Learning math : Measurement
This college level course, developed for elementary and middle school teachers, begins with the fundamentals of measurement, then examines standard units in the metric and customary systems. Online workshop sessions cover measurement of a circle, area and volume formulas, angle measurement, and indirect measurement encountered in trigonometry. The final session explores ways to apply these concepts to K-8 classroom teaching. Each of its ten sessions contains video programming, problem-solving ac
Teaching Box: The Feeding Frenzy, Seasonal Upwelling
This teaching box is designed to teach students about the biotic and abiotic factors that drive the process of upwelling in the oceans. Students will deepen their understanding of the dynamics that create a seasonal abundance of marine life in coastal upwelling zones by exploring marine food webs, primary food production in the ocean, density and wind-driven currents, and seasonal changes in resources. By working backwards, students will discover that wind-driven upwelling supplies phytoplankton
Science Sampler: Multiple Intelligences and Lab Groups
Science teachers who are committed to excellence in the classroom continually seek ways to improve teaching and learning, and the concept of multiple intelligences holds promise as a method for accomplishing this. Acknowledging these intelligences offers teachers an interesting opportunity to appeal to the different personalities and learning styles that are present in the classroom. In this research project, the theory of multiple intelligences was integrated into a seventh grade science curric
1900 Air Pollution
Examine this graph from FRONTLINE/NOVA: Whats Up with the Weather? Web site to see dramatic increases in three greenhouse gases over the last two hundred years.
Quick take on exploring careers in mathematics
Even though the potential connection between today s math classroom and the jobs of the future is frequently cited in speeches, reports, and news headlines, busy middle school students may not be paying attention. Here are five online resources that can help you make the connection more relevant, and a lot more engaging, to preteens. In some cases, the connection appears in the words of young people who recognize that math and science were the keys to jobs they love.
Compare and contrast warm and cold fronts
This pair of Earth science animations show students what happens at cold and warm fronts as clouds are formed by the interaction of warm air and cool air. The cool front animation depicts cumulonimbus clouds forming as a cold front moves into a region of warm air and forces the warm air to rise. In contrast, the warm front animation shows how warm air, moving over cold air, causes a progression of nimbostratus to cirrus clouds to form. Movie controls allow students to repeat, pause, or step thro
Golden rectangle (grades 6-8)
This virtual manipulative can help students visualize the golden rectangle. It shows how a set of golden rectangles is generated by using the golden ratio (the ratio of the longer side to the shorter side of a golden rectangle) to create smaller golden rectangles within an initial rectangle. The size of the initial rectangle can be varied, and the center of the spiral generated by the applet can be seen. Instructions for using this online manipulative are included on the site, as is a link to th
Mathematics Museum
Like any museum, this website called the Mathematics Museum provides some interesting visuals and explanations of various aspects of its subject, in this case mathematics. For example, the Fractal 3D Gallery includes video footage of 3D fractals and an FAQ section that provides some basic information on fractals. The Kodawari house includes some interesting math games and instruction for children as well as more advanced mathematics. Visitors can browse images created using Mathematica software
Astronomy Without a Telescope
Astronomy notes is an educational resource for introductory astronomy classes for undergraduates. This section describes: the celestial sphere, coordinate systems, the motion of the stars. There are also sections describing: time, the seasons, time zones, the phases of the moon, solar eclipses, lunar eclipses, and the motions of the planets.
Ten preparation steps for a successful group presentation
This resource informational piece, part of a series about the future of energy, introduces students to the process of making a successful group presentation. It lists 10 steps for students to follow when making presentations. These include: research and gather information, focus the group's efforts, create a story line, and self-evaluate, among others. Students are given guided questions and checklists for each of the 10 steps to self-evaluate whether they have successfully completed the step. A
Observe images of advection fog
This Earth science resource presents six photographs depicting examples of advection fog along various coastal areas in the United States. The introduction explains how advection fogs form and provides a brief explanation of how they differ from radiation fogs. Students are instructed to click on each labeled image to see an enlarged version of it. Each enlarged version includes a caption that describes the location of the fog relative to local landmarks in the picture. Copyright 2005 Eisenhower
How can you go eighty miles per hour on a bicycle?
Is it possible for a human to ride a bicycle at the speed of 80 miles per hour? This riddle asks students how such a feat could be accomplished. On a clue page, students read about and view a brief video clip of two boys experimenting to see if a certain combination of gears can help them bike faster. When students select the correct answer from the riddle's three answer choices, a video clip plays about a unique kind of aerodynamic bicycle. A cyclist talks about the special design features--the
Measuring What Counts: A Conceptual Guide for Mathematics Assessment
To achieve national goals for education, we must measure the things that really count. Measuring What Counts establishes crucial research-based connections between standards and assessment. Arguing for a better balance between educational and measurement concerns in the development and use of mathematics assessment, this book sets forth three principles--related to content, learning, and equity--that can form the basis for new assessments that support emerging national standards in mathematics e
Energy-mass conversion
How do physicists make new particles? In this page of a particle physics tutorial, students are introduced to the concept of converting kinetic energy to mass. Students read that low-mass particles placed into an accelerator can be smashed together to produce more massive particles through the conversion of energy to mass. They see an example in which two pieces of fruit are accelerated and smashed, and additional types of fruit are produced. Copyright 2005 Eisenhower National Clearinghouse
The Michelson-Morley experiment
This lecture is also available in French and Spanish, and in PDF. A flashlet simulation of the experiment is included. It describes in comprehensible detail this historical experiment which showed that light has wave properties, but no aether exists, thought to be the medium of the waves.
Quick take on area and volume
This one-page document highlights online resources with virtual manipulatives that can help make area and volume real for students. Be sure to check out the sites these resources are from; the sites contain many other interesting and useful mathematics learning resources.
The path of light
This short article uses text and illustrations to explain that light travels in a straight path until it encounters interference.
Conan the Bacterium
This on-line news article reveals the defense strategy of radiation-resistant Deinococcus radiodurans to be a tightly packed ring of DNA. The article explores the hypothesis of some that indicates the microbe originated on Mars and describes the actions of others that used experiments to show resistance is not attributed to repair enzymes, as was once believed. The article details the implications of these findings and concludes with future studies regarding the organism.
Keeping Cool at Deep-Sea Vents
This Astrobiology Magazine article reports that a research team of marine scientists has determined that water chemistry controls the location and distribution of two species of weird worms inhabiting deep-sea hydrothermal vent sites: the tubeworm (Riftia pachyptila) and Pompeii worm (Alvinella pompejana). The article includes color images of the worms and monitoring equipment, links to related web pages and other astrobiology resources, and an MP3 machine text-to-speech function.
Wisconsin Fast Plants Program
This is the homepage of the Fast Plants organization. Fast Plants are inexpensive seeds which take approximately 2 weeks from planting to flowering. The website includes seed ordering, growing directions, and activities.
