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Website: National Geographic for Kids www.nationalgeographic.com Science Strand: This site has amazing animal information that could be easily integrated into any science curriculum. The animal information was sorted either by animal type (amphibians, mammals, etc.) or by their habitat (freshwater, forest, etc.). National Geographic also has a designated science section with fun experiments and games that could be incorporated into the classroom or used for fun at home. Science Standards: Could be used for Grades k-5 WI standards F.4.1.- Discuss science themes, describe resources used in home community and nation as a whole (Geography section) E.4.7- Discover how each organism meets its basic needs for water, nutrients, protection, and energy in order to survive. Integration: National Geographic for kids has a plethora of games and activities that could easily be used for either science or social studies. The way the site presents its information would also make it a perfect place to launch a research activity for elementary school students, thus integrating the site into literacy, science and social studies. Differentiation: Through its games, pictures, videos, and articles, this site teaches to multiple intelligences, making it a great tool for differentiation. No matter the ability level or needs of your students there will be a way to use this site so learning can occur.

Katie- I was trained in JASON for several years. As a teacher I purchased 6 or 7 years of modules.

The Jason Project is a wonderful resource for teachers. There are lesson plans made for mineral studies, energy studies, ecosystem studies, and weather studies. For this reason, the science strands include: physical science, earth and space science, life and environmental science, and science applications. This website and the accompanying lessons are directed towards older-aged middle school students, about 8th graders. The information that is covered is covered in depth and is dependent upon students having a relatively vast prior understanding. For example, for the resilient planet lesson, students must know what an herbivore and carnivore are and how the food web works before they can begin the unit. For the energy lesson, students must be able to work with complex mathematical equations to calculate energy changes. The lessons each connect with standards in multiple ways but following are some examples of how each lesson could connect to one standard (and there are many more that the lessons do connect to!): Mineral studies: E.8.1 Using the science themes, explain and predict changes in major features of land, water, and atmospheric systems. Energy studies: D.8.9 Explain the behaviors of various forms of energy by using the models of energy transmission, both in the laboratory and in real-life situations in the outside world. Ecosystem studies: F.8.8 Show through investigations how organisms both depend on and contribute to the balance or imbalance of populations and/or ecosystems, which in turn contribute to the total system of life on the planet. Weather studies: E.8.3 Using the science themes during the process of investigation, describe climate, weather, ocean currents, soil movements and changes in the forces acting on the earth. The lessons can be used as part of a math lesson as many of the projects involve calculating energies, measuring and recording observations and calculating changes in measurements over time, and converting measurements.

Academic Standards that I think would be useful for lessons related to this site and that could easily be applied to various age groups for differentiation include: Core Science Content and Performance Standards Standard B: Nature of Science B. 4.1 Use encyclopedias, source books, texts, computers, teachers, parents, other adults, journals, popular press, and various other sources, to help answer science-related questions and plan investigations. Standard H: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives H. 4.4 Develop a list of issues citizens must make decisions about and describe a strategy for becoming informed about the science around these issues. H. 8.2 Present a scientific solution to a problem involving the earth and space, life and environment, or physical sciences and participate in a consensus-building discussion to arrive at a group decision. Environmental Education Standards Standard B: Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems B. 8.10 Explain and cite examples of how humans shape the environment. Standard D: Decision and Action Skills D. 4.3 Identify 2 or more ways to take positive environmental action. D. 4.6 Develop a plan, either individually or in a group, to preserve the local environment. Standard E: Personal and Civic Responsibility E. 4.2 Understand how their personal actions impact their civic responsibilities toward the environment. E. 8.1 Formulate a personal plan for environmental stewardship.

There are various levels and interdisciplinary options for curriculum on this website. Recommended videos include but are not limited to: High Line History (4:19) & High Line Design Video (4:45) Lesson plans are available for grades 2-7 on topics such as: forces, community activism, park design, and machine aesthetic. Curriculum areas include: science, social studies, English language arts, math and arts. To access lesson plans: click on "Schools Program" listed under the main heading "About" and then click on links to download free lessons. Additionally, the picture book The Curious Garden is a great resource about the High Line for younger students in Kindergarten through second grade. I would use this website for a unit of study on stewardship and local environmental activism. The New York High Line project is an inspiring example of urban planning and could be used to encourage students to get involved in land use issues in their own communities. Comparisons could be made to local community gardens or prairie restoration projects and students could be challenged to design or preserve a green space. For example, it could be a yearly class activity to contribute to the design and function of the school yard or another community space. Students could be required to evaluate community needs, research environmental issues and plants specific to the area, locate reusable resources, and participate in class discussions to make democratic decisions. Schools could get all grades involved in brainstorming and voting on sustainable ways to contribute to their community.

