ASTA News!
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Previous Science Bytes are available online
It's that excellent content and it has a NEW name!
Let's welcome "sySTEMic connections"!
Volume 1 - August 2010 is available for download - Hot off the "presses"
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Global Science Project (GO3 Project)
We
are trying to identifying schools and teachers who would like to participate
in our exciting new project for high school students, the Global Ozone
Project or "GO3 Project". In the GO3
Project ,
students around the world measure ozone and meteorological parameters
outside their school and upload their data to an overlay in Google
Earth to share with other students, teachers and scientists around
the world. We have 18 schools participating at the present time,
including 4 international sister schools in Madrid, Moscow, Sydney
and Cairo. GO3 students are learning about environmental science
while helping create the world's first ground-level ozone database. We
expect to have funding for 50 more schools starting this fall. Funding
is provided through the GO3 Foundation ,
a 501(c)(3) non profit foundation. To learn more about the project,
please see our website and
2-minute video . We
have developed a free
curriculum that
teachers can download as Power Point presentations, and we are working
on free online interactive ("moodle") courses on all of atmospheric
science.
I am hoping that you can put me in touch with a few teachers in Alaska who might be interested in participating. Having a few schools signed up in every state will help us with fund raising for those schools. We are seeking donations from corporations, private foundations and government agencies. Each participating school will receive a free instrument package valued at $5,000.
Feel free to make the signup opportunity available to all schools in Alaska if you feel that is appropriate.
Thank you for your help.
Dr. John Birks
Professor Emeritus, University of Colorado, Boulder
Director, Global Ozone (GO3) Project
Chair, GO3 Foundation
Phone: +1(303)273-0559
Email: johnb@twobtech.com
GO3 Project: http://www.go3project.com/
GO3 Foundation: http://www.go3foundation.com
See the GO3 Project video: http://www.go3project.com/network/JohnBirks/videos/14
New Survey Finds Parents Need Help Encouraging Their Kids in Science
A new survey announced recently by NSTA and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. found that the vast majority (94%) of science teachers wish
their students' parents had more opportunities to engage in science
with their children. However, more than half (53%) of parents
of school-aged children admit that they could use more help to
support their child's interest in science. The survey was conducted
among a sample of 500 science teachers and 506 parents, including
406 parents of school-aged children.
Read more about the findings of the survey at: http://www.nsta.org/about/pressroom.aspx?id=57403
Boehringer Ingelheim launched a new YouTube channel
called FamilyScienceQuest. Families nationwide can take advantage
of the information presented on this dedicated YouTube channel,
featuring simple, fun science experiments that parents can conduct
at home with their children—such as
making colors explode in a puddle of milk, creating sidewalk chalk,
and making a cloud. To access the video tutorials, visit this YouTube
page at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/FamilyScienceQuest
From NSTA: Freebies ForThe Busy Science Teacher
http://www.nsta.org/publications/freebies.aspx
NSTA keeps a running list of hundreds of free resources, such as videos,
publications, CD-ROMs, lab kits, and other opportunities for teachers.
If you need some free materials or curriculum resources, and would
like a list of helpful web sites (in addition to the Science Matters
eBlasts, of course), then access this link anytime online! If you are
an NSTA member, you would be able to use the handy pull-out center
section of your copy of the NSTA Reports, which is sent to members
9 times throughout the year.
Free Science Poster
There is a free poster available from the State of Michigan on “Why
Do I Need This Science Class?” It then goes into the strong science
skills that are required for a job. IFor a copy visit: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Science_Poster_317875_7.pdf
NASA Wants to Fly Your Face in Space
http://faceinspace.nasa.gov
NASA wants to put a picture of you on one of the two remaining space
shuttle missions and launch it into orbit.
After registering at the Face in Space Web site, you’ll be able
to upload an image that will be put on a disc and flown aboard a shuttle
on a future mission. You’ll receive a confirmation number and
information about which flight your “face” will be on.
