Middle School Science Lab Activities
Biology can be difficult to teach in a classroom with limited resources. I've posted up some successful activities for both 7th and 8th grade that are relatively inexpensive and supplies are easy to obtain.
Problem Based Learning Exercises (PBLs)
PBLs are inexpensive and encourage students that tend to shy away from the sciences to get involved. PBLs are meant to captivate the audience and place them in a critical thinking situation. Each act provides hints as to what the problem and students are to use the clues provided to understand the main concept. Students become captivated by the story when characters are familiar pop culture icons, because then the fun lies in pretending to a celebrity for a few moments. At the end of every act, students fill out a table that requires they think about the story and problem solve.
I have written two problem based learning exercises, one for the phases of the moon and one for wrapping up natural selection, evolution, and fossils. The phases of the moon PBL requires kabob sticks, styrofoam balls from the craft store, and a light source such as a projector or simply a window with sunlight. At the end of the PBL, students use the light source to see what part of their styrofoam moon is illuminated depending on where it is positioned in front of the earth (They are the earth).
I have written two problem based learning exercises, one for the phases of the moon and one for wrapping up natural selection, evolution, and fossils. The phases of the moon PBL requires kabob sticks, styrofoam balls from the craft store, and a light source such as a projector or simply a window with sunlight. At the end of the PBL, students use the light source to see what part of their styrofoam moon is illuminated depending on where it is positioned in front of the earth (They are the earth).
| lunar_phases_pbl.pdf |
The Evolution and Fossils PBL titled, "Diggin' Through Time," requires skeletons of a rabbit (or mammal), frog (or any 4 limbed species), fish, and a sting ray. Pictures of these animal skeletons can work just as well, but students become very visually engaged when a real skeleton is presented in front of them. I recommend contacting local institutions to see if you can borrow the materials.
| evolution_and_fossils_pbl.pdf |
BIOLOGY & GEOLOGY
SURVIVOR- A lab activity on limiting factors
For this outdoor lab activity, students pretend to be newly hatched crickets that must search and compete for food, water and shelter. Food is a bag of candy hidden in the grass (under leaves), water is mini water-bottles (also hidden) and shelter is a small corner marked off by tape. Before students begin, some have been parasitized and killed off by disease. We assigned disease by picking one student (generally the one talking the most at the start of class) and observing who they talked to thereby "spreading" the disease.
For this outdoor lab activity, students pretend to be newly hatched crickets that must search and compete for food, water and shelter. Food is a bag of candy hidden in the grass (under leaves), water is mini water-bottles (also hidden) and shelter is a small corner marked off by tape. Before students begin, some have been parasitized and killed off by disease. We assigned disease by picking one student (generally the one talking the most at the start of class) and observing who they talked to thereby "spreading" the disease.
| environmental_factors.pdf |
SYMBIOSIS: PARASITISM, MUTUALISM, AND COMMENSALISM
Symbiotic Super Powers
Symbiotic Super Powers
https://vimeo.com/128943934
This series of films introduces students to a wide variety of symbioses in the world today, and the series of videos focuses on current, cutting edge research on the aphid-bacteria symbiosis being conducted by Dr. Alex Wilson in the Department of Biology at the University of Miami.
This series of films introduces students to a wide variety of symbioses in the world today, and the series of videos focuses on current, cutting edge research on the aphid-bacteria symbiosis being conducted by Dr. Alex Wilson in the Department of Biology at the University of Miami.
I have also posted a presentation I've several times, both for Science Made Sensible and Science Stars with the Miami Science Museum. The cards and activity were borrowed from Josh Lord at the University of Oregon Institute of Marine Biology and can be found on the website: http://pages.uoregon.edu/oimb/Academics/GK12/Lesson%20Plans/4th%20Symbiosis.pdf
The game works really well and students get very competitive and involved. I divide the class into three groups and give them the same stack of cards. Each group is to find their type of symbiosis. If the mutualism group gets their answer correct, they get 3 points and the other groups get 1. If the parasitism groups gets a pair correct, they get one point and the other groups lose a point. If the commensalism group gets their pair correct, they get two points and the other groups get none.
The game works really well and students get very competitive and involved. I divide the class into three groups and give them the same stack of cards. Each group is to find their type of symbiosis. If the mutualism group gets their answer correct, they get 3 points and the other groups get 1. If the parasitism groups gets a pair correct, they get one point and the other groups lose a point. If the commensalism group gets their pair correct, they get two points and the other groups get none.
| symbiosis__presentation.pptx |
| symbiosis_cards.pdf |
GEOLOGIC MYSTERY
This is a worksheet on Pangaea. It asks students to use fossil evidence and fossil distributions to understand which continents have drifted apart in the past.
This is a worksheet on Pangaea. It asks students to use fossil evidence and fossil distributions to understand which continents have drifted apart in the past.
| Fossil Descriptions |
| Student Worksheet |
PLANT EVOLUTION
This lab explores why characteristics of plants such as multicellularity, photosynthesis, and the vascular system were important steps for plants in becoming what they are today. Station directions and students worksheets are in the provided document. All supplies were purchased from Carolina Biological.
This lab explores why characteristics of plants such as multicellularity, photosynthesis, and the vascular system were important steps for plants in becoming what they are today. Station directions and students worksheets are in the provided document. All supplies were purchased from Carolina Biological.
| plant_evolution.pdf |
INVASIVE SPECIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA
The enemy release hypothesis states species accumulate natural enemies (such as parasites, predators, and diseases) in their native habitats. When they escape their native habitat, by introduction to a new habitat, they escape their natural enemies. They can then devote resources to growth and reproduction rather than defense. This lab uses two species, Wild Tamarind (Lysiloma latisiliquum) a native legume in South Florida, and Woman's Tongue (Albizia lebbeck) an invasive to South Florida and a native to the southern Asian tropics, to demonstrate the enemy release hypothesis. This lab was adopted from the Ecology Laboratory course at the University of Miami.
The enemy release hypothesis states species accumulate natural enemies (such as parasites, predators, and diseases) in their native habitats. When they escape their native habitat, by introduction to a new habitat, they escape their natural enemies. They can then devote resources to growth and reproduction rather than defense. This lab uses two species, Wild Tamarind (Lysiloma latisiliquum) a native legume in South Florida, and Woman's Tongue (Albizia lebbeck) an invasive to South Florida and a native to the southern Asian tropics, to demonstrate the enemy release hypothesis. This lab was adopted from the Ecology Laboratory course at the University of Miami.
| enemy_release_hypothesis.pdf |
Physical Science
These labs explore forms of energy, the conservation of energy, and chemical and physical changes.
WORLDS TASTIEST BATTERIES
This lab explains how batteries work and asks students to set up an experiment to test the question of which fruit or vegetable would make a better battery. Students then explain the different types of energy that flow from the fruit and vegetable batteries to a small LED light bulb. Students then draw a graph to compare the voltage from the different fruit/vegetable batteries.
This lab explains how batteries work and asks students to set up an experiment to test the question of which fruit or vegetable would make a better battery. Students then explain the different types of energy that flow from the fruit and vegetable batteries to a small LED light bulb. Students then draw a graph to compare the voltage from the different fruit/vegetable batteries.
| Batter Lab MS Word |