Grades 6-8
Activity
Make a DNA Model
Do you know what makes you different from a snail, a tree, or even your best friend? Find out with this hands-on look at genetic code—and build a model that's a million-plus-times larger than life.
Activity
DNA in a Blender
Here's a very cool experiment that just might bring a tear to your eye. Use a blender to separate the DNA from an onion. Then hold the genetic material in your hand.
Activity
What Makes You, YOU
Nature + Nurture = You! While it may look like a simple equation, the combination of your genes and your environment is actually very complicated. Find out if your answers match your family's.
Activity
Wear a Chimp on Your Wrist
How can you wear a chimp on your wrist—without getting primate elbow? The answer to this riddle is not as tough as it may seem. Need a hint? Take a closer look at genetic code.
Article
Living and Working in Antarctica Safely
Each year, more than 1,000 researchers and support staff travel to Antarctica. It's Ferris's job to make sure that each one has safety training, plus the right supplies and transportation.
Article
Parts of a Spider: Ventral View of Female Spider
If you want to know if you're holding a female, flip it over and look for the lung slit and epigynum. Get a close-up view of what both these parts look like.
Article
Parts of an Insect (Grasshopper)
The tibia's connected to the femur; the head's connected to the prothorax ... Learn the parts that make up an insect with this illustrated guide to a grasshopper.
Mercator Projection
A globe may be the most accurate way to represent the Earth, but you can't slip one into your back pocket. The Mercator projection map is certainly portable, but look what it does to Antarctica!
diagram
The Parts of a Soybean Seedling (Glycine max, Dicotyledon)
With two "seed leaves" to store food, soybean seedlings have great built-in growth resources. Learn more about these seedlings’ other components with this illustrated guide.
Article
Sea Ice in Antarctica
This Connecticut teacher traveled to Antarctica to research ice cores. Learn more about the time she spent on an icebreaker and why she's continuing to study sea ice in a graduate program.