Biology Students Love to Review with Google Sheets Hidden Picture Activities

Do you dread review day with your biology students? Reviewing key biology concepts doesn’t have to be dull and boring! These Google Sheets Hidden Picture activities offer a super-fun, engaging, and effective way for students to reinforce their learning while receiving instant feedback. These self-grading activities make review sessions a snap! They are more interactive and enjoyable, plus they help keep kids on task while reviewing complex topics like genetics, biochemistry, DNA and RNA, protein synthesis, and cell division.

TL;DR and just want to see the activities? Skip to the bottom of the post for the links.

How do Google Sheets hidden picture activities work?

These activities are designed as self-grading digital games within Google Sheets. Students type in their answers to the questions, and with each correct response, a portion of a hidden picture is revealed. If an incorrect response is given, no portion of the hidden picture appears, and the student knows they have to try again. By the time they finish the activity, a complete image appears, giving students immediate feedback on their progress.

What are the benefits of using hidden picture activities for Biology review?

✅ Perfect for Reinforcement & Mastery

Repetition is key to mastering biology concepts, and these activities allow students to practice in a low-stress, interactive environment. The games can be completed in the classroom or at home. Whether reviewing pedigree charts, cell division, or other essential topics, students reinforce their understanding through active participation.

✅ Instant Feedback for Self-Paced Learning

Since these activities are self-grading, students know right away if they got an answer right or wrong. This immediate feedback helps them correct misunderstandings in real time, rather than waiting for a teacher to grade their work.

✅ A Fun & Engaging Alternative to Traditional Review

Let’s face it—worksheets and lecture reviews can sometimes feel monotonous. Hidden Picture activities turn review into a gamified experience, keeping students motivated and focused. The element of uncovering the mystery image adds an extra layer of excitement!

✅ Easy to Implement in Any Biology Classroom

These activities work great as:

• Bell ringers or warm-ups
• Exit tickets
• Independent review assignments
• Homework or extra practice
• Stations or small-group activities

Since they’re digital, they’re paper-free and can be used in in-person, hybrid, or remote learning settings.

These games are a must-have for any biology teacher looking to boost student engagement while reinforcing critical content. With their self-grading feature, they save teachers valuable time while giving students immediate feedback to support learning.

If you’re looking for a fun, interactive way to review genetics, mitosis, meiosis, and more, these activities are a fantastic addition to your teaching toolkit!

Ready to give it a try? Try this Metric System Digital Hidden Picture Activity for FREE!

Check out the links to Digital Hidden Picture Activities below:

Science Skills

Cell Structure and Function

Cell Division

The Microscope

Biochemistry

DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis

Photosynthesis

Cellular Respiration

Matter and Change

Genetics Monohybrid Crosses

Genetics Dihybrid Crosses

Genetics Sex Linked Problems

Pedigree Charts

Unlock Success in Science: Master the Math Skills Early in the Year

As the new school year approaches, the foundation you lay in the first few weeks is crucial for student success in any science class. What can you do to prepare your science students to be successful in your class?

There are few things about teaching during the first few weeks of school that I am more passionate about. We must, must, must re-teach, review, practice, and reinforce the math skills that our students will be using all year long. Providing students with the essential skills they need not only to excel in science but also in other aspects of life is time well-spent. My Chemistry Math comprehensive unit covers scientific measurements, graphing, calculations, critical thinking, and problem-solving. These skills equip students with the tools they need for academic and real-world success.

Why These Skills Are Essential

Mastering math skills in science early in the year is crucial for several reasons:

• Foundation for Advanced Topics: Scientific measurements and calculations are the building blocks of more complex concepts in chemistry and other sciences. Without a solid grasp of these basics, students may struggle with advanced topics later on.
• Lifelong Application: The ability to measure accurately, perform calculations, and solve problems is not just limited to the classroom. These skills are valuable in everyday life and many careers, from engineering to healthcare.
• Boosts Confidence and Performance: Early mastery of these fundamental skills can boost students' confidence, leading to better performance in subsequent, more challenging topics.

The Importance of Mastery

Developing proficiency in scientific measurements, calculations, and problem-solving sets students up for success in several ways:

• Accuracy and Precision in Experiments: Ensures reliable and repeatable results in laboratory settings.
• Critical Thinking: Enhances the ability to approach problems methodically and think critically about solutions.
• Academic Success: Provides a strong foundation for tackling more complex scientific concepts and experiments throughout the school year and beyond.

What’s Included in the Bundle?

Chemistry Math - Measurements, Calculations, and Problem Solving in Chemistry Bundle is not just for Chemistry teachers! Physical Science teachers will find this extremely beneficial and life science teachers can benefit as well. 

In this Math Skills Bundle, you will cover the following:

• Scientific Notation
• Accuracy, Precision, and Percentage Error
• Significant Figures
• The Metric System
• Density
• Dimensional Analysis
• Graphing and Data Analysis

All of the above skills are covered in the 138-Slide PowerPoint Presentation. Each of the above topics is thoroughly covered in the slides and notes. Students will LOVE the guided notes they fill in as you teach the lesson. There are LOADS and LOADS of practice problems. Both the PowerPoint and the notes are very easily editable so that you can cover just the topics you need. I have included digital formats as well.

