All Biology resources

Journal Article

Exploring Beneficial Species Interactions: A Phenomenon-Driven Approach to Understanding Legumes and Rhizobia Mutualism

This phenomenon-driven unit focuses on students making sense of the mutually beneficial species interactions between legumes and rhizobia. Many science classes spend less time studying the nitrogen cycle due to time constraints and more focus on othe...

By Kerrie Rovito, Lara Smetana, Michael Grillo, Alyssa Hoffman, Sydney DelGhingaro

Biology Phenomena Sensemaking

Journal Article

Journey of the Monarchs: Studying North America’s Nomadic Butterfly

Citizen Science November/December 2024...

By Jill Nugent

Middle School Biology Citizen Science Inquiry Instructional Materials Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

“Black is Beautiful”: A Culturally Relevant/Responsive High School Biology Lesson

This biology lesson uses the science of central dogma to “critique and question the politics of representation that systematically devalue[s] Blackness” (hooks, 1995, p.131). Students’ understanding of protein synthesis is extended in discussin...

By Eddie Taylor

High School Biology Equity Inclusion Interdisciplinary Life Science

Journal Article

Cultivating Teachers’ Indigenous Knowledge through Explorations of Milkweed and Phenology

Providing more equitable pedagogies to all students, including those who are traditionally underrepresented, is a high priority of science education. In this paper, we outline how we coupled Indigenous Ways of Knowing with investigations about plant ...

By Hillary Barron, Emily Mohl, Michele Koomen

High School Biology Inquiry Multicultural Pedagogy

Journal Article

Can a simple metacognitive intervention influence students’ knowledge, behavior, and performance?

Metacognition is often described as the awareness and regulation of learning. It uses strategies which include monitoring one’s own thinking, engaging in active planning and self-evaluating one’s study habits. Bloom’s taxonomy can be used as a...

By Kathleen Hefferon, Esther Angert, Anna Levina

Biology New Science Teachers Teacher Preparation Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Investigating Effects of Emergency Remote Teaching on Biology Teaching Assistants and their Approaches to Teaching

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Biology Teaching Assistants (TAs) were tasked with transitioning and adapting their instruction to an online environment by quickly implementing Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) practices. Effective online and in-person ...

By Amy Kulesza, Susan D'Agostino, Lucía Chacón-Díaz

Postsecondary Biology Distance Learning Teacher Preparation Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Snapshot Safari: Elephant Edition

Citizen Science article for the September/ October 2024 issue of Science Scope...

By Jill Nugent

Biology Citizen Science Earth & Space Science Life Science

Journal Article

Conducting authentic moth research with students to encourage scientific inquiry.

Studying moths is an excellent way to include students in science practices by introducing them to a ubiquitous but under-appreciated animal group that can be found in their local places, including urban, suburban, agricultural, forested, and other h...

By Brian Keas, Peter White, Christopher Brown, David Stroupe, Sara Best, M. LeTarte

Middle School Biology Research

Journal Article

Skulls & Scatterplots: Students Analyze Sloth Body Size Variation in the Bocas del Toro Island Region

In this unit, students explore the phylogeography of three-toed sloths (Bradypus pygmaeus and Bradypus variegatus) endemic to the Bocas del Toro islands off the Caribbean coast of Panama. After learning about the geologic history of this region, stu...

By Tyler St. Clair, Kristen Conklin-Kearney

High School Biology Interdisciplinary Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Group Learning Routines as a tool to build equitable learning experiences in a Biology classroom

The vision behind the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is that all students engage in explaining phenomena and designing solutions with three-dimensional learning. Authentic sensemaking involves opportunities for learners to share, analyze, a...

By Elizabeth Chatham, Joy Otibu, and Andrea Sau

High School Biology Environmental Science Equity NGSS Sensemaking Social Justice

Journal Article

BEE Ambassadors for Pollen

This lesson allows students to engage in sense-making through the cross-cutting analysis of the form and function of pollen, carried by pollinators. Students observe the microscopic features of pollen and how insects transport these fine, but critica...

By Laura Wheeler, Rita Hagevik, and Kathy Cabe Trundle

High School Biology Engineering

Journal Article

Caterpillars Count

Citizen Science column...

By Jill Nugent

Middle School Biology Citizen Science Earth & Space Science Instructional Materials