Biology Lesson Plans

Virtual Biology lab: Properties of water , acids and bases.

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Exploring pH in the Lab

Everyday we eat foods, drink liquids and encounter many different chemicals around us. We rarely stop to consider their differences, and in particular, their pH level. In this interactive pH lab, delve into what makes these substances unique and how we interact with them.

In this virtual lab, students will learn about the properties of water, acids and bases using the pH website.

Students will have a chance to work with various testing solutions and compare the pH differences between diluted and undiluted mixtures.

Students will see how the pH of common substances can be altered just by adding water and how that relates to the environment around them.

Getting into the lab

They will first test the pH level of the solution at ½ L. After, they will fill the beaker up to the 1 L mark and test the pH level again. Students will then drain the beaker by half, refill to the 1 L mark and retest the pH.

While completing the lab, students will record their observations as they go on the data tables.

Interested a hands-on lab? Check out our Mealworm Lab.

Students will place the solutions in order of their pH to help them describe their findings and make conclusions.

Can you hypothesize what the pH of other items around you would be?

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Students will have fun taking a deeper look at things they use and consume every day. 

If you and your students have enjoyed this lab, please leave a comment and let us know how it went.

Biology Lesson Plans

Valentine’s Day Heart Drawing Activity

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Valentine’s Day Heart Drawing Activity

February is upon us and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. What is a better way to spend Valentine’s Day than learning about the human heart? I created this fun activity from a combination of activities I have done in the past.

The Heart Drawing Activity

In this activity, your students will learn the basic anatomy of the heart and how the blood flows through the body.

Students will start the activity by drawing a typical Valentine’s Day style heart. Next, they will add the four chambers of the heart. Slide, by slide students will be learning about the different parts of the heart and drawing it at the same time.

heart Drawing Activity for Valentine's Day
Heart Drawing Activity-Starting Slide

Students will learn about the heart and circulation as they draw the heart!

Students will learn some interesting facts about the human heart as they work through the presentation.

Interesting facts like how it is possible to have a broken heart. That’s right! It is possible and there is a name for it. It is called broken heart syndrome. A person can even die from a broken heart although it is extremely rare.

Heart Drawing Activity

After students finish their heart drawing they will trace the path of blood through the heart by adding arrows to show how blood flow from the heart, pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation.

Even if you have never taught the heart before, do not worry. This heart activity is very simple for students to do.

Check out our Mealworm Lab Activity!

You might even enjoy joining them in the drawing activity. By joining them you will have a good feel for how long each part of the drawing should take the students.

Heart Drawing Activity Final Slide
This is the final slide and the end product of what your students will create.

Give it a try and post your results our Facebook group!

#valentine’sdayactivity #heartdrawing #heartactivity #biologyteaching #circulatorsystemactivity

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Biology Lesson Plans, Lab

Exploring Mitosis and Meiosis In The Lab

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Mitosis and Meiosis…what’s the difference?

In this virtual lab, your students will learn about mitosis and meiosis. These two types of cell division seem very similar on the surface but have several key differences which students will encounter in this activity.

Mitosis consists of one cell division, whereas meiosis consists of two successive cell divisions. In mitosis, the result is two daughter cells but in meiosis the result is four daughter cells. When cells divide in mitosis, the daughter cells are genetically the same but in meiosis, daughter cells are genetically different. These are just some of the differences in these two processes.

There are some similarities, too. Each process goes through the same phases and ends with cytokinesis. Both processes end with the sister chromatids at opposite sides of the cell as well.

What will my students learn?

Students will learn the phases of mitosis: interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase and cytokinesis.

And the phases of meiosis: interphase, prophase I, metaphase I, anaphase I, telophase I and cytokinesis. (This process then repeats.)

Click here to download lab worksheet

Students will fill in the data table, answer questions and create a Venn diagram to help them grasp the similarities and differences of the two processes.

Students will complete the interactive lab activity which allows them to visualize how mitosis and meiosis happen under a microscope. This is my favorite part of the lab!

Once they have gone through both sections, students will get a chance to compare mitosis and meiosis side by side at the same time.

Can you list some other differences between mitosis and meiosis?

Please leave a comment and let us know how the lab went!

Download Virtual Mitosis and Meiosis Lab
Biology Lesson Plans, Biology Online, Cells, Lab

Virtual Microscope lab

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What will your students learn in this virtual microscope lab?

In this virtual microscope lab, your students will learn about different types of microscopes. 

Students will explore the light microscope and the electron microscopes.  

Students will learn about the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the transmission electron microscope (TEM). 

Students will also “Evaluate the frontier of molecular and cellular research before and after the invention of microscopes” while completing this virtual microscope lab.

