MomentsofScience

I use this lab with my lower level and on-level students to study acids, bases and changes in pH. Students use red cabbage juice, a natural indicator to test the pH of common household items including: baking soda, tums, alkaseltzer, ammonia, seltzer soda, lemon juice, vinegar, ethanol, tap water and distilled water. To prepare the indicator simply boil 5-6 large cabbage leaves in water and extract the resulting purple colored juice. The color scale I use is included with the lab ( I project i

This is a digital adaptation of the "Pattern Matching" activity frequently used in Honors and AP level high school biology courses. I sourced material from a previously readapted print version to make this Google Slides version perfectly suited for remote or distance learning. Students first identify the elements present in each of the four biomolecules. Then, working in teams, students sort 45 molecules into 5 categories: Proteins, Carbohydrates, Lipids, Nucleic Acids and Unknowns. In this

Perfect for distance or remote learning! I use this activity in my biotechnology class to reinforce and illustrate the process of DNA Sequencing. Before completing this activity I first have students watch the Khan Academy Video on Sequencing.Students first watch a " click-through" animation that guides them through the overall process of Sanger Sequencing. The animation is accompanied by fill-in-the-blank questions and higher-level analysis questions. Students then go to a virtual lab which

Are you looking for an engaging lab to introduce the scientific method and experimental design? Look no further! This fun lab allows students to identify variables, design their own lab, collect data and analyze the results. The lab culminates in a Claim/Evidence/Reasoning write-up. In this lab, students test the strength of your school's toilet paper versus store-bought name brands. They identify variables and write out their hypothesis. I've included two versions- one with the procedure writ

This is a lab report assignment to accompany the pGLO Bacterial Transformation Lab done in many AP Bio and Biotechnology classes. Instead of having students answer the "cookbook" pre-lab and post-lab questions where they can find the answers online, I have them write a formal lab report. The resources included in this bundle include a student instruction sheet for each section of the lab report. It is essentially a sentence-by-sentence guide. I do not have students write the methods section- b

*Please note that the virtual labs used in this activity used to run on Adobe Flash. MSU is in the process of updating the labs to run on HTML. I have reconfigured the assignment to use the modules MSU has already converted.*Perfectly designed for distance or remote learning!Looking for an activity where students identify unknown bacteria using morphological and biochemical characteristics? Look no further! This activity is a condensed version of the semester-long lab done in most college-leve

Are you looking to incorporate a cheese making lab into your biology or biotechnology course? Look no further! After years of trial and error, I've compiled this as my most successful cheese making lab that can be started, finished, cleaned up (and eaten) within one 88 minute block. Included: 3 PDF background readings on cheese makingPre-Lab Questions dependent on PDF Background readings (I post the pre-lab questions and PDF readings on Google Classroom to be completed as homework before the lab

I use this project in my Biotechnology elective course during our Pharmaceutical unit. Students choose a genetic disease and research its symptoms and treatment. The focus of study is on treatment using gene therapy with an emphasis on CRISPR. Students then create an educational video to present their research. This project can be done in class or virtually. This project reinforces research techniques such as using a database, analyzing scientific journal articles, and citing sources scientific

Perfect for remote or distance learning!I use this activity in my biotechnology class to reinforce and illustrate the use of microarrays. Before completing this activity I first have students watch the Khan Academy video on Microarrays Students first watch a " click-through" animation that guides them through the overall process of hybridization and microarrays. The animation is accompanied by fill-in-the-blank questions and higher-level analysis questions. Students then go to a virtual lab

Perfect for distance or remote learning! I use this activity in my biotechnology class to reinforce and illustrate the process of the PCR Reaction I use this as an introductory activity for students to learn the purpose and procedure of the Polymerase Chain Reaction. Students first watch a video that guides them through the basics of PCR. The animation is accompanied by fill-in-the-blank questions and higher-level analysis questions. Students then go to a click through animation which reinfor

Includes:Background Info Lab Procedure Data Tables Analysis Questions Key Pictures of Ingredients Indicator Color Chart Does not Include:CER HandoutThis is a honors or advanced level Biology Lab to study acids, bases, buffers and the pH scale. I accompany this with a CER graphic organizer to answer the question "Which antacid acts as the best buffer?" To complete the CER post-lab I provide students with pictures of the ingredients to include in their reasoning. This lab gives great results.

