This lesson plan can be connected to a career-ready path, as it focuses on important concepts related to biodiversity and the impact of human activities on it. Students who are interested in pursuing careers in biology, environmental science, ecology, conservation, or other related fields would benefit from gaining knowledge and skills related to biodiversity. Additionally, the research skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills that students will develop in this lesson can be applied to a variety of careers. For example, individuals who work in conservation or environmental science may need to evaluate the impact of human activities on biodiversity and design solutions to mitigate negative effects. Overall, this lesson plan can help students gain valuable knowledge and skills that are relevant to a wide range of careers in the STEM fields.

This resource is a project that allows students to explore careers related to the topic of Genetics.  Students will research a career that interests them related to Genetics, create a presentation, then present to the class.

Did you know that people with careers in law enforcement work very closely with people in the medical field every day to collaborate with each other to help determine unknown causes of death.  For example, evidence at a death scene is carefully documented and collected and then sent off to a laboratory for routine analysis at a hospital or the medical examiner's office.  Being human, we all have things in common biologically, but there are differences that make us all unique.  Forensic medical scientists use these differences to help identify potential causes of death in people.  In this mini unit, students will learn about five careers specifically involved in the career domain of forensic medical science.  Specifically, in this 22 day career connected unit, students will learn about a career as a: Forensic Detective, Medical Examiner, Hematologist, Chemist and a Geneticist.  At the end of this unit, students will prepare a collaborative digital presentation that outlines their group’s cause of death using claim, evidence and reasoning as a final team collaborative presentation.

Using three-dimensional scaffolds, these materials address the following topics:  - Structure & Function of DNA. - DNA Replication via Polymerase. - Transcription & Translation.  - Codons & Amino Acids Sequences. Each packet is broken into five parts - data dive, core ideas, investigations, asssessments, and life connections. Formative assessments and checkpoints are embedded throughout each packet. The final packet prepares students for a summative assessment, with a provided practice assessment. Implementation instructions are embedded for each component of each packet. PDFs are included as attachments (in case the file formats are altered by this system). 

Using three-dimensional scaffolds, these materials address the following topics:  - Relationships between DNA, proteins, and traits.- How mitosis enables each cell to receive a copy of DNA.- How gametes like sperm and eggs are formed and transmit parents' genes to offspring.  - Predicting traits based on parents' genotypes and phenotypes using Punnett squares.  Each packet is broken into five parts - data dive, core ideas, investigations, asssessments, and life connections. Formative assessments and checkpoints are embedded throughout each packet. The final packet prepares students for a summative assessment, with a provided practice assessment.Implementation instructions are embedded for each component of each packet. PDFs are included as attachments (in case the file formats are altered by this system).