JoinAll Resources
Book Chapter
Why Should Anyone Care About Evolution?
This chapter is designed as a final evaluation and serves as a culmination for EVO. Students are asked to develop an argument for evolution. The lesson begins with the question, Why should anyone care about evolution? Students present their ideas. T...
Book Chapter
This chapter begins by asking students the questions, Who was Charles Darwin? and What do you know about him? After collecting students’ current knowledge about Darwin, the EVO DVD provides background on the explorations and experiences that result...
Book Chapter
This chapter uses an invitation to inquiry strategy to answer the question, What is natural selection? The students are engaged by a problem of a farmer trying to eliminate flies from a barn. Students explore reasons for the return of the flies. This...
Book Chapter
The lesson, in this chapter, begins with the concept of species. Students have a general understanding of what species are. They know, for example, that an evergreen and an oak tree are two different types (i.e., species) of trees. However, scientist...
Book Chapter
Where Do Variations Come From?
This chapter begins with students observing genetic variations within a population they know well: their own populations. They confront the question, How can you explain the variations? The EVO DVD provides an overview of the origin of genetic variat...
Book Chapter
What Role Does Cooperation Play?
The lesson, in this chapter, begins by asking students to think of a situation where they both compete and cooperate. They then identify a team sport such as basketball or volleyball to explore the theme of cooperation. The EVO DVD explains that coop...
Book Chapter
What Is a Brief History of Life?
Most students have problems with the scale of geologic and evolutionary time. This lesson helps students understand the scale of geologic time and the evolution of life. Students try to figure out something within their understanding that equals one ...
Book Chapter
The lesson, in this chapter, begins with students sharing with one another their views about evolution. The EVO DVD presents the controversy. Students then write one paragraph titled “Biological Evolution: What Is the Controversy?” The major aim ...
Book Chapter
This lesson centers on three ideas—randomness, patterns, and purpose—as they relate to natural phenomenon in general and biological evolution in particular. As these are relatively complex ideas, the lesson uses observable patterns in nature as a...
Book Chapter
By observing and discussing the characteristics of an insect, students will be able to identify the physical characteristics of an insect and explain that insects come in a variety of forms, colors, and adaptations. ...
Book Chapter
Students use small containers to follow scent trails that end at a field or alternative final destination. At the end of this activity, students will be able to describe how and why insects use their sense of smell for pheromone communication....
Book Chapter
As students listen, imitate, and identify the sounds of insects, students will be able to recognize and identify the sounds insects make. They will also be able to explain that insects call to communicate....
Book Chapter
Water Bugs: Insects as Indicators
Students, in this activity, will be able to determine the health of a body of water through investigation and inquiry. Students will be able to describe insects found in water using a hand lens and a microscope....
Book Chapter
In this activity, students research interesting things about insects or things found around an insect habitat, like a field or garden, to write a journalism-style story describing the events at an insect habitat. ...
Book Chapter
Students, in this activity, will be able to observe broadly and focus closely to discover seasonal changes taking place within a local habitat. Then students will act as naturalists spending time documenting their observations by writing and sketchin...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students will be able to create art that depicts insects. They will research and present information about the insect they chose to depict....
Book Chapter
By having students role-play the responsibilities of bees to create a simulation of a honeybee hive. Students will be able to understand the structure of a honeybee hive and how different types of bees help the hive function. This sample chapter als...
Book Chapter
Students will be able to identify and describe the points of view of different citizens in a fictitious community dilemma and express opinions about competing theories in this activity. Students will be able to develop an understanding of how communi...
Book Chapter
Students, in this activity, will be able to examine and discuss their own values around real-life environmental scenarios that involve insects....
Book Chapter
In this activity, students will be able to identify the behaviors of insects in their natural habitat by having the students explore the world around them. ...
Book Chapter
Students, in this activity, create a list of living and nonliving things found within a field habitat and discuss their relationships, through the creation of a simulated web using a ball of yarn. At the end, students will be able to describe the liv...
Book Chapter
Students, in this activity, learn the life cycle of an insect from egg to adult through discussion and acting out their growth stages....
Book Chapter
By comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences between insects using T-Charts and Venn diagrams, students will be able to identify the similarities and differences between insects and other species as they compare and contrast two diff...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students describe and demonstrate the basic act of pollination and the characteristic movements of honeybees and other insects through a relay race. ...
Book Chapter
By having students discuss the ingredients that make up a healthy insect habitat and create a seed ball for habitat enhancement, students will be able to understand the components of a pollinator garden. ...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students will color and hide insects to learn about camouflage and use their sense of sight to search them out. By doing this, students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of how camouflage and bright coloration is used for ...
Book Chapter
By having students will move through an outside area or school hallway to discover butterfly picture cards with messages that describe their migration challenges, students will be able to describe migration as a regular seasonal movement and identify...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students will be able to describe the mouth parts of insects and determine which is most effective for specific food types. ...
eBook
Bringing Outdoor Science In: Thrifty Classroom Lessons (e-book)
When it’s just not possible to take students out to explore the natural world, bring the natural world to the classroom. Clearly organized and easy to use, this helpful guide contains more than 50 science lessons in six units: Greening the School, ...
Journal Article
This article describes The Concord Consortium's High-Adventure Science Project, which brings frontier science into the classroom, allowing students to explore questions in Earth and space science that scientists are currently investigating....
Journal Article
Science 101: Why Do Leaves Fall Off Trees in the Fall?
This column provides background science information for elementary teachers. In this month’s issue the author discusses the leaves of deciduous trees....
NSTA Press Book
DVD ONLY EVO: Ten Questions Everyone Should Ask About Evolution
Draw on the wit and wisdom of brilliant scientists to inspire your students as you teach them about a challenging area of biology. This teacher’s guide, which accompanies the EVO DVD, is structured around 10 fundamental questions about biological e...
By John Feldman
NSTA Press Book
You Want Me to Teach What? Sure-Fire Methods for Teaching Physical Science and Math
Problem: You feel shaky about being assigned to teach upper-level science and math and need to get up to speed—fast. Solution: Follow this concise book’s tried-and-true methods, which you can integrate into your classroom and lesson plans startin...
By Norman LaFave
NSTA Press Book
BOOK ONLY EVO Teachers Guide: Ten Questions Everyone Should Ask About Evolution
Draw on the wit and wisdom of brilliant scientists to inspire your students as you teach them about a challenging area of biology. This teacher’s guide, which accompanies the EVO DVD, is structured around 10 fundamental questions about biological e...
By Rodger W. Bybee, John Feldman