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This flipped clicker case study explores the fascinating relationship between the Arizona Bark Scorpion (the most venomous scorpion in North America) and the Southern Grasshopper Mouse. Initially it would seem that the grasshopper mouse is no match for the scorpion's venom; however, the grasshopper mouse is easily able to eat the scorpion and is largely immune to the scorpion's sting. By working through this case study, students learn about neuron anatomy and physiology as they explore how the grasshopper mouse is able to survive the scorpion's venom. This case study was developed for an introductory biology course for majors, but it could also be used in an introductory biology course for non-majors or in an anatomy and physiology course. The case requires that students learn basic neuron anatomy and action potential physiology prior to class by reading their textbook or by watching videos on the subjects. An optional set of guided questions tailored to Campbell Biology (10th ed.) is included in the teaching notes.

inquiryHub high school and middle school curricula are aligned to the Framework and guided by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Using research-based approaches to teaching science in a deeply digital environment, students contribute resources, observations, data, and analyses to solve larger scientific problems.  inquiryHub curricula are designed to go beyond traditional science content. By focusing on phenomena relevant to students' lives and communities, the coursesprovides opportunities to authentically engage with science and engineering practices.

The article "Data back ban of artificial trans fats" (10.8 readability score) summarizes new research showing that banning artificial trans fats in foods could reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Students can focus on details reported in the article, follow connections to earlier articles about trans fats research, engage in a classroom discussion of related scientific and government policy questions and make connections between the science of food and their health. Students can also conduct their own experiments to analyze foods for fats and then research the types of fats within different foods to make recommendations about dietary consumption.

Post the link to the Science News article "Life on Earth may have begun in hostile hot springs" to your virtual classroom. Ask students to read the article for homework and prepare for online class by answering the first question. Before the class meets, provide the students with the links to all articles they will need for class. Class discussion can be conducted via Zoom; the research and recipe-building components can be conducted in breakout rooms.

LabWrite guides student through the laboratory experience and writing a lab report.  Developed by NC State University with support from the National Science Foundation.

Information is easily accessible for teachers, administrators, parents and students. Standards-based units, lesson plans, instructional guides and project based learning designs model the integration of content, learning skills and technology standards, research-based instructional strategies, differentiated instruction and rich classroom assessments, including a culminating performance, product or project with an accompanying rubric.

Variety of hyperlinks to guide teachers and students through British Columbia's genetics standards.

Animated video walks students through a sickle cell anemia case study, guided by a genetic counselor, with breaks for questions and interactive responses.

"Survival of the Fittest: Variations in the Clam Species Clamys sweetus" is a guided inquiry. This series of hands-on activities complements the HHMI DVD Evolution: Constant Change and Common Threads and requires simple materials such as M&Ms, Reese's Pieces, food storage bags, and paper cups. This activity has been designed to engage students in thinking about the mechanism of natural selection by encouraging them to formulate questions that can be answered through scientific investigation, data collection, and pattern recognition.

This activity guides the analysis of a published scientific figure from a study that modeled the impact of an infectious fungal disease on a bat population. In 2006, a disease called white-nose syndrome (WNS) began wiping out bat populations in North America. Because many of these bats eat insect pests, the spread of WNS may devastate ecosystems and increase pest control costs. In this study, scientists mathematically modeled the effects of WNS to estimate extinction probabilities for the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) population in the northeastern United States. This figure shows these probabilities projected for five annual rates of population decline. Each projection is simulated up to 100 years after WNS emerged in the population. The "Educator Materials" document includes a captioned figure, background information, graph interpretation, and discussion questions. The "Student Handout" includes a captioned figure and background information.

The article "The difference makers" (10.9 readability score) gives an overview of transposons, or "jumping genes," and how these bits of genetic material have affected genetic variety and evolution in humans and other organisms. Students can focus on details reported in the article, follow connections to earlier articles about transposons and human evolution, explore crosscurricular connections to other major science topics, and construct a phylogenetic tree of primate evolution based on the locations of retroviral sequence insertions in chromosome 21

One common virus takes a sneaky route to success. It doesn't kill its leafy hosts. Instead, it makes infected plants smell more attractive to bees. That ensures this germ will have a new generation of the plants to host it in the future.

National Science Digital Library