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...

• More Info

In this investigation, students observe what happens with the Brassica Butterflies as they go through their life cycle on Fast Plants. In doing so, students will learn about the life cycle of an economically important insect (the Cabbage White Butterfly) and the interdependence between two organisms (Brassica Butterflies and Brassica plants).

• More Info

This informational document describes the relationship between the Wiscosin Fast Plants life cycle and life on Earth and includes a table, describing the stages of the Fast Plants life cycle.

• More Info

This article describes how Fast Plants can be used to help students understand how, through genetic selection associated with phenotypic variation, traits are passed on to future generations. This resource includes information about how to analyze variation in a population and selectively breed to change the frequency of a particular trait in future generations. Advanced Placement teachers who are...

• More Info

Download this 17-page booklet with several investigations that can be geared towards middle or high school students. Includes background information to support investigations in three primary areas of plant physiology (how plants function): Nutrition, Tropism, and Hormone Response (using Gibberellic Acid). The nutrition and tropism experiments are particularly relevant for both middle school and...

• More Info

This document provides extensive background information about how Fast Plants grow and develop. The distinction between growth and development is explained. Also discussed is how genetics plus interactions with the environment produce variation during growth and development.

• More Info

This glossary was developed for students, teachers and scientist to help with communication about the genetics of Fast Plants through standardized genetic terminology. The Wisconsin Fast Plants Program follows the standardized rules for the designation of phenotypic and genotypic symbols for Brassica species.

• More Info

This fill-in-the-blank timeline is a planning tool for teachers to use when figuring out when to begin the steps associated with conducting a two-generation artificial selection experiment using Fast Plants. Teachers preparing for any selection experiment will find this timeline helpful, including those planning for the AP Biology Lab 1 of Big Idea 1: Evolution, Artificial Selection.

• More Info

This article is designed to help students and teachers think about the nature of various determinants underlying biological variation. Teachers facilitating any selection investigation will find this background information helpful, including those planning for the AP Biology Lab 1 of Big Idea 1: Evolution, Artificial Selection. Learners at secondary or tertiary grade levels who are preparing to...

• More Info

This pdf document provides background information and examples for collecting, organizing and analyzing data that could be collected through experimentation with Fast Plants.

• More Info