Group items tagged

Extensions: Math/History/Art (Leonardo of Pisa: Fibonacci) The Golden Mean Adaptations: ESL will be able to visualize Golden Ratio - proportions of art and architecture.  Special Ed will work in small groups paired with good math students. Teacher will provide completed sample of spiral and objects from nature that show this spiral.

Common core math 5.MD.4  I like that this allows students to ponder different questions, think through different ideas on how to calculate it, and in the process, learn about volume.  Students who need an extra challenge could determine how many peas would fill their homes, or how many to fill the school.  Students needing extra assistance can be paired with students who are stronger in math, and/or work with the teacher in small groups.

These could also be used again later in the year when using rulers to discuss how different types of measuring sticks changes the length or width of an object

This could easily be used for higher grade levels by changing the problems to harder equations in addition or subtraction, it would still probably only be useful for lower grades.

1.MD.3 "Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks." This activity can be modified for ELL students or gifted students by giving them less dates to put on their timeline, or more dates to put on their timeline. The ELL students should be encouraged to draw pictures with their events in order to convey what each event is. This activity could be used across the curriculum by having students make a timeline of their favorite book. The plot of the book should go along the timeline. This can be done in various subject areas!

Sticky Note: This could also be added to a science lesson where students have been creating vehicles and also have a class vehicle and class ramp that students could test. That way they could compare their own vehicles with the class vehicle and same with the class ramp (kind of like a control subjects). It could also be added to math lessons because of the measuring involved in each part of the activity.

Sticky Note: This activity could be differentiated so that each group was working with a different planet in the solar system so that when the exhibits were displayed the class would see the whole solar system.

Sticky Note: Grades 2-5 all have portions of Life Sciences devoted to ecosystems and this project could be easily manipulated to focus on different aspects of an ecosystem. I would give specific guidelines in some cases, especially for younger grades, but it would be great to allow older students to have time to brainstorm the kind of ecosystem they wanted to complete and allow them to go through the research process to create a good replica of that ecosystem.

SC.1.1.2 2000Investigate and make observations to seek answers to questions about the world, such as "In what ways do animals move?"

2.2.1 "Observe, describe and measure ways in which the properties of a sample of water (including volume) change or stay the same as the water is heated and cooled and then transformed into different states." This activity can be modified for ELL students by having them record drawings during each observation, rather than writing the words for their observations. This would be a great activity for drawing, because each state looks so much different than the others (solid, liquid, and gas). This activity can be adjusted for older grades by having the students do the same activity with predictions at the beginning of the experiment about what they believe will happen. These students could also make other predictions about other types of matter that would react in the same way the juice ice did. For further exploration, these students could then test their hypothesis regarding other objects and their state of matter.

Nature of Science Standards: Plan and carry out investigations-often over a period of several lessons-as a class, in small groups or independently; use measurement skills and apply appropriate units when collecting data; keep accurate records in a notebook during investigations and communicate findings to others using graphs, charts, maps and models through oral and written reports. This activity can be adjusted for ELL students by giving them a picture chart on which to record their data. Rather than using all words on the chart, pictures of a cup, plate, cake pan, etc. can be place on the chart, and the students can fill in the results of the distance for each picture. This activity can also be used with younger age groups by having them use other objects, such as a small ping pong ball, to throw. A bigger object may be easier for younger children to throw.

This activity is perfect for cross-curricular work with ELA.  Learning to write effective is invaluable in many fields, not just science.

Students with high literacy skills can read more information about worms and share it with the class.  Students with low literacy skills can be in charge of making drawings of their observations to keep a visual record of the worms' progress.

An appropriate children's literature connection might be Diary of a Worm.

5.4.2 Investigate the purpose of prototypes and models when designing a solution to a problem and how limitations in cost and design features might affect their construction. Differentiation: For special needs students to practice their life skills, give them a Wal-Mart or grocery store add and help them look up the price of one roll of aluminum foil.  Then, help them look up the price of a newspaper.  Assist students in deciding which material was more cost effective, and which material worked the best.  Take a vote on which you would use.

The Design ProcessAs citizens of the constructed world, students will participate in the design process.  Students will learn to use materials and tools safely and employ the basic principles of the engineering design process in order to find solutions to problems.3.4.2

Extensions: Connect Science & Tech with LA. Adaptations: Gifted students can write about their conclusions about natural vs. artificial sugar.  Which tastes better, and which is better for your health?  ESL and Special Ed students can draw pictures of their conclusions to indicate the same things.

4.4.3 "Investigate how changes in speed or direction are caused by forces: the greater the force exerted on an object, the greater the change."

This would be a great inclusion activity for special needs students. Students could work in groups to calculate the work. Even though this is listed as a middle school activity, with thorough explanation, 4th grade students would be able to complete this activity to meet standard 4.4.3.