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Morphbank - Morphbank
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): cells (82), images (263), microorganisms (10), photography (130)
In the Classroom
Use these images of organisms and nature to illustrate concepts or ask visual questions. Use in student projects, on wikis or blogs, or anywhere a great picture is needed. Use to generate essays about the different types of organisms or have students make a "wanted" poster that discusses the habitat and niche of the various organisms. Use pictures when discussing characteristics of life or the classification of various organisms. Create simple drag and drop sorting activities for interactive whiteboard using these images to assess class understanding of different characteristics or classifications. Use this activity with one of the student centered activity formats from our Hands Off, Vanna ideas for student centered use of your interactive whiteboard.Carbon Footprint Calculator - Carbon Footprint Ltd.
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): carbon dioxide (10), carbon footprint (5), climate change (99)
In the Classroom
Have each student use the calculator to determine their total. Compare students in the class and the types of activities that cause a greater amount. Ask questions as to why some activities raise the carbon footprint more than others. Research the reasons for a better understanding of what causes a carbon footprint. Discuss ways that families could take action to reduce their carbon footprint. Most students are unfamiliar with carbon offsets. Discuss what these are and whether they are important or needed. Create a campaign or contest to reduce the carbon footprint of your community and make a change for the future. Have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site (or things that will increase your footprint) using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. Create infographics using the class footprint stats and a simple infographic tool such as Visme, reviewed here.Seymour Simon: Award Winning Children's Author - Seymour Simon
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): animals (295), brain (56), butterflies (13), earth (184), earthquakes (46), environment (252), human body (93), hurricanes (32), insects (69), light (56), oceans (149), planets (113), plants (146), solar system (110), spiders (10), stars (71), sun (71), tornadoes (14), volcanoes (55), weather (160), whales (11)
In the Classroom
Enroll on the site using your email address. Access and use teacher guides along with Seymour Simon books during Guided or Independent Reading. View videos on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) to learn more about the author and watch ebooks. Share Seymour Simon's bio with students when using his books as part of a non-fiction unit -- perfect for Common Core informational texts! Challenge students to create a talking avatar using a photo or other image (legally permitted to be reproduced). The avatars can be used to explain or review any of Seymour Simon's books or articles from the Science blog. Use a site such as Blabberize, reviewed here, to create "talking" avatars. Create a link to the site on classroom computers for students to explore items such as the Science Dictionary or read and discuss items from the Science News.Medpedia - Medpedia, Inc.
Grades
7 to 12In the Classroom
Use these articles for research when discussing genetic disorders, infectious disease agents, or any other research topic. Health classes and biology classes can use this as one source for research projects. Be sure to include this link on your class site as places to find information.What is nano? - Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network
Grades
K to 12tag(s): atoms (44), engineering (129), gravity (43), matter (46), measurement (122)
In the Classroom
Teaching nanotechnology theory can be hard. Make the abstract idea concrete with the activities in the DIY Nano section of this website. Use the activities in the lab. In no time at all, students will be wrapping their minds around the tiny world of nanometers and nanotechnology. Encourage students to download the application if they have a smart phone and experiment further at home with their parents. (It's FREE!) This could really ignite a worthwhile career for aspiring scientists!Promethean Planet - Promethean, Inc
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Before you try any of these activities, think about how you can make the lesson more student-centered. Find ideas in TeachersFirst's Hands off, Vanna! Giving Students Control of Interactive Whiteboard Learning . Browse the site for interactive whiteboard resources to download for classroom use. Bookmark and save favorites for later use. Download any resource, then tweak it to your individual needs. Have questions about creating Promethean Flipcharts? Post your question on the technical board to receive helpful replies. If you have a SmartBoard, be sure to check out the SmartBoard lessons and resources page located here. You will need to download the ActivInspire software (free).Dr. Carlson's Science Theater - Dr. Carlson Science Theater
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): electricity (61), light (56), matter (46), motion (47), newton (21), optics (11), scientific method (48), waves (14), weather (160)
In the Classroom
Use as a reinforcement or enrichment tool, depending on the students' needs. Embed or link to relevant videos on your website, blog, or wiki for students to view (and review) outside of the classroom. Share the videos on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) and use as an anticipatory guide for science concepts presented -- or even as a review. Use as a creative example of a presentation in a subject area content. Challenge students to create their own videos about a specific science topic. Share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here.Do Lectures - Talks That Inspire Action - The Chicken Shed
