Biology Lesson Plans

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Ecology Basics (T. Tomm, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Targeted Concepts:  Ecological organization, population ecology, symbiosis, food webs, biodiversity, ecological succession

Now available in a digital format - Each topic listed below is linked to a PPT presentation to be used for classroom lessons and activities.  Slides related to unit vocabulary and learning targets are also included. A link to the student digital notebook and other online resouces are included in each PPT.   Check out the first two slides of each presentation for teacher notes!

• Intro to Ecology - Introduction to the basic levels of organization (organism, population, etc.) along with an overview of population ecology.  Includes links to the EDPuzzle videos used for the student note portions.  Since I often do this unit at the start of the school year, the mosquitoes mentioned in the population ecology video are a great tie in!
  
  NOTE:  I usually start this unit at the beginning of the school year, which also makes it a great time for us to complete the Bug Blitz project (listed above) investigating the biodiversity of "bugs" in the school garden.  It also provides a lot of connections to the topics in the various lessons in the Ecology unit.

• Symbiosis- Introduces students to the three types of symbiosis along with a Good Buddies game to investigate additional relationships in a "go fish" style card game.

• Food Webs - Students complete a graphic organizer as they watch two EDPuzzle videos.  Related lessons include two more food webs with questions for students to ponder. Students also complete the Pond Water Webs activity listed below and play the Food Fight game on BrainPop. 
  
  UPDATE:  The FOOD FIGHT game is no longer available! I am searching for a good alternative and will update the lesson when I do.

• Biodiversity - Explore the basics of biodiversity and the impact of invasive species.  Download includes links to the Wanted Poster projects for students that is available in a digital format.
  
  Also check out Biodiverity Blitz activity at the top of this page and the Invasive Species Wanted Poster Template (Google Slide) - Students research an invasive species to complete this wanted poster.  I print the best ones to display in the hallway, which prompts many discussions as people recognize some common organisms that are found in our area.  Most did not realize they were a "wanted" species for their crimes against nature.  Click HERE for a PowerPoint you can use to introduce the project.  I also have a LIST of species I used for students to select their organisms as well as a PDF version of the poster you can print and use.

• Ology Think & Link (Optional) - This activity can be used with either the food webs or biodiversity lessons listed above.  The students explore two websites to find connections betweens the organisms that live there.

• Jeff Corwin - Madagascar (Optional) - This video lesson follows Corwin's exploration of Madagascar and its unique creatures.  It can be used with any of the lessons in this unit or as a reinforcement for animal defenses and adaptations.

• Ecological Succession - Students complete the note portion to provide an overview of primary and secondary succession. Addional activities include a diagram to label as well as a video to reinforce their knowledge of the topic.

• Gizmos - Pond Ecosystem (Subscription) - This activity was developed to incorporate student observations during the pond ecosystem exploration. 

• Gizmos - STEM Case: Ecosystem (Subscription) - This activity would be a great one to review the major concepts in the unit as students investigate to determine how the introduction of wolves impacted the Yellowstone ecosystem.

• Human Impacts - Lessons from the Lorax - Students watch the original movie as well as the newest version to compare/contrast how environmental issues were portrayed 50 years ago as well as today.  The assignment includes questions to challenge students to identify environmental issues and the ways humans impact our natural resources.  They also calculate their eco-footprints and are challenged to create a project to motivate their friends and family to be "guys and gals that care" by finding ways to lower their footprints.  
  NOTE: Links to the digital files for students are included in the PPT linked above.  A PDF version of the challenge project is available HERE.

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Pond Water Survey (T. Tomm, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Targeted Concepts:  Living things, classification, scientific investigations, microscopes, process skills (observation, data collection, analysis, etc.), food webs (if additional lesson is included)

An easy way to fascinate your students is to allow them to investigate samples of pond water (whether a large farm pond or small backyard pond.) They are sure to find little critters zooming around the slide. You will need to gather several samples (or have the students bring in their own), microscopes, and identification guides. Golden Guide publishes an inexpensive Pond Water booklet that contains lots of pictures and information. Follow-up discussions of finds will provide students with the chance to use biological terms to compare and contrast different forms of life. The updated version listed below includes additional lesson activities challenging students to create food chains using plants and animals found in or near a pond. It also includes templates for aquatic invertebrate trading cards.

A great resource for teachers with little biology background is to check with your local Department of Conservation or Natural History Survey. I was able to recruit a couple biologists along with their cool equipment and samples to work along with my students during class. My students were able to see organisms from the Illinois River and I loved having help in an area that I have little training.

A few years ago my district purchased a video flex microscope camera. Using this technology, my students are able to create a video documentary of our pond organisms. Each spring and fall we document our research and compare the changes that occur throughout the year.

