The Ups and Downs of Weather
A Carolina EssentialsTM Demonstration Total Time: 10-30 mins Prep: 10-30 mins Earth and Space Science 6-12 Middle/High School Overview Three concepts are paramount to understanding weather basics: temperature, pressure, and the Coriolis effect. Air temperature and pressure affect the density of an air mass. Differences in density set up convection currents that move air both […]
Invertebrate Biodiversity and Abiotic Factors
A Carolina EssentialsTM Investigation Total Time: 4+ days Prep: 30 mins | Activity: 4+ days Life Science | Earth Science 9-12 High School Overview Understanding the relationships between biotic diversity and abiotic factors in an ecosystem can be a difficult task. Using soil invertebrates, students can identify both the number of species present in a […]
Wisconsin Fast Plants® Monohybrid Crosses Inquiry
A Carolina EssentialsTM Investigation Total Time: 1 hour Prep: 30 mins | Activity: 1 hour Life Science 9-12 High School Overview In this scientific inquiry activity, students germinate F2 generation Wisconsin Fast Plants® seeds and identify the phenotypes and possible genotypes of the F2 generation plants. Based on phenotypic ratios, the genotype may be refined. […]
Introduction to Wisconsin Fast Plants® Phenotypes
A Carolina EssentialsTM Investigation Total Time: 30 mins Prep: 30 mins | Activity: 30 mins Life Science 9-12 High School Overview In this scientific inquiry activity, students investigate phenotypes using Wisconsin Fast Plants® seeds. After the seeds germinate, students identify the phenotypes and the possible associated genotype. Students can investigate possible Mendelian crosses by completing […]
Comparative Metamorphosis
A Carolina EssentialsTM Investigation Total Time: 30 mins Prep: 30 mins | Activity: 20 – 30 mins Life Science 5-8 Elementary | Middle School Overview This change-over-time, construction of an explanation activity serves 2 purposes. First, students observe development of 3 different insects from the larva or nymph stage through the adult stage. Second, students […]
Termite Pheromones
A Carolina EssentialsTM Investigation Total Time: 30 mins Prep: 90 mins | Activity: 30 mins Life Science 9-12 High School Overview This investigation demonstrates how worker termites sense pheromones. Students observe and document motions of termites under 2 different conditions: pencil circles and pen circles. The investigation may be used as a discovery introduction or […]
Water Quality Awareness
A CAROLINA ESSENTIALS ACTIVITY What is the current state of the global water supply? Total Time Prep: 15 mins Activity: 15 mins Life Science, Environmental Science Grade Level 6-12 Middle | High School Quick Links Close Quick Links Open Quick Links Introduction Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Analysis Kit Resources Introduction Essential Question NGSS Materials […]
Succession on Mount St. Helens
A Carolina EssentialsTM Activity Total Time: 45-60 minutes Prep: 15 mins | Activity: 45-60 mins Life Science | Earth and Space Science 9-12 High School Overview This data analysis and data visualization exercise uses a small portion of data generated by the biologist Roger del Moral from the University of Washington, Seattle. Students analyze the eruption and […]
Which Leaf Shape Can Hold the Most Butterfly Eggs?
A Carolina EssentialsTM Activity Total Time: 30 minutes Prep: 30 mins | Activity: 30 mins Life Science K-5 Elementary School Overview This is an elementary-level inquiry activity for students to investigate the relationship between leaf shape and the number of butterfly eggs that can be laid on a leaf. Students will build on their knowledge […]
An Inquiry into Seed Germination
A CAROLINA ESSENTIALS INVESTIGATION Total Time Prep: 15-20 mins Activity: 40 mins Life Science | Environmental Science Grade Level 6-10 Middle/High School Quick Links Close Quick Links Open Quick Links Introduction Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Analysis Kit Resources Introduction Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Analysis Kit Resources Introduction This NGSS-aligned activity is a student […]