An alumna tells her journey from AVID student to university graduate. Listen as she explains how she chose her college, major and career path. Then ask questions about college life.

In this interactive study, students will work in small teams to complete a fun, tactile challenge that illustrates the value of conservation and biodiversity. This presentation will be led by local herpetologist Hew Murdoch. Herpetology is the study of snakes and lizards.

Human Impact on Biodiversity. Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity. (Cause and Effect). Clarifying Statement: Emphasis is on designing solutions for a proposed problem related to threatened or endangered species, or to genetic variation of organisms for multiple species.

Complete lesson plan coming March 2025.

Darwin's finches are one of the most recognizable stories of survival of the fittest, but how exactly does it work? Using various tools, ranging from tweezers to salad tongs, students act as a finch specializing in a certain food. As students discover certain tools can pick up certain foods better, they gain a better understanding of survival of the fittest and learn how to graph population fluctuation charts.

Construct an explanation based on evidence that the process of evolution primarily results from four factors: (1) the potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, (3) competition for limited resources, and (4) the proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment. (Cause and Effect) [Emphasis is on using evidence to explain the influence each of the four factors has on the number of organisms, behaviors, morphology, or physiology in terms of ability to compete for limited resources and subsequent survival of individuals and adaptation of species. Examples of evidence could include mathematical models such as simple distribution graphs and proportional reasoning.] 

Complete lesson plan coming December 2024.

We don't have to travel to a tropical rainforest to study a biologically diverse hotspot. More than half of the world's species live in the soil! This workshop will cover basic principles for doing field research while collecting and studying soil samples from your campus. Students will identify species under a microscope, and then create a soil foodweb. Basic concepts related to population ecology and maintaining ecological balance will be covered.

Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales. [Clarification Statement: Examples of mathematical representations include finding the average, determining trends, and using graphical comparisons of multiple sets of data.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to provided data.]  
 

Complete lesson plan coming December 2024.

All animals are related and have naturally evolved unique traits over time to ensure their success and survival in a given environment. Cladograms and morphology are two distinctly different tools utilized by scientists to determine the evolution of these traits. Students will participate in a simulation experience to provide evidence for categorizing with each of these models.

Communicate scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on a conceptual understanding of the role each line of evidence has relating to common ancestry and biological evolution. Examples of evidence could include similarities in DNA sequences, anatomical structures, and order of appearance of structures in embryological development.]

Complete lesson plan coming March 2025.

It has been said that an animal's evolutionary history is mirrored in its development. Whether a fish, chicken or human, as vertebrates, we all share many embryonic stages. Using a series of cards, we challenge students to match the correct stage of development with an organism only to show that all vertebrate life has more similarities than we might realize.

Communicate scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on a conceptual understanding of the role each line of evidence has relating to common ancestry and biological evolution. Examples of evidence could include similarities in DNA sequences, anatomical structures, and order of appearance of structures in embryological development.]

Complete lesson plan coming December 2024.

Discover the exciting relationship between these two branches of science, where chemistry is used to decode the history of ancient artifacts. In this class, we will explore the process of carbon dating to determine the date of a site and residue analysis to determine the diets of ancient peoples. 

*Recommended for juniors or seniors who have taken or are enrolled in chemistry.

Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on simple qualitative models, such as pictures or diagrams, and on the scale of energy released in nuclear processes relative to other kinds of transformations.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include quantitative calculation of energy released. Assessment is limited to alpha, beta, and gamma radioactive decays.]

Complete lesson plan coming March 2025.

Let us bring a hands-on station to lunchtime! Interested students will be invited to engage in a tactile learning experience that's come-and-go.