What's Going On?
Check here for important dates.
Some adjustments to the calendar may occur.
TUESDAYS
The Junior Lab Rats lessons will align with the Lab Rats lessons
so that the same topics/concepts are covered simultaneously,
and thus the combined labs are coherent.
Junior Lab Rats
Upper Elementary/Middle School:
Biology Class
10:00-10:45 AM
The Rat Pack
All Levels Combined:
Biology Lab
10:45 AM- Noon
Lab Rats
Middle School/High School:
Biology Class
Noon- 1:30 PM
Biology
August 12, 2025- May 19, 2026
1st QUARTER
Unit 1: Welcome to middle school/ high school biology- How to science!
Lesson 1 8/12/25 The Nature and Chemistry of Life Science
Unit 2: Ecology
Lesson 2 8/19/25 The Biosphere
Lessons 3 8/26-25 Ecosystems and Populations
Lesson 4 9/2/25 Humans and the Biosphere
Unit 3: Cells
Lesson 5 9/9/25 Cellular Structure and Function
Lesson 6 9/16/25 Photosynthesis
FALL BREAK 9/23/25 No Class
Lesson 7 9/30/25 Cellular Processes
Lesson 8 10/7/25 Cell Division
2nd QUARTER
Unit 4: Genetics
Lesson 9 10/14/25 Genetics
Lesson 10 10/21/25 DNA
Lesson 11 10/28/25 RNA and Protein Synthesis
Lesson 12 11/4/25 Human Heredity
Lesson 13 11/11/25 Genetic Engineering
Unit 5: Evolution
Lesson 14 11/18/25 Darwin and Natural Selection
THANKSGIVING 11/25/25 No Class
Lesson 15 12/2/25 Population Evolution
Lesson 16 12/9/25 Taxonomy, The Fossil Record, and The History of Life
Lesson 17 12/16/25 Midterms: 10:00-11:15, Lunch, Party, and Movie: 11:15-1:30
CHRISTMAS 12/23 - 12/30/26 No Class
3rd QUARTER
Unit 6: From Microorganisms to Plants
Lesson 18 1/6/26 Viruses and Prokaryotes
Lesson 19 1/13/26 Protists and Fungi
Lesson 20 1/20/26 Introduction to Plants
Lesson 21 1/27/26 Structure and Function of Plants
Lesson 22 2/3/26 Plant Reproduction and Response
Unit 7: Animals
Lesson 23 2/10/26 Intro to Animals, Invertebrates: Sponges, Cnidarians, & Worms
WINTER BREAK 2/17/26 No Class
Lesson 24 2/24/26 Invertebrates: Mollusks, Arthropods, Echinoderms
Lesson 25 3/3/26 Vertebrates: Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles
Lesson 26 3/10/26 Vertebrates: Birds and Mammals
Lesson 27 3/17/26 Animal Behavior
4th QUARTER
Unit 8: The Human Body
Lesson 28 3/24/26 The Digestive System
SPRING BREAK 3/31- 4/7/22 No Class
Lesson 29 4/14/26 The Nervous System
Lesson 30 4/21/26 Musculoskeletal and Integumentary Systems
Lesson 31 4/28/26 The Circulatory and Respiratory Systems
Lesson 32 5/5/26 The Endocrine and Reproductive Systems
Lesson 33 5/12/26 The Immune System and Final Exam Review
Unit 9: Final Projects: Research Paper Due SUNDAY, 5/17/26, 11:59PM, UPLOAD to TeacherEase
Lesson 34 5/19/26 Final Exam: 10:00-11:15, Lunch, Final Project Presentations: 11:15-1:30
5/22/26 Final grades issued by 11:59 PM
Lab 1: Using a Microscope to Estimate Size & The Effect of Temperature on Enzymes
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Lab 2: Effects of Fertilizer on Algae Growth
Lab3: Ecosystems and Food Chains & Weather and Whooping Cranes
Lab 4: Acid Rain and Seeds
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Lab 5: Modeling Cell Membrane Permeability
Lab 6: Plant Pigment and Photosynthesis
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Lab 7: How Long Will I Be Blue?
Lab 8: Regeneration in Planarians
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Lab 9: Modeling Meiosis
Lab 10: Extracting Your Own DNA, & Using DNA Electrophoresis to Catch a Criminal
Lab 11: DNA to Protein Synthesis
Lab 12: Using DNA to Identify Human Remains
Lab 13: Variations in Population
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Lab 14: Naturally Selecting Sprites
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Lab 15: Competing for Resources
Lab 16: Using Dichotomous Keys, Working with Index Fossils
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Lab 18: Controlling Bacteria Growth
Lab 19: Comparing Protists
Lab 20: Investigating Stomata
Lab 21: Bending Roots (Begin)
Lab 22: Bending Roots (Complete), Dissecting Flowers
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Lab 23: Comparing Invertebrate Body Parts Microscopically by Observation and Macroscopically by Dissection of Phylum Annelida Specimen
Lab 24: Observation & Dissection: Specimens from Classes Echinodea, Asteroidea, & Cephalopoda
Lab 25: Observing the Adaptations of Live Fish & Dissection of Class Osteichthyes Specimen, Observation & Dissection: Class Amphibia Specimen
Lab 26: Observation and Dissection: Specimen from Class Mammalia
​​Lab 27: Termite Tracks
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Lab 28: Digestion of Dairy Products
​Lab 29: Locating Touch Receptors
Lab 30: Muscles, Skin, Bones, and Limbs
Lab 31: Lung Volume and The Direction of Blood Flow
Lab 32: Touch & Grow and Modeling a Negative Feedback Loop
Lab 33: Touch & Grow Results and Final Exam Review
{
ONGOING:
The Cold Case Homicide of Hope Figg
(A Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy Lab)
Earth Science
August 18, 2026- May 11, 2027
1st QUARTER DATE LESSON TOPIC LAB
Unit 1: Welcome to Middle School/ High School Earth Science- How to Science!
