Claire Hellendag
34 Followers
Chicago, Illinois, United States
About the store
I have been teaching high school science for the past 17 years in a variety of schools, from Title 1 schools in the US to international schools in Asia and Europe.
While advanced Biology and Environmental Science courses have been my main stay, I have extensive experience working with students with all sorts of learning needs.
Many of my resources have been developed with the IB and AP student in mind, but differentiation is differentiation. These resources can be used by any one for any sort of biology or environmental science class.
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Programs & methods
Analogous vs Homologous Structures Card Sort
Print and Cut out this Card Sort for a quick lesson starter or a review activity. It has cards covering examples of Natural Selection and Acquired Characteristics (Lamark's Theory) as well as examples showing the difference between Analogous and Homologous Structures.
This set includes heading cards as well as the examples. It does include the correct answer as well.
7th - 12th
Biology, Environment, General Science
Building Population Pyramids/Histograms with Lego
This is a fun activity to teach students how to make population pyramids or histograms. It also gets students used to working with databases to gather information. Students will gather population data from the UP Population database and use Lego bricks to build histograms.
Instructions for using the UN database is included, as are examples of the final pyramids and explanations for the three main types of pyramids (expanding, stable, and for a shrinking population).
I’ve used this activity in
9th - 12th
Environment, Geography
Positive and Negative Feedback
This is a great way to teach the concept of feedback loops. Students look at a wide variety of examples (silly, environmental, and biological) and group them into two categories. Students come up with their own definitions of positive and negative feedback. This is great for IB and AP Biology and IB and AP Environmental Science.
9th - 12th
Biology, Earth Sciences, Environment
Food and Agriculture Scavenger Hunt (great for IB ESS and APES)
This is a Selfie-Scavenger Hunt covering vocabulary and content in the Agriculture and Food Topics in AP Environmental Science and IB Environmental Systems and Societies.
Students work independently or on teams to research the questions listed. They take selfie photographs representing each question. To earn all of the points listed they have to fully research the question as well as take appropriate photographs. To take their photos students will visit a grocery store and a farmer’s market.
11th - 12th
Environment, Geography
Endosymbiosis Card Sort
Evidence for the Endosymbiotic Theory Card SortThis is a great way to teach the Endosymbiotic Theory using the main evidence for this theory. It’s perfect for IB Biology and AP Biology courses. Before teaching the endosymbiotic theory, have students puzzle out the evidence and draw their own conclusions.
9th - 12th
Biology, General Science, Science
Menstrual Cycle Card Sort & Graphing Activity for IB Biology and AP Biology
Menstrual Cycle Activity Set This is an alternative way to teach the menstrual cycle. You can use this as a follow up for students who have already learned about the hormones or as a way to teach the concepts. Going through each step with the class using a document camera is my favorite way of using the card sort. There are two card sorts included in this set. As a class, students can sort through the illustrated cards and use logic to put them in order. Alternatively, this is a great way t
9th - 12th
Biology, General Science, Science
Biomolecule Origami
Biomolecule OrigamiThis is a great way to introduce polymers of biomolecules (this set includes a triglyceride, a polypeptide, lactose, maltose, sucrose, Single Stranded DNA and RNA). Use this activity to help students understand catabolic and anabolic reactions. As they fold the models they will produce water during condensation reactions and break up water during hydrolysis reactions. This activity set is perfect for IB Biology and AP Biology courses. Pre-KnowledgeStudents should have som
9th - 12th
Biology, Chemistry, General Science
Autosomal-Linked Genes & Chi-square Worksheet
Students generally find autosomal gene linkage to be challenging. This is one way to make the difference between two independently-assorting genes and autosomal-linked genes more obvious. It’s also a great introduction to chi-square analysis. I do this worksheet with my IB Biology students.
9th - 12th, Higher Education
Biology
Evidence for Evolution Card Sort for IB Biology or AP Biology
Evidence for Evolution Card SortThis is a great way to teach the main ideas commonly used to support the Theory of Evolution (fossil, homologous structures, artificial selection, embryos, molecular, cellular, geographical patterns, vestigial structures, & observed), including major related vocabulary and specific examples for each. It’s perfect for IB Biology and AP Biology courses. Pre-KnowledgeNo pre-knowledge is required. This set can be used before or after students learn about the proce
9th - 12th
Biology, General Science, Science
Brainy Parts: Card Sorts to Learn the Major Parts of the Human Brain
This is a great way to teach or review major internal and external parts of the human brain. It's perfect for IB Biology (the Neurobiology Option or the new syllabus), IB/AP Psychology, or any course delving into the wonders of neurobiology. This set is composed of two card sorts: one with names and definitions and one with images of the brain paired with cartoons related to functionality. You can use them separately or in combination. There is a follow up activity where students draw their own
9th - 12th
Anatomy, Biology, Psychology
Natural Selection Simulation Lab for IB or AP Biology
Students watch natural selection in action in this simulation lab. This is a great practice lab when preparing for the IB Biology Investigation or as a component of a natural selection unit.
Instructions are included for the NetLogo Software, a free, very easy to use software available online. A rubric (aligned with the IB Biology requirements) is included in this modifiable instruction sheet.
