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This is a free 5-minute animated video that explains how animals adapt to changes in their environment for survival.The video also touches on the topic of natural selection by explaining that the traits suited for survival are then passed on from one generation to the next. I like this video because it's fun and would appeal to third graders but it's still teaching them the concepts that are introduced when teaching about biological evolution (3-LS4). I would show the video before delving into the variation among species and survival of the fittest topics where introduced. I think it's helpful when teaching concepts to make them relevant to the students, and this video shows how animals that the students are familiar with, such as tigers, obtained and use their camouflage.

A free application to see if dinosaur fossils have been found near your home. I selected this app because I thought it would be a fun way to bring studying dinosaur fossils a little closer to home. I would use it in the classroom in conjunction with studying evolution and diversity (3-LS4).

Free streaming video that shows the actual fossils from an ancient sea in the middle of Indiana. Put the mouse on highlighted sections of the rocks and a depiction of the fossil comes to life along with a brief summarization of what kind of fossil it is and how it lived. I really liked this program because it shows how different our world was millions of years ago, and the fact that the program animates whichever fossil you choose, brings the past to life. It would be a great resource to use when teaching biological evolution (3-LS4).

Free downloadable program in which students can build a dam in a virtual ecosystem and see how the animals and plants living there adapt. It shows students what happens to plants and animals when a change is introduced to their environment, some adapt and live while some die. I liked this program because students can place the dam in different places thus having different effects. I would use this program while studying biological evolution to visually demonstrate how a single change in the environment can have a drastic effect on the surrounding plant and animal life (3-LS4).

St. Louis Science Center's reconstruction of a dig site in the Badlands, of Montana. The fossils at the "dig site" are casts made from the real fossils that can be seen on display in the Prep lab. The Prep Lab features interactive tables where real dinosaur fossils are displayed. Students are also encouraged to ask the workers and volunteers questions. There are also many other interactive exhibits at the St. Louis Science Center that deal with fossils and how they are made, and beginning March 7, there will be a special traveling dinosaur exhibit to visit. I can't think of a better place to take a field trip when teaching about biological evolution (3-LS4) than the Science Center. A large majority of their interactive displays fit right in with what the students are learning, and having the hands-on experience will only enhance the students learning and make it more meaningful. I would take the field trip somewhere in the middle of teaching the material, that way I could reference what the students have already learned in class when we're on the field trip but they would find that there is still more to learn.

Free Whiteboard ready game in which students put the various parts of a dinosaur together to create a dinosaur that really existed or students can create their own. I really liked this game because it's fun while learning for the whole class. It not only teaches students about the variety of dinosaurs but also shows the similarities and differences in their structures. This would be a useful game to play when teaching about biological evolution (3-LS4), I would introduce it after the students had learned about the wide variety of dinosaurs that roamed the earth.

I found this while searching for field trip ideas. The author of this summary visited the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore, which features many "hands-on" exhibits. He speaks mainly of the "Newton's Alley" exhibit, where he spoke of the ability to lift himself using pulleys. However, of particular note to me was the fourth paragraph, where he talked about playing the "harp with invisible strings," which was actually powered by laser technology. I selected this resource both out of a desire to find a fun and relevant field trip as well as my own healthy respect for Isaac Newton and his discoveries. I would use this as a basis for planning a field trip to the actual Maryland Science Center facility.

This is a lesson on the properties of the electromagnetic spectrum. It is structured much like a lesson plan that we learned about in EDU 309, and as such, is easily broken down into individual parts. The lesson itself provides introduction to the electromagnetic spectrum, UV beads, prisms, and diffraction gratings, and also explains the origins of rainbows. I selected this resource because it provides a clear example of the use of the Next Generation Science Standards (despite its origins in California) as well as a valuable way for elementary students to look at the world around them in a different way. It also provides reading and mathematics connections. I would use this resource as a guidepost to structure my own lesson about light waves and the electromagnetic spectrum.

Excellent first post! you've got the hang of Diigo!

This is an interactive website that explains in a kid-friendly way what causes the seasons and how we measure temperature. There are also related games on the website for students to play. I would use this website in my future classroom to explain how seasons work and reinforce those concepts through the games provided.

This is a lesson plan over clouds and what they are made of. It involves activities for the students during the lesson and includes a worksheet that also incorporates math. I would use this lesson in my classroom as an introduction lesson to clouds because I feel that it would really grab the students' attention and curiosity.