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): business (52), careers (156), creativity (86), debate (42), environment (252), nutrition (140), psychology (65), sociology (23), video (266)
In the Classroom
Do Lectures are a great place to find inspiration and new ideas for your classroom. Many of the videos connect today's real world with curriculum topics, even in entrepreneurship, health, or family and consumer science classes. Use Do Lecture videos as the perfect supplement or launching point for units of study in your classroom. Find a video that supports the topics happening in your classroom. Share on your website for student viewing. Use on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) for a whole class discussion. Stop the video at various points to discuss or debate ideas included. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos in response to videos viewed on Do Lectures or their own topic. Share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here. Teachers of gifted could plan an entire unit of study around one video or have students select one to use as the launch point for an independent project.Famous Scientists - famousscientists.org
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): inventors and inventions (80), scientists (67)
In the Classroom
The reading level of this site is rather challenging. Have weaker readers work together with stronger ones. While discussing scientists and inventors, use this site as a resource for gathering information. Have small groups of students research scientists from the same time period. Have them research their contributions including reactions of others to their discovery or invention. Research why these inventions were particularly important and the scientific knowledge that changed as a result. Have them present their findings to the class by creating a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, Vevox, Animatron, Renderforest, and Microsoft PowerPoint Online. Then, if you would like to take your students critical thinking up a notch and extend their learning, you could have the small groups compare the different inventions and decide how and why the earlier inventions had to come before a later invention could be developed. For this you might want to have students use a collaborative graphic organizer like Canva Edu, reviewed here, and have them report out their thoughts and discoveries to the class.Useful charts - UsefulCharts Publishing
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): art history (103), charts and graphs (171), grammar (137), multiple intelligences (7), myths and legends (37), poetry (193), politics (118), psychology (65), religions (95), solar system (110), space (222), timelines (56)
In the Classroom
Share a visual overview of a topic on projector or IWB before teaching or as a reference before lessons that zero in on subtopics. Use this site to teach data and the graphic display of data. Allow groups of students to choose a graphic and report to the class on how the data was made more meaningful using the graphics that were chosen. You may also want to share this link as a research tool for debates or presentations on science or social studies topics. Share the timeline or graphic on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Discuss the science, history, or math behind the data collected. Discuss other information and ways of presenting the information in order to create a more interesting graphic. Have students try their hand at creating an infographic using a tool such as Snappa.Explore Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emmissions - EPA
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): carbon dioxide (10), climate change (99), fossil fuels (10)
In the Classroom
Use this site during a unit on pollution. First be sure to discuss what combustion is. Choose facilities found within your state to investigate. Compare similar facilities across various states to compare emissions. Have students or groups compare by facility type (especially different types of power generation) then research the type of fuel used to determine the different emissions. Research how emissions compare to the driving of automobiles and the use of agriculture. Research the types of changes and alternatives that could change these numbers. Have students make simple infographics to show comparisons and conclusions. Try using a tool such as Venngage, reviewed here.The Naked Scientists - University of Cambridge
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): experiments (55), genetics (80), oceans (149), podcasts (108), volcanoes (55)
In the Classroom
Use Naked Science to explore topics as an introduction in class. Or use these articles to hook students during a start-of-school "what is science" unit. Use the site to find answers to many of the tough questions that students can pose during classroom instruction. Provide time for students to research the facets of a topic as a group for lively group or class discussions. Discuss the set up of the problems, description of the theories, or how to separate fact from opinion. Research the backgrounds of the experts on this site. Teachers of gifted students and regular classroom teachers seeking ways to adapt for gifted students will find this site well-suited to the eclectic interests and angles of out-of-the-box thinkers. Be sure to share the link on your class web page.Center for PRobing the NanoScale - Nano Activities - Stanford University
