Articles for Biology Students

In addition to the guided reading assignments listed below, students should learn to read texts closely from a variety of nonfiction sources, such as newspapers and scientific journals. The following worksheets may help students learn to annotate, evaluate, and summarize text.

Wolf Restoration: Learn How to Annotate - how to annotate text to provide evidence of close reading

Framing Guide for Article Summaries - how to write a summary for any article

Article Analysis: Concept Mapping - a flow chart asks students to determine key ideas, evidence, and opinions

Article of the Week - weekly assignment where students read an article related to the unit of study, annotate and summarize

To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students must read widely and deeply from among a broad range of high-quality,increasingly challenging literary and informational texts. By reading texts in science, and other disciplines, students build a foundation of knowledge in these fields that will also give them the background to be better readers in all content areas. Students can only gain this foundation when the curriculum is intentionally and coherently structured to develop rich content knowledge within and across grades. Students also acquire the habits of reading independently and closely, which are essential to their future success. ~ Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy

Each article below has information about a science topic and questions or other activities for students to complete. The worksheet was designed to align with science literacy Common Core Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.

NGSS: Structure & Function

Cancer, Out of Control Cells - Discusses how cancer cells develop and interfer with normal body functioning. Also includes a discussion on how HeLa cells are used in medical research.

Corticosteroids - Describes what steroids are, how they are usedin medicine, includes a discussion on risks and overuse

How Wood Alcohol Poisonings Advanced Toxicology - Focus on the chemistry of methanol, why it is a toxic substance and how prohibition resulted in the scientific discipline of toxicology

NGSS: Interdependence in Ecosystems

Why You Should Spay or Neuter Your Pet - Discusses pet overpopulation, includes graphs and statistics to analyze

Biological Magnification - A short passage and image describes biological magnification and students are asked to find information in the passage and make inferences about the message.

Are Zebra Mussles Really Invading? - Discusses how an invasive species can have devastating consequences on an ecosystem.

What Is a Keystone Species? - Describes how the removal of a keystone species can upset the balance of an ecosystem

NGSS: Inheritance and Variation

Treating Genetic Disorders - Examines the use of an exon skipping drug to treat cystic fibrosis

NGSS: Natural Selection and Evolution

Debunking Misconceptions Regarding the Theory of Evolution - Lists 5 major misconceptions, and discusses the idea of thermodynamics, transitional fossils, and genetic evidence.

Why Evolution Matters - Science research in medicine and agriculture depends on an understanding of evolutionary processes

Hydra and Other Cnidarians - Focus on the anatomy and taxonomy of cnidarians such as the hydra and jellyfish

Echinoderms - Discussion of starfish anatomy and classification

What is a Planarian? - Article to read with lab on dugesia, the planarian that regenerates

NGSS: Engineering, Technology, and Applications

Satellites are Objects in Space - Comparing man made with natural satellites

Another Dead Satellite - What happens to satellites that stop working?

Replacement Parts - To cope with a growing shortage of hearts, livers, and lungs suitable for transplant, some scientists are genetically engineering pigs, while others are growing organs in the lab.