This is a resource published by Scholastic and it contains ten different interactive booklets that focus on science topics. The different booklets are: Creepy Crawly Insects, Animal Groups, Food Chains, Habitats, Life Cycle of a flowering plant, My Healthy Body, Sound, Wild, Windy Weather, Our Home, Earth and Our Solar Systerm. This book can be purchased online or at the Learning Shop and it offers and excellent way to integrate science and literacy and promote nonfiction reading in science. This is a great resource to facilitate the use of nonfiction science texts into literacy as the books also contain various components of nonfiction texts including bold words, pictures, diagrams and tables. With regard to differentiation, this book is great because even though it is technically for grades 2-3 the topics it covers are high interest and I have used several of the booklets with my fourth and fifth grade students. Another component I really like about these booklets is that they are reproducible so my students can take them home and can add to the what they have available to them at home. With regards to standards, these booklets address reading, writing, science and health standards. There are standards for both the end of fourth grade and eigth grade that these resources can be used for. In order to meet eighth grade standards, I would recommend further extension activities. Some of the specific standards addressed include: E.8.6 Describe through investigations the use of the earth's resources by humans in both past and current cultures, particularly how changes in the resources used for the past 100 years are the basis for efforts to conserve and recycle renewable and non-renewable resources THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANISMS F.4.1 Discover* how each organism meets its basic needs for water, nutrients, protection, and energy* in order to survive F.4.2 Investigate* how organisms, especially plants, respond to both internal cues (the need for water)

A good web site to be aware of and incorporate into science teaching.

Jill-This is awesome. I've done this with my kids before. Great resource!

Google Earth can be used for so many different things in the classroom. I think you would be able to find good projects and lessons for most grade levels. With the younger kids you can explore the surface of the moon as a class. Older students can look up specific volcanoes and study the effect the volcanoes had on surrounding areas. The opportunities are endless! In terms of earth and space science, students can use Google Earth to explore the many features that exist on earth's surface (mountains, valleys, rivers, etc.) You can choose to look at all the major volcanoes on the surface of the Earth, or study the fault-lines and areas at risk for earthquakes. Google Earth also has a sky feature, in which users can explore the stars and constellations in the sky. You can also explore Mars and the Moon. Just a couple earth science standards that are met are: Science, Standard E: Earth and Space Science, 4th Grade: E.4.4 Identify celestial objects (stars, sun, moon, planets) in the sky, noting changes in patterns of those objects over time E.4.6 Using the science themes, find patterns and cycles in the earth's daily, yearly, and long-term changes Another really cool thing about Google Earth is the ability to watch an area over a span of time. This could definitely be used in the social studies classroom. Students can what the surface of the earth looked like during the time of the ancient Romans, and then can explore ancient Rome in 3D. You can also practice your piloting skills by trying out the flight simulator. Google Earth can be downloaded in several different languages. If you have a classroom with a large majority of Spanish-speakers, it would be a good idea to have Google Earth in Spanish on the computers, as well as in English. Also, students can work together in groups to explore Google Earth. If one student has more experience working with computers, he/she can help a different student with less experien

This is also cool. It is an online community for teachers, and includes lesson plans, tutorials, and tips all regarding how to use Google Earth in the classroom. http://sitescontent.google.com/google-earth-for-educators/Home

National Geographic has really useful interactives in many areas of science, but one in particular I love to use is "Forces of Nature." This is useful for Earth or weather science. This online "lab" takes a close look at tornados, earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanoes. 1. Science Standard -- Good for grades K-8. Standard E -- Earth and Space Science. 4.5 Describe the weather commonly found in Wisconsin in terms of clouds, temperature, humidity, and forms of precipitation, and the changes that occur over time, including seasonal changes E.8.3 Using the science themes during the process of investigation, describe climate, weather, ocean currents, soil movements and changes in the forces acting on the earth 2. Integration -- Use in conjuction with a current event surrounding weather or earth activity. Case studies section on the website shows facts and information about actual natural disasters in history. 3. This interactive is easily adaptable to any age group or audience. Higher level students may maneuver through the site independently while younger students or non-readers can watch as the teacher or another student sets off an earthquake. The only drawback is that there is no audio.

