Top 10 Tools for Teaching Science

1. Top 10 ToolsforTeaching Science • Be a • H.O.T. • Science Teacher!

2. Today’s Agenda: • Simulation: • The “Old” vs. “New” Science classroom • 2. Introductions • 3. Next Door NeighborChat: Engaging Teaching Table Tools • 4. Inquiry Activity/Where’s the Nuts? • 5. Brain Break • 6. Demonstration of Technology use in Science Lab • 7. Human Graph • 8. Think, Pair, Share/Alphabet Roundtable

3. What do BROWNIES, BOOKS, & BALLS have in common? Excitement fills the eyes of students EVERY day upon entering a science lab. WHY? Tools for Inquiry Our youngsters are naturally filled with wonder, so why not nurture opportunities for students to take charge of their own learning with high quality, engaging, relevant tools designed for today’s classrooms. Engaging Tools

4. Science Simulations • Using Simulations, role playing, and • even story telling in SCIENCE: • Teaches students how to make connections • Portrays authentic language experiences • Adaptable for multiple ability levels • Engages students with different learning styles • Builds confidence, motivation, and self esteem

5. Books! Books! Books! • The following books are just a small selection of • our favorite science-related picture books • aligned with the National Science Education • Standards. (YES, this can be implemented • at the high school level!!! ) • Over the Steamy Swamp by Paul Geraghty • A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle • The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons • Grand Canyon by Linda Vieira • The Popcorn Book by Tomie de Paola • Oil Spill by Melvin Berger • Pancakes, Pancakes! By Eric Carle

6. Books!! (Continued) • Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw • Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out!!! By April Sayre • Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young • If You Find a Rock by Peggy Christian • Papa, Please get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle • Girls Think of Everything by Catherine Thimmesh • Dr. Xargle’s Book of Earthlets by Jeanne Willis • Butternut Hollow Pond by Brian J. Heinz • Somewhere in the World Right Now by Stacey Schuett • The Remarkable Farkle McBride by John Lithgow • Weird Friends: Unlikely Allies in the Animal Kingdom by Jose Aruego • Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor • The Big Rock by Bruce Hiscock • The Magic School Bus Series • There’s a Hair in My Dirt by Gary Larson

7. Food for Fire… • Take food out of the kitchen & into the classroom to teach science & mathematics!!!

8. And… FOOD for Thought!! • When teaching scientific inquiry, • food can be one of MOST effective teaching tool. • Any time food can be incorporated into the lesson, • DO IT!! Your students WILL be actively engaged. • Some ideas for playing with your food in science lab are: • Best Brownies- solid liquid & gas or mixtures • Ice Cream in a Baggie- solid, liquid, & gas • Fast Fudge- solid, liquid, & gas • Making Oobleck (cornstarch & water) solid, liquid, & gas • Mentos & Soda- solid, liquid, & gas or mixtures & solutions • Scrumptious Solar Systemmodels with cookies, M & M candy, etc… • Lip-smacking Landforms made brownies, cookies, icing, cones, etc…

9. Food for Thought (cont.) • 8. Finding the Fizziest Formula- acids & bases • 9. Apples & Lemon Juice- chemical changes • 10. Floating eggs- density • 11. Identifying & raising Herbs- parts of a plant & • it’s role ( grow lab) • 12. Pumpkin Seasonal Science- • baking pumpkin seeds-parts of a plant & role • making pumpkin smoothies- solid, liquid, gas, mixtures/solutions • 13. Phases of the Moon- Oreo cookies • 14. Marshmallow Molecules Models • 15. Dirty Decomposers- Various types of food in sealed jars • 16. Growing Crystals- rock candy (types of rocks, caves) • 17. Cookie Mining - (with choc. chip cookies) Earth’s land resources • 18. Vinegar Volcano landforms; magma/lava; rock cycle

10. Food for Thought (cont.) Volume of an Oreo vs. Double Stuffed Plate Boundarieswith graham crackers & Rice krispies. Smores- Mols Gummi BearAtoms M & M or Skittles Bingo Sink or Float- Coke & Diet Coke Snickers Bar- The Rock Cycle

11. It’s NOT all Fun & Games Games as a Teaching Tool Music as a Teaching Tool Music is known to affect our feelings and energy levels. It can prompt memories, enhance brain activity and stimulate the mind. Play music &Create music!!! Here are some science music series: “Blinding You with Science” “The Jammin Classroom” Bill Nye Science Guy music video Sid the Science Kid songs OR Go to You Tube , Teacher Tube & type in the topic • Onion Ball/Snowball fight • Slap • Hot potato • Connect Four • Battleship • Pong • Beach ball • Oh Deer!! • Hunting Minibeasts • Acorns!! • The Game of Life: Stem Cells

12. Technology • www.mythbusters.com • www.howtosmile.org • www.hookedonscience.org • www.classdojo • www.scholastic.com • www.pinterest.com • www.lauracandler.com • www.sciencebuddies.org • www.discoveryeducation.com Helpful ScienceWebsites

13. Technology (cont.) • www.sciencespot.net • www.edheads.org • www.brainpop.com • www.stevespanglerscience.com • www.sciencenewsforkids.org • www.billnye.com • www.eup.k12.mi.us/page/4178 • www.nsta.org • www.nclark.net HelpfulWebsites

14. Technology • Science 360 WWF Together • Spacecraft 3D Near Pad • Particle Zoo Lab Timer • Fotopedia: Wild Friends American Museum of • Leaf Snap Natural History • Nature Mobile Nature Tap • Earth NOW • Biobots • Park Guides • Peterson • Animal Planet HelpfulApps

15. Science Journals • Incorporating Writing into the Science Curriculum: • Science teachers typically think of a lab report as • a way of incorporating writing into the science classroom. • However, writing can be integrated into science in • many other ways. • Begin class with a writing prompt that requires students to think. • Utilize illustrations, graphs, and other graphics in a new way. • Evaluate scientific articles. • Keep a journal outlining procedures and findings. • Evaluate a seminar, lecture, or media presentation.Develop a letter to the editor of a scientific journal.

16. Science Journals Suggestions for Effective use of Reflective Science Journals: 1. Teacher teachestopic in class. 2. At the end of each lesson, students write in their Science Reflective Journal. 3. At the end of week, teacher collects SRJ to read. 4. Beginning of the next week, teacher highlights one or two interesting questions in class. 5. As part of a follow up, teacher/students explore questions with their peers or with resources suggested by the teacher.

17. Goal Setting Notebook • http://www.lauracandler.com Goal Setting - The Key to Success!

18. Brain Breaks Purpose Ideas 5-4-3-2-1 Trading Places Six Spots Mingle, Mingle, Group! Dance Party! Freeze Dance! The Finger & Thumb Yoga!!! • Our students should have a • kinesthetic brain break every 25- • 30 minutes. • Brain breaks are • refreshing to students and • teachers alike. • They do take some • time out of class, but the • efficiency of our students goes up • when we incorporate them. • Please share out if you use a • particular brain break!!

19. COOL Science Resources AIMS (Human Graphs) NSTA Every Science Stories Science Court Science A-Z

20. Movement & Grouping • Table Positions • Job Grid • Shoebox materials • Caddies & tubs • Grouping • Organization, organization, organization!! The materials must be ready to go for each class period. • Noise level-LOUD; can still be managed with index card system, rainstick, xylophone or chimes, etc… • Science is MESSY!!!!! You will spend A LOT of time setting up & cleaning up every day!!