The Wonderful World of Living Color

Connie Scercy Wood, Science teacher, East Mecklenburg High School

Abstract(PDF)

Unit(PDF)          

Abstract

The subject of biology covers a broad range of topics, and students often don’t make connections from one unit to another. This unit uses color as one single unifying theme to not only connects all the various topics in biology, but also the concepts and strands that are part of the curriculum for a high school biology class.The living world is full of color and depends on light from the sun, the source of color, for its existence. Some cells contain pigments, giving them color or helping them convert light energy into chemical energy. The human eye contains cone cells that help it to see colors, although some people are born with genes that make them colorblind. Animals use color to attract mates, or to warn off predators. Chemical indicators can be used to detect the presence of organic compounds by changing colors. This unit will focus on color in living things and how color is often used in their study. I have included activities that relate color to many topics covered in biology. I’m sure you can think of even more.The subject of biology covers a broad range of topics, and students often don’t make connections from one unit to another.

This unit uses color as one single unifying theme to not only connects all the various topics in biology, but also the concepts and strands that are part of the curriculum for a high school biology class.The living world is full of color and depends on light from the sun, the source of color, for its existence. Some cells contain pigments, giving them color or helping them convert light energy into chemical energy. The human eye contains cone cells that help it to see colors, although some people are born with genes that make them colorblind. Animals use color to attract mates, or to warn off predators. Chemical indicators can be used to detect the presence of organic compounds by changing colors. This unit will focus on color in living things and how color is often used in their study. I have included activities that relate color to many topics covered in biology. I’m sure you can think of even more.