This web site (sponsored by a text-book company) provides links to a variety of resources about teaching methods and science sites. - Click on Science to go directly to those links.

A weekly summary of what is happening on the planet. Great for earth science! 

Use these maps to help guide you on grade levels appropriate depth of content in science

This whole site is great, but I chose a simple machines activities because that is what the kids in my practicum are learning about right now. 1. This particular part of the website is physical science, and it is an activity that is used to teach kids about simple machines 2.The website says that it is used for grades 2-6, but I think I would use it with 3rd and 4th graders and two standards that are used in this activity are: D.4.6 Observe and describe physical events in objects at rest or in motion D.4.7 Observe and describe physical events involving objects and develop record-keeping systems to follow these events by measuring and describing changes in their properties, including: * position relative to another object * motion over time * and position due to forces 3. I would integrate this with another class by talking about the history of the machines. I would talk about how and why the machines were invented and who invented them. I would then have them discuss why these machines were helpful. So this could be both a science and social studies lesson. 4. I would adapt this for people with disabilities or people who are struggling by having them work with someone who would be able to and willing to help them. I would also give them a sheet with definitions and pictures of each machine to help them to identify and figure out the function of each simple machine.

This website is great to help create a lesson or a whole unit. It has tons of worksheets, tests, individual activities, arts and crafts and classroom activities that can be used for any subject and topic you decide. It covers grades K-12. As a teacher or a student doing a lesson plan you can go on the website choose your subject and content you want to cover and it gives you all sorts of ideas to help you out. I really liked how each subject has tests offered and activities for students to do to make it fun and hands on and games that can be played. This is a resource for all subjects but for this class I will stick to the science section. I choose to do a lesson on butterflies. I looked up the butterflies section on the website. All the information was there. Posters that students can create labeling butterfly parts, worksheets they can fill out on the process a caterpillar goes through in order to become a butterfly, quizzes and games students can do to check for understanding. I love that the website is not only interactive itself but it also has tons of printouts for the kids to use in the classroom. C.4.5 Use data they have collected to develop explanations and answer questions generated by investigations LIFE CYCLES OF ORGANISMS F.4.3 Illustrate* the different ways that organisms grow through life stages and survive to produce new members of their type B.4.1 Use encyclopedias, source books, texts, computers, teachers, parents, other adults, journals, popular press, and various other sources, to help answer science-related questions and plan investigations Integration: This website integrates all other subjects for the many different lessons you can choose from. For my butterfly lesson I can integrate reading and we as a class can read the very hungry caterpillar. We can integrate history and writing by writing research papers on the different kinds of butterflies, each student choosing their own butterfly to research. Differentiation: I can have the

Use this site to enhance your knowledge of science topics.

53 videos of teaching math and science in various countries. Part of a 1999 TIMMS study of teaching methods. You do not need to create a login to watch the videos.

Use this site to help you determine appropriate topics for different grade levels. This information is helping to inform the new science standards. 

For the research sharing I concentrated on the Sun, Moon, and Stars unit for Grades 3-6. The Strand for this would be Standard E:Earth and Space Science and the standard would be E4.4 Identify celestial objects (stars, sun, moon, planets) in the sky, noting changes in patterns of those objects over time Some ideas for integration would be to do a social studies project on the history of astronomy. For instance, in Greek mythology the Big Dipper was identified with a legend. The Native Americans also had stories that identified the stars and named lunar years. The students could each do a research project to find such a story or legend. In English the students could write their own story of how a group of stars got its name. For math, you can use the distance of stars and planets to calculate units of measurement. For differentation, I would have students who are struggling use a pre-printed piece of paper that has objects in the sky on in with dots, and then trace the dots to form the objects in the sky. I would also pair up students who are struggling with students who really get the concept and have them buddy together to study the unit. Another extension of this unit would be to go on a filed trip to the planetarium at Memorial High School.