Then, after the launch, participants will be able to print a commemorative
certificate signed by the mission commander. You can also check on
mission status, view mission photographs, link to various NASA educational
resources, and follow the commander and crew on Twitter or Facebook.
Join educators and space enthusiasts around the world to celebrate
World Space Week, Oct. 4-10, 2010. This international event commemorates
the beginning of the Space Age with the launch of Sputnik 1 on Oct.
4, 1957.
World Space Week is the largest public space event in the world, with
celebrations in more than 50 nations. Last year, President Obama joined
the celebration by hosting a Star Party at the White House.
To find NASA educational resources that can be used during World Space
Week, visit: http://search.nasa.gov/search/edFilterSearch.jsp?empty=true.
To learn more about World Space Week and search for events in your
area visit: http://www.worldspaceweek.org/index.html.
U.S. Science & Engineering Festival
The inaugural USA Science & Engineering Festival will be
the country's first national science festival and will descend on the
Washington, D.C., area in the fall of 2010. The Festival promises to
be the ultimate multi-cultural, multigenerational and multidisciplinary
celebration of science in the United States. The culmination of the
Festival will be a two-day Expo in the nation's capital that will give
over 500 science and engineering organizations from all over the United
States the opportunity to present themselves with a hands-on, fun science
activity to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Indigenous Leaders Conservation Fellowship
Conservation International's Indigenous Leaders Conservation Fellowship
creates opportunities for leaders and scholars from indigenous
and traditional peoples' communities and organizations to explore
solutions to the impacts of climate change and the threats to
ecosystems and biodiversity that are affecting their lands, communities
and livelihoods. Year-long fellowship will be offered
to four candidates, with two in Biodiversity, and two in Climate
Change. The deadline for application is June 11, 2010.
http://www.conservation.org/discover/centers_programs/itpp/Pages/indigenous_fellowship.aspx
Wildlife Society Conference Native Student Grant
The Wildlife Society offers a native student grant program for students
to attend the national Wildlife Society Conference, October 2-6,
2010 in Snowbird, Utah. Any Tribal, Native (Alaska,
Hawaii, US Territories), or First Nations students enrolled in
a wildlife/natural resources program at an accredited college
or university is eligible. The deadline for application
is August 6, 2010.
Contact Heather Stricker at hstricker.wildlife@gmail.com
Where Words Touch the Earth
In this new digital media collection for grades 3-12, students from
American Indian Tribal Colleges interview Elders, students, and
community members to provide a Native American perspective on
climate change and its effects on their communities. Downloadable
videos touch on key environmental science issues and indigenous
knowledge of the depleted salmon population in Washington State,
the ecological function and spiritual role of wetlands, and the
relationship between humans and nature.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/special/nasawords/
The Alaska Science Consortium will be offering an Advanced Institute
in Anchorage this summer!
The topic for this institute is Astronomy
and will include guest lecturers and field trips (including a trip
to a planetarium and the newly renovated Anchorage Museum where the
Imaginarium will be located). The class will be held August 2- 6 from
9am-3pm unless a field trip requires a time adjustment. We have reserved
a comfortable meeting room at the BP Energy Center for our daily use.
There is a class limit of 16.
The fee is $400 and $200 (non-refundable) of that fee will be due by July 1st. The remaining fees will be due on the first day of class.
Credit will be available through the University of Alaska Southeast and
it will be $90 for two credits. Taking the class for credit is optional.
Send your registration forms to Cheryl Cooper at: cheryl@wildak.net
For more information about the Alaska Science Consortium visit the
web site at akscience.org
The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) Program was established in 1983 by The White House and is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program identifies outstanding mathematics and science teachers, kindergarten through 12th grade, in each state and the four U.S. jurisdictions. These teachers will serve as models for their colleagues and will be leaders in the improvement of science and mathematics education. The award alternates each year between teachers of grades K-6 and teachers of grades 7-12. Teachers of grades K - 6 are eligible for the Presidential Awards in 2010.
