Interactive Activities
Interactive activities are mainly online labs or educational games. These sites provide instantaneous feedback and, for the most part, will not allow the user to progress until the correct choice is made. They are a fun way to review topics and practice techniques introduced in class lectures. Difficulty and duration will vary with each site but all of the sites provided here are appropriate for high school biology.
Note: All of the activities featured on this page are internet based and most require Macromedia's Flash or Shockwave to be downloaded on your computer. The downloads are free and most sites requiring these programs will prompt you to download them if they are not already loaded on your computer.
Activities List
Crossword Puzzles
-provide the correct term for each of the provided clues
*click on "the virtual scope" to access the interactive microscope
-learn to use / practice using the compound light microscope - a very realistic simulation!
-view and identify 10 different biological specimens
-rearrange provided terms into an organized outline
-dissect a virtual plant cell
*click "the virtual cell tour" to access this activity
-tour an animal cell in 3-D by cutting, rotating, and zooming in on specific organelles.
-construct a model of a plant cell by loading a truck with the proper organelles
-based on the individual's nutritional requirements, select meals to provide a chosen person with a balanced diet
-rearrange provided labels and parts to create an organized diagram
-investigate the amount of energy different foods provide by "feeding" runners and measuring the distance they travel
-working as a "cell division supervisor", successfully control cell
growth and division to repair cell death in tissue
*to advance through the introduction & access this activity, click "next" at the bottom of page
-based on their mitotic phase, classify 36 different onion root tip cells to determine
the amount of time a dividing cell spends in each phase of mitosis
-using the provided pieces, build a diagram that represents the given mitotic or meiotic stage
-replicate an organism's DNA then use the DNA to identify the organism from which it came
-create mRNA from DNA then select the correct amino acids to make the protein
-translate mRNA codons into amino acids while playing a tic-tac-toe type game
-manipulate a dragon's alleles (genotype) to create the requested phenotype
-learn the basics of Mendelian genetics by crossing pea plants
-use your genetics knowledge to produce 25 wrinkled peas before you run out of money
-solve genetics probability problems based on the inheritance patterns
of the provided alien race
-compare your physical traits to other online visitors
-determine your genotype based on the physical traits displayed by you and/or your parents
-arrange the given genes along the chromosome based on the provided recombination frequencies
-determine which type of blood should be given to each ER patient
-complete a karyotype by matching the provided chromosomes
with their corresponding homologue
-cut a segment of DNA and paste it into a bacterial plasmid
-make a DNA probe and use it to determine the location of a particular gene
-sort and measure DNA strands by running your own gel electrophoresis experiment
-use DNA profiling to solve a fictitious crime
-determine which individuals were present at a crime scene or
identify a man's biological children using gel electrophoresis
-correctly perform various forensic science tests (DNA isolation, blood typing,
gender typing, & DNA fingerprinting) to solve the made-up mystery - play more than once,
there are more than 20 different scenarios!
-Choose a pre or post industrial revolution setting then hunt for peppered moths in the forest
and watch how the population changes.
-test the effects of selection, mutation, and chance on the evolution a fictitious species
-use a dichotomous key to identify any of the 22 provided plants
-using skeletal clues, determine the classification system of the provided organism
-follow the spread of the HIV virus through a population and see if you can identify
the original carrier(s)
-select the body parts and coloration and see if your fish will survive
in the habitat you have chosen
-explore the inner anatomy of the following by clicking rather than cutting
-Frog
-Owl Pellets
-using your visual memory, create a composite sketch
of the suspect involved in a fictitious crime
-Assemble a 3D jigsaw puzzle of the human body. Choose the gender and then place
the provided pieces. Four puzzles available: organs, muscles, skeleton, or nervous system.
-reconstruct a dismantled human skeleton
-construct a body (male or female) by correctly positioning provided organs
-investigate prosthetic parts made from biomaterials in the "Case of the Stolen Hand" or learn
about the human heart in the "Case of the Ailing Heart"
-with some guidance, perform a virtual heart transplant
-investigate the effects of damage to eye muscles and nerves on the motion of the eyes
*the "i" button (bottom right of page) provides simulation info.
-examine the effects of light color, light intensity, and CO2 concentration on
a plant's photosynthetic abilities
-place the given organisms in their proper place within the food chain
-Terrestrial Food Web
-Aquatic Food Web (scroll to bottom of page & click "play the food web game")
-Grasslands, Antarctic, and Marine Food Webs
-Meadow, Artic, and Pond Food Webs
-adjust temperature, food, and moisture levels and see the effect on population growth
-As a member of the Quichua, an indigenous tribe of the Ecuadorian Amazon, make decisions
about ecotourism and see how your decisions effect your tribe.
*on the left menu, click "run smog city" to access this activity
-investigate the effects of population level, weather conditions, and emission levels on the city's
air quality index throughout the day
Contribute 
Additions
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Know of a great interactive activity? |
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Page Updated 6-12-08
Links Verified 4-28-09
