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Investigation

Vision

In these Investigations, students will explore how we see and compare our vision to that of animals. Students will explore the nature of light and color, identify the parts of the eye and their functions, and experiment with the rods and cones in the retina to see how these cells allow us to distinguish colors and see better at night.

Lesson Options

Designed for Middle School Students

Series

Vision: Hidden Tiger

A hunting tiger relies on staying hidden to stalk and ambush its prey. But how does it stay hidden when it has a bright orange color? To solve this mystery, students will explore the nature of light and color, the sensory cells in the retina, and how human vision differs from the vision of other animals.

Standalone

Vision: Owl Eyesight

Owls hunt at night, somehow navigating through thick forests to snare small animals. While their sense of hearing is acute, they mainly rely on incredible night vision to avoid obstacles. In this standalone lesson, students will compare owl eyes to human eyes to determine how owls can see up to 100 times better than we do at night.

Vision: Go Fetch!

Bandit the Golden Retriever loves to play fetch. But when Miguel buys a set of red balls to play with, Bandit has trouble finding them in the grass. To find out why fetch works with some colors and not others, students will learn about how humans and animals see color using the cone cells in their eyes.

Lesson Materials

Vision: Hidden Tiger

Key Vocabulary Key Vocabulary Scientific Background Scientific Background Teacher Guide Teacher Guide Usage Guide Usage Guide

Vision: Owl Eyesight

Key Vocabulary Key Vocabulary Scientific Background Scientific Background Teacher Guide Teacher Guide Usage Guide Usage Guide

Vision: Go Fetch!

Key Vocabulary Key Vocabulary Scientific Background Scientific Background Teacher Guide Teacher Guide Usage Guide Usage Guide

Cell Energy Cycle

Explore the processes of photosynthesis and respiration that occur within plant and animal cells. The cyclical nature of the two processes can be constructed visually, and the simplified photosynthesis and respiration formulae can be balanced.

Flower Pollination

Observe the steps of pollination and fertilization in flowering plants. Help with many parts of the process by dragging pollen grains to the stigma, dragging sperm to the ovules, and removing petals as the fruit begins to grow. Quiz yourself when you are done by dragging vocabulary words to the correct plant structure.

Growing Plants

Investigate the growth of three common garden plants: tomatoes, beans, and turnips. You can change the amount of light each plant gets, the amount of water added each day, and the type of soil the seed is planted in. Observe the effect of each variable on plant height, plant mass, leaf color and leaf size. Determine what conditions produce the tallest and healthiest plants. Height and mass data are displayed on tables and graphs.

Plants and Snails

Study the production and use of gases by plants and animals. Measure the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in a test tube containing snails and elodea (a type of plant) in both light and dark conditions. Learn about the interdependence of plants and animals.