Human Biology & Health Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 13)

Tracking COVID-19's Genomic and Clinical Evolution

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Over time, viruses evolve. Their evolution is influenced by both neutral drift, the natural mutation rate of the virus, and selective pressure from the hosts' immune systems. Scientists study a virus's genomic evolution—the changes at the nucleotide and amino acid level—to better understand how the virus is spreading and the clinical implications. You can use public databases and tools to do the same type of tracking and analysis of COVID-19 that scientists around the world do. … Read more

Use Machine Learning to Identify Lyme Disease-Transmitting Ticks

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Ticks are a growing public health concern in North America, as their populations and the diseases they carry, like Lyme disease, are on the rise. But how can we help people identify the ticks they encounter to reduce their risk of infection? With artificial intelligence! In this project, you will gather image data of three different tick species and use a convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify them. You will also apply image augmentation techniques to expand and enhance the dataset,… Read more

Wearable Limp Detection Device

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Have you (or anyone you know) ever sprained an ankle or broken a leg? It might have taken some practice to walk again after recovering from an injury. Some people might even need to work with a physical therapist. In this project you will program a wearable device to recognize when someone is limping instead of walking normally. Read more

What Is Normal Body Temperature for Humans?

STEM Activity

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What is a normal body temperature for humans? Have you heard people say it is 98.6°F or 37°C? You will find out for yourself if that is fact or fiction in this simple activity. Read more

What’s Your Ideal Walking Speed?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Walking may seem simple, but it is actually a carefully coordinated process involving balance, rhythm, and efficiency. The way we walk—our gait—changes depending on speed. At slower speeds, people tend to take shorter, more careful steps. At faster speeds, stride length usually increases and step frequency (cadence) rises to keep up. Biomechanics researchers study these patterns to understand how speed influences gait mechanics and stability, since walking is one of the most… Read more

When Your Sniffer Snoozes, You've Got Olfactory Fatigue

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

The holidays are a wonderful time, when lots of good foods and good smells come from the kitchen. But have you noticed that if you stay in the kitchen awhile, you no longer notice the delicious smells? Don't worry! Your nose is not broken, you are just experiencing olfactory fatigue—basically, that's when your nose takes a nap. But what is behind olfactory fatigue and what happens when you experience it? Does a person's sense of smell "get tired" in the same way for different smells? Put… Read more

Why and How do We Breathe?

Lesson Plan Grade: 4th

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Breathing occurs effortlessly, but did you ever wonder how we breathe? In this lesson, students will make a model to discover how air effortlessly flows in and out of our lungs. Next, students will compare lung breathing to other ways of breathing to discover reasons why humans might have developed lungs. Remote learning: This lesson plan can be conducted remotely. Students can work individually and independently during the Explore section guided by the video and the Student Worksheet. A set… Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

4-LS1-1. Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

Can you spot the dot?

STEM Activity

Have you ever wanted to make something disappear (maybe your homework!)? In this activity we will take advantage of the way your eyes and your brain talk to each other, to make colored dots seem to appear and disappear (sorry, it probably won’t work on your homework)! Read more

Comparing COVID-19 Variants: A Real-World Look at the Effect of Mutations

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-12th

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We hear about COVID-19 variants all the time, but what is a virus variant, how do they come about, and why do they matter? Students will explore these question and more in this lesson plan. They will use SimPandemic, a free online tool, to model what COVID-19 outbreaks look like when communities are exposed to different COVID-19 variants and understand how genetic mutations in a virus can lead to functional changes. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
MS-LS3-1. Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism.
HS-LS3-2. Make and defend a claim based on evidence that inheritable genetic variations may result from (1) new genetic combinations through meiosis, (2) viable errors occurring during replication, and/or (3) mutations caused by environmental factors.

Deep Knee Bends: Measuring Knee Stress with a Mechanical Model

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Are you interested in things like prosthetic limbs and artificial joints that can help people with disease or injury to lead a normal life? Or maybe you're interested in sports medicine or physical therapy? Either way, this project could be a good match for you. Find out how the tension on the knee joint changes as a function of angle by building a simple mechanical model. Read more

Human Biology & Health Projects, Lessons, Activities (156 results)

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