Diffusion and Osmosis
All cells are bound by some type of permeable or semipermeable membrane that governs the ions, small molecules, and large molecules that enter and leave the cell. Diffusion is the general process of movement down a gradient that results in equal concentrations of solutes on both sides of the membrane. When water is the molecule entering or leaving the cell the process is osmosis. This guide breaks down the important information students need to know, provides links to products and free digital resources, and includes suggestions for hands-on-labs that reinforce student learning.
Teaching the Cell Cycle and Mitosis
Mitosis is a process ubiquitous to life, and a foundational topic necessary for the understanding of advanced topics like growth and development, reproduction, and many disease processes. However, students are often completely unfamiliar with mitosis. A comprehensive lesson plan for covering the topic is critical for building a foundation for student success in your biology […]
Webinar: Three Essential Strategies for Teaching NGSS Phenomena
 The goal is not to teach as many examples of phenomena as possible but to maximize learning by teaching with science phenomena. There are many teaching strategies but there are 3 at the top of that list when using examples of phenomena. Learn what these 3 essential teaching strategies are to get students to […]
Webinar: Think Like an Engineer
The science classroom is an ideal environment to nurture the curious young mind. The perfect place for students to learn how to think like scientists and engineers. If you have been teaching science to students, then more than likely you have been teaching your students how to think like a scientist, but have you been teaching […]
Chemistry Solutions Practice Problems
Naming the Elements
Over 100 named elements are listed on the periodic table. Some of these elements are common and very familiar, and others are so rare that they exist for just part of a second before they decay. Did you ever wonder how these elements get their names? Some of the names of elements we know today […]
The Science of Popcorn
Introduction Popcorn is one of the world’s favorite snack foods. In the US, Americans consume as much as 18 billion quarts of popcorn each year, which equates to 56 quarts per person. Some nutritionists call it a perfect snack food because it is a whole grain, a good source of fiber, and low in fat. […]
Hydrogen Spectrum Activity
Objective To observe hydrogen’s emission spectrum and to verify that the Bohr model of the hydrogen atom accounts for the line positions in hydrogen’s emission spectrum. Introduction Bohr’s model of the atom explains hydrogen’s spectrum but does not satisfactorily explain atoms that have more than 1 electron and proton and is, therefore, not the currently […]
How to Make Luminol Glow: Glowing Reaction Activity
Luminol is a chemical that produces a beautiful blue fluorescence when oxidized by hydrogen peroxide. In addition to providing one of the best-known examples of chemiluminescence, it is also a valuable crime scene investigation tool whose blue glow reveals the presence of blood. For teachers, demonstrating the luminol reaction can add to discussions of oxidation-reduction […]
Photosynthesis Modeling with Pop Beads
While studying photosynthesis, students can have difficulty understanding how the carbon in CO2Â becomes the carbon in glucose (6H2O + 6CO2?C6H12O6Â + 6O2). To clarify this concept, have your students create a basic diagram of the Calvin cycle by drawing a large circle on a piece of white drawing paper and dividing the circle into thirds. Use […]