Abstract
Providing high school and middle school students with first-hand scientific experiences is a powerful way in which to stimulate their interests in the biomedical sciences. Many GK-12 teachers lack the resources, personnel and/or expertise to integrate experimental procedures into their curricula. By contributing just a few hours of their time, academics at institutions of higher education can introduce simple demonstrations that will transform the manner in which students view biology and increase their academic interests and achievement. I have developed a simple, inquiry-based, lesson-plan that can be adapted readily to comply with district and/or state science standards. Investigators can adopt the exercise easily for their efforts in educational outreach. Educators seeking to incorporate novel experiences in their classrooms can accommodate the lesson to a wide range of biology courses and a diverse student population. Additionally, educators may share the lesson when soliciting scientists and professors with which to partner.
