CSU Biology Lab Units

Smart Science® labs bring you real experiments instead of simulations. They require students to take their own individual data point by point instead of handing it to them.

Power science learning with online science labs that uniquely provide a true science experience.

Online Activity Labs: Topics:
Mitosis
screen shot of Mitosis real online lab 		Real lab. Students classify cells on a slide according to stages of mitosis. The bar graph compares the quantities of cells in each stage. A variety of slides are available for analysis.
Seed Germination and Pollution
screen shot of Seed Germination and Pollution real online lab 		Real lab. Petri dishes with sponges and 20 seeds each are tracked over a long time. The sponge contains water (control) and different concentrations of contaminants: HCl, NaOH, NaCl, and isopropyl alcohol. Students click on each seed as it germinates using their own judgment to determine when the germination is visible.
Animal Behavior
screen shot of Animal Behavior real online lab 		Real lab. Pill bugs (aka sow bugs or isopods) are placed in a "choice" apparatus consisting of two Petri dishes connected and with porous paper on the bottom. The two halves have different solutions applied (except for the control). Ten bugs are initially placed on each side. Student count and record the number of bugs on one side for 75 seconds. They then apply chi-square analysis to determine whether the bugs have a preference or not.
Osmosis
screen shot of Osmosis real online lab 		Real lab. Students classify cells on a slide according to stages of mitosis. The bar graph compares the quantities of cells in each stage. A variety of slides are available for analysis.
Yeast Metabolism
screen shot of Yeast Metabolism real online lab 		Real lab. Students track metabolism of different concentrations of sucrose, fructose, and lactose by baker's yeast though the change in color of bromthymol blue indicator in the solution. They match the color of the solution with a calibrated color bar.
Enzymes & pH
screen shot of Enzymes and pH real online lab 		Real lab. Students observe the evolution of oxygen when yeast (source of catalase) and hydrogen peroxide are mixed by measuring the amount of gas captured in a eudiometer. The amounts of yeast and H2O2 are varied.
Photosynthesis & Light
screen shot of Photosynthesis and Light real online lab 		Real lab. Student estimate rate of photosynthesis in different lights by observing how rapidly punched-out circles of leaves float to the surface. A carbonate solution provides the CO2, and oxygen accumulation in the leaf pieces causes them to float.
Corn Genetics
screen shot of Corn Genetics real online lab 		Real lab. Students count phenotypes on corn ears of monohybrid crosses between yellow-purple hybrids. They analyze their results with Punnett squares. A dihybrid cross lab is separately available.
Corn Genetics, Dihybrid Cross
screen shot of Corn Genetics, Dihybrid Croll real online lab 		Real lab. Students count phenotypes: yellow/purple and smooth/wrinkled. They use Punnett squares to analyze the data from the ears of corn.
Plant Transpiration
screen shot of Plant Transpiration real online lab 		Real lab. Students measure rate of transpiration by observing the drop in level of water in the capillary of a "potometer." They observe different conditions such as heat, wind, and a plastic bag over the leaves of a plant cutting.
Frog Dissection, Identify
screen shot of Frog Dissection real online lab 		Real frog, identification activity. Students are asked to identify various highlighted organs in a frog dissection and immediately know whether their selection is correct. Another version of this activity has students clicking on the organs as they are named.
Simple Graphs
screen shot of Simple Graphs real online lab 		Real lab. Great introduction to Smart Science labs and review of graphing principles. Students track uniform motion of a person walking, running, etc. and relate graph slope to speed.