Reviews new documentation of the extent, timing, origins, dispersal mechanisms, and impacts of biological invasions in the Great Lakes basin. (ZWH)

Discusses studies by Donald LaSalle showing that students' performance can vary widely over the day according to the workings of their individual biological clocks. Presents exercises to help children identify their own "body rhythm prime time" and suggests rescheduling instruction to accommodate these differences. Condensed from…

A practical experiment on the PCR is described that has been used over several years as part of an undergraduate biochemistry and molecular biology course for chemistry students. In the first experimental session, students prepare their own DNA samples from epithelial cells of the mouth and use them as templates in the PCR. In the second session,…

Described is a tilting cage used to record the activity of a mouse over a 24 hour period. The construction of the apparatus, methods used and data analysis are discussed. Follow-up class activities are suggested. (CW)

Reports on dietary substances which act against cancer-causing agents. Indicates that adapting a lifestyle which combines reduced fat intake with increased fiber-containing foods will reduce the risk of some common cancers. Provides teaching strategies and activities to help students analyze their lifestyles for a reduction in cancer risk. (RT)

Discussed is the nature of cyanide poisoning. Included are sources of the cyanide ion, the mechanism of poisoning, the biochemical basis for treatment, and therapeutic measures. (BT)

States that teaching the concepts of evolution to secondary school and college students is difficult. Presents a playing card game-based simulation that teaches the complex idea of natural selection in a simple, nonthreatening way. Includes three figures, one table, and step-by-step instructional procedures. (CFR)

Presents a play for students in grades four to nine that incorporates the scientific names, physical characteristics, feeding habits, interactions, and interdependence of the plants and animals that make up the Great Lakes food web to facilitate the learning of this complex system. Includes a Great Lakes food web chart. (AIM)

Units of study to help secondary students learn about the aging process are provided. There are five units. Major concepts taught in the first unit, "Chronological Aging," are that aging is a continual process, that generational cycles ensure survival, and that species depend on each other for survival. In the second unit, students learn…

This book describes one approach to building and operating biogas systems. The biogas systems include raw material preparation, digesters, separate gas storage tanks, use of the gas to run engines, and the use of the sludge as fertilizer. Chapters included are: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Biogas Systems are Small Factories"; (3)…

This book is an outlined for the short study (1- to 2-weeks) of chronobiology, a field of science that explores the relationships between time and biological functions. It develops step-by-step the reasoning that leads to the current scientific understanding of biological rhythms. The unit can be inserted into a standard middle or high school…

Presents a model for teaching the principles of evolution. The model presents three major factors that direct changes and affect an individual's fitness. Uses and adaptations of the model are suggested. (Author/SA)

Presents a method for teaching high school students about evolution at the genus level as well as at higher taxons. Activities for a laboratory project and laboratory techniques are described. (SA)

Units of study to help elementary children learn about the aging process are provided. There are five units. In Unit I, "Chronological Aging," children learn that aging is a continual process, that generational cycles ensure the survival of the human species, and that species depend on each other for survival. Unit II deals with…

Based on the idea that active participation stimulates the processes by which learning takes place, this document provides teachers and students with a variety of information and learning activities that deal with plants and animals in nature. Basic concepts are presented through the use of laboratory experiments, worksheet exercises, diagrams,…