Each Presidential Awardee will receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation. Each Awardee will also be invited to attend, along with a guest, recognition events in Washington, D.C. during one week in the spring of 2011. These events will include an award ceremony, a Presidential Citation, meetings with leaders in government and education, sessions to share ideas and teaching experiences, and receptions and banquets to honor recipients.
This is an incredible opportunity to honor your outstanding secondary teachers who teach math or science. To nominate a teacher, go to http://www.paemst.org and click on Nominations. It is quick and easy. We hope you will nominate one or more secondary teachers, and then encourage them to complete and submit the application that they will download from the same web site.
The 2010 nomination form must be filled out on line at http://www.paemst.org/and clicking on the Nomination form link. If you have problems with the electronic nomination form, it can also be downloaded and sent or emailed to:
Math: Science:
Sandy
Schoff David
Gillam
16235 Bridgeview Drive 6701
Foothill Drive
Anchorage, AK 99516 Anchorage,
AK 99504
Fax: 907-345-5855 Fax:
907-338-0667
Schoff_Sandy@asdk12.org gillam_david@asdk12.org
We will make sure the
y get entered electronically. If you have
any questions, please contact either Sandy Schoff or David Gillam.
Science Buddies has a set of documents worth reading - download
as a zipped archive the following documents are included:
Scientific Method Poster - A Strong Hypothesis - Putting Things in Perspective:
Honest Science
Emma Walton Distinguished Teaching Award
For the 2010 award, the nomination packet should be received no later than
June 1, 2010. The winner of the Distinguished Teaching Award
will be notified by August 1, 2010.
The award is designed to recognize Alaska educators who have made extraordinary
contributions to the advancement of science education in the sciences and
science teaching. Each award consists of up to $500 to travel to the
biannual Alaska Math/Science Conference, where a formal citation and a suitable
token of appreciation for the outstanding service rendered by the recipient
will be given.
Send the nomination packet to:
Judith J Onslow
Alaska Science Teachers Association, President
ATTN: ASTA Distinguished Service Award
P O Box 744
Girdwood, AK 99587
News From Togiak!
Togiak middle school students have been working with middle school science teacher Andrew Smith to conduct a Coho (silver) Salmon Egg Incubation inside their classroom. Togiak received coho (silver) salmon eggs in early December and have been caring for them ever since their arrival. All of the middle school students have helped with the Salmon Incubation Project. The students daily responsibilities are: tank cleaning, water exchange, fish feeding, temperature regulation, temperature recording, observation, equipment checks and survival monitoring. In the picture are 7th grade students from left: Evrocenia, Chad, Theresa, Brenton, Brett, Rosalie, and Corina. The average survival rate of salmon eggs is less than 1%. The science class started with 500 eggs and have over 50 small salmon alive at this point, so they are very pleased with their results thus far.
Hitch a Ride on the Glory Satellite
Do you want to hitch a ride on NASA's next climate monitoring satellite?
Join the Glory mission, which will launch no earlier than Oct.
1, 2010, by surfing over to the Send Your Name Around the Earth
Web page. Names will be recorded on a microchip built into the
satellite, and you will get a printable certificate from NASA
acknowledging your participation. There are already 226,323 names
on the chip, but there's still plenty of room. You may not submit
your name more than once.
To add your name to the microchip, visit http://polls.nasa.gov/utilities/sendtospace/jsp/sendName.jsp
Glory carries two scientific sensors dedicated to understanding the effects of aerosols and the sun's variability on Earth's climate. The Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor will collect information about tiny liquid and solid particles suspended in the atmosphere that absorb or reflect sunlight. The Total Irradiance Monitor will measure the intensity of incoming sunlight that can vary over time.
To learn more about the Glory mission, visit http://glory.gsfc.nasa.gov
PhotoZone
Helps young photographers learn to take and share photos of wildlife
and wild places.
There are photo tips, tricks, contests,
and more.