 

Virtual Microscope Lab Worksheet Image
Virtual Microscope Lab Worksheet Download
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Exploring Microscope Magnification

Students will have an opportunity to explore different microscope magnifications by using following the procedures.

Student have no idea how different specimens can look at different magnifications. 

This lab is a great way to introduce your students to microscopes.

This lab will allow students to see how scientists know what many the structures they will be studying actually look like. 

 

Check out this in-class microscope lab! 

 

Mystery Specimen Identification

One of my favorite parts of this lab is when students have to identify a mystery specimen. 

How many specimens can you identify from the list below? 

 

Do you need more lesson plans? Get two weeks of lesson here.

 

Student will use the online microscope and look at different specimens until the can match them with one from the chart (pictured below).

Download the lab by click on the blue button below.

Virtual Microscope Lab Worksheet Download
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I hope you and your students enjoy this virtual microscope lab!

Stop back and drop a comment about how it went! 

#virtualmicroscopelab   #microscopesactivities #biologycurriculum 

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Biology Lesson Plans, Biology Online

How to Setup your biology class for remote and in-person instruction

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Teaching students who are remote learners while you have students in the classroom

Due to COVID-19 many teachers are expected to teach in creative and challenging ways. Some students may not feel comfortable or safe enough to be in the classroom so teachers have to teach students who are in their class and at home at the same time. This situation offers many challenges for teachers like classroom management concerns, posting assignments online and making copies for in-person students and technology issues just to name a few. Read below to learn how I setup my classroom to teach students who are in class and remote at the same time.

Tools To Use for Teaching Students Remotely

To have a setup that allows you to easily manage your class and your remote learner you will need a few key tools that many teachers already have access to.

-SMART Board (Though is is optional, it is extremely useful to write on the board while screen sharing and your students at home can see you write)

-Wireless earbuds

-Computer and projector

-Ipad, tablet or phone as a secondary device with a stand to hold it up near you.

Wireless Earbuds

This Setup Puts Remote Students In Your Class

Now that you have the necessary items I will describe how this works and why it is so beneficial.

How does it work?

Using the smart board connected to the computer I can annotate from the board and it shows up on the screen. Having the annotations show up on screen is great for your remote learners who will be able to see everything you write via zoom screen share.

How will they see your annotation?

Using zoom you will simply be able to share the screen and students will be able to see everything you write. When doing this, use the computer to host the zoom session.

Next, you want to log into your zoom session using another device like an iPad , phone or another computer but you want this one to be close to the board so student can also see you when the zoom video is enabled.

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Dealing with Audio Feedback for Remote Teaching

With two devices in the same room on zoom audio issues arise and feedback becomes a problem. To solve this you will connect wireless earbuds to the device at the board (Ipad, phone, tablet or another computer). When you do this the audio output is not picked up by your other device so feedback is eliminated.

When presenting with the main computer that is running the zoom session and screen sharing you will want the zoom mic muted as well as your speaker output.

With the device at the board you will be able to hear your students using your wireless earbud and they will be able to hear you where ever you are located in the room because the wireless earbuds are also equippred with a mic.

Caution! Do not forget you have a mic on when walking are the room conversing with the students.

One way to be deal with this is to leave the mic on the “chalk tray” and tell your remote learning to use the raise hand function if they need you. When they raise their hand you will see a notification pop up on the screen.

I often use this strategy even if I am at the board because teaching with an earbud in your ear can make it difficult to hear the students in your class talk and you can’t read lips with their masks on!

Showing a Video Clip During a Presentation

It seems like an easy task but if you want to play a video clip from your computer it does require some quick adjustments. If you try to play the video from your computer that is running the zoom session you will get some feedback. To prevent this, you will need to mute your zoom mic with your device that is at the board and then allow speaker output from your computer and turn on the zoom mic so your at home learners can listen in. Undo the previous steps to go back to teaching mode.

Collaboration and Remote Learning

With tons of plexi glass, sanitizer and social distancing some schools allows us to still do collaborative activities and labs. Including remote learners is pretty easy. Simply, group your remote learners with an in class group and ask at least on of the group members in class to join the zoom session. Once they are in add you remote learner to and their lab partner to the breakout room.

When students sign into the zoom tell them to have their volume down because if they do not they will generate feedback. The feedback problem goes away when they are in a breakout room. I have my students use headphones if they have them.

Summary

Teaching remote students and an in-person class at the same time can be taxing on the brain. Even after doing this for almost an entire school year I rarely get through the week without messing up audio and getting feedback. It comes with the territory I suppose. To set this up, download the checklist . If you have any issues drop me an email (brad@usbiologyteaching.com) or leave a comment below and I will help you out.

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