Life Science Mini-Challenges

Mini-Challenges are short, auto-graded science activities that give students checks for understanding with immediate feedback.
Add any Life Science Mini-Challenge to your LMS in just a few clicks. Open an activity, scroll to the bottom, and use Embed (Canvas or Schoology) or copy and paste the URL link (Google Classroom). Students may retry until successful, then submit a screenshot of their score for credit.

Google Form: Suggest a Mini-Challenge Topic or Activity

Testable Questions

Set 1

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Testable Questions

Set 2

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Testable Questions

Set 3

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Testable Questions

5 Multiple Choice

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Observation vs Inference

Beaver Lodge

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Observation vs Inference

Bird Tracks

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Observation vs Inference

Rusty Car

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Observation vs Inference

Footprints in Sand

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Observation vs Inference

Muddy Shoes

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Science & Eng Practices

Vocab Review Part 1

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Science & Eng Practices

Vocab Review Part 2

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Safety Lab Equipment

Drag and Drop

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Lab Equipment

Drag and Drop

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Testable Questions

5 Multiple Choice

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Nature of Science

Sort

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Nature of Science

4 Multiple Choice

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George Washington Carver

5 Questions

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Jane Goodall: Nature of Science & 4 Questions

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Scientific Law vs. Theory

5 Questions

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Identifying Variables

in Plant Experiment

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Variables in Bean Sprout

Experiment: 3 Questions

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Variables in Photosynthesis

Experiment: 3 Questions

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Variables in Osmosis

Experiment: 4 Questions

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Scientific Investigations

Crossword

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Examples of Models

Drag and Drop

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Matching Measurement Tools to Their Uses

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Graduated Cylinder Measurements Set 1

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Graduated Cylinder Measurements Set 2

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Triple Beam Balance

Challenge

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Metric Bases

Drag and Drop

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Cell Basics and Structures

Vocabulary

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Download VST-Cells-Set-2-Cell-Division-Worksheet-and-Key

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Download Word Wall Cells Set

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Cell Division

Vocabulary

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Download VST-Cells-Set-2-Cell-Division-Worksheet-and-Key

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Download Word Wall Cell Division

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Cell Transport

Vocabulary

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Download VST-Cells-Set-3-Cell-Transport-Worksheet-and-Key

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Download Word Wall Cell Transport

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Cell Theory Vs. NOT

Sort

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Cell Theory

5 Questions

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Investigating Cells

5 Questions

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Plant and Animal Cells

Venn Diagram

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Download VST_Plant_and_Animal_Cell_Organelles_Venn_Diagram

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Animal Cell Diagram

Drag and Drop

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Download VST-Animal-Cell-Structures-Labeling-Worksheet-and-Answer-Key

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Plant Cell Diagram

Drag and Drop

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Download VST_Plant_Cell_Structures_Labeling_Worksheet

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Parts of a Cell Vocab

Drag and Drop

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Plant Cell

Under Microscope

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Animals Cell

Under Microscope

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Prokaryotic vs Eukaryotic

Sort

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Download VST_Cell_Sort_Worksheet_and_Answer_Key

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Phases of Mitosis

Drag and Drop Images

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Phases of Mitosis

Drag and Drop Labels

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Download VST_Mitosis_and_Cell_Division_Drawing_Worksheet

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Osmosis

Drag and Drop

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Download VST_Osmosis_Cell_Response_Worksheet

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Osmosis

4 Questions

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Simple Diffusion

PhET Sim & 5 Questions

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Levels of Organization

Drag and Drop

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Download VST_Levels_of_Organization_Worksheet

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Unicellular vs. Multicellular

Organisms Sort

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Download VST_Unicellular_and_Multicellular_Worksheet_and_Answer_Key

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Tissue Type

Sort

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Download VST_Cells_Work_Together_in_Tissues_Worksheet_and_Answer_Key

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Small Intestines Tissues

5 Questions

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Download VST_Tissues_of_the_Small_Intestine_Worksheet_and_Answer_Key

