Grade-Specific Lesson Plans
K-2:
- Cortex Cap Coloring: A craft where students learn the parts of the brain and their functions. We will walk step by step through the brain while coloring each lobe, then assemble their work into a hat they can wear to show off their cortex!
3-5:
- Brain Handling: Students will learn about brain structures using an actual sheep brain! Students will have the opportunity to wear gloves and hold a brain, then observe a dissection and compare the sheep brain to a human brain model.
- Microscopic Models: MPFI will bring our mobile microscopes to give students a chance to observe the microscopic world. Students will learn how to use a stereoscope to view different phenotypes in the model organism Drosophila Melanogaster. They will be able to focus, calculate magnification, and accurately convey their observations after the lesson.
- Strawberry DNA Extraction: Students learn about the molecule of life, DNA! Students take part in an experiment led by a neuroscientist that unlocks the DNA from strawberry cells and makes it visible to the naked eye!
- Brain Cell Builders: Get ready to spark some brain power! In this hands-on craft, students will explore how the brain works and meet its tiny messengers—neurons. Using colorful pipe cleaners, they’ll build their own neuron models, connect them into a classroom-wide neural network, and send messages zipping from “brain” to “body” in a fun, interactive chain reaction.
6-8:
- Brain Dissection: Students will learn about brain structures using an actual sheep brain! Students will be divided into small groups and have the opportunity to wear gloves and participate in a guided dissection and compare the sheep brain to a human brain model.
- Genetics and Model Organisms: Students will learn about the need for model organisms in research. They will learn about the most common research models and then take a deep dive on Drosophila Melanogaster – the Fruit Fly. Students will learn how to use a stereoscope to view different phenotypes in fruit flies. They will use how to use punnet squares to show the pattern of inheritance of the traits viewed. They will also learn how basic research can lead to applied research in the technique of optogenetics.
- Cheek Cell DNA Extraction: Students learn about the molecule of life, DNA! Students take part in an experiment led by a neuroscientist that unlocks the DNA from their very own cheek cells and makes it visible to the naked eye!
- Neurons and Networks: Students will learn the anatomy of a neuron—a brain cell—the principal player in the nervous system. They will also learn how neurons communicate with one another to send messages throughout the body using electrical signaling. Finally, students will learn the pros and cons of using models in science.
9-12:
- Brain Dissection: Students will learn about brain structures using an actual sheep brain! Students will be divided into small groups and have the opportunity to wear gloves and participate in a guided dissection and compare the sheep brain to a human brain model.
- Genetics and Model Organisms: Students will learn about the need for model organisms in research. They will learn about the most common research models and then take a deep dive on Drosophila Melanogaster – the Fruit Fly. Students will learn how to use a stereoscope to view different phenotypes in fruit flies. They will use how to use punnet squares to show the pattern of inheritance of the traits viewed. They will also learn how basic research can lead to applied research in the technique of optogenetics.
- Microscopy: Students will learn the basics of optics and fluorescence. They will learn the different types of microscopes used in research and the different needs they fill. Students will have the chance to observe samples using a stereoscope and a fluorescence microscope. They will be able to focus, calculate magnification, and accurately convey their observations after the lesson.
- Biotechnology and Genetics: Students will be introduced to gel electrophoresis and its vital role in biotechnology and biomedical science, with a focus on genotypes and Mendelian genetics. They will learn how this technique is used to genotype parental samples alongside their four offspring. Students will operate a gel electrophoresis system, observe pre-supplied animal DNA fragment movement through the gel matrix, and analyze the gel results to determine parent-offspring relationships. They will also apply Punnett squares to predict offspring phenotypes and compare these predictions to genotypic outcomes derived from the electrophoresis results. This lesson offers a meaningful connection between Mendelian genetics and modern biotechnology, making abstract concepts tangible. It provides students with an engaging, hands-on opportunity to link theoretical knowledge to real-world applications, such as inheritance analysis and forensic science.