To supplement the teaching PowerPoint, I have included rock-solid supporting materials to ensure your students master the concepts. Each topic in the PowerPoint is reinforced with a separate practice problem worksheet. Once practice is complete, you can use the short quizzes to check for student mastery. 

And what about labs? Well, there are 6 labs included in this bundle. In addition, there is a final unit test. The following are included in this bundle.

• Scientific Notation Worksheet and Quiz Set
• Accuracy, Precision, and Percentage Error Worksheet and Quiz Set
• Significant Figures Worksheet and Quiz Set
• Metric System Worksheet and Quiz Set
• Density Worksheet and Quiz Set
• Dimensional Analysis Worksheet and Quiz Set
• Graphing and Data Analysis Worksheet and Quiz Set
• Lab: Density of Metals
• Lab: Significant Digits
• Lab: Mass and the Laboratory Balance
• Lab: Length and the Meter Stick
• Lab: Volume and Temperature
• Lab: Graphing (Interpolation and Extrapolation)
• Final Unit Test

Investing time in mastering the basics of scientific measurements, calculations, and problem-solving at the beginning of the year is an investment in your students' long-term success. This Chemistry Math Unit Bundle offers the perfect combination of resources to help your students build these crucial skills. Set your students on the path to success in science and beyond with our comprehensive and engaging unit bundle.

Tips for Teaching Cells

I get a lot of questions about teaching cell structure and cell organelles, so I thought I would take this opportunity to offer up some tips and suggestions for teaching a GREAT unit on cells.  In many of the questions I get, teachers admit to being bored when teaching their cell unit. I absolutely LOVE teaching about cells, and that brings me to my first tip.

 

Tip #1: Be Excited About Teaching Cells! 

We know that our students are hyper-clued in to what we teachers are feeling. If you feel bored teaching your cell unit, the students are guaranteed to be bored as well. This video (just 3 minutes!) is an exciting way to start your unit. Be sure to turn up the volume!

 

Tip #2: Cover the basics, but stress the relationship between structure and function.

Basic concepts (cell theory, prokaryotic vs eukaryotic, etc.) have to be covered, but when teaching the organelles, keep it simple and stress the relationship between structure and function. For example, show students how the two parts of the ribosome fit together around mRNA during translation. Show how the structure of the Golgi allows proteins to enter, be modified, then packaged for secretion. At this point, you can keep the function fairly simple, which leads me to Tip #3. 

(Check out Cell Organelle Card Sort Game.)

 

Tip #3: Re-introduce organelles all year long.

Students are not going to fully understand the functioning of the chloroplast until you get to your unit on photosynthesis. With each new unit you teach, circle back and teach a more in depth lesson on the organelle associated with the unit.

 

Tip #4: Get out your microscopes!

Kids love microscope work! You want to get students excited about your Cell unit? Give them plenty of microscope time. There is no substitute for seeing a variety of cell types under the microscope.

(Check out: Variation in Cell Structure Lab.)

 

Tip #5: Make use of engaging online resources.

There are all sorts of online sites that offer interactive experiences on cell organelles. One of my favorites is Cells Alive!  

(Check out: Cell Structure Google Hidden Picture Games.)

 

Tip #6: Make it a hands-on experience.

Like many topics we teach in our science classes, concepts about cell structure and function can be rather abstract to many of our students. Anything we teachers can do to create “hands-on” learning will ensure that students gain a greater mastery of the subject matter content. 

(Check out: Cell Chat Lab Stations.)

Tip #7: Make it fun!

Let's face it … kids love to play games, especially competitive games! As you near the end of your unit, look for ways to review the content that involve game play. I hate to say that we teachers have to trick our students into participating in a review, but it's true!  

(Check out: Biology Buzz Words: 17 Vocabulary Games for Cell Structure and Function.)

 

Tip #8: Review and reinforcement is essential.
A cell unit is dense in terms of new vocabulary and concepts. The old saying “Practice Makes Perfect!” should certainly be a part of your cell unit. Increase student interaction between terms and definitions as often as possible to ensure that the vocabulary has been committed to memory. 

(Check out: Cell Structure Acrostic Vocabulary Puzzle.)

The most important component of improving your Cell Structure and Function Unit is .... YOU! If you are having fun and engaging with your students, your unit will be a success!

Teaching Students to Read Science Informational Text

Science surrounds us every single day. From shopping at the grocery store for probiotic yogurts and organically grown produce to news stories on earthquakes, climate change, vaccines, and toxic chemical clouds produced from a train derailment. As a result, it is more important than ever that we teach our science students how to read "science informational text." 

In today’s world, students must be able to read, comprehend, and analyze science informational reading passages!

