HS-LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
- Climate
Shining light on photosynthesis
Ever wonder how soil and seeds transform into bushes and trees? And why do these plants have specific requirements for light and water? Are there conditions that push plants to the brink? Explore such questions by taking a deep dive into the chemical processes of photosynthesis. Create a series of comics to illustrate how green plants convert light energy into stored chemical energy. Then, investigate how changes to light, water and temperature can impact plants’ ability to photosynthesize and how plants can adapt when conditions aren’t ideal.
- Earth
Planning a Garden Plot
Gardens have many functions ranging from vegetable and fruit production to flood mitigation and erosion control. Gardens also can be a haven for pollinators and a repository for native plants. Over the course of a year, students will design a garden for their school or a community organization using scientific concepts they learn in class.
- Neuroscience
Counting connections in a tiny brain
Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “Scientists have mapped an insect brain in greater detail than ever before,” which explains how researchers approached finding more than 500,000 neural connections in the larval fruit fly brain. A version of the article, “The fruit fly brain in exquisite detail,” appears in the April 22, 2023 issue of Science News.
- Neuroscience
Studying the brain 101
Students will be introduced to neuroscience by learning about nerve anatomy and physiology, and they will research different methods of studying the brain. Learning Outcomes: Develop an understanding of how scientists approach the study of the brain.
- Genetics
CRISPR Explained
Students will learn how CRISPR gene-editing technology works and discuss its applications and its importance to research. Learning Outcomes: Learning about CRISPR and why it is an important technology
- Genetics
Prairie voles can couple up even without the ‘love hormone
Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “Prairie voles can find partners just fine without the ‘love hormone’ oxytocin,” which explores how scientists upended a common understanding of the hormone by using CRISPR technology. A version of the article “Voles don’t need oxytocin to bond” appears in the February 25, 2023 issue of Science News.
- Animals
Making sense of animal worlds
In this activity, students will discuss how literary devices can be used to convey scientific concepts, research how an animal of their choice senses the world and compose a piece of creative writing based on what they find.
- Life
Deep-sea ‘Octomoms’ Seek the Heat
In this guide, students will answer questions about how scientists discovered that octopuses laying eggs in warm waters near geothermal springs are speeding up hatching. Students will then define rates and their units of measurement for biological and chemical processes and discuss factors that affect rates.
- Animals
Rates and what affects them
Students will define rates and their units of measurement for biological and chemical processes before discussing factors that affect rates.
- Animals
Octopus moms seek the heat
Students will answer questions about the Science News article “Some deep-sea octopuses aren’t the long-haul moms scientists thought they were,” which describes how octopuses laying eggs in warm waters near geothermal springs speed up hatching. A version of the article, “Deep-sea ‘octomoms’ seek the heat,” appears in the April 9, 2022 issue of Science News.
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- Humans
Dig into bones
Students will discuss the physical properties of human bones and how bones can offer evidence to support scientific claims. Then students can search Science News for examples of how bones have been used as evidence.
