Human Biology & Health Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 16)

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.

Preventing Outbreaks with Herd Immunity

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-12th

What is herd immunity, how is it achieved, and what impact does it have on outbreaks? Students will explore these questions and more in this lesson plan. They will then use SimPandemic, a free online tool, to model different levels of viral immunity in communities to understand how a population can reach the herd immunity threshold and the impacts that has on individuals and populations during a COVID-19 outbreak. Remote learning adaptation: This lesson plan can be conducted remotely. … 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.
HS-LS2-8. Evaluate evidence for the role of group behavior on individual and species' chances to survive and reproduce.

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.

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

Stopping Superbugs!

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

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If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, why do you have to take them for several days and not just once? Why do you need to finish taking them even if you feel better? If you do not follow the doctor's orders, you might contribute to the creation of antibiotic-resistant "superbugs"! In this lesson, your students will roll dice to model how bacteria respond to treatment by antibiotics, and find out what happens if treatment is stopped too early. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-LS4-4. Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals' probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
MS-LS4-6. Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time.

Using Vaccines to Fight Outbreaks

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-12th

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What exactly is a vaccine? Can vaccines prevent outbreaks? How effective does a vaccine need to be to help a population during an outbreak? Students will explore these questions and more in this lesson plan by first learning the biology behind vaccines. They will then use SimPandemic, a free online tool, to model different vaccine parameters to understand how vaccines affect both individuals and populations during a COVID-19 outbreak. Remote learning adaptation: This lesson plan can be… Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-LS2-1. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
HS-LS2-8. Evaluate evidence for the role of group behavior on individual and species' chances to survive and reproduce.

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.

Human Biology & Health Projects, Lessons, Activities (157 results)

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