Life Sciences Resources

Evolution and Genetics

This website brings a lot of media, research, and scholarship together to describe and trace human evolution.
Fast plants are, well, plants that grow fast. They are expected to have harvestable seeds in 40 days, perfect for projects with evolution. You can learn more and purchase seeds on this website.
This is a link to the "Genetics Home Reference". It is great for brushing up on the basics of genetics and provides helpful videos and pictures that are great to present to students due to their length and simplicity.
The Human Genome Project is dedicated to mapping and decoding our genes.
PBS has an evolution website that contains a lot of media links and mini-lessons. They also have resources for educators and a short video series for students.
The Tree of Life project is an international endeavor to provide phylogenetic information and general characteristics about organisms from around the world. It is a catalogue of sorts with beautiful photos.

1. Scientific theory = colloquial/personal theory

2. Evolution is unobservable

3. Evolution is not testable or repeatable

4. Teaching both (science and religion) “sides of the story” is fair in a science class

5. Teaching both (science and religion) “sides of the story” is legal in a science class

6. Teaching creationism and intelligent design in science class is appropriate

7. Evolution theory explains the origin of life

8. The Earth is very young (a few thousand years old)

9. Evolutionary fitness is determined by who is the strongest and biggest.

10. “Competition for resources” always involves fighting.

11. Organisms are aware of their changes over time (anthropomorphism)

12. Organisms change because of a need (teleological reasoning)

13. “Higher” organisms can direct their evolution, unlike “lower” organisms

14. If traits are used during a life time, they are heritable (Lamarckian ideas)

15. Natural selection is the only mechanism of evolution.

16. Natural selection can be defined by “survival of the fittest.”

17. The environment induces evolutionary changes.

18. Humans “came from” apes.

19. New species are formed by a “blending” of two existing species.

20. Evolution is progressive (following a path).

The Tech Museum of Innovation - Stanford University has a great site that includes an "ask a geneticist" feature.
The University of California Museum of Paleontology is focused on discovering the history of life and has many collections of marine and land fossils
This site has everything a teacher might need to teach evolution. This site is for both teachers and students because it has many excellent links explaining evolution as well as a very in depth explanation on how to teach evolution.
This site has many online interactive exploration activities that would help students understand everything about genetics (genes to proteins). I would give this site to any student interested in learning more about genetics.

Systems Biology

Cellular and Microbiology

Health Sciences

Environmental Sciences

This website is an on-line magazine that aims to connect researchers and educators about the importance of getting kids outside to learn. The CNN organization is a huge proponent of Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods book. They have designated the month of April Children & Nature month.
Find out more about how Colorado Division of Wildlife is committed to education and outreach. There are links on this page to Project Wild, Project Wet, and Learning Tree programs.
Environmental Inquiry for high school students. Cornell University. Students learn specific research protocols and conduct interactive research projects.
EETAP is a program that provides professional development to teachers, as well as resources to support environmental education.
The EPA office of Environmental Education has information for fellowships, grants, resources, and professional development opportunities.
Global Sustainability curriculum finder. Enter your grade level and subject and it takes you to hands-on lessons with action extensions.
This is a site that was started here in Fort Collins and is very useful for finding ways to be environmentally friendly (being sustainable not just about global warming). It is mostly a compilation of links that lead you to the right places to find things like bike maps, recycling, local growers, alternative energy and etc... I would send students here if they become interested in finding out how to be greener or if I want to take a group of students to a green event.
This site provides ways to have kids do ecological research and get outdoors. It includes lots of activities and assessments, and data can be submitted to the site and compared across the country. It was created by Annenberg Media. This is a purpose blip from the site: "Seasonal change is all around us. Children see it in the length of a day, in the appearance of a flower, in the flight of a butterfly. Journey North is a free, Internet-based program that explores the interrelated aspects of seasonal change. Through interrelated investigations, students discover that sunlight drives all living systems and they learn about the dynamic ecosystem that surrounds and connects them."
Natural Inquirer - a middle school educational journal that discusses environmental issues of today. The reading material is for middle school students, but could be modified to meet the needs of high school students. There are also lesson plans for educators on environmental issues
NatureServe is a conservation biology group that emphasizes making scientific knowledge available to benefit ecosystems, maintain biodiversity, and inform decisions.
This is a site that promotes objective energy education. Great resources for the classroom as well as professional development opportunities.
National Environmental Education Foundationg (NEEF) is a K12 program that helpssupport formal K12 educators integrate env. sci into their classrooms.
Project Learning Tree - great interdisciplinary resources; lesson plans that have been developed and tested by teachers first. Most materials are K-8 friendly, but there are others that are more high school oriented.
Science Teacher Program
An interactive map that uses EPA data to display toxic chemicals in communities.
The Wild Classroom program has all kinds of materials on biodiversity issues relevant to classroom teaching. Their activities are aligned to the National Science Education Standards too!

Botany

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