III. LIFE SCIENCE TOPICS

 

  1. Organization of Living Things
  2. Heredity
  3. Evolution
  4. Ecosystems

 

Additional Sites for Life Science

  1. Teaching Units / Lesson Plans
  2. Student Activities / Projects / Interactive Sites
  3. Information / Facts / Data / Reports
  4. Videos / Movies / Animations 
  5. Photographs / Slides / Diagrams / Graphics
  6. Periodicals / Journals / Newspapers
  7. Searches / Explorations / Projects / Investigations
  8. Life Science Topics for Teachers

 

2. Heredity (HE)

Middle School

  1. L.HE.M.1 Inherited and Aquired Traits -"The characteristics of organisms are influenced by heredity and environment. For some characteristics, inheritance is more important; for other characteristics, interactions with the environment are more important."
    1. An Inventory of My Triats
      Students take an inventory of their own easily-observable genetic traits and compare those inventories with other students in groups. Students then make data tables and bar graphs showing the most and least common traits in their group.
    2. DNA and Mutations
      This site explores the way mutations can occur in DNA to result in evolutionary changes in organisms. The site explores the following areas: DNA and the molecular basis of mutations; types of mutations; causes of mutations; effects of mutations; a case study of the effects of mutation; and the random nature of mutations.
    3. Genetics
      The home site has an entire unit on Biology. This site concentrates on genetics. Everything you need to carry out the unit.
    4. Going, Going, Gone
      This site gives general information of 5 causes of extinction with limited examples.  Could be used as a quick reference for students.
    5. Study Stack
      This interactive site allows students to learn genetics vocabulary by playing hangman and a variety of other activities. It would be appropriate for use with upper elementary or middle school students.
    6. The Gene Scene
      This site has a variety of activities that help students understand heredity and related concepts. It would be appropriate for use with upper elementary or middle school students.
    7. Tour the Basics of Genetics
      Outstanding - This is a Plug In Movie that gives general information about heredity and has excellent animations to go along with the descriptions. Students can click through the movie. You can find this excellent presentation by clicking on "What is Inheritance?...". Teachers have to register with the site to access it
    8. You and Your Genes
      An overview of genes and the role they play in our lives.  Subtitles include "Designer Genes- They're the Boss", "Where did you get your pairs of genes?" and "Typos and Misplaced Letters."  This site briefly discusses both the human genome project and the environmental genome projects (has links for both) by explaining how human genes play a role in how we react to environmental substances.
  2. L.HE.M.2 Reproduction -"Reproduction is a characteristic of all living systems; because no individual organism lives forever, reproduction is essential to the continuation of every species. Some organisms reproduce asexually. Other organisms reproduce sexually."
    1. Discovery / Plant Pollination
      Lesson Plan / Students explore pollination of plants in the classroom.
    2. Pollination
      This site allows students to go step by step through the life cycle of a flowering plant. From "Pollination" page, click on "the life cycle of the flowering plant." Other links go into great detail on pollination.
    3. Biology Lessons at SDSU
      This site provides a great deal of information on mitosis. There is an activity section, glossary and an alternative ideas section. Good diagrams of the process of cell division, chromosomes and genetic information.
    4. DNA from the Beginning
      This site is an animated primer on the basics of DNA, genetics, and heredity. Select topics from the right frame, then select concepts, and animation. Animations, biographies and other related links makes this a good resource site.
    5. Genetic Science Learning
      Online and hands-on activities for grades 7-12 can be found on this site.  Teacher thematic units as well as parent information enhance this site.  As the body's main building blocks, stem cells work to develop, maintain, and repair tissues and organs throughout life.  Find out why medical researchers are so interested in these cells and consider some of the challenges in stem cell research.
    6. I Can Do That
      This site has a story line version of the genetic science benchmarks. Students will enjoy learning how DNA works and how genes jump around on the chromosome.
    7. Kids Genetics
      Kids play a game to learn about punnets and pedigrees.  Several other interactive games are vailable.

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