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"Cats are liquid." You may have heard this playful saying before. Cats earn a reputation for oozing in and out of some tight spots. But lately, some scientists started wondering whether they’d fit through an opening of any size. Learn how scientists have developed controlled in-home experiments to address such questions scientifically. Answer questions about independent and dependent variables and compare two similar experiments in terms of experimental design.

To survive, creatures need to be able to sense many aspects of their environment, including food options. Scientists have recently discovered that the northern sea robin, an oceanic fish, has legs used for walking and also for tasting, to find buried meals. Begin a unit on natural selection/evolution by reviewing what these terms mean. Then, provide example organisms to explore their different types of adaptations (structural, physiological and behavioral). Finally, have students create their own species with adaptations specific to unique human- or natural disaster-influenced habitats.

Biologists didn't design their experiments looking for glow-in-the-dark feet, but sometimes scientific failures yield surprising discoveries. If glowing toes sound batty to you, learn how scientists illuminate the secrets of a flighty mammal while answering questions about the scientific process.

Scientists have discovered that Dicyrtomina minuta, a species of globular springtail, can perform the fastest backflip of any animal on Earth. In this activity, students will review how the team studied springtail backflips by analyzing high-speed footage. Then, they will research another Olympics-worthy competitor and describe how they’d measure performance in their imagined sports event.

Coral reefs are one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. Along with providing food and shelter for a variety of marine organisms, coral reefs reduce erosion and protect coastal cities from storms. However, coral reefs are threatened by the effects of climate change. In this activity, students will model the complex interactions that occur within corals, their ecosystem and the Earth’s spheres to learn about how climate change harms coral reefs. After modeling how these interactions change with increasing ocean temperatures, students will brainstorm potential ways to solve or mitigate coral bleaching.

Students will observe animal behavior via live camera feed and reflect on their observations. Then they will learn about how animal behaviorists use camera traps and field observations to infer meaning from animal behaviors.

Students will learn about the openVertebrate project and how it is digitizing vertebrate anatomy using CT scans. Then they’ll explore the archive, form a scientific question about one of the specimens and consider how to research that question.

Students will analyze and compare two graphs to summarize a recent report about animals protected by an international treaty called the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals before discussing the possible next steps and limitations of the treaty.

Scientists in Brazil have just discovered a creature that claims two small but fierce titles: the smallest known vertebrate and the smallest known amphibian. This raindrop-sized vertebrate earned a rather misleading name for itself — the “flea toad.” Use metric units to make and compare measurements and learn the differences between toads and frogs before discussing the misleading nature of the amphibian’s name.

Scientists in the U.K. have mapped the life spans of different dog breeds and found surprising links to body size and nose shape. In this short activity, students can explore data about their favorite dog breeds in a furry fun research study

Horns grant advantages to some lizard species but can be a liability to others. Learn how differences in hunting styles might contribute to physical differences in lizard species. At the same time, answer questions about evolutionary trees and convergent evolution while considering the value of analogies in helping understand complex concepts.

Humans have modified organisms for millennia through selective breeding and other techniques. But only in the past few decades have people gained the ability to directly alter organisms’ DNA to create Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). GMOs can help advance fields such as medicine and agriculture. In this activity, students will learn more about GMOs and their uses before creating an awareness campaign to address GMO misconceptions.