I will use this informational video to show children the recycling process. The video follows recycle products from leaving the hands of the owner, all the way through the waste center. It is a good video because it is something that takes the attention away from a lecture for a short amount of time.

BrainPop Jr. is an interactive website that is aligned with the Common Core Standards. It includes lesson plans, games, movies, quizzes, and other types of learning activities. The site also includes away for teachers to keep up with the progress of their students. There are different ways to purchase membership. The membership categories include, parents, home school, single classroom, school, district, or virtual school. There are also ways to receive funding. I would use this site as an alternative way to keep the students involved. I would only utilize this site in class only because all students do not have internet and computer access outside of school.

This resource is an interactive tool for students. The students are asked to enter their area code and to check yes or no depending on whether or not they observed that type of bug. In order to use the online source, students must first investigate the environment of the teacher's choice (ex: playground) and make note of the bugs that they have seen. Once the student's collected their data and entered it into the website, they are able to compare what types of bugs are found in the different states/regions. I chose this resource because it requires the students to observe their surroundings, record their data, and compare their data to other regions of the United States. Not only does it require the use of technology, it also requires the students to not remain stationary in the classroom setting.

This site explains thunderstorms and elements related to thunderstorms in a kid-friendly way. I would use this site in my classroom to enhance understanding about storms, especially if I taught in this area where thunderstorms are so prominent.

This is a fun activity that will show students the process of rain. They will take a glass of water, place shaving cream on top to represent the clouds, and drop food coloring through the "clouds" to depict rain. The lesson is also partnered with a book about clouds that describes each different type of cloud. I chose this resource because it will be something the students can get excited about while also being able to watch exactly what it looks like when rain comes out of the clouds. I would use this resource when introducing photosynthesis.

I would love to take a class here! I worked at a daycare over the summer and we took our kids here. I wish you could have seen the excitement in their eyes when they were there. There were all kinds of interactive attractions that engaged my kids. I would also give my students a check list of attraction that I absolutely want their group to cover. This list would also have space for them to write down their questions about each attraction. We would discuss each question upon returning to the school.

This website includes lesson plans and activities to use in conjunction with Weather Channel's classroom program "Elementary Weather". Specifically, it includes weather concepts, scientific method, climate, weather terms, and the water cycle. It gives five lessons with background information, objectives, procedures, outcomes, prep time, materials, and standards. I chose this resource for a number of reasons. It's cross-curricular in at least one other area, provides handouts, has extension and modification plans, includes hands-on lessons, assessment tools, and a long-term project. I see myself using this in the classroom because there are many different directions each lesson can take. Modifications and extensions are important in our districts to meet the needs of diverse learners. I put a $ in the tags in case purchase of the videos is necessary.

This pdf file provides many different lessons on weather for many different grade levels. The pdf file assist the students in understanding the meaning behind the weather as a whole and gives great insight into what students need to do during these weather conditions. I believe that these lesson while give students great insight into how weather works as well as provide the teacher with many different ways to teach the lesson or grade level.

This place always delivers fun, education and family friendly memories. Get the annual membership and come back often! It's the biggest and best children's museum in the world. It is worth the trip and plan to spend the whole day. There is something for all ages and it is a wonderful family experience. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis provides students with hands on experiences as well as exploring and adventuring in different science subjects. During this field trip students can understand how science works by the different hands on activities. The museum provides all types of subject matters that deal with science and therefore you can plan a field trip at anytime throughout the school year, that will work with the lesson you are teaching. I believe that this field trip can be fun and exciting as well as convenient for the teacher, when it comes to the science lesson that's being taught.

10 years ago, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Why does it seem like storms are only getting worse since then? This video provides students with a realistic hurricane that occurred in the united states and gives facts about how hurricanes are made as well as what they cause. I love the information on the characteristics of how hurricanes develop and what they do when they hit land.I believe that students can most of their information on hurricanes from this video and because it ties in a real life event, student can relate to this subject matter even more.

InnerBody.com is a free virtual human anatomy website with detailed models of all human body systems. The Internet's best anatomy learning resource! This resource lets student interact with the human body in the different sunbject matter such as, muscular system, skeletal system, circulatory system and many more areas within the human body. This activity allows students to click on certain areas with the human body and the website increases that part of the human body in order to let the students explore and learn. I believe that this activity can help students study for their assessment as well as assist them within their memorization skills.