ChemMatters Debuts on YouTube news
The American Chemical Society's (ACS) award-winning high school chemistry
magazine ChemMatters is making its YouTube debut with its first
video podcast. The podcast highlights the promises of nanotechnology,
the science and technology of building very small machines that
are as small as 1/50,000th the width of a human hair. It is available
at http://www.bytesizescience.com and
on the Bytesize Science podcast on iTunes.
Produced by the team behind ACS's award-winning Bytesize Science video podcast, the ChemMatters video serves as an entertaining and educational introduction to the fascinating world of nanotechnology. The episode explains how incredibly small materials could lead to tiny devices that bring medicine exactly where it needs to go in your body, powerful computers the size of a grain of sand and new sources of energy.
ChemMatters has been demystifying the chemistry in our everyday lives for over 25 years. Released quarterly, each issue contains readable articles about the chemistry used in everyday life, and is of interest to high school students and their teachers. New episodes of the ChemMatters video podcast will be available in early 2010.
What Is Science Matters?
Science Matters is an initiative by the National Science Teachers Association
(NSTA) to bring content, news, and information that supports quality
science education to parents and teachers nationwide.
Science Matters builds on the success of the Building a Presence for
Science program, first launched in 1997 as an e-networking initiative
to assist teachers of science with professional development opportunities.
Building a Presence for Science—now Science Matters—reaches
readers in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
Why does Science Matter? Science is critical to understanding the world
around us. Most Americans feel that they received a good education
and that their children will as well. Unfortunately, not many are aware
that international tests show that American students are simply not
performing well in science when compared to students in other countries.
Many students (and their parents!) believe that science is irrelevant
to their lives.
Innovation leads to new products and processes that sustain our economy,
and this innovation depends on a solid knowledge base in science, math,
and engineering. All jobs of the future will require a basic understanding
of math and science. The most recent ten year employment projections
by the U.S. Labor Department show that of the 20 fastest growing occupations
projected for 2014, 15 of them require significant mathematics or science
preparation to successfully compete for a job
This is why Science Matters. Quality learning experiences in the sciences—starting
at an early age—are critical to science literacy and our future
workforce. Feel free to publish this information in school newsletters
and bulletins, and share it with other parents, teachers, and administrators.
Freebies for Science Teachers
Tucked away in the NSTA website, under the Publications tab, you’ll
find the Freebies for Science Teachers, a continually refreshed repository
of free resources for you and your classroom. The "Freebies" have
long been a popular part of the Grab Bag pull-out section of NSTA Reports.
Where the Wild Things Are
National Wildlife Federation has teamed up with the film Where The
Wild Things Are to bring you some fun activities. Try them out and
discover the Wild Things in your own world! Playing outside makes
healthy, happy kids.
You will find an Educator’s Guide, plus all
the details on how to plan a fun Wild Rumpus Day, by visiting:
http://www.nwf.org/beoutthere/docs/BeOutThere_KidsGuide.pdf
Learn Science From Frankenstein
The Atoms Family is a Science Learning Network online resource based
on The Atoms Family exhibit at the Miami Science Museum. This resource
contains educational activities, presented by famous gothic horror
characters, related to different forms of energy. In The Mummy’s
Tomb, students learn about energy conservation and kinetic and potential
energy. In the Phantom’s Portrait Parlor, they investigate the
principles of atoms and matter. In Frankenstein’s Lightning Laboratory,
they study different forms of electricity and electrical safety. Dracula’s
Library introduces the properties of light, waves and particles, and
The Wolf Man’s Graveyard presents the concepts of fuel conservation
and energy transfer.
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory provides a rendering
of science inquiry and the continuum it represents.
PUMAS
Practical Uses of Math and Science (PUMAS) offers more than 60 one-page
examples of how science and math can be used in interesting settings
and everyday life. Topics include clouds (why they float), Social Security
benefits (algebra), Pythagorean theorem (cabinet corners), ice sheets
and sea level (logarithms), matching birthdays (statistics), traffic
signals (probability), seasons (causes), volcanic clouds, wind chill
(algebra) and more. The examples, written primarily by scientists,
engineers and other content experts, are aimed mainly at K–12
classroom teachers.