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Heart Diagram

Drag and Drop

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Respiratory System

Drag and Drop

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Body Systems

Drag and Drop Labels

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Frog Anatomy Review

No Questions

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Frog Internal Anatomy

Drag and Drop

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Download VST-Frog-Organs-Worksheet-and-Teacher-Guide

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

Water’s Journey Through

Plants Drag and Drop

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Vertebrate vs. Invertebrate

Sort

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Animal Phyla

Sort

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Phylum of the Plant Kingdom

Sort

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Kingdom of Eukarya Domain

Sort

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Domains

Sort

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Domain to Species

Put in Order

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Binomial Name

3 Organisms

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Butterfly and

Moth Dichotomous Key

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Wading Birds

Dichotomous Key

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Virginia Birds

Dichotomous Key

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Pollination

Drag and Drop

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Photosynthesis Diagram 1

Drag and Drop

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Photosynthesis Diagram 2

Drag and Drop

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Photosynthesis Diagram 3

Drag and Drop

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Photosynthesis & Plankton

Drag and Drop Labels

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Photosynthesis & Plankton

Drag and Drop Images

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Photosynthesis

Cloze

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Photosynthesis

Crossword

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Chlorophyll Concentrations

Graph & 5 Questions

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Cellular Respiration

Categorization

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Cellular Respiration

Drag and Drop

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Photosynthesis & Cellular

Respiration Work Together

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Photosynthesis, Cellular

Respiration, or Both

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Nitrogen Cycle

Drag and Drop

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Marine Energy Pyramid

Drag and Drop

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Marine Food Chain

Drag and Drop

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Forest Energy Pyramid

Drag and Drop

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Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

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Open Ocean Food Webs

Set 1: 5 Questions

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Open Ocean Food Webs

Set 2: 5 Questions

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Open Ocean Food Webs

Set 3: 5 Questions

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Grassland Food Webs

Set 1: 5 Questions

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Grassland Food Webs

Set 2: 5 Questions

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Grassland Food Webs

Set 3: 5 Questions

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Match the Organism to its Niche

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Predator–Prey Relationships: Wolves and Elk in Yellowstone

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Physical and Behavioral

Adaptations Sort

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Physical Adaptations

in Arctic and Desert

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Bird Beak Adaptations

Drag and Drop

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Leaf Adaptations

Drag and Drop

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Organism, Population, Community, or Ecosystem

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Responses to Ecosystem

Changes Sort

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Primary Succession

Drag and Drop

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Secondary Succession

Drag and Drop

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We are working on new resources for human impacts on ecosystems. Please check back soon!

From Cell to Gene

Drag and Drop

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Complete the DNA Strand

Drag and Drop

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Punnett Square: Yy x yy

2-Part Activity

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Punnett Square: YY x yy

2-Part Activity

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Punnett Square: Yy x Yy

2-Part Activity

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Natural Selection Set 1

PhET’s Sim & 5 Questions

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Natural Selection Set 2

PhET’s Sim & 5 Questions

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Natural Selection Set 3

PhET’s Sim & 5 Questions

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Natural Selection Set 4

PhET’s Sim & 5 Questions

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Evolution of the Horse Foot

From Toes to Hooves

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Whale Relatives

From Land to Water

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Homologous Limbs

Human and Cat

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Homologous Limbs

Human and Bat

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Homologous Limbs

Human and Dolphin

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Carbs, Lipids, Proteins,

or Nucleic Acids?

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Download Molecules_of_Life_Worksheet

Requires VST Teacher Membership – Monthly, VST School & District Membership, or VST Teacher Membership – Annual membership

From Building Block

to Cell Structure

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Download VST_Biomolecules_From_Parts_to_Cells_Worksheet

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Protein Synthesis:

Put the Steps in Order

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Protein Synthesis

Label the Diagram

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How Enzymes Work

Drag and Drop Diagram

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Food Access and Health Outcomes Data Analysis

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Bacteria Virus

Venn Diagram

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