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Use this lesson plan to learn about an article type called Explainers that is published by Science News Explores in print and online. You can also access a lesson plan template that can be used with any Explainer article. Explainer articles take a deep dive into a key scientific concept or process.

Use this lesson plan and the provided template to have your students practice the Cornell Note-taking System with any article. This literacy strategy organizes notes into two columns that provide structure for note-taking, analysis and review and that will help increase students’ learning, comprehension and retention.

Scientists have discovered that Dicyrtomina minuta, a species of globular springtail, can perform the fastest backflip of any animal on Earth. Use this discussion to have students review how the research team studied springtail backflips by analyzing high-speed footage.

Then, in this related activity by DataClassroom, have students analyze graphs of the springtail research data to learn about the linear velocity, angular velocity, linear acceleration and rotational acceleration of springtail flips using this Stacked Graphs and Biophysics with Spring-Loaded Arthropods activity. Create a free account to view the student-facing dataset and activity within the DataClassroom web application. View the teacher answer key here.

Learn how scientists use vampire bats' unusual locomotion to investigate mysteries of their blood-based metabolism. Then, answer questions about this study’s experimental design and discuss how chemical analysis data can support conclusions and answer scientific questions.

Students will learn how their bodies help protect them from bacteria, viruses and other foreign invaders. Have students review the major components of the immune system and investigate the life cycles of a few prevalent pathogens of polar bears, focusing on the mode of transmission and effects of being infected by the pathogen. Students will then infer why polar bears are being exposed to these pathogens more regularly.

Wildlife smugglers beware: A new border-patrol agent may scurry into nearby airports. Learn how African giant pouched rats in tiny red vests are being trained to sniff out elephant ivory and other illegal goods from at-risk species. Then answer questions about the ethics of the experimental design of animal studies and the value of biodiversity.

"Cats are liquid." You may have heard this playful saying before. Cats earn a reputation for oozing in and out of some tight spots. But lately, some scientists started wondering whether they’d fit through an opening of any size. Learn how scientists have developed controlled in-home experiments to address such questions scientifically. Answer questions about independent and dependent variables and compare two similar experiments in terms of experimental design.

To survive, creatures need to be able to sense many aspects of their environment, including food options. Scientists have recently discovered that the northern sea robin, an oceanic fish, has legs used for walking and also for tasting, to find buried meals. Begin a unit on natural selection/evolution by reviewing what these terms mean. Then, provide example organisms to explore their different types of adaptations (structural, physiological and behavioral). Finally, have students create their own species with adaptations specific to unique human- or natural disaster-influenced habitats.

Biologists didn't design their experiments looking for glow-in-the-dark feet, but sometimes scientific failures yield surprising discoveries. If glowing toes sound batty to you, learn how scientists illuminate the secrets of a flighty mammal while answering questions about the scientific process.

A recent study found that a species of globular springtail can perform the fastest backflip of any animal on Earth. In this activity, students will research another Olympics-worthy arthropod competitor and describe how they’d measure performance in their imagined sports event.

Coral reefs are one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. Along with providing food and shelter for a variety of marine organisms, coral reefs reduce erosion and protect coastal cities from storms. However, coral reefs are threatened by the effects of climate change. In this activity, students will model the complex interactions that occur within corals, their ecosystem and the Earth’s spheres to learn about how climate change harms coral reefs. After modeling how these interactions change with increasing ocean temperatures, students will brainstorm potential ways to solve or mitigate coral bleaching.

Students will observe animal behavior via live camera feed and reflect on their observations. Then they will learn about how animal behaviorists use camera traps and field observations to infer meaning from animal behaviors.