Using this lesson worksheet, computers and a simple programming interface, students step through and build a simple program to sequentially calculate all of the variables in the Hardy Weinberg equations. By building the program in sequence it is hoped that students will learn the sequence to solve a Hardy Weinberg problem and appreciate the value and power of computer number crunching capabilities as well as sequential programming considerations.

By building a program to determine the valence of ANY element on the first three rows of the Periodic table, students learn the steps to solve the problem while learning how to program logic and think about processing data in sequence. NOTE: The worksheet includes the option of letting students create a bug that they have to fix.

The lessons posted on this site were designed to engage students with real-world data relevant to content taught in middle school and high school science courses, and to foster an understanding of ways in which they might gather organize, analyze and interpret the data in order to draw scientifically valid inferences, interpretations and conclusions. Most of the labs use computer-based technology of spreadsheet programs or the Python programming interface. The Python lessons guide students in computational thinking to create simple programs to manipulate data. The lessons also provide students (and teachers) with instructions and guidance in the use of these technologies. Teacher and Student worksheets, as well as any supporting files, are linked to from links at the top of each lesson webpage as well as from the downloads page ("downloads" link on the scrolling menu to the left).

This hands-on exercise introduces students, grades K-8, to the idea of soil as a habitat for many different organisms, links between the biological adaptation of an organism and the physical demands of its habitat, and identification of soil and aquatic organisms. The activity includes objectives, standards addressed, materials needed, teaching tips, procedure, questions with potential answers, summary of learned material, and additional resources. The exercise was a product of the Soil and Environmental Camp June 2003. PDF document.

Students create a spreadsheet (or use the one provided) to gather planet data and put in categories. They massage spreadsheet to tease out relationship between distance from sun and revolution speed. They use data to predict speed and/or distance for Ceres, the new dwarf planet between Mars and Jupiter.

David Boeri reports that the Massachusetts Advocacy Center released statistics indicating that the student failure rate in the Boston Public Schools has increased by 24 percent. Boeri notes that school officials have raised promotion standards but that students are unprepared. Boeri interviews Anne Wheelock (Massachusetts Advocacy Center) and Robert Schwartz (Director, Boston Compact) about the failure rate in the schools. Wheelock says that the schools must create a climate which allows all students to succeed. Wheelock says that non-promotion will cause an increase in the drop-out rate. She adds that schools must provide remedial services for at-risk students. Schwartz says that a high school diploma must signify a minimum amount of achievement on the part of students. He adds that students should not be promoted unless they meet achievement standards. Schwartz admits that schools need to do more to help at-risk students. Boeri analyzes that failure statistics for African American and Latino students. Boeri's report is accompanied by footage of students exiting a school and by footage of students in a classroom.

Students will learn positive and negative effects of wildland fire and begin to form their own positions toward or opinions about fire ecology. Students will be able to explain some possible positive and negative effects of wildfires. Visit this website for more information on fire safety in your home.

"Pre" extension - The first extension creates programming to ask the user for values that are needed to figure out the frequency of individuals showing the recessive trait. This is THE one number needed to calculate all the other frequencies. The frequency of individuals showing the recessive trait is the only one that can be observed in a population BUT it is not always given in the word problem.
"Post" extension - The second will take the frequencies and apply them to an actual population number to generate actual numbers of individuals of the 3 genotypes and numbers of each allele … in that population.

Footage of racially integrated music and math classes at the Solomon Lewenberg Middle School. Pam Bullard interviews two Lewenberg School students, Xerxes Hammond and Alfred Tiberi, about the school. Both students praise the school and its teachers. Bullard interviews Jim Pardy (Assistant Headmaster, Lewenberg School) about the opening of school, school integration, and how budget cuts have affected the Lewenberg School. Pardy says that the school had a strong academic record for the previous year. Pardy says that a cuts to the school staff have resulted in larger classes this year. Pardy notes that the Lewenberg School is an example of a successfully integrated school in an African American neighborhood. Pardy says that the socioeconomic backgrounds of the African American and white students are very similar.

Students massage (by sorts) spreadsheet data to tease out the relationships between latitude, angle of the sun, surface area of light beam and temperature. Also introduces possible confounding variable of elevation and the need to control for elevation.
• Uses data in a spreadsheet (provided) and flashlight beam lab or Sketchup file to see light surface area increase or decrease with angle change.

Data pattern recognition exercise where students compare the two daily datasets (for one month) to find relationships.

This lesson plan offers middle school students an overview of the physical and emotional changes of adolescence. Students will explore emotions experienced each day and how these emotions can impact behavior. Students will explore emotions experienced each day and how these emotions can impact behavior. Students will examine their school behaviors and identify ways to change negative behaviors into positive behaviors.

Students roll vehicles down and inclined plane placed at various heights and measure distance traveled. Recorded and graphed data reveals an unexpected data trend (due to friction force).

African American students and white students in woodshop and sewing classes at the Martin Luther King Middle School. Exterior shots of the Martin Luther King Middle School.

Hope Kelly reports on the Timilty Middle School in Boston. Kelly notes that the Timilty School is a magnet school with successful reading and math programs for its students. Kelly adds that there is a waiting list to get into the school. Kelly interviews William Moran (Timilty School) and Shirley Gonsalves (Timilty School) about the school and its programs. Moran says that the students at the Timilty School are successful. He adds that many come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Gonsalves talks about the benefits of school desegregation. Kelly reviews the history of school desegregation in Boston. She notes that many critics cite the absence of middle-class and white students as a reason for the continued failure of the Boston Public Schools. Kelly reports that the Timilty School was named a National School of Excellence in 1989. Kelly's report is accompanied by footage of students and teachers in classrooms and in the hallways of the Timilty School. This tape contains additional footage of students and teachers in classrooms at the Timilty School.