Whelmers
Whelmers are 20 hands-on science activities intended to capture students’ imagination
and spark curiosity. The activities have been aligned with the National
Science Education Standards by the staff of McREL. Among the activities
are Iron in Cereal, Nickel Karate, Inch of Skin, Fire Sandwich, Pretzel
Predictions and Liquid Rainbow.
A Movie about DIRT
A new film is out and it is a topic that we all
share concern about. DIRT!
the Movie brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political
impacts of soil. It provides a greater understanding of soil and the
responsibility rests on all of us to take care of it. Check out
the trailer and sign up to find out how to see DIRT!
Gr 5-8: Learn Space Science Through Social Media
The Adler Planetarium’s Teencasts are a cool way for teens to
become educated about the universe. On this site, students will find
interesting facts about science.
Gr 6-12: Body Learning Experience
Created by the Discovery Channel as part of the "Human Body: Pushing
the Limits" video, "The Human Body Learning Experience" is
an interactive web site exploring vision, memory, strength and sensation.
Each of these four sections has games and videos to help you learn
about the nervous system.
K-12: Have a "No Child Left Inside" Day
A Guide for Organizing Your Outdoor Earth Science Event
The No Child Left Inside Day is celebrated on the Tuesday of each Earth
Science Week. Young people everywhere enjoy experiences that make learning
fresh and exciting. Your students will, too. This guide contains all
the information you need to begin planning your own NCLI Day. With
the help of your colleagues, you can create an event that gets young
people excited, shows the community what great things are happening
at your school, and genuinely promotes high-quality, hands-on Earth
science learning!
Pre
K-2: The Early Years Blog
With information on Discovery Bottles, a variety of recommended trade
books to read with young children, so called “citizen science” projects,
and suggestions for fall gardening, this site should be in your list
of bookmarks, or added to your Google web site. The blog is written
by Peggy Ashbrook, who is a preschool science teacher, and the editor
of The Early Years column, published regularly in the NSTA journal
Science and Children. Check out the web site for some great ideas
for your classroom!
COSMIC TIMES: POSTERS, LESSONS AND TEACHER GUIDES FOR GRADES 7-12
Over the past century, our view of the universe has changed from static
to expanding to accelerating. Modern-day cosmologists have identified
turning points in this science story to be the confirmation of Einstein’s
theory of gravity, Hubble’s evidence for an expanding universe,
the detection of the microwave background, and finally the discovery
of dark energy. NASA’s Cosmic Times traces these advancements
to teach the nature of science using literature.
Cosmic Times is a suite of curriculum support materials and classroom
activities for grades 7-12. Cosmic Times includes six posters,
each resembling the front page of a newspaper from a particular time
over the past century with articles describing the discoveries. Each
poster is accompanied by inquiry-based lessons, which teach the science
concepts behind the discoveries, the process of science, and skills
for science literacy. In addition, lessons include cross-curricular
activities which explore the times and social circumstances of the
discoveries.
The Cosmic Times posters, lessons and teacher guide are available for
electronic download from the Cosmic Times website. In addition, printed
copies of the Cosmic Times posters are also now available by request
from the web site.
WGBH
NOVA Web-Only Series: "The Secret Life
of Scientists"
NOVA recently launched a new online resource we think will be useful
for
high school science teachers looking to encourage student interest
in STEM careers. "The Secret Life of Scientists," is
a web-only series of videos that introduce the research of individual
scientists while providing a glimpse at "secrets" from their
personal lives. A new scientist is now being profiled every two weeks
online. Each new profile includes short video clips that make
science and scientists accessible to students, as well as a forum that
allows students to ask questions directly of profiled scientists.
Curious George Helps Bring Earth Science to Kids
Leverage Curious George's appeal to bring earth science learning to
young kids. PBS has created easy-to-use resources for educators
that are free and online. The resources outline how to set up
and run hands-on “Curiosity Centers” where children
can make their own discoveries about sand, water, soil, wind,
and recycling. How-to includes simple materials lists, learning
goals, leader notes, and tips for success. Over 80 three-minute
video clips showing kids exploring science are also available.