Lesson Resources:

• Pond Water Survey (pdf) - Contains teacher notes, discussion questions, and student worksheets.
  
• Pond Water Webs (pdf) - Investigate food chains and webs that exists in a pond habitat. Download includes teacher notes, student worksheet, answer key, and Life in a Pond cards. A Power Point presentation is also available for use with interactive whiteboards.
  
• Need identification guides? Links to identification guides for pond water critters can be found at the Kid Zone.     

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Lessons from the Lorax (T. Tomm, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Targeted Concepts:  Environmental concerns, human impacts on the ecosystem, conservation, natural resources

At the end of our environmental science unit, my student explore the messages in the Lorax book and movie to identify environmental concerns and find ways to live a lifestyle with the smallest "footprint".  It also provides a great connection to the many topics we discuss related to deforestation, habitat loss, pollution, and human impacts on the Earth.

Digital Version: Lessons from the Lorax - Students watch the original movie as well as the newest version to compare/contrast how environmental issues were portrayed 50 years ago as well as today.  The assignment includes questions to challenge students to identify environmental issues and the ways humans impact our natural resources.  They also calculate their eco-footprints and are challenged to create a project to motivate their friends and family to be "guys and gals that care" by finding ways to lower their footprints.  
NOTE: Links to the digital files for students are included in the PPT linked above.  A PDF version of the challenge project is available HERE.

Paper Version: Students complete Part A of the student worksheet while watching the The Lorax Movie (1972 version) . We discuss the answers to Part B in class, and then we watch the newest version to respond to the question prompts in the Lessons from the Lorax PowerPoint.   The PPT includes an answer key and the discussion questions along with a follow-up activity.

Using my general EcoFootprint calculator, students complete the "footprint" with the different categories (page 2 of the download). They use the results to determine how many planets we would need if everyone lived like they do.  It is always an eye opening experience, which leads into the final lessons where they decorate the blank footprint with strateges they and their families will use to reduce their footprints. 

• Lorax Lessons on FlipGrid - Students explain why the "Unless" quote is still important today and share two things they are doing to make the planet better. This lesson is incorporated into the challenge below.

• Earth Day Challenge - I created this choice board assignment based on pasts Earth Day activities.  It has both Internet and non-Internet activities.  The FlipGrid lesson above is incorporated into the assignment as one of the choices.  Click HERE for a link to the Google Slides template you can copy to use with your students.
  
  NOTE:  I have also prepared a paper packet version for my kiddos who do not have Internet.  I will print copies to send home for those students. It includes "proof" pages similar to the Google Slides along with flash card templates, graph paper for a crossword puzzle, and other information they may need. I have a few copies of an old "Earth Day" booklet I plan to send home as I only have 10 students who need paper verions.

• Also available ... My version of the Earth Day Challenge (Electronic option only)

  • I modified the basic one above to to create a new choice board (with hyperlinks built in) to include many of the online activities we have used in class - Quizlet, GimKit, Legends, and online tools (Poster My Wall, FlipGrid, video creators, etc.).  Clink THIS LINK to view it on Google Drive.

  • I also created an introduction video using a Google Slides presentation and Screencastify to review what we have learned and what I expect them to do for the project. 

  • Students will still use the Google Slides template to turn in proof for all completed tasks.  It will be shared with the students on Google Classroom by choosing "create a new copy" for each student.

 

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Classification Challenges (T.Tomm, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Targeted Concepts:  Living things, classification, binomial nomenclature, invertebrates, vertebrates

I designed this activity to allow students to practice invertebrate and vertebrate classification using the organisms discussed in our Animal Classification unit. Teacher notes, student worksheets, and organism cards are included in the downloades listed below. You will also need the classification mats, which needs to be printed regular-sized paper and taped together to form one mat.

Classy Invertebrates:  Invertebrate Classification Challenge (PDF), Classification Mat (PDF), Invertebrate Classification Quiz (PDF) , and Classy Invertebrates PowerPoint (PPT)
Also check out a version of the Invertebrate Cards with color photographs - submitted by Jessica Ruffin

Classy Vertebrates: Vertebrate Classification Challenge (PDF), Classification Mat (PDF), Critter Cards (PDF), Vertebrate Classification Quiz (PDF), and Classy Vertebrates PowerPoint (PPT)

Also check out ...
Classification of Life - I use this worksheet during our classification unit at the beginning of the year.  Links are available on the Kid Zone!
Silly Science - a dichotomous key activity in General Science section!


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Incredible Cells (T. Tomm, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Targeted Concepts:  Living things, cells (plant and animal), organelles and their functions

The "edible" version of this project was an annual favorite was adapted from the old Jello cells! The project is a great addition to any cell unit and provides a tasty treat for your students. Refer to the Student Worksheet below for details and instructions. The download also includes a student worksheet for a nonedible cell project. If I have any students with food allergies, I require everyone to do the nonedible version.

