Quick take on those dicey decimals!
Understanding decimals is a must and practice with them a basic necessity. These digital resources feature games, lessons, and interactive experiences that encourage understanding and practice at varying levels of mastery.
Genetics
This online tutorial from the TheTech Museum of Innovation focuses on genetics. The interactive topics will initially introduce the user to the DNA, chromosomes, and the make up of human genes. Further topics will examine forensic science, the history of forensics, fingerprinting, and cloning background research and community response to cloning. Finally, the resource provides connections to gallery exhibits, science labs, and a design challenge that engages the learner to write a persuasive let
Fighting Back
Help the immune system fight off an infection in this interactive feature from the NOVA: Surviving AIDS Web site.
Seeds Away
This collection of images shows several types of plant seeds, each with a different mechanism for dispersing from the parent plant.
Racing Game with One Die
This activity allows the user to play a game in which two players move towards the finish line based on the roll of a six-sided die.
Science in Focus: Shedding Light on Science: Workshop 5. Sunlight to Starch
Explains the process of photosynthesis. Leaves from plants grown in the light contain starch, but leaves from plants grown in the dark do not contain starch.
Skulls : structure and function
Skulls have been designed for both form and function. Through the use of text and labeled photographs, this website explains how specific skull adaptations meet the needs of organisms. For instance, visitors will discover that some beaks of macaws are attached to their skull only through ligaments to limit the amount of force put on the skull when the birds crack open nuts. The site also presents a series of skull facts, questions, and answers provided by scientists. A unique feature allows visi
Tessellate!
This Java applet enables students to create tessellations, which are patterns on a plane that do not overlap. The student selects a hexagon, rectangle, or triangle to distort by dragging edges and the newly formed corners. Users can select colors for the pattern, and a button displays information in a second window. The window lists the coordinates of the vertices, angle measures, side lengths, area, and perimeter for the shape. From the applet page, What, How, and Why buttons open pages that ex
Lessons on the Lake : An Educators Guide to the Ponchartrain Basin
This resource is designed to educate students, through activities teachers can use, about the environmental importance of Lake Ponchartrain. The main goal is to foster a sense of stewardship in students through learning to identify environmental issues that affect the lake, offer changes, and develop solutions. Although the resource deals with the Lake Ponchartrain Basin, the activities are applicable to students and teachers beyond this local level. The activities and lesson plans cover everyth
Observe the retreat of ice sheets from North America
In this Earth science animation, middle and high school students observe the retreat of ice sheets in North America for the past 18,000 years. Students are instructed to observe the animation carefully to see how the sea level changes as the ice sheets retreat. The animation presents images in 1,000-year increments from 18,000 years ago to the present. Movie controls allow students to repeat, pause, or step through the animation, which can give students more time to analyze how the shape of the
Science Sampler : Thinking about students' questions
Asking questions is a vital component in any classroom, but it is absolutely essential in a science classroom. As science teachers, we know that questioning plays a major role in the inquiry process and has a positive impact on students' learning. This article discusses the importance of questioning skills and current research on questioning techniques. In addition, this article will present a series of lessons that were implemented by the author to improve the questioning abilities of middle sc
Virtual Polyhedra and the Real World
Using computer models, paper, cardboard, wood, and other media, students study and construct three-dimensional polyhedra. Students will learn to identify the platonic polyhedra (tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, and icosohedron). Students will also learn to describe complex geometric solids in terms of vertices, edges, and faces.
Your Sky
This interactive planetarium can create sky maps for a given location and a given time. Once the latitude and longitude of the desired area is entered, the Web site creates a map of the sky. The names of cities can be entered in place of longitude and latitude.
Observe a lunar eclipse
This Earth science animation enables middle and high school students to observe the events of a lunar eclipse. The introduction explains why the moon's appearance changes as is moves through the Earth's shadow. The animation shows the moon darken as it enters the penumbra, turn reddish-orange as it reaches the umbra, and lighten as it leaves the other side of the penumbra. Movie controls allow students to repeat, pause, or step through the animation, which can give students more time to analyze
Pretzel Predictions
Can students predict how many pretzels they can eat in a minute? This material is part of a series of hands-on science activities designed to arouse student interest. Here students learn that pretzels contain a saliva-absorbing compound and are asked to take that fact into consideration when predicting how many pretzels they can eat in a minute. The activity includes a description, a list of science process skills and complex reasoning strategies being used, and a compilation of applicable natio
The online geoboard
This applet simulates the use of an actual geoboard without the usual limitations of working with rubber bands. geoboards are used to investigate shapes, area, and perimeter. With this applet, students have choices about the number of pegs on the geoboard and the number of rubber bands. They also may select to have the area filled in within the shapes or merely work with rubber band outlines. Most materials designed for real geoboards may be used with this online version. Copyright 2005 Eisenhow
Celestial Navigation
Celestial navigation is the process of finding your position on Earth based on astronomical guideposts. In this lesson, explore the principles of navigation; build tools to observe celestial bodies, and learn how science, mathematics, technology, and history are intertwined.
Pi = 3.14159...
What is Pi? Who first used Pi? How do you find it? How many digits is it?
Aerodynamics : What Causes Lift?
How does an airplane stay aloft when upside down? This media-rich essay from the NOVA Web site offers an explanation based on Newtons third law of motion.
Drift Seeds And Drift Fruits : Seeds That Ride The Ocean Currents
This essay explores seed dispersal by water and describes some of the physical adaptations that evolution has produced in the seeds and fruits that travel this way. There is a background essay, discussion questions, state and national standards, and links to related Teacher's Domain resources.
