Links for K-12 Teachers | Assessment Assistance | On-Line Practice Modules | Daily Dose of the Web

 Gateway - Biology

Interactive sites to help students practice skills needed for the Biology Gateway exam
Links verified 5/27/08
Cells | Interactions | Photosynthesis and Respiration
Genetics and Biotechnology | Diversity | Biological Evolution
Tennessee Item Sampler | Tennessee Practice Test Indiana Item Sampler
Released tests - Texas Assessment of Academic Skills [EOC Biology] (TAAS) Spring 2002 | Spring 2001 | Spring 2000
Virginia SOL 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005

a site for teachers | a PowerPoint show | Adobe Acrobat document | a Word document sound | video format | interactive lesson | a quiz | lesson plan | to print

1. 3D Cells - Learn about cell structure and function by viewing QuickTime movies and interacting with 3D worlds.
2. An index of cell structure animations
3. Animal Cell Anatomy - a good clean drawing from Enchanted Learning
4. Animal Cells or Plant Cells - Bacteria Cells - Roll your cursor over parts of a cell drawing to see the name, or follow a link for more information
5. Animal and Plant Cells -
6. Clickable Eukaryotic Animal Cell - To identify each of the structures or organelles within these cells, click on the blue terms.
7. Cell Biology A Virtual Tour
8. Cell Structure - This site is part of a New York review site for their Regents exam.
9. Index of Cell Resources at Enchanted Learning - plants, animals, and bacteria (Caution: Some resources are only for members)
10. Make a Model of a Cell - The purpose of this lab is to make a 3D model of a cell in order to better understand the parts and workings of a cell.
11. Organelle Quiz - Correct each error by clicking on the incorrect word or phrase. Correct picks will result in the insertion of the correct word or phrase above the error.

1. Diffusion and Osmosis - Not interactive, but this page provides good illustrations
2. Diffusion and Osmosis from the Lab Bench at Prentice Hall - several chapters, each with excellent animations

1. An index of Mitosis/Meiosis animations
2. The Cell Cycle & Mitosis Tutorial - Interphase and Mitosis diagrams with a link to a mitosis movie at the bottom of the page.
3. Cell Cycle Quiz - Correct each error by clicking on the incorrect word or phrase. Correct picks will result in the insertion of the correct word or phrase above the error.
4. Learn the steps in mitosis with a set of excellent images.
5. Learn the steps in mitosis with an interactive Java tutorial
6. Interactive Mitosis Tutorial - requires Shockwave
7. Animal Cell Mitosis - This animation demonstrates the stages of mitosis in an animal cell.
8. Mitosis animation - a follow up quiz is included
9. How Cells Divide - a great interactive site from Nova
10. Mitosis & Meiosis from the Lab Bench at Prentice Hall

1. The Compound Light Microscope
2. How To Use A Microscope Properly! Tricks of the trade that were designed to make your life easier!
3. Micro*scope - a microscopic image database that contains over 6,500 images and over 3,000 descriptions (This site opens in a new page.)
4. Microscope use and proper care from a science lab procedure tutorial

1. Basic Wet Mount
2. Dry mounts, wet mounts and staining
3. Zebrina Leaf and a Wet Mount

1. An index of Mitosis/Meiosis animations
2. Meiosis tutorial - This exercise is designed to help you understand the events that occur in process of meiosis, which takes place to produce our gametes.

1. Nobel E-Museum presents a microscope timeline
2. Antique microscopes
3. The History of the Microscope
4. Benjamin Martin, an Eighteenth Century English instrument maker, is considered one the greatest designers and manufacturers of microscopes of his time.
5. A short history of the microscope

1. Chemistry of Life - a University of Arizona web site

1. Carbohydrates, lipids and proteins and how to test for the presence of these organic molecules

1. An index of a dozen cellular transport animations
2. Interactive Passive or Active Transport
3. Comparison of passive and active transport
4. Passive Transport Versus Active Transport

1. E-LAB-Mitosis and Meiosis
2. A diagram comparing and contrasting mitosis and meiosis
3. Mitosis and Meiosis - from the Lab Bench at Prentice Hall - several chapters, each with excellent animations

1. Homeostasis and Negative Feedback
2. Homeostasis - Control Systems
3. Review of homeostasis by the New York Regents Exam review site

1. The Sizes of Living Things - Thinking about the Surface Area
2. SA/V Ratio and Rate of Diffusion - a lab posted by NSTA
3. Modeling limits to cell size - a lab

1. Mutualism and commensalism - simple definitions and a list of links to use
2. Symbiosis

1. Global Warming from the U. S. EPA
2. Infrared Map of the Earth - Greenhouse Effect
3. Paleo Perspective on Global Warming
4. Warnings from the Ice - from NOVA

1. Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium Model
2. Java applets illustrating gene dropping - There are two applets, each contain the same ten pedigrees.
3. Population and Evolutionary Genetics - The Hardy-Weinberg Law
4. Understanding a Gene Pool - You will make a model gene pool based on an initial assumed population, collect data to test the Hardy-Weinberg principle, compare your data to predictions in a cross-multiplication table, and use a model gene pool to examine the change in allele frequencies caused by harmful genotypes in a given environment.

