In this minds-on activity, students are introduced to the concept of ecosystem services. Then, students analyze two examples that illustrate how some wild animals protect human health.

First, students learn how the widespread use of a veterinary drug poisoned vultures in India. This increased the populations of rats and feral dogs, which caused an increase in human mortality due to rabies and other infections.

Second, students analyze how a human-spread fungal infection killed millions of North American hibernating bats. The loss of insect-eating bats caused farmers to increase their use of insecticides, which led to increased infant mortality.

I have prepared two versions of the Student Handout. The more complete version will be suitable for most high school students, and the simpler version will be suitable for most middle school students and English language learners in high school.

In this analysis and discussion activity, students learn how meiosis produces genetically diverse gametes, by analyzing the results of crossing over and independent assortment.

Students figure out why no two siblings (except identical twins) have exactly the same alleles.

A final section contrasts sexual reproduction with asexual reproduction.

In this analysis and discussion activity, students develop their understanding of the effects of environmental factors on population growth by analyzing the recovery of endangered species and how growth of bacterial populations can cause food poisoning.

Students learn about the processes that result in exponential or logistic population growth, interpret data from several investigations, and apply their understanding to policy questions.

In this analysis and discussion activity, students learn about basic coral biology and coral bleaching.

Then, they research topics related to corals or coral bleaching.

In this analysis and discussion activity, students investigate several examples of plants that have grown in odd shapes.

As students analyze these anchoring phenomena, they learn (1) how the zones of cell division and elongation contribute to the growth of stems and roots; (2) how the effects of a plant hormone on cell elongation contribute to plant responses to light and gravity; and (3) how differentiated cells (xylem cells, phloem cells and photosynthetic cells) cooperate to supply all parts of the plant with needed molecules and ions.

In this activity, students interpret data from scientific studies, develop and refine scientific models, and answer additional analysis and discussion questions.

This activity can be used in a unit on cells or as an activity on development after students learn about cell division.