Increase Understanding of Environmental Issues
The Captain Planet Foundation is accepting applications for projects
promoting understanding of environmental issues. The foundation funds
as many projects as its annual resources allow. Generally, the range
of grants awarded by the foundation is $250 to $2,500. Deadlines: Grant
proposals are reviewed over a period of three months from the date
of the application submission deadline: September 30, 2009, December
31, 2009, March 31, 2010 and June 30, 2010.
K-12 Seminars on Science
These are in full swing for the upcoming academic year with eleven
courses on the roster. We have a new environmental science course
with a focus on water and water resource management and hope to
add yet another course by 2011.
These online graduate courses offered through the American Museum of
Natural History in New York City are a great way for teachers to fulfill
professional (and personal) development needs.
Everything you might want to know about Seminars on Science (including
free resources, syllabi and info on how to register for graduate credit)
can be found at our website.
The courses are fully online and can be taken for
up to 4 graduate credits each. Courses are six weeks long
and are co-taught by an experienced classroom teacher and a research
scientist. Courses include: Evolution; Earth: Inside and Out;
The Ocean System; The Solar System, Genetics, Genomics, Genethics;
The Link Between Dinosaurs and Birds, Space, Time and Motion,
and others - including our newest course, Water: Environmental
Science.
Registration for the Fall session closes October 5th, so sign up now!
For more information contact: Katie Rasmussen
K-12 Explore Ice Worlds!
Discover our most precious resource — water — in its frozen
form through our new Explore! Ice Worlds! hands-on activities. The
three themes investigate All About Ice, Ice in the Solar System, and — just
in time for Earth Science Week (Oct. 11-17) — Ice on Earth.
K-12 Polar Origami
Fold an iceberg, a penguin, a narwhal, an arctic tern, a polar bear
or a wandering albatross!
K-12: PBS Teachers
This popular Web destination has been redesigned, making it easier
and quicker for educators to find appropriate resources. It offers
a searchable data base of more than 9,000 free local and national standards-based
teaching activities, lesson plans, on-demand video resources and more.
K-12: Free videos from the NIH
Women are Scientists is a series of FREE videos from the National Institutes
of Health that showcase successful female scientists in their respective
specialties. The videos are designed to motivate students to take more
challenging advanced science courses and to enable them to successfully
direct their own career paths.
K-12
NASA and DESIGN SQUAD® and the On
the Moon Educator Guide
This is an online workshop for educators and after school leaders to
build their skills and confidence in guiding kids through engineering
activities like those found in the On the Moon Educator Guide.
Completing this self-guided online workshop will allow educators to
gain insight and strategies for strengthening critical-thinking skills
and exciting their students about using the design process to arrive
at solutions.
-- Experience the design process in action. Learn and reflect on ways
to use the design process to tap into students’ problem-solving
skills and creativity.
-- Watch an engineering activity. See how easy it is to integrate the
design process into hands-on activities in the classroom.
-- Get resources. Discover a variety of engineering activities from
NASA and DESIGN SQUAD® for students in grades K-12.
The K–2 and the 3–5 Teachers' Lounges
These web sites both provide excellent resources to integrate the nature
and process of science into your teaching, and gain insights into helping
students see how science really works. See also links to resources
for 6-8 and 9-12.
K-4 Free Space Thrills Poster
The Space Thrills poster uses the excitement of a roller coaster traveling
through the solar system to capture students' imaginations. The back
of the poster includes five activities, teaching tips, fun facts and
short narratives in which the sun and each planet introduce themselves.
K-12: Opportunities
for Citizen Science
Citizen science is a term generally used for science projects or ongoing
programs in which volunteers (who may or may not have any specific
scientific training) perform or manage research-related tasks such
as observation, measurement or computation.
