Tag: lab

  • Estimate a Person’s Height from the Bones

    Estimate a Person’s Height from the Bones

    In this activity, students use tape measures to estimate the length of their femur, ulna, and tibia. These lengths are then with an equation to estimate their height which can then be prepared to their actual height.

  • Investigation:  The Effect of Salt on a Potato

    Investigation: The Effect of Salt on a Potato

    Students observe how the mass of a potato slice changes when soaked overnight in salt water.  The activity is intended to be done as part of a lesson on osmosis and hypertonic and hypotonic solutions.   Students will need about 15 minutes to set up their cups, weigh their slices and make predictions about what they…

  • Microscope Introduction – Basic “e” Lab

    Microscope Introduction – Basic “e” Lab

    This lab is similar to the “e” lab used with freshman biology, but designed for students in the vocational track.  It has less reading and more detailed steps for using the microscope as well as a larger font and bigger spacing. 

  • Teddy Graham Lab Modeling HW Equilibrium

    Teddy Graham Lab Modeling HW Equilibrium

    Model Hardy Weinberg equilibrium using Teddy Grahams. Compare happy bears to sad bears.

  • Investigation:  Exploring Cells

    Investigation: Exploring Cells

    While biologists might find the history of the cell theory fascinating, I notice that many of my students seem to tune-out when you bring up the history of scientific discoveries. In order to save time and improve engagement, I created this lab to include a short history of the cell theory as students explore prepared…

  • Investigation: How Do Enzymes Work?

    Investigation: How Do Enzymes Work?

    This lab is fairly basic, but when given with guided instruction how enzymes catalyze reactions, students can have a hands-on experience into how proteins are related to function.

  • Using Anchoring Phenomenon with Lessons

    Using Anchoring Phenomenon with Lessons

    Start lessons on osmosis with an activity and anchoring phenomenon. View cells exposed to salt and observe how they change!

  • Penny Lab: Soap and Surface Tension

    Penny Lab: Soap and Surface Tension

    Most science classes begin the year with an exercise on the scientific method.  It can be difficult to plan a short activity that will reinforce the main ideas of developing and testing a hypothesis.  This lab is simple and doesn’t require much in the way of materials: pennies, water, and pipettes (and paper towels for…

  • Comparing the Ameba to the Paramecium

    Comparing the Ameba to the Paramecium

    With the adoption of NGSS, I’ve had to make cuts to some of the lessons that biology classes of the past enjoyed. I was sad to see it go, but we no longer do a unit on the Kingdom Protista, but I still manage to fit a microscope lab into other sections.