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): inventors and inventions (80), measurement (122), microscopes (10)
In the Classroom
Are you struggling to wrap young minds around the tiny world of nanoscale? Lessons are appropriate for grades two to twelve, but could be adapted if you are teaching middle level students who have never been introduced to the world of nanotechnology. As an introduction for students who have never thought about nano, talk about how the use of this technology created better underwear that help prevent odor and decrease sweating. This is sure to start an interesting conversation. Just make sure that you set boundaries before you begin the discussion. See what other lines of clothing students could "create" with nanotechnology. Have them share their "inventions" on a class wiki or in a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Genially, Animatron, Renderforest, and Desygner.Foodskey - University of Nottingham
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): nutrition (140)
In the Classroom
Find information you may not see elsewhere, such as using plasma to stop fungal rot on strawberries, and using UV light to extend the shelf life of broccoli. Be sure to use this site in any unit when discussing food and health. Students can create public service announcements to share what they have learned about food and food safety. Do you know of an issue Foodskey does not cover? Consider assigning students to research it, and then create a video or podcast much like these to share what students have learned through the research.News Bites - National Geographic Kids - National Geographic Kids
Grades
2 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animals (295), endangered species (27), news (229), newspapers (93)
In the Classroom
Subscribe and follow the blog to receive notification of new entries. Allow students to choose an article to read and share with the class. Have students follow keywords to find further information. Use this site as a resource for students to use to make online "tours" to explain current events or topics of interest using Screencast-o-matic, reviewed here, or Screencastify (Chrome app), reviewed here.Polar Bear Cam - polarbearcam.com
Grades
K to 9This site includes advertising.
tag(s): adaptations (16), animals (295), ecosystems (83), endangered species (27), habitats (92)
In the Classroom
Use this site when discussing climate change or habitat destruction. View the live feeds and note the characteristics that polar bears have and research the difference between them and every other type of bear. Discuss these similarities and differences when discussing animals structures, adaptations, classification or characteristics of living things. Write stories about a polar bear's life, create a campaign to save endangered species, and recognize other threatened species near where you live. Be sure to investigate the lesson plans by clicking on the Take Action buttons. Most of the lesson plans aim to inform and to prevent destruction of the polar bear's habitat in the Arctic. In primary grades, have the class keep a basic observation journal at a polar bear center where they can watch the webcam and record what they see. Consider sharing several different animal cams for students to gain practice at observation.Science Video Animation - Russell Kightley media
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): atoms (44), cells (82), colors (64), diseases (67), dna (43), earth (184), electricity (61), energy (133), engineering (129), geometric shapes (135), light (56), machines (17), molecules (44), solar system (110), sun (71), vision (44), waves (14)
In the Classroom
Use the simulations to help explain topics and concepts in class. Language arts teachers can use this site as a source for nonfiction reading comprehension. Science and language arts teachers can use the site as a learning center for students who need enrichment. Find great animations to help visualize various topics from different viruses to diesel engines, the Doppler Effect, to the garden sundial, and the vertical sundial to name just a few. Check the readability of the animations you want students to use on their own by using the The Readability Test Tool reviewed here.Spotzi - Spotzi.com
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): business (52), diseases (67), ecology (103), environment (252), natural disasters (18), natural resources (37), resources (84)
In the Classroom
Use Spotzi to make information more relevant and meaningful when paired with an actual map. Find trends easily. Have students choose a topic and investigate maps to identify and develop general statements from the data. Ask students to generate questions to further research the topic. This tool is invaluable for environmental, ecology, health, economics, and other research topics. Use this map to add new dimensions of information about places in the news. Share on a projector or interactive whiteboard to learn more about countries participating in the Olympics. Use data to compare countries and discuss possible cause/effects for poverty, health challenges, and more.Frank - FRANK
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): difficult conversations (57), drugs and alcohol (28)
In the Classroom
Use this site as part of a science or health class on drug and health related topics. Share this site in a collection of links for students to reference when researching such topics. Have students role-play a video or create a talking avatar on how to resist peer pressure to try drugs. Use a tool such as Voki, reviewed here.Forensics - Nancy Clark
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): forensics (12)