The data collected by citizen-science networks often allow scientists to accomplish research objectives more feasibly than would otherwise be possible. Citizen Science projects also promote public engagement with science and with research. Some programs provide materials specifically for use by primary or secondary school students.
NASA's
Kids Science News Network Newsbreaks for K–2
NASA's Kids Science News Network program has produced 20 newsbreaks—60-second
animations, activities, and resource links that present "science
news you can use." Available in English and Spanish, the newsbreaks
explore topics that naturally pique children's curiosity, from what
causes day and night to why shadows grow and shrink. Teachers can incorporate
newsbreaks into instruction by using them to introduce a concept or
as a warm-up, or they can request copies of the scripts and have students
perform the newsbreaks themselves.
Power Up and Learn Science
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), education
game maker Tabula Digita and the Monsanto Education Fund have
partnered to develop a free interactive science game for grades
3–5 called the League of Scientists. This interactive resource
allows students to compete against one another in a series of
multiplayer games, constructed around a standards-based science
curriculum. The League of Scientists currently includes four interactive
games: Lab Rat Race, Beaker Blast, Butterfly Boss and Circuit
Center, with additional games planned. The science content was
provided by ISTE and can be selected based on a teacher’s
desire to introduce or practice life science, earth and space
science or physical science concepts
K-12: Tried and True Hands on Activities
Do you need some ideas for that first day of class? How about ideas
for hands-on activities? If so, the Exploratorium's hands-on activities
page is for you. Note that at the bottom of the second column are "Activity
Collections" that contain hundreds of hands-on activities. Check
out these tried and true activities to bring excitement and enthusiasm
to your classroom.
Test Your Infrared Memory
No human can see infrared light. But the question is, can you think
in infrared? Give your visual memory a workout with a few rounds
of the Spitzer Infrared Concentration game at The Space Place.
Click on tiles in a grid to find matches of striking and colorful
infrared images of galaxies, nebulae, and renderings of other
solar systems. Start with a 3x3 grid and work your way up to a
9x6 grid—if you can! All the images have short captions
so you can better marvel at what you are seeing.
K-12: Night Shift!
The web site "Amazing Space" lives up to its billing, offering
a variety of resources for students and teachers that make the cosmos
come to life in the classroom. The evolution of the stars, gravity,
the electro-magnetic spectrum and the mathematics underpinning astronomy
are just a few of the topics presented. There is also a special "Teaching
Tools" section for educators, filled with classroom activities,
graphic organizers and more.
Gr.9-12: Scitable
This is a free online science resource for undergraduate and high school
teachers and students. The Web site contains a library offering
instructional overviews of key genetic concepts compiled by the
editorial staff of Nature Publishing group. Scitable also features
an online community that allows students and teachers around the
globe to collaborate on projects.
Gr 9-12 Biology: A great online resource: The Biology Corner
The Biology Corner is a resource site for biology and science teachers.
It contains a variety of lessons, quizzes, labs, web quests, and information
on science topics. You can find lessons related to biology topics such
as Ecology, Genetics, Anatomy, Cells, Scientific Method, and Evolution.
New Websites for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Observe Animals in the Wild--The Secret Lives of Wild Animals looks
at new technologies being used to observe animals in their natural
environments. See video clips and stories about tracking white-tailed
deer, ocelots, agoutis, dragonflies, zebras and seals.
Experience the Workings of Robotics
Visitors to
San Francisco’s
Tech Museum of Innovation website can experience the online exhibit
Robotics: Sensing, Thinking, and Acting. The Universal Robots
section presents the history and workings of robotics. The Robot Art
section includes the work of four Bay Area artists. Machines and Man
addresses robotics and ethics in the 21st century. And At Your Command
lets visitors control their own remotely operated robot. The free classroom
materials are designed to increase students’ understanding about
what makes a robot a robot, how robots sense, think and act as well
as the uses and limitations of working robots. The educational materials
were developed by the Carnegie Science Center.
