Download the complete instructions for a high school level inheritance inquiry, using Wisconsin Fast Plants. In this investigation, students gather their own evidence to explain how inheritance works. As they observe three generations of Wisconsin Fast Plants, students unravel a paternity mystery: What was the father’s phenotype? Was it the same as the mother’s phenotype or the offspring’s...

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Download this complete unit of instructions to conduct an ecosystem inquiry. In this investigation, students have the opportunity to witness first-hand the dynamic relationship between Brassica butterflies and Wisconsin Fast Plants. Students are responsible for tending the butterflies and plants throughout the entire life cycles, while they explore and explain the changes that each organism goes...

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This is an article explaining about variation in a population in general, using height as a specific example. The article is designed to help students and teachers think about the nature of various determinants underlying biological variation. Variation in height is easily observed and measured by learners, and quantifying height observations over time is a rich context for all ages to make key...

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Download this complete and coherently designed, middle school level unit to teach fundamental concepts that underpin the theory of evolution. The unit was collaboratively designed by teachers, college faculty & staff, and the Fast Plants Program at UW-Madison to support student-centered inquiry-based learning. The unit's storyline is underpinned by the 5E model. Like three dimensional learning...

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This Immersion Unit provides a coherent series of lessons designed to guide students in developing deep conceptual understanding that is aligned with the standards, key science concepts, and essential features of classroom inquiry (as defined by the National Science Education Standards).  Unit Overarching Concepts Populations of living organisms change or stay the same over time as a...

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This Farming Fast Plants activity introduces a classroom investigation that is easily adaptable for all grade levels and designed to engage teachers and students as investigators. The activity has the practical outcome of producing an abundant supply of Fast Plants seed for future classroom use and for sharing with other teachers. The central question of the activity is "How many seeds can your...

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Page 14 of this newsletter begins the activity called, Is There a Pollution Solution? This is an experimental investigation into the affects of salts on plant growth and development, and it is related to the real affects of irrigation on farm fields.

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The first activity in this newsletter was written to engage students in an investigation related to the Fast Plants that traveled into space in May of 1995. Students explore how plants use guidance systems which sense and respond to gravity (gravitropism) ensuring that roots anchor plants and access water and that shoots emerge into the light. This activity includes substantial background...

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This article provides rich background information about how the three environmental components: !. Physical, 2. Chemical, 3. Biological interact to influence all life processes and systems.

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Procedures for germinating seeds using simple materials to investigate the interactions between the environment and germination.

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