• The science students of today will be the decisions-makers of tomorrow. 
• Students must be able to function in a technical world.
• It is increasingly important that students be able to discern fact from fiction, and fact from opinion.
• The reading of "science informational text" helps students develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Reading scientific text can help students develop the language and vocabulary necessary to communicate effectively about scientific topics.
• Reading and comprehending scientific text is a fundamental skill required for students to score well on college admission tests, such as the ACT.
• Basic life decisions depend on the ability to read and understand science informational text. For example, "What are the pros and cons of purchasing an electric vehicle?"

The face of science teaching is changing. Common Core Science Standards, as well as the Next Generation Science Standards, are asking teachers to emphasis scientific concepts, rather than the memorization of large amounts of factual data. 

Click any image to view in my TPT store.

For many science teachers, the thought of having to teach students "how to read science" can be overwhelming. However, it's actually a lot easier than you might think. After all, we are already asking our science students to read the textbook, lab handouts, etc. With a few simple tools (Try my Science Reading Task Cards!) and a little planning, you can easily teach your students how to be better readers of science informational passages.

Students need to practice the skill of reading in science. When students are reading, they need to be given prompts on what to look for in the reading. To accomplish this, I developed a set of 75 Science Reading Task Cards that can be used with ANY type of science reading material. These task cards can be used in all science classes and with students in Grades 6 - 12. 

Each task card asks students to pull out specific information from the material they are reading. The task cards focus student attention and help them to determine the main idea, the purpose of an experiment, how to read a chart or graph, or whether the reading passage is based on fact or opinion.

Start by using a reading passage that we science teachers already use every day .... the TEXTBOOK! Ask the students to read a short section from their textbook. Provide 3 to 4 task cards to go along with the reading and ask students to write out answers for each task card question.

Tired of trying to get your students to read the lab handouts before lab day? Ten of the task cards from the set are designed just for this purpose. By answering these ten task card questions, students must read the lab handouts to write a hypothesis, identify variables, and make predictions about the outcome. 

Once your students become familiar with using the task cards while reading their textbook and lab handouts, start adding in an occasional current event article from a newspaper or magazine. You might even work up to assigning a book such as "The Double Helix" or "The Hot Zone."

The set of "Science Reading Task Cards" is available in my TPT store.  Additional information about the task cards includes:

• The set contains 75 task cards.
• There are different formats included: (1) Printable and editable version, (2) PowerPoint version to use with your classroom projection system, (3) Google Slides version with included text boxes for students to write in answers, (4) Google Forms version.
• The cards can be used with any type of science reading material.
• The cards are appropriate for Grades 6 - 12.
• PLEASE NOTE:  Science reading passages are NOT included. The teacher must find and choose appropriate reading passages to use.
• The set includes a detailed Teacher Guide as well as correlation to Common Core (CCSS) Standards.

Periodic Table Review Game

You've just finished teaching the Periodic Table to your chemistry or physical science students. You know you did an awesome job teaching periods, families, the periodic trends of electronegativity, atomic radius, and metallic character. You have no doubt that students know about the alkali metals, the halogens, and the noble gases. You are convinced that all the students will ace the unit test.

Then you notice a few glazed-over looks on the faces of the students. A review of the Periodic Table is needed!

If you really want to know if students understand particular concepts, the ultimate test is to have them apply their knowledge to a new situation.  I give you The Periodic Table of the Lost Civilization.

Click any image or red text to view this resource in my TpT Store.

Here's the Story:

A long lost civilization has been found buried beneath many feet of lava from an ancient volcanic eruption.  The population consisted of many scientists who were in the early stages of discovering and identifying the elements of the natural world. Unfortunately, a volcanic eruption destroyed the civilization before the periodic table was complete. The ancient civilization had different names and symbols for the elements than those used on the modern day periodic table.  Students will read 28 statements that describe 34 elements from long ago. The statements give the element names, symbols, and information about the chemical and physical properties of the elements. Students must decipher the descriptions of the elements and place the elements in the correct position on the periodic table.

Some examples of the clues include:

• The following elements are known to be unreactive:   Scansio (S), Lumen (Lu), Graviter (Gr), Piger (Pi) and Respiro (Rp).  The element Scansio (S) has 2 valence electrons.
• Flavus (Fa)  is the most reactive of the nonmetals.
• The atomic radius of Lumen (Lu) is much smaller than the atomic radius of Respiro (Rp).          
• Piger (Pi) has valence electrons in the third energy level.

The students will work through the 28 clues and decide where to place the 34 elements on the periodic table of the lost civilization.

As stated above, the ultimate test to determine if students have mastered a concept is to see if they can apply their knowledge to a new situation. If students can arrange the 34 elements on the ancient period table, then they have a really good understanding of how the periodic table works.

But, since this is a review activity, a 4-Page set of handouts is included with additional critical-thinking and analysis questions.

Putting pencil to paper is my preferred method of teaching, but if a digital version is needed, one is included. Students will "drag and drop" the element squares onto the ancient periodic table in Google Slides.

Students will always be more engaged and enthusiastic about reviewing for a test when the review is in a game format. This activity is highly engaging and fun for students. It's a blast to watch the light bulbs go on when students realize they have correctly identified the ancient elements. I hope your students will enjoy this activity as much as mine.

Have fun teaching!