1. An index of cellular respiration animations
2. The Energy Relationships in Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis: the Balance Sheet
3. Photosynthesis - a large document with lots of good illustrations
4. Photosynthesis Study Guide - No answers, but good review questions to test your knowledge.

1. Cell Organelles: The Chloroplast
2. Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis - from the Lab Bench at Prentice Hall - several chapters, each with excellent animations

1. Understanding the Global Carbon Cycle

1. Chloroplasts of Elodea
2. An index of Elodea images
3. A photograph of Elodea with a pointer directed at the cell wall between two cells

1. Transpiration - transfer of water from plants to the atmosphere

1. An index of cellular respiration animations
2. Aerobic and Anaerobic Respiration - an interactive, animated exploration of cellular respiration
3. Aerobic Respiration
4. Cell Respiration - from the Lab Bench at Prentice Hall - several chapters, each with excellent animations

1. Photosynthesis and cellular respiration - this site includes many excellent images
2. Photosynthesis, the beginning of energy's flow through life

1. Overview of Cellular Respiration - Clickable map for brief explanations
2. Cellular Respiration - a review from PinkMonkey.com

1. Aerobic respiration is by far the most efficient method
2. Catabolism: aerobic & anaerobic respiration

1. Light Reaction: The Map - an image map with clickable areas
2. What process limits the rate of photosynthesis at low light levels
3. Relationship between the Light Dependent and Light Independent reactions

1. Using Chemical Energy to Drive Metabolism

Genetics Education Center - for educators interested in human genetics and the human genome project
DNA Interactive - includes an interactive timeline and 15 lesson plans

1. Asexual Reproduction from the New York Regents Test prep site
2. Sexual Reproduction from the New York Regents Test prep site

1. Mendel's Monohybrid Cross
2. Monohybrid Cross Problem Set - The following problems have multiple choice answers. Correct answers are reinforced with a brief explanation. Incorrect answers are linked to tutorials to help solve the problem.
3. Monohybrid Cross - an interesting interactive site

1. Model For A Monohybrid Cross Exhibiting Simple Dominance
2. Dragon Genetics. This activity explores the relationship between genotype and phenotype, using both sex-linked and autosomal dominant and recessive traits. By manipulating alleles (genotype), you create corresponding changes in the dragon's physical appearance (phenotype).
3. Greenomes - laboratory and bioinformatics exercises to introduce students to modern plant genetics
4. Mendel's Peas Web Lab - The Princess and the Wrinkled Peas.

1. Computer Model of the DNA Helix
2. The Nucleic Acids
3. Extract Your Own DNA - You can see your own DNA with the unaided eye. Using this simple PowerPoint, your students will learn how to extract and view their own DNA. (easy-to-follow instructions for a great, hands-on learning experience)
4. How to make a model of DNA - This model can be tough to make, but well worth the effort. You'll learn some great science along the way too!
5. An index of DNA replication animations
6. Make a Candy Model of DNA - (learn how the nucleotides are formed, and how it all fits together) This model can be used to show replication, splicing, and other functions involving the DNA double helix.

1. Dominant and Recessive Traits - a worksheet

1. An index of protein synthesis animations
2. DNA from the Beginning – This site is organized around key concepts. The science behind each concept is explained by: animation, image gallery, video interviews, problem, biographies, and links.
3. DNA Replicating Itself - from the Graphics Gallery
4. DNA Replication - the short story - using a zipper as an example
5. DNA Workshop - The activity in this section places you within the cell, involving you with the processes of DNA replication and protein synthesis.
6. DNA Replication - a good animation

1. Sex-Linked Inheritance Problem Set - The following problems have multiple choice answers. Correct answers are reinforced with a brief explanation. Incorrect answers are linked to tutorials to help solve the problem.
2. Inheritance patterns of mongenic disorders
3. Your Genes, Your Health - a multimedia guide to genetic disorders
   

1. Principal features of the five basic Mendelian inheritance patterns
2. Incomplete dominance - an interactive problem set
3. Analogy for a Polygenic Trait with a Single Locus of Large Effect

1. Genetic Origins - The study of human evolution begins with your DNA.
2. How DNA Evidence Works
3. Create a DNA Fingerprint - from NOVA OnLine
   

1. DNA Replication - DNA makes DNA
2. Gene Expression: Transcription
3. Gene Translation: RNA -> Protein
4. Java applets illustrating gene dropping - There are two applets, each contain the same ten pedigrees.
5. Molecular Biology - from the Lab Bench at Prentice Hall - several chapters, each with excellent animations, plus a quiz.