Looking for a lab to immerse students into the world of microscopy? Look no further!I believe learning to use a microscope is like learning how to drive a car- you have to learn by doing. This laboratory guides students through the correct usage of the compound light microscope. The lab write-up is designed for students to work at their own pace and independently. The lab in its entirety takes about 1.5 hours to complete (depending on student level. The instructions given are VERY specific.

Looking for a simple resource to have students match the organelles of the cell to both their structure and function? This worksheet can be used as a pre-assessment, formative assessment, practice worksheet or homework worksheet. Students match the given organelles to a description of the structure and function of the organelle. The worksheet is designed to be easy to grade; a key is included. This can be used for on-level or honors biology depending on the depth of your curriculum. Google doc

I use this CER Data Analysis Graphic Organizer with every lab I do! Each lab has a guiding question. That guiding question is answered in the claim. Students provide evidence from the experiment to support the claim. They then explain the evidence and connect it back to the claim. This is a foundational resource that can be applied to any lab for any discipline! It is scaffolded so that lower-level and high-achieving students can succeed. The Google Doc format is perfect for virtual or dista

Looking for a kinesthetic activity to teach the parts and process of the Light Dependent Reactions? Look no further! This activity is designed for advanced or honors level biology students learning the intricate process of the light-dependent reactions. I've included both a print copy and a digital copy. All you need to do for the print version is print out the number of sets you need, cut out the pieces, and then give them to your groups. I have students actually move the electrons to "act o

Included: 4 page note packet with definitions, tables, and critical thinking questions embedded. Topics Include: Vocab: Macromolecule, Monomer, Polymer, Metabolism, Catabolic Reaction, Anabolic Reaction.Tables for each of the four macromolecules. Students need to fill in details about atomic structure, monomer name, polymer name, function and draw figures in each table.Closing: Critical thinking questionsWhat is the "big idea?"Justify the saying "you are what you eat."Not Included: Google Slide

Looking for a resource for students to identify the structures of monomers and polymers? In this worksheet, students match given structures of organic molecules with their structure name. For example, students see an image of a long chain hydrocarbon lacking double bonds and must identify this as a saturated fatty acid. Students are then asked to provide the rationale behind their choice. The worksheet is neatly organized into a table for clarity. It can be used as a notes sheet, a graphic

*Update- I added a Google Slide where students can drag and drop textboxes to rearrange the timeline. This is perfectly adapted to distance learning.*I use this activity at the very beginning of my Biotechnology course to "set the stage." Students arrange a series of events and discoveries in the field of biotechnology chronologically from oldest to newest. It can be used in any biology course, but it I designed it to include discoveries important to biotech. I have this activity set-up as a

I use this activity as to check for understanding of the levels of organization. I laminate and separate the cards into 2 bags: terms and definitions. Students first organize the terms into the proper order from simplest to most complex. They then match each definition to the correct term. This is a quick, easy and effective activity that can be used as a pre-assessment of prior knowledge or as formative assessment. This could also be used a resource of the matched term with its definition i

I use this guided notes handout to accompany my Properties of Water Slides.Students fill-in-blanks for necessary vocabulary, definitions and examples for each of the properties of water: Universal Solvent, Surface Tension, Capillary Action, High Specific Heat, High Heat of Vaporization, and Ice floats. There is a space provided to copy a diagram of water hydrogen bonded to itself. I draw this on the board. Included: Guided Notes Handout Not Included: Properties of Water SlidesGet it in a bundl