Field
Trip Earth
If
you can’t afford a field trip with your students
this year, then Field Trip Earth is the way to go. This website monitors
wildlife preservation projects all over the world. Your class can go
on these trips without ever leaving the classroom!
Junior Engineering Technical Society Launches Annual TEAMS Competition
With the theme, "Water, Water, Everywhere" the Junior Engineering
Technical Society (JETS) launched its annual TEAMS competition for
high school students throughout the country. The theme-based
engineering competition provides students in grades nine through 12
with the opportunity to make real-world connections between math and
science to actual engineering challenges. With the release of the Grand
Challenges for Engineering, the emphasis on providing access to clean
water became the main focus for the competition.
Periodic Table of the Elements
Students, unfortunately, can find the all-important periodic table
boring. Here is an interactive version that takes all the boredom
away. There's a wealth of information available on this one page,
and the viewer can configure it in various ways. There are links
to plenty of visuals as well, with video and photos of each element
Free Physics and Physical Science Resources for Grades 5-12
Arbor Scientific introduces a new free resource for physics and physical
science teachers. Labs in this growing collection are designed to cover
important key concepts, and may be downloaded and used in your classroom.
Whether you're a middle school or high school teacher, these labs are
designed for you. Each lab includes teacher's notes with a brief concept
review, lab tips, applicable National Science Content Standards, and
a list of equipment. The student pages are ready to reproduce and use
right away.
PolarTREC Teachers
2011
Application Deadline: 5 October
Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating Arctic Research
Consortium of the U.S. For further information, please contact PolarTREC
at: Email: info@polartrec.com Phone:
907-474-1600.
Turn Your Students into BirdSleuths
Channel your students' energy with inquiry, observation, and fun using
one of BirdSleuth's ready-to-use curriculum kits!
If you are pressed for time and looking for a new way to get your kids
outside, motivated and engaged by science and inquiry, then take a
look at BirdSleuth's curriculum kits from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
NASA & DESIGN
SQUAD Develop Online Workshop
NASA and DESIGN SQUAD® have developed an online workshop for educators
and afterschool leaders to build their skills and confidence in guiding
kids through engineering activities like those found in the On the
Moon Educator Guide.
Completing this self-guided online workshop will allow educators
to gain insight and strategies for strengthening critical-thinking skills
and exciting their students about using the design process to arrive at
solutions.
In this self-guided workshop, participants will
-- Experience the design process in action. Learn and reflect on ways
to use the design process to tap into students’ problem-solving
skills and creativity.
-- Watch an engineering activity. See how easy it is to integrate the
design process into hands-on activities in the classroom.
-- Get resources. Discover a variety of engineering activities from
NASA and DESIGN SQUAD® for students in grades K-12.
Click to download the On
the Moon Educator Guide
Teachers’ Domain
Website
“Do you want to broaden your knowledge of science content and effective
inquiry-based methodologies? Teachers’ Domain offers over 1,500 media resources
in science, engineering, and technology as well as standards-based professional
development courses in Physical, Life, and Earth Sciences.”
Examples from the Teachers' Domain web site ....
LPI
Earth & Space Science News
Windows
to the Universe
.
Alaska
Native Perspectives on Earth and Climate
Boston public television station WGBH, in collaboration with the Alaska
Staff Development Network, The Alaska Native Science Commission, and
University of Alaska, Fairbanks, is pleased to offer a media collection
designed specifically for Alaska teachers and students on our free
digital library, Teachers' Domain. The 40 videos and interactives in
Alaska
Native Perspectives on Earth and Climate look
at Alaska's unique geology and the impact of development and climate
change on Alaska. These media resources provide both Alaska Native
and Western scientific perspectives on these topics and feature Alaska
Native scientists who are working toward solutions. The collection
also provides three lesson plans and a student activity that make use
of the media resources. Explore
the collection now.
Traditional Ways of Knowing:
Spirit - Air - Fire - Water - Earth
Earth as a System:
Atmosphere - Biosphere - Cryosphere - Hydrosphere - Lithosphere
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