ACTIVITY 1

Hatching Dinosaurs

 

 

PURPOSE:

To make observations and inferences then design an experiment that tests the hypothesis.

SUMMARY:

Students observe the effects of hot/cold water on the “hatching of dinosaurs” then formulate a hypothesis and design an experiment to test if heat or water provides the critical influence in the experiment.

EQUIPMENT:

Dinosaur eggs from Quaker Oatmeal, hot plate, water, beakers

SAFETY:

Caution students to be careful when pouring boiling water.

ACTIVITY 2

Interpreting Labels: Stored Food Energy

 

 

PURPOSE:

To determine the energy content of various foods and apply that knowledge to dietary planning.

SUMMARY:

Students will calculate the calories per gram and calories per 100 grams for various food products to make a bar graph.

EQUIPMENT:

6 food product labels, graph paper, calculator

SAFETY:

None

ACTIVITY 3

Water Holding Capacity of Soils

 

 

PURPOSE:

To explore an abiotic factor affects plant life in different biomes

SUMMARY:

Students will measure the water holding capacity of 3 different soil types and determine which soil type has the greatest water holding capacity

EQUIPMENT:

3 cloth squares (30 cm per side), large beaker, water, sand, clay potting soil, balance and twist ties.

SAFETY:

Wash hands following lab

 

ACTIVITY 4

Demonstrating Diffusion

 

 

PURPOSE:

To observe the process of diffusion and to recognize the relationship of temperature on diffusion rates.

SUMMARY:

Students will add food coloring to cold, medium and hot water and record the time it takes for the dye to spread uniformly through the water.  The students will then analyze the data and make inferences relating to living organisms.

EQUIPMENT:

3 – 400 mL beakers, wax pencil, ice cubes, hot plate, insulated glove, hot pad, 3 thermometers, food coloring, stopwatch.

SAFETY:

Care in handling hot water and hot plate.  Care in handling mercury thermometers if used.

ACTIVITY 5

Drip, Drip, Drip

 

 

PURPOSE:

To observe surface tension of water and the effects of soap on surface tension.

SUMMARY:

Students will make predication on how many drops of water can fit on a penny with and without soap and will observe results and form conclusions to explain their observations.

EQUIPMENT:

Penny, eye dropper, paper tower, plastic cup, liquid soap, Beakman’s video “How Soap Works”.

SAFETY:

None

ACTIVITY 6

The Compound Microscope

 

 

PURPOSE:

To familiarize students with microscope parts, how to properly handle/use a microscope, how to make a wet mount slide, and how to determine total lens magnification.

SUMMARY:

Students will identify microscope parts, prepare wet mount slides, view a variety of wet mount/prepared slides, estimate the size of objects, and calculate total magnification of lens.

EQUIPMENT:

Compound microscope, lens paper, slides (clear and prepared), cover slips, newspaper, scissors, medicine dropper, small beaker, forceps and hair.

SAFETY:

Caution students in proper use of glass slide and handling of microscope.

 

ACTIVITY 7

Modeling a Cell

 

 

PURPOSE:

To identify basic cell structures

SUMMARY:

Students will build a plant or animal cell using clay or various household items to depict cellular components

EQUIPMENT:

Modeling clay, household objects, straight pins, paper, glue

SAFETY:

Care with pins

ACTIVITY 8

Osmosis

 

 

PURPOSE:

To observe how osmosis occurs in hypotonic and hypertonic solutions.

SUMMARY:

Students will set-up hypertonic and hypotonic solutions to observe the effects of osmosis and make practical applications of this knowledge.

EQUIPMENT:

Sugar, salt, tap water, Ziploc sandwich bags, graduated cylinder, small potato, knife, 3 beakers

SAFETY:

Care in use of knife to slice potato.

ACTIVITY 9

Where Is Mitosis Most Common?

 

 

PURPOSE:

To observe cells in 2 different root areas in order to identify the stages of mitosis in each area

SUMMARY:

Students will use a microscope to examine the tip and mid section of a onion root then compare and contrast the phases of mitosis seen in each section.

EQUIPMENT:

Microscope, prepared slide of onion root tip

SAFETY:

Care in use of microscope and slide.

ACTIVITY 10

Peppered Moth Survey & Camouflage Provides an Adaptive Advantage

 

 

PURPOSE:

To determine how mimicry affects the survival of an organism

SUMMARY:

Students will investigate the affect of industrial melanism on natural selection.  Students will then construct a model which demonstrates how camouflage enables an organism to survive.

EQUIPMENT:

Graph paper, colored pencils, hole punch, construction paper

SAFETY:

None

 

ACTIVITY 11

Kingdom Cube

 

 

PURPOSE:

To identify the various example of each of the six kingdoms

SUMMARY:

Students will construct a cube with each side depicting example from each of the 6 kingdoms.  Internet may be used for research

EQUIPMENT:

Construction paper, ruler, scissors, markers, old magazines, internet

SAFETY:

None

ACTIVITY 12

Protozoan Paradise

 

 

PURPOSE:

To observe and identify freshwater protozoans and correlate number of organisms with location of plant debris.

SUMMARY:

Students will take a sample from pond water which contains varying amounts of plant debris and make observation from 3 different levels in an attempt to identify various protozoans and correlate their numbers to the availability of plant debris.

EQUIPMENT:

Pond water (or pond water mix), 3 slides, culture dish, wax pencil, medicine dropper, and microscope.

SAFETY:

Care in use of microscope, glass slides/cover slips.  Also, students need to clean-up their areas and wash hands.

ACTIVITY 13

Examining Plant Tissue

 

 

PURPOSE:

To determine the function of two plant tissue types.

SUMMARY:

Students will use a squash technique to prepare, observe and determine the function of two plant tissue types.

EQUIPMENT:

Celery, razor, 2 slides, water, cover slip, paper towels, microscope

SAFETY:

Care in squashing the celery with the top slide – use several layers of paper towels between slide and thumb; care in use of razor to cut celery.

 

ACTIVITY 14

Nematode Isolation

 

 

PURPOSE:

To observe Nematode movement and morphology

SUMMARY:

Students will isolate Nematodes from soil, observe their natural body movement to study muscle structure, then stain the organisms to study basic body morphology.

EQUIPMENT:

Fresh soil, filter tissue, extractor apparatus, microscope, slide, cover slip, formaldehyde, methylene blue, examining dish

SAFETY:

Wash hands following the handling of soil and slides

ACTIVITY 15

Comparing Skeletal Joints

 

 

PURPOSE:

To identify and compare skeletal joints

SUMMARY:

Students will use their own body to study to movement of 5 basic skeletal joints

EQUIPMENT:

Human body

SAFETY:

Care in bending and moving body parts

ACTIVITY 16

Does Fatigue Affect Ability to Perform Exercise?

 

 

PURPOSE:

To determine how fatigue influences the amount of exercise muscles can accomplish

SUMMARY:

Students will formulate a hypothesis on the affects of fatigue on the repetitions of an exercise performed by a muscle group, design and experiment to test it and graph the results.

EQUIPMENT:

Timer, exercise equipment, graphing materials

SAFETY:

Care in performing chosen exercise.