Student Worksheets:  Incredible Cells (pdf)

Another idea ...
Science Wear - Aprons, Shirts, or Lab Coats decorated with cells as well as options for astronomy, chemistry, and more! Thanks to Jody Hodges for developing this great project!  Students use permanent markers or fabric paint to create their own attire by coloring the lettering and adding diagrams of cells.  Visit her webpage on Facebook for more details and pictures of completed projects!   

 

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Construction Zone (T. Tomm, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL with inspiration from Stacy Baker)
Targeted Concepts:  Living things, cells (plant and animal), organelles and their functions

This project was created for 5th grade students at my school to give them an "inside" view of a cell. Students work as construction teams to build a 3-D model of a cell. They are required to label the organelles with names and functions. Students have used PVC pipe for frames or obtained large boxes from our local appliance store. Students also use the sites on the Biology page of the Kid Zone and their textbooks to research the organelles.

Student Worksheet: Construction Zone (pdf)

Classroom Cell (T. Tomm & C. McDaniel, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Targeted Concepts:  Living things, cells (plant and animal), organelles and their functions

Print out the Classroom Cell necklaces and assign "jobs" to the students that mimic the organelles' jobs in the cell.  For example, the teacher would be the nucleus who directs that activities of the cell, while a student that is a lysosome would help "clean up" the classroom each day. Our 6th grade teacher uses this activity and I refer back to it while discussing cells and organelles in our 7th & 8th grade lessons.  It is one of the lessons they remember!

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Mitosis Flip Books (T. Tomm, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Targeted Concepts:  Mitosis, cell division, organelles and their functions

This project (passed down to me from a fellow teacher) is based on the old cartoon flip book idea. Students use template cards (printed on cover stock or glued to index cards) to create a booklet that illustrates the steps involved in cell division. After reviewing the stages in cell division (see the Mitosis Note page below), I provide a set of templates (see Mitosis Book below) for them to use to make a flip book. From phase to phase, they must draw diagrams to show the changes that occur throughout the process. I encourage "color coding" to make the end effect easy to follow. Once all the Pages are completed and in the correct order, students use a heavy duty stapler to bind them together. They can flip through the pages and "see" mitosis in action.

Mitosis Flip Books

• Mitosis Notes (pdf) and Mitosis Books (pdf)
  
• Mitosis Masters- Templates for the cell division cards.

Also available ...

• Mitosis PowerPoint - Thanks to Julie Camp for sharing this powerpoint related to asexual reproduction.
  

• Electronic Mitosis Flip Book - Thanks to Tami Cooper for sharing this lesson. A PowerPoint sample is also available.

• Meiosis Flip Books - Thanks to Sandy Powell (American Falls High School, American Falls, ID) for sharing her flip book masters for meiosis - Page 1 (pdf), Page 2 (pdf), Page 3 (pdf), Page 4 (pdf), and Page 5 (pdf)
  

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Genetics with a Smile (T. Tomm, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Targeted Concepts:  Living things, genetics, inherited traits, genotype, phenotype, dominant/recessive

During this activity students use pennies to determine the traits for a smiley face, then use Microsoft Word to create the smiley face. After students have completed the faces, I display them in the classroom and have students use their knowledge of genetics to answer questions about smiley faces, traits, and probability.

Student Worksheets:

Genetics with a Smile Project (pdf) - Chart for recording smiley face traits as well as a "key" of traits. Microsoft Word Directions (pdf) - Print out the directions to help your students learn how to use the drawing tools in Microsoft Word. Genetics with a Smile Wrapping It Up (pdf) - Use this page after the smiley faces are completed to wrap up the activity. Genetic with a Smile Teacher's Page (pdf) - Includes directions and tips for teachers as well as a sample smiley face!
	A few of the smiley faces created by my students!

Other ideas to try...

• Connect with another classroom and share your results with them! Challenge students to summarize the similarities and differences between the smileys created in your school and those at your partner school.
• Challenge your students to pair up two smileys as "new" parents and then flip a penny to determine the traits for a new baby. The students can then draw the baby smiley and compare the results to the parent smileys. (Thanks to Nancy Nega for this great idea!)
• Another twist for the new baby idea - instead of making just one baby, have the students create a display that shows the possible outcomes if two smileys had a baby. Students can provide expected rates of occurrence for each trait based on the parent's traits and compare those to the results of their classmates.

Other goodies for genetics...

• Punnet Square Practice - Thanks to Peggy Lenz for sharing this powerpoint and directions that she uses to review for the test.
  