Lesson 1 8/18/26 Introduction to Science and the Nature of Science The Mystery Box
Lesson 2 8/25/26 Mapping and Modeling Our Earth Interpreting Political and Landform Maps
Unit 2: The Composition of the Earth
Lesson 3 9/1/26 Matter and Change Growing Crystals
Lesson 4 9/8/26 Minerals Rockhounding the Hooch
Lesson 5 9/15/26 Igneous Rocks Rockhounding Results, Comparing Igneous Rocks
Lesson 6 9/22/26 Metamorphic and Sedimentary Rocks Comparing Chemical Sedimentary Rocks and Modeling Their Formation
FALL BREAK 9/29/26 No Class
Unit 3: Earth’s Surface Processes
Lesson 7 10/6/26 Soil, Weathering, Erosion, and Mass Movements- Pt. 1 Global Soils and Climate
Lesson 8 10/13/26 Soil, Weathering, Erosion, and Mass Movements- Pt. 2 Analyzing Watersheds
Lesson 9 10/20/26 Surface Water How Does Wind Erosion Take Place?
Lesson 10 10/27/26 Ground Water In Class Research Topic
2nd QUARTER
Unit 4: Earth’s Atmosphere and Oceans
Lesson 11 11/3/26 The Atmosphere Interpret Pressure-Temperature Relationships
Lesson 12 11/10/26 Meteorology Predicting Weather
Lesson 13 11/17/26 Weather Patterns and Storms, Climate Building Hurricane-Proof Homes
THANKSGIVING 11/24/26 No Class
Lesson 14 12/1/26 Oceans and the Marine Environment,
Pt. 1, Contrasting Climate Change Documentaries, Pt.1 Contrasting Climate Change Documentaries, Pt 1
Lesson 15 12/8/26 Oceans and the Marine Environment,
Pt. 2, Contrasting Climate Change Documentaries, Pt.2 Contrasting Climate Change Documentaries, Pt 2
Lesson 16 12/15/26 Midterms: 10:00-11:15, Lunch, Party, and Movie: 11:15-1:30
CHRISTMAS 12/21 - 12/28/21 No Class
3rd QUARTER
Unit 5: Forces From Below
Lesson 17 1/5/27 Plate Tectonics Tomato Soup and Crackers
Lesson 18 1/12/27 Volcanoes Analyzing Volcanic Disaster Risk
Lesson 19 1/19/27 Earthquakes Slip-Sliding
Unit 6: Geologic Time
Lesson 20 1/26/27 Fossils and the Rock Record Plate Tectonics of North America
Lesson 21 2/2/27 The Precambrian Earth Fossilization and Earth’s History
Lesson 22 2/9/27 The Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic Eras Sequencing Time
WINTER BREAK 2/16/27 No Class
Unit 7: Resources and the Environment
Lesson 23 2/23/27 Earth’s Resources Moving Mammoths: A Slightly Off-Topic Engineering Challenge
Lesson 24 3/2/27 Energy Resources In Class Research Topic
Lesson 25 3/9/27 Human Impact on Earth and Conservation Cleaning Up Oil Spills
Lesson 26 3/16/27 Contrasting Climate Change Documentaries, Pt.3 Contrasting Climate Change Documentaries, Pt. 3
EASTER BREAK 3/23/27 No Class
Lesson 27 3/30/27 Contrasting Climate Change Documentaries, Pt.4 Extended Lab: Contrasting Climate Change Documentaries, Pt. 4
SPRING BREAK 4/6/27 No Class
4th QUARTER
Unit 8: Beyond Earth
Lesson 28 4/13/27 The Sun Moon and Earth System Your Age and Weight on Other Planets
Lesson 29 4/20/27 The Solar System and the Stars Constructing a Scale Model of the Solar System
Lesson 30 4/27/27 Galaxies and the Universe Let’s Take a Star Walk
Lesson 31 5/4/27 Exam Review, Surprise!
FINAL PROJECT DUE: Options 1,2,3- Outline, Layout, Citations, Option 4-Full Project
Unit 9: Final Exams and Final Projects
Lesson 32 5/11/27 Final Exam: 10:00-11:15, Lunch, FINAL PROJECT RESENTATIONS: Options 1,2,3
5/12/27 Final grades issued by 11:59 PM