Grades 6-8
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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.
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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.
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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
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.
Article
Plant/Arthropod Interactions
Not all arthropods are equal in the eyes of plants. To attract helpful ones and fend off harmful ones, plants use their important chemical and mechanical attributes.
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.
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!
Polar Projection
If you've ever compared a map of the world and a globe, then you've seen how Antarctica can get really distorted. See how a polar projection map solves that problem.