Human Biology & Health Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 15)

Immunotherapy: How Antibodies Can Be Used to Treat Diseases

Lesson Plan Grade: 8th-12th

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In this lesson, students will do a series of activities to explore the role of antibodies in our immune system. They will also investigate how doctors use monoclonal antibodies as part of immunotherapy to treat diseases like cancer. Read more

Measuring Heart Rate with Your Own Stethoscope

Lesson Plan Grade: 4th

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In this fun, hands-on lesson, students explore their heartbeats and learn about blood circulation. They will make their own stethoscopes, use them to measure their heart rates and investigate how heart rate is affected by exercise. 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.

Model How R naught (R₀) Shapes an Epidemic

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Even during a global pandemic like COVID-19, there are differences in how the epidemic unfolds within communities. Some communities see early, large waves of infected individuals, while others see smaller numbers of infections over a longer period of time, and others may not appear to have an epidemic at all. Could R₀ (pronounced R naught), account for some of this variation? R₀, the basic reproduction number of a disease, quantifies how many people, on average, an infected… Read more

Modeling Biologic Manufacturing

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-9th

In this lesson plan, students will model the complex biologic manufacturing process. First, they will model the cellular expansion process that occurs in a bioreactor. Then, students will lyse the cells to isolate the proteins from the dyed cell debris. Lastly, they will model the advanced filtration process to purify proteins so they can be used as medicines. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-LS1-2. Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways the parts of cells contribute to the function.

Play a Memory Game with Your Nose!

STEM Activity

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Take a deep breath: freshly baked cookies, smoke from a wood fire, or a bouquet of roses—your nose is an amazing smell detector! Your sense of smell can not only identify a huge variety of odors, but it is also incredibly sensitive. Think about how easily you can detect if someone in your neighborhood has a barbecue just by smelling hints of smoke from a faraway grill. But how good is your nose when it comes to differentiating individual smells? Do this activity to find out! … Read more

Saving a Life: Heart Valve Replacement

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

Students use their knowledge about how healthy heart valves function to design, construct and implant prototype replacement mitral valves for hypothetical patients' hearts. Building on what they learned in the associated lesson about artificial heart valves, combined with the testing and scoring of their prototype heart valve designs in this activity, students discover the pros and cons of different types of artificial heart valves based on materials, surgery requirements,… Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
MS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.

Scentsational Memories

STEM Activity

Did you know that approximately 2 million people in the United States have no sense of smell? Lack of smell is a disorder known as anosmia, and can be caused by damage to the nerves that transmit information from your nose to your brain. Our sense of smell serves an important purpose, we use it to distinguish between edible and inedible items in our lives, including fresh or rotten foods, and even particular toxins that have strong, unpleasant smells. In this activity you will test the scent… Read more

Seeing Science: The Size of the Full Moon Rising

STEM Activity

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Have you ever noticed how the moon appears bigger at the horizon, just as it is rising over the treetops, than it does later in the evening when it is overhead? Of course, the size of the moon does not change, but our perception of its size changes based on where it is in the sky. In this activity, you’ll investigate Emmert’s law, which helps explain the full moon illusion, and estimate the size of the perceived increase in size of the moon at the horizon. Then you… Read more

Sensing with Your Feet!

STEM Activity

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How many objects do you think you are touching with your hands every day? A lot! Every time you touch something, your hands are able to feel how smooth, cold, warm, or rough the object is. In fact, your hands and fingers are so good at sensing details of shapes and surface textures that they are able to identify an object just by touching and without seeing it! You probably know that already because you have tried that before. Here is the challenge though: Do you think your feet can do the… Read more

Should We Walk Like Penguins? How Age Affects Your Stride

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Watch out for that ice! When winter weather makes sidewalks icy, many people slip and fall. One tip doctors give is to walk like a penguin. That means pointing your feet slightly outward, keeping your center of gravity over your feet, and taking short, careful steps. Research has shown that these changes in stride and posture help people stay stable and avoid falls. These tips are especially helpful for older adults, who are more at risk of falling due to a decline in their balance as they… Read more

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

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