1. Dihybrid Cross Problem Set
2. Dihybrid Cross Problem 2 - When does a phenotype ratio of 9:3:3:1 occur?
3. Genetics Practice Problems - includes monohybrid cross, testcross, incomplete dominance, dihybrid cross, multiple alleles and codominance, trihybrid cross, sex-linked genes, sex-influenced traits, epistasis
4. Interactive dihybrid cross - two characteristics (seed color and seed texture) are considered.
5. Punnett Square examples - for Monohybrid and Dihybrid crosses

1. Karyotyping Activity
2. The extra copy of chromosome 21 in this karyotype identifies this individual as having Down's syndrome.
3. What Can Our Chromosomes Tell Us? - a look at a karyotype

1. Introduction to Biomes - provides a listing of the food web in each biome

1. The World's Biomes: Freshwater, Marine, Deserts, Forests, Grasslands, Tundra
2. Biome Summary
3. Biomes of the World from the Missouri Botanical Garden
4. Habitats/Biomes from Enchanted Learning - provides a good summary of biome characteristics

1. Carl von Linne and the Linnean System of Nomenclature
2. An Introduction to the Principles of Taxonomy

1. Animal and Plant Classification - [this link opens on a new page]
2. Classification of Plants & Animals from the Franklin Institute Online
3. Classifying Critters - a series of classification challenges

1. Biome Summary

1. Dichotomous Keys - Prepared by: Laurie Kleager
2. Make a Dichotomous Key - Classroom Activity at Enchanted Learning
3. Key to macro invertebrate life in a pond. After you see the key, go to the Aquatic Critter Key and try your skill.
4. What Tree is it? - a dichotomous key to use for tree identification

1. Insect Metamorphosis - after learning about metamorphosis students visit selected web sites to determine whether each insect undergoes complete or incomplete metamorphosis
2. Insect Growth and Metamorphosis

1. Finding Lines of Symmetry - from a Geometry lesson
2. Symmetry - Video showing animals with symmetry and asymmetry.

1. Mirror Symmetry
2. Forward Motion: Bilateral Symmetry
3. Spherical Symmetry

1. Make a Dichotomous Key - Classroom Activity at Enchanted Learning
2. Key to macro invertebrate life in a pond. After you see the key, go to the Aquatic Critter Key and try your skill.

1. Alternation of Generations

1. The Fossil Record - a lesson plan from Discovery.com
2. Geologic Time from USGS

1. Biological consequences of global warming: - article
2. Climate Change Information Kit - Article by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which engages hundreds of the world’s leading experts in reviewing the most up-to-date, peer-reviewed literature on the scientific and technical aspects of climate change

1. Ways in which a fossil may be formed - several good images are included
2. How Fossils Form - from EnchantedLearning.com

1. Evolution - evidence from living organisms
2. Fingerprinting: a Lesson on Classification - comparing charactristics to develop a system of classification
3. The "Nuts and Bolts" of Taxonomy and Classification - This exercise illustrates the creativity involved in taxonomy and the roles form and function, ancestral traits and derived characters play in generating classification schemes.

1. Make it a Habitat - consider the adaptation of life forms through natural selection

1. Carbon 14 Dating Calculator - Find the years that have elapsed from how much Carbon 14 remains or find the percent of Carbon 14 remaining after a given number of years.
2. Use the % C-14 in a table to assign dates to events - A lesson which makes use of the C14 calculator above
3. Radiometric Dating and the Geological Time Scale
4. C 14 Quiz - Press the continue button to generate true or false statements about C 14 then answer a series of questions.

1. Haeckel and the Vertebrate Archetype
2. The embryonic development of all vertebrates shows remarkable similarities
3. Which embryo is human? - DNA and the Developing Embryo

1. Biological Evolution Quiz - testing the concept of replicators as the concept relates to genes and their roles in evolution.
2. Birds, Beaks, and Natural Selection - A Simulation
3. DNA Mutations - excellent illustrations and animations from Cancer Quest

1. Destination: Galapagos Islands - Cyber Field Trip Student Activity - "DNA Adventure: The Web of Life"

1. Hominid Species Timeline - A chronological chart which shows the main Hominid species (apes in blue, human species in red) and their approximate relationships in time
2. Evolutionary and Geological Timelines
3. Hominid species - the evolution timeline
4. Human evolution timeline - move the slider forward and backward to move through time, or roll your cursor over a specimen to learn more about that species
5. Evolution of the Universe - The incredible story of you! (three timelines are available - choose by clicking on the timeline index)
6. Evolution timeline from Time.com
7. Origins of Humankind - from WGBH, a PBS station in Boston
8. Human Evolution: The fossil evidence in 3D - UCSB online 3D gallery of modern primate relatives and fossil ancestors of humans. This gallery contains five modern primate crania, and five fossil crania. The crania can be rotated 360 degrees.
9. A Pictorial History of Life on Earth
10. Geologic Time Scale from Enchanted Learning