Keeping Science Simple

An introduction to osmosis, tonicity and the terms hypotonic, hypertonic, isotonic, and semipermeable membrane. Students read fictional case studies of people dying of water intoxication and hypothesize about why the people die. A follow-up instructional worksheet guides students to a basic understanding of osmosis and tonicity. Great for group collaboration and classroom discussion. Creates a scaffold for a difficult subject.

This water cycle lab or in-class demonstration allows students to visualize several important steps in the water cycle. After completing the activity, extension questions and diagrams help students connect the lab experience with the actual water cycle. This lab can be connected to units in Ecology, Ecosystems, Clouds and Atmosphere, and Phase Changes (solid, liquid, gas). A modified version of this lab can be found in my Backyard Ecology Workbook https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ba

An introduction to the 7 characteristics of living things. Inquiry-based questions are great for class discussion. Use along-side "Is It Living?" Activity for a first-day-of-class complete lesson.

This rainbow mini coloring book can be made from one piece of paper. Student learn how raindrops become prisms that bend and scatter light to form a rainbow. Students will have fun coloring the pages as they learn about a property of light. In order to create a book, print or copy pages on both sides of one paper on the horizontal (long) edge; cut along the dotted line and fold along the solid line. One version or the coloring book has a Bible verse on the last page.

The discovery of DNA as the genetic material was the work of many scientists in the early 20th century. Griffith, Avery, Hershey, Chase, Watson, Crick, Wilkins and Franklin all contributed to this important discovery. However, these names and the experiments associated with their discoveries are often boring and confusing to students. This lesson brings those experiments to life. Students become actors and put on a funny play illustrating the work of these scientists. A student handout accomp

This is a "Getting to Know You" Ice Breaker activity for the first week of class. All Bingo student descriptions are related to branches of science - Biology, Chemistry, Astronomy, Physics and Technology. Students walk around asking if other students can sign a box on their BINGO card. Try to get as many 5-in-a-rows as possible! Students may not realize that so many of their everyday interests and activities are directly related to science!

Students will learn about calculating speed and acceleration in a mock training session for Olympic speed walkers. Can be used as a laboratory or classroom activity. Students will collect data, and calculate the velocity and acceleration for different intervals of the time-trial. Data is then analyzed and graphed. Materials needed: stop watches cones or other markers tape measure Includes ideas for implementation and extensions.

This photosynthesis coloring book gives an accurate and simplified explanation of photosynthesis which focuses on why the steps of photosynthesis are needed. On the final page, there is a quiz covering essential material found in the text. The following concepts are covered in this booklet - plant cells, gas exchange (carbon dioxide and oxygen), light-dependent reactions, light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle) chloroplasts, chlorophyl, NADPH, ATP, energy conversions. The booklet can be asse

Students use a dichotomous key to identify five jack-o-lanterns (pumpkins). This exercise can be used as a fun Halloween activity or an introduction to taxonomy. This brief of the dichotomous key allows students to learn about this useful scientific tool without being overwhelmed with steps and nomenclature. Other important concepts which may be included in a lesson using this exercise are: taxonomy, binomial nomenclature, species, and phylogenetic tree. Includes answer key and follow-up ideas

An introduction to macromolecules. Students use guidelines to create a meal plan for an swimmer training for the Olympics. They are given a caloric goal and goals for grams of fats, protein and carbohydrates. Included are Food Cards with food name and nutritional information. After creating a one-day plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, students can discuss their meals and complete a worksheet with basic information on the four types of macromolecules. A "Teacher Information" page

These worksheets will help guide students through a study of the history of DNA as hereditary / genetic material of the cell. They can be used along side personal research, teacher-led notes, or group presentations. The worksheets include questions on Griffith and Transformation; Avery Experiment; Hershey-Chase Experiment; Watson, Crick and Rosalind Franklin. These worksheets are also included in "Discovering DNA : A play in four acts" https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/History-of-DN

This is a great first-day-of-class activity! An introduction to the basic characteristics of living things through an inquiry-based activity and group discussion. Includes 24 picture cards and ideas for method of instruction. Students have to decide if the picture on the card is living or non-living. Gets kids talking and interested on the first day of class. Use along with the Characteristics of Living Things worksheet for a more complete lesson. Need More? A fun personality quiz titled,

This photosynthesis coloring book is a great resource while teaching photosynthesis. The information is geared towards high school level classes and includes information on Light-Independent Reactions (Calvin Cycle), Light Dependent Reactions, Photosystems, Electron Transport Chain, Chloroplasts, Chlorophyll, NADPH, ATP, Thylakoid, Stroma, Gas Exhange and more. The coloring books attempts to streamline and conceptualize the complicated process of photosynthesis and give students a big picture of

An activity for Evolution and Natural Selection units. Illustrates the difference between Darwin's and Lamarck's theories of evolution. After analyzing a brief text about Darwin and Lamarck, students are asked to create a paper advertisement for a "Lamarckian Product." These "too-good-to-be-true" products symbolize an acquired characteristic for an organism and claim to increase the organism's ability to survive or reproduce. The "infomercial" style of this activity will help students remember

This ecosystem coloring page is for all age levels. Students can enjoy coloring while learning about basic concepts like habitats, food chains, herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores or more advanced concepts like energy flow, trophic levels and food webs. A teacher guide is included to give ideas on which organisms belong to each group and how students might use coloring to organize their thoughts on more complex topics.

Science teachers, get to know your students with this science-based all-about-me page. Students will give you their "Elemental" information, create a scientific name for themselves, draw their spirit animal, and describe their chemical and physical properties. This fun get-to-know-you activity might also help reinforce some concepts learned in the past or introduce topics in a memorable way. Enjoy! Need More? A fun personality quiz titled, "Which Class Pet are You?" https://www.teacherspayteache

An introduction to SI units / metric system with base units and prefixes. Students make their best guess at measurements using SI units. Ex. "What is the mass of a tennis ball in decigrams?" or "What is room temperature in Kelvin?" Students will quickly learn how unfamiliar they are with SI units / metric system. Students will then learn about base units and prefixes and practice abbreviations and conversions between SI units.

In this dichotomous key identification activity, students create their own pook-e-mon playing card following simple instructions on their own species description card. Once all cards are created, students use a dichotomous key to identify their classmates' Pook-E-Mon species. This activity has several modifications but is best used in a large, classroom setting. This activity will reinforce instruction on nomenclature, identification, species and dichotomous keys. It can be used as a group a

This punnett square activity can be used at Thanksgiving or along with any genetics unit. Students explore the history of two Thanksgiving foods - corn and turkeys. They learn how farmers use the process of selective breeding (artificial selection) to improve livestock and crops over the course of many generations. This short activity helps students make a personal connection to the mechanics of genetic inheritance. especially around Thanksgiving.

This mini coloring book will teach students about one of the greatest discoveries of modern times - penicillin - by Nobel Prize winning scientist, Alexander Fleming. What is even more amazing is that penicillin was discovered by accident. While studying disease-causing bacteria, Fleming accidentally exposed one of his dishes to mold. Instead of throwing it away, he studied it further and made a discovery that changed the world. This coloring book can be used for all ages and includes a short his