I use this at the beginning of my IB DP Biology HL course to introduce evolution and natural selectio
9th - 12th
Biology, General Science
Environmental Worldviews/ Viewpoint Blackout Poems
Blackout Poems are a great idea I got from one of my English teacher brethren. These are a great way to have students practice what they know about Environmental Worldviews or Environmental Value Systems. They will need to interpret a value system in order to black-out parts of a David Suzuki quote. The words left behind make up the “blackout poem”.
Students really have to think about the various value systems in order to do this activity. You can also have other students try to interpret each
9th - 12th
Environment, Geography
Natural Selection Pit Game
This is a great activity for introducing or reviewing the process of Natural Selection along with some examples (Peppered Moths, Vampire Bats, CoHo Salmon, Shore Crabs, Birds of Paradise, and Greyhound dogs).
Pairs of students work through two rounds of “The Pit Game”. During the first round they are given an envelope with mixed-up strips of paper, each with a step of natural selection. They have to figure out which strips they need and which they can trade in the “pit”. Their goal is to have a
8th - 12th
Biology, Environment
Plant Classification and Cladogram Activity
This is a great introduction to major plant groups and to building a cladogram. Students are given labels and objects. Each object is either an example of a plant group or something that represents one of the major characteristics of plants. As a class they build a cladogram of the 4 main plant groups (byrophyta, filicinophyta, confierophyta, and angiospermphyta). Additional plant groups could be added as needed. These are the four groups that are taught in the IB Biology curriculum.
9th - 12th, Higher Education
Biology
Viral Life Cycles for IB Biology
Evidence for Evolution Card SortThis is a great way to teach the Lysogenic and Lytic Cycles of Bacteriophages. Students read the cards and using logic rearrange them until they make a clear story. This is great for the IB Biology new syllabus. Pre-KnowledgeSome knowledge of viruses (their components), bacteriophage structure, and bacterial structure (the differences between a nucleoid and a plasmid) is going to give students enough information to puzzle out these cycles. Some very basic inform
9th - 12th
Biology, Science
Classification Card Sorts
This is a great way to teach or review major internal and external parts of the human brain. It's perfect for IB Biology. This set is composed of two card sorts: one with 7 diverse animal phyla and one with 5 diverse classes of chordata. You can use them separately or in combination. You can use this to teach the content without the lecture, as a follow up to a lesson, or for revision. Students find the visuals silly, engaging, and memorable.
9th - 12th
Biology, General Science, Science
Types of Selection Card Sort for IB Biology and AP Biology
This is a great way to teach the three main types (stabilizing, directional, disruptive) population shifts after undergoing natural selection. It’s perfect for IB Biology and AP Biology courses. Before teaching the three types or showing students the graphs, have students puzzle out the examples and group the examples that they think are similar. Includes: 1 card sort of examples of the three main types of natural selection (stabilizing, directional, and disruptive), including graphs 1 follow
9th - 12th
Biology, Environment, Science
Introducing Scientific Names Card Sort
Print and Cut out this Card Sort for a quick lesson starter or a review activity. It has cards covering examples of common and scientific names. Each page has two sets. I normally give this card sort before discussing scientific naming. It’s a great way to get students discussing how binomial nomenclature relates to evolution and ancestry. It’s a great way to get students to understand why scientific naming is used over common names in the scientific community.
9th - 12th, Higher Education
Cell Differentiation Card Sort
Print and Cut out this Card Sort for a quick lesson starter or a review activity. It has cards covering examples of Differentiated Cells. The teal cards describe the structure of the cells and the green cards describe the function of the each example. I normally give this card sort before discussing cellular differentiation or any of these examples. It’s a great way to get students discussing cell specialization. I use this with my IB Biology students and these examples are taken from the two
9th - 12th, Higher Education
Biology
Characteristics of Life Station Activity
Get your students to figure out the characteristics of life all by themselves.
Stations with a variety of objects will gets students trying to figure out the "Big 7".
They will have a great time playing with the objects and brainstorming the "Big 7".
I've included the components for each station as well as a "ballot" for your students to fill in. Additionally, I've included a couple of follow up ideas to help students apply the characteristics in context.
6th - 12th
Biology, General Science
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About the store
Experience
I have been teaching high school science for the past 17 years in a variety of schools, from Title 1 schools in the US to international schools in Asia and Europe.
While advanced Biology and Environmental Science courses have been my main stay, I have extensive experience working with students with all sorts of learning needs.
Many of my resources have been developed with the IB and AP student in mind, but differentiation is differentiation. These resources can be used by any one for any sort of biology or environmental science class.
Teaching style
All of my lessons are focused on getting students to do the thinking. I structure each day on the theory that my kids should be working at least as hard as me. They should be problem solving and working together.
I work hard to give them as many opportunities as possible to understand concepts and to synthesize their own ideas.
My own education history
BA Biological Sciences from Mount Holyoke College and
MAT in Secondary Science from Duke University
Additional biographical information
I live in central Switzerland with my dog. I travel all over the world every chance I get.
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