong and weak acids differ? Use lab tools on your computer to find out! Dip the paper or the probe into solution to measure the pH, or put in the electrodes to measure the conductivity. Then see how concentration and strength affect pH. Can a weak acid solution have the same pH as a strong acid solution.
Some of the topics to investigate:
- Given acids or bases at the same concentration, demonstrate understanding of acid and base strength by 1. Relating the strength of an acid or base to the extent to which it dissociates in water. 2. Identifying all the molecules and ions that are present in a given acid or base solution. 3. Comparing the relative concentrations of molecules and ions in weak versus strong acid (or base) solutions. 4. Describing the similarities and differences between strong acids and weak acids or strong bases and weak bases.
- Demonstrate understanding of solution concentrated by: 1. Describing the similarities and differences between concentrated and dilute solutions. 2. Comparing the concentrations of all molecules and ions in concentrated versus dilute solutions of a particular acid or base.
- Describe how common tools (pH meter, conductivity, pH paper) help identify whether a solution is an acid or base and strong or weak and concentrated or dilute.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
This activity will allow you to make colorful concentrated and dilute solutions and explore how much light they absorb and transmit using a virtual spectrophotometer.
You can explore concepts in many ways including:
- Describe the relationships between volume and amount of solute to solution concentration.
- Explain qualitatively the relationship between solution color and concentration.
- Predict and explain how solution concentration will change for adding or removing: water, solute, and/or solution.
- Calculate the concentration of solutions in units of molarity (mol/L).
- Design a procedure for creating a solution of a given concentration.
- Identify when a solution is saturated and predict how concentration will change for adding or removing: water, solute, and/or solution.
- Describe the relationship between the solution concentration and the intensity of light that is absorbed/transmitted.
- Describe the relationship between absorbance, molar absorptivity, path length, and concentration in Beer's Law.
- Predict how the intensity of light absorbed/transmitted will change with changes in solution type, solution concentration, container width, or light source and explain why?
Type: Virtual Manipulative
Play with one or two pendulums and discover how the period of a simple pendulum depends on the length of the string, the mass of the pendulum bob, and the amplitude of the swing. It's easy to measure the period using the photogate timer. Students can vary friction and the strength of gravity.
- Design experiments to describe how variables affect the motion of a pendulum
- Use a photogate timer to determine quantitatively how the period of a pendulum depends on the variables you described
- Determine the gravitational acceleration of planet X
- Explain the conservation of Mechanical energy concept using kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy
- Describe energy chart from position or selected speeds
Type: Virtual Manipulative
An electronic kit in your computer! Build circuits with resistors, light bulbs, batteries, and switches. Take measurements with the realistic ammeter and voltmeter. View the circuit as a schematic diagram, or switch to a life-like view.
Other options for exploration:
- Discuss basic electricity relationships
- Build circuits from schematic drawings.
- Use an ammeter and voltmeter to take readings in circuits.
- Provide reasoning to explain the measurements and relationship in circuits.
- Discuss basic electricity relationships in series and parallel circuits.
- Provide reasoning to explain the measurements in circuits.
- Determine the resistance of common objects in the "Grab Bag".
Type: Virtual Manipulative
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
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
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
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
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
The students will see and hear the effects of changing the frequency and/or amplitude of a sound wave. This animation may also be used to demonstrate the Doppler effect, reflection and interference of sound waves.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
The students will drag a red point across the screen in any direction they please and, in the process, will be able to see the forces that are being put on that point at any given moment.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
Students can test the pH of several substances and visualize hydronium, hydroxide, and water molecules in solution by concentration or the number of molecules. Students can add water to a given substance to see the effects it will have on the pH of that substance; or they can create their own custom substance.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
The students will try to move a red ball into a blue goal without touching the walls. They will have fun competing amongst themselves to get the best time but at the same time they will also be learning about vectors, velocity, and acceleration.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
This simulation demonstrates the physics of projectile motion. The user can fire different objects through a cannon, set its speed, angle and mass and observe the resultant motion.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
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
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
The students will have the opportunity to build their own circuit loop with the materials presented to them.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
The students will watch as gases become trapped by the Earth's surface. They can examine different variables and the relationship between concentration of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, and temperature.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
Watch different types of molecules form a solid, liquid, or gas. Add or remove heat and watch the phase change. Change the temperature or volume of a container and see a pressure-temperature diagram respond in real time.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
Learn about conservation of energy with a skater! Build tracks, ramps and jumps for the skater and view the kinetic energy, potential energy, thermal energy as he moves. You can adjust the amount of friction and mass. Measurement and graphing tools are built in.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
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
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
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
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