   

• Genetics with Sponge Bob (pdf)
  What happens when SpongeBob SquarePants marries SpongeSusie RoundPants? Explore the genetics of Sponge Bob and his pals with this fun worksheet! An answer key is provided!  Click HERE to access the online tutorial for students.
  
• Genetics with SpongeBob 2 (pdf)
  A second helping of Bikini Bottom fun exploring the genetics of SpongeBob and his pals! An answer key is provided. Click HERE to access the online tutorial for students.
  
• Genetics with SpongeBob - Incomplete Dominance (pdf)
  This worksheet provides several practice problems related to incomplete dominance with Poofkins (a special kind of flower) and Goobers (a special breed of jellyfish!) An answer key is provided. 
  Also available Codomiance vs. Incomplete Dominance (pdf) - A version of the  worksheet above that includes co-dominance for the Poofkins (flowers) and incomplete dominance for the Goobers (jellyfish). An answer key is provided.Click HERE to access the online tutorial for students.
  
• Genetics with SpongeBob - Dihybrid (pdf)
  This worksheet was contributed by Andrea Stonebraker and challenges students to complete dihybird crosses.
  
• Genetics with SpongeBob Review (pdf)
  Use this worksheet to review Punnett Squares. An answer key is provided.
  
• SpongeBob Genetics Quiz (pdf)
  Challenge your students to use their knowledge of genetics with this SpongeBob quiz.
  
  NOTE:  SpongeBob SquarePants and all related characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
  
• Genetics Challenge puzzle (pdf) - I use this worksheet to review key terms from our unit on genetics.
  
• Genetics Word Search (pdf) - A word search with terms from genetics as well as an added challenge related to scientists who have made contributions to the field of genetics! Challenge Answers:  Chargaff, Crick, Watson, Franklin, Mendel, and Wilkins
  

• Genetics Ethics - This powerpoint provides links to three online videos along with related discussion questions to explore the ethical issues surrounding genetics and genetic engineering.

• Want more ideas for genetics? Visit the Genetics Lesson Plan Links page!

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DNA Keychains
Targeted Concepts:  DNA, structure (nucleotides, backbone), replication

My students make DNA key chains (original idea from DNA Jewelry that was part of the Access Excellence Collection) from beads and wire and then use them for a lesson about DNA replication.

Activity Files:

• DNA Keychain Guide (pdf) - Provides an overview of the activity as well as list of materials, tips, and a student guide.
  
• DNA Keychains (PPT) - A Power Point presentation to use as students make the keychains and includes an answer key for the DNA Replication activity listed below.
  
• DNA Replication (pdf) - Explore the replication process using the student-made keychains. The worksheet also introduces the process of protein synthesis.

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Protein Power Game (T. Tomm, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Targeted Concepts:  DNA, RNA, structure (nucleotides, backbone), replication, protein synthesis, cell organelles and their functions

I developed this game to help my students understand the process of protein synthesis and reinforce the functions of various cell organelles.  It was a big hit with the kids and we referred back to it many times throughout the unit. Although it may be challenging at first, the students quickly catch on to the "jobs" and compete to see which class could get the fastest time!

Game Files:

• Teacher Information (pdf) - Provides an overview of the game as well as a list of materials, tips, and ideas for extension activities.

• Protein Power PPT - PowerPoint used to introduce the game as well as review what they have learned.

• Organelle Cards (pdf) - Masters to use for the organelle necklaces for the game.

• Protein Models (pdf) - This page shows the protein models the students need to make during the game.

• Student Worksheet (pdf) - Activity sheet that includes background information and review questions.

Also available ...

• Cell Organelle Chart (pdf) - Students cut apart small cards to use to complete the chart that outlines the functions of each organelle as well as memory clues that can be used to help them remember the functions.  I allow my students to use their own memory clues if they want to create their own. 

• Cell Diagram Coloring Page (pdf) - This worksheet contains two diagrams (animal cell and plant cell) along with a color key they can use to customize their worksheet. 

• Protein Synthesis Drama (Submitted by Steve Tester, Alexandria City Public Schools, VA)
  For this activity exploring protein synthesis, students are assigned roles and and play different parts of the protein synthesis process. Download the files below for complete details- Protein Synthesis Outline (pdf) and Protein Synthesis Activity Codes (pdf)

More lessons for Biology are available at
The Nature Center - Lesson Page - Explore an assortment of lesson ideas and links to explore the natural world.
Adopt-An-Insect Project - Activities, Worksheets, and links to investigate the insect world!
Eagle Days Lessons & Resources - Explore the world of bald eagles with your students!

Lesson Plan Links for Biology - Links to my favorite online resources for lesson plans, activities, and worksheets.

Check out "wearable" science projects at ScienceWear.net!

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