Resources for Teaching Science

This is a diagram that explains the water cycle and gives definitions on words pertaining to the water cycle. I would use this in my future classroom to give my students a visual to help better their understanding.

This a science experiment that involves students making a cloud in a bottle. I would use this in my classroom as a fun activity to extend a lesson over clouds and reward my students for all their hard work at the end of the week.

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.

This would be a good activity for younger students to explore magnets. I think this project because the students get to explore and discover things on their own. They get to try different objects and figure out what works and what does and the similarities in the objects.

This video demonstrates how to make lightning using a spoon, inflated balloon, and a full head of hair! The purpose of this video is to show how to make an electrostatic discharge. It does not provide information on how lightning actually occurs but I like that it shows how to conduct the experiment! I may use this in addition to another lightning experiment using different materials.

This website provides procedures for creating static electricity using a variety of materials. The lesson also provides objectives and suggestions for "gearing up." The procedures are geared towards 6th and 8th graders but I can do the challenging demonstrations and just have my students observe. I like this lesson because it provides a variety of activities to show students how static electricity is made. There are activities provided in this lesson that would be appropriate for elementary students, and I will modify this lesson for my elementary students accordingly.

This site provides everything from objectives to assessment strategies and also lists related books and links for more information.

I like this lesson because it includes an activity on how electrical charges attract and repel. While doing the activity using Cheerios, thread, wire clothes hanger, plastic comb, piece of wool, foam cup, and a large nail, students will draw conclusions about the nature of electricity. It must be a good lesson or it would not be posted on the Smithsonian's website!

This is a brief explanation on why the sky is blue followed by an activity. I chose this source because I have always wanted to know the definitive answer to the question: Why is the sky blue? I would use this in an older elementary classroom as a lesson followed by a lab activity.

This is an activity illustrating how the tiny particles of the ringed planets can be seen so far away despite their small size. I chose this activity because I liked it, and because I liked that it had a discussion after its completion. I imagine my class will complete this activity and then we will discuss our findings as a whole group.

This is an interactive games that challenges students to think about how weightlessness would affect the way Earth-based games would be played in space. i chose this source because I liked the idea of playing a game in the classroom, and this seemed like a really fun and educational game to try. I imagine this game will be played in the classroom.

This page gives good background information on the solar system. I chose this source because I think it is a good place to start a lesson on the solar system. I imagine this will begin the unit on the Solar System.

This is an education application for iPad that offers both a free and a paid version. The app is an interactive way for students to learn about the size and history of the solar system. I chose this resource because I liked that it utilized the technology of the iPads as a way to teach science to children. I imagine this resource being used in a small group setting in my classroom.

This is an episode of the Magic School Bus series that talks about the solar system. I chose this source because I like the way the information was presented, and because I think it will capture the kids' attention. I will show this video in class.

This is a lab activity where the students cut out the shapes of the planets and hang them from string making a solar system mobile. I chose this source because I like the hands on learning aspect it brings to the classroom.

This is a song or poem that can be used to help kids remember features of the solar system. I chose this source because children retain more of what they learn when it is set to music or rhyme. I would fill the worksheet out with the kids in my class and then sing the song with them several times.

I will use this video in my lesson about lightning and static electricity. I really like this video because a meteorologist answers questions asked by elementary students about lightning. I think my elementary students will enjoy it because young students like themselves are featured in the video.

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.