Resources for Teaching Science

This is a video that NASA created about Engineers and explaining what they do. The whole point of my standard (3-5-ETS1-2) is students going through many different possibly solutions to figure out the one that works best. This video demonstrates an engineer going through the process of picking out a solution that works best for his problem out in space. It's a great way to introduce a lesson and could work as the beginnings of an activity idea for students to do in becoming "space engineers".

This technology based resource allows students to create their own sounds and vibrations using a "drum machine." The students are able to change and customize the sounds that they want, if they want a high or low tone, and whether the sound is loud or soft. I chose this resource because it is technology based and something that the students could use in the computer lab or if they have extra time during class to use the computers in the room. It also goes along with my standard 1-PS4-1. I could use this in my future classroom after teaching the students about different sounds and the vibrations that they make. It would be beneficial to have students experiment with this resource and get an understanding for the high and low tones of sounds and their vibrations.

This lesson plan introduces the idea of creating and engineering to solve a problem. Students work in groups to create a flotation device to support a can of soup. There's a pdf for the lesson and then a word document for each group students to use where they draw out their idea and explain the certain steps and conclusions they came to during the whole process. I chose this lesson because it fits into my standard about talking about different solutions to a problem by looking at the confinements and criteria that the activity has in place (3-5-ETS1-2)

This is an awesome lesson plan that can connect most students to something that they enjoy watching on TV and playing with - robots! This lesson allows children to understand the basics of robots and how they work, but also give them the chance to make their own robots. In giving them a chance to build their own robots, they would have to ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool. (K-2-ETS1-1) I would use this whole lesson plan as a fun way to understand what team work actually is and engineering at a younger level.

This resource contains an interactive program of various materials that demonstrate sound and vibrations that make sound. The program allows students to change materials, pitch, and force. I chose this resource because it fits well with the standard (1-PS4): Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make a sound and that sound can make materials vibrate. During my lesson, I will focus on this standard, and this program would serve as a fun activity for students. In my lesson, I would use this program as an introduction. This activity would expose students to a variety of sounds and materials while introducing vibrations.

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 resource contains an interactive map of Recycle City. The map has four areas that can be explored to discover how the residents recycle, reduce, and reuse waste in the city. I selected this resource because it fits the standard to- obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth's resources and environment (5-ESS3-1). This standard will be the focus of my lesson for this course. The interactive map will go along very well with this lesson.

Great find! Thank you for posting. How, specifically, will the map "go along" with the lesson?

The map could serve as the "Exploration" part of my lesson. However, I could see this as being very time consuming. In a real classroom, it would most likely have to be an activity using up the entire science period.

summary, evaluation, potential use

The world is an interesting place, but it's fascinating up close. Through the lens of a microscope you can find details that you would otherwise never notice. But now you can. This instructable will show you how to build a stand for about $10 that will transform your smartphone into a powerful digital microscope.

This set of 6 videos explores the science behind the "super" powers of speed, strengths, mass, immortality, flight, and invisibility. Geared for middle and high school level students, this resource could be used as the hook to introduce physics concepts.

Also includes assessment questions!

This resource provides an excellent overview of plant biology with multimedia interfaces. It covers the origin of plants, and discusses plant parts, plant growth, how plants manufacture food, pollination, seed dispersal and adaptations. Additionally, it shows the relationship between plants and life (in general) e.g. plants as a source of oxygen, a source of food and a habitat for animals.

This lesson allows students to experiment with various sound sources, including their own voices to gain an understanding of the connection between sound and vibration. I chose this resource because I think that it fits well with my standard (1-PS4); Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make a sound and that sound can make materials vibrate. I would use this lesson in my future science classroom by having students break into groups to perform each of the activities from the lesson to demonstrate the different vibrations made from different objects.

* This lesson is focused on the identification of structures and functions that plants and need to survive. It lets the students think about what job each part of the plant has to survive along with how important it is for each plant part to do its job or else the plant will not. I selected this resource because I thought it would make for a great introduction lesson for teaching students about plants and how their internal and external structures help them to support survival, growth, behavior, and overall reproduction (4-LS1-1). The structure and processes of plants and animals is my main focus of this lesson, but I feel that this lesson would benefit the teaching of plants.

This lesson uses a story of a group of students who cleaned a creek so that salmon could come back to the area. This lesson goes right with my standard: 5-ESS3- Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth's resources and environment. After I read this story to the students, they write a reflection of how they can do something similar to help the environment. I would use this lesson in my future classroom to show them that with a little work, anyone can make a difference in helping the environment.

This resource gives a lab (activity) that deal with vibrations. You need to have a large bowl and cover it with plastic wrap- a rubber band will hold the plastic wrap in place. You then place large sugar crystals on top of the plastic wrap and let students get close and talk into the bowl. The students will be able to watch the sugar crystals "jump" because of the vibrations. I chose this resource because it sounded very interesting and it makes me want to actually test it out to see if it works. I think that my students would enjoy doing this and it would help them understand that sound travels and bounces off objects creating vibrations. I would use this resource in correlation to a lesson about vibrations and sound; It would be a follow up activity for students to do.

This resource provides a lesson plan that will help students build an understanding of the concepts of sound (vibration, pitch) through participation in a variety of hands-on experiments. By observing, predicting, and analyzing results, students can actively investigate the science of sound. It says the required time is two weeks but I don't think that much time is necessary to spend on this. It has many activities for students to do that are all hands on and even includes an assessment for the students. I chose this because it fits well with my standard- 1-PS4-1: plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make a sound and that sound can make materials vibrate. I would use this resource in my future classroom by having the students break up into groups and each group would have a different activity to complete and write down their observations.

I found this fun and easy activity on Pinterest for students to do while learning about sounds and vibrations. It would be a very cheap activity for students to create in the classroom because all they need is a Kleenex box, rubber bands, and materials to decorate their guitar with! I chose this resource because it fits into my standard 1-PS4-1 because it will show students that vibrating materials can make sound. I would use this resource after presenting a lesson to my students about vibrations and how it travels through different objects. After learning, I think that students would enjoy making this guitar because it is fun and also shows them how sound travels through objects.

This resource contains a lesson plan for a fifth grade class. The lesson teaches about the affects people can have on water around them. It involves a five minute video, a hands-on activity, and even a song. I selected this particular resource because it fits the standard to-obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth's resources and environment (5-ESS3-1). This standard will be the focus of my lesson in this course. I really liked the way the lesson plan was written to engage students. I could possibly incorporate this resource, or parts of it, into the lesson plan that I will be writing in this course.

This resource contains a multiple day lesson plan for a third grade class. The lesson is about composting. It involves instruction by use of a Power Point, an outdoor exploration, and even an assessment. I selected this resource because it fits the standard to- obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth's resources and environment (5-ESS3-1). This standard will be the focus of my lesson in this course. Although this standard is for fifth graders, I believe this resource will still be useful. In order to make the resource at a fifth grade level only a few things need to be tweaked. The lesson plan in this resource could serve as an outline for the lesson plan I will be creating in this course.

This resource is a recycling activity and learning guide for educators and students. The guide was created by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. It contains recycling and waste facts about Wisconsin and also lessons based on protecting the Earth's resources and environment. I chose this resource because it fits the standard to- obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth's resources and environment (5-ESS3-1). This standard will be the focus of my lesson in this course. The guide provides information for the fifth graders to learn how Wisconsin uses science ideas to protect the Earth's resources and environment. I could also use a lesson from this guide as an outline for my lesson in the course.

This guide contains a TON of information on a variety of environmental topics.