Jason Demers

35 optical illusions that I use for my unit on the nervous system, specifically the eyes and vision. Students can't get enough of these and could do this for days. This one slide show could last for a couple of class periods but I usually use it for one and have kids come in during their study to do more if they choose.

Students are given six different sets of experimental data and asked to identify the variables (independent, dependent etc.). They also reinforce graphing by identifying if the data should be represented with a bar or line graph. With this information, students the create data tables and graphs for the data.

This worksheet reviews the levels of organization in the human body from cells through organ systems. Students identify the levels and answer challenge questions to help them understand how the levels of organization construct an organism.

Worksheets to practice how to use a pedigree so show the inheritance of traits. Three practice problems, blue eyes, clef chin, and color-blindness are used. Students fill in each pedigree from a brief description of the parents and first generation offspring.

I use this as an introductory activity for teaching about the skeletal system. It gets the students to start thinking about the bones of the body, their location and determining whether or not certain things (like teeth) are bones or not.

In this lab, students will create two slides and making observations about the similarities and differences between plant and animal cells. Students will make a slide of human cheek cells and onion cells. They view the slides stained and unstained. Students are amazed that they actually see cells and the difference between the two types. Easy lab to do and little prep!

Students create an agency that designs tours of the human body systems. The project can be done individually or as a group and can be modified to include any of the human body systems.

This activity is good practice for introducing genetic mutations to students. Students will create the mRNA code from an Original DNA strand and use the tRNA code to identify the resulting amino acids. Using the original DNA coding, they then follow this process for 4 mutated versions of the DNA to see how insertion, deletion and substitution mutations can affect an organism.

Students create a "wanted" poster, like the old west, based on a topic from the kingdom Monera. Topics include positive and negative uses for bacteria, use in food production, or specific types of bacteria.

Students work in groups to create a large world map. This activity helps students focus on the geographic location, shape and size of the major continents, mountain ranges, rivers etc. It could easily be adapted to include more or less material depending upon the grade. Students love this activity because they are ripping paper, and working with friends!

As part of our unit on ancient Egypt, I have students create life-sized mummies. As they make their mummy, they learn about the mummification process, hieroglyphics, gods, afterlife etc. A fun and exciting way to incorporate all of these things into a hands-on project.

Class activity that introduces basic human traits and the concepts of dominant and recessive traits. Students survey the class for 5 different traits and calculate how common the dominant and recessive traits are within the class. Students then graph the data and answer questions about their results. Great way to introduce basic genetics.

This worksheet introduces the idea of how mutation in DNA code can cause significant changes to what the DNA actually codes for. Students use a chart of codons and translate a basic piece of DNA code and then translate several examples of mutations that have occurred to the DNA strand.

We use this activity as part of our "Superbowl Day" in school. Students are given a list of the NFL teams and are asked to divide them into NFC and AFC divisions according to their geographical location. Student then answer several math questions that require them to measure and calculate distances traveled by two teams that are going to the superbowl. There are also other questions that ask about calculating costs of things like food and lodging for the players (although we all know it is fr

This worksheet has students answer questions about the transformation of Potential to Kinetic energy and Kinetic to Potential. It also begins to ask students to consider the impact of friction and heat energy. I use this throughout my unit on Newton's Laws of motion as a part of a roller coaster unit.

I use this as a final assessment in our orienteering/map skills unit. Students create a "treasure map" using their knowledge of orienteering and maps. Kids like this activity because it gets them moving and outside!

I've always struggled with getting students interested in geologic time and also understanding just how long 4.6 billion years really is. I created this project so that students could create slogans, logos, advertisements etc. about significant events in earth history. Students found it fun and exciting (and even learned a bit about the time periods!). File contains project guidelines and graphic organizers for time period research.

Students identify human body systems, describe their function, and identify how the different systems interact with each other. This is a great overview of how the systems of the human body are interactive and not independent of each other. I use this as a preparation for their human body systems tour activity.

Economics test covering: supply and demand, renewable/non-renewable resources, durable/non-durable resources, budgets. This was used as a final assessment for our economics unit. ANSWER KEY INCLUDED.

Test on force and motion (Newton's Laws)