Teacher's Toolkit : Reforming cookbook labs
The majority of ancillary materials provided with any textbook includes a large quantity of labs that have step-by-step instructions. Although it is important in science for students to learn how to follow directions, offering only cookbook labs limits students' access to exploration. Presented in this article are 11 different ways of altering cookbook labs so that students understand the intention of the procedure. The altered labs do not fully achieve the status of inquiry-lab, but they are a
Science Sampler : Fossil detectives
Middle school students are transformed into Fossil detectives as they examine the fossil record and use evidence about paleo-environments to develop an understanding of structure and function in living systems and changes over time in Earths history. In this enrichment activity, students work in teams to research an assigned geologic time period. They determine available habitats, food sources and types (animal, plant; woody, herbaceous, etc.), cover sources, methods of getting food, defense, an
Angles
This Java applet enables students to investigate acute, obtuse, and right angles. The student decides to work with one or two transversals and a pair of parallel lines. Angle measure is given for one angle. The student answers a short series of questions about the size of other angles, identifying relationships such as vertical and adjacent angles and alternate interior and alternate exterior angles. In addition to automatically checking the student's answers, the applet can keep score of correc
Cold Clouds and Water in Space
This article from Astrobiology Magazine reports on the discovery of water in cold regions of space. Using data from the European Space Agencys Infrared Space Observatory, astronomers have determined that water is abundant in these cold, or quiescent regions of space where there are no stars, and that the majority of it occurs as ice with a small amount of water vapor. It is thought that these cold regions of space might be the future birthplaces of low-mass stars like our own sun. Links to other
The future of energy, efficiency
Energy-efficient appliances and vehicles can greatly reduce the amount of energy Americans use. This informational piece, part of a series about the future of energy, introduces students to the consequences of using energy more efficiently. An example about baking a pie provides students with a practical definition of efficiency. A discussion of energy-efficient appliances and processes follows as students read about the Energy Star label. The overall efficiency of a power plant is described, sh
Once in a million years : teaching geologic time
This article outlines effective pedagogical approaches to teaching geologic time and describes common student preconceptions and misconceptions as well as several student centered activities that assist students in conceptual change.
Nanomedicine : Problem Solving to Treat Cancer
Students rarely have the opportunity to delve into the unknown and brainstorm solutions to cutting-edge, unsolved science problems that affect thousands of people. To counter this trend, the following activity was developed to expose students to issues and problems surrounding cancer treatment using an inquiry-based approach. Through this activity, students step into the role of ?real? scientists and brainstorm possible treatment options by working collaboratively, utilizing problem solving stra
Maximize Student Time On Task
Student time on task is the most influential factor in student achievement. To maximize time on task, teachers need to make decisions about the systems they install in their classroom well before any students enter the room. Beginning the school year by explicitly teaching process skills and having classroom operating systems that reinforce process skills are two strategies that lay the foundation for logical thinking throughout the year, which are discussed in this article.
The Fibonacci Numbers and the Golden Section
This award-winning site explores not only who Fibonacci was, but also the Fibonacci number properties, where they occur in nature, and much, much more. Puzzles with answers, illustrations, diagrams, and graphs are included. The Golden Ratio and Lucas numbers are addressed here as well. This site contains over 200 pages of information.
Stats for Schools
Stats4schools, developed by the United Kingdom's Office of National Statistics, is about helping teachers and pupils to get more from statistics. The project has posted here datasets collected by the Office for National Statistics as part of the Omnibus survey and made them available for students to download free of charge. Teachers will also find lesson plans, worksheets and datasets that can be used in their classrooms. The lesson ideas are organized by topics and involve using statistics to a
Ohio resource center for mathematics, science, and reading
ORC provides links to peer-reviewed instructional resources that have been identified by a panel of Ohio educators as exemplifying best or promising practice. Available resources also include content and professional resources as well as assessment and general education resources that will support the work of preK to 12 classroom teachers and higher education faculty members. The resources are correlated with Ohio's academic content standards and with applicable national content standards.
The Yo-Yo Problem
Students will explore linear patterns, write a pattern in symbolic form, and solve linear equations using algebra tiles, symbolic manipulation, and the graphing calculator. This lesson plan includes the objective, overview of the lesson, needed materials, procedures, assessment, extensions and adaptations, tips, resources, ideas for discussion, and the activity sheets and answer key.
New York Times Daily Lesson Plan: Mathematics
These lesson ideas from the New York Times offer suggestions for ways to draw on real world issues and statistics to develop lessons in mathematics. For example, in one lesson students convert statistics about gun injuries into visual presentations, then use these as the basis for a poster campaign to teach children about the dangers of guns in home while another lesson idea involves designing brochures that are intended to explain specific mathematical concepts to a popular audience. Each lesso
What's That Stuff?
What's That Stuff? Well, the Web site provided by Chemical and Engineering News answers this question on many of those everyday items that are just a bit curious. For example, Silly Putty is a dilatant compound, which means it has an inverse thixotropy--that is, as a viscous suspension or gel, it becomes solid under the influence of pressure. The site explains the history and characteristics of this and over twenty other substances such as sunscreen, cheese whiz, baseballs, fluoride, new car sme
Simple Coordinates Game
This activity allows the user to plot points on the coordinate plane and to read the coordinates of a point plotted by the computer.
Activity : Fusion Reactions
This activity gives students an opportunity to learn about the elements created in the cores of high-mass stars by fusion reactions. They will discover that all stars start by burning hydrogen and end up creating many heavier elements inside their cores, elements that will be released into space when it dies in a supernova explosion. Students associate a layer with an element that is being produced by the high-mass star. This will illustrate that as the temperature of the star increases with dep
Conference Welcome
Conference Welcome
2.4.1 Multimode distortion
Optical-fibre communications became commercially viable in the 1970s and innovation continues today. This unit will illustrate how very high data rates can be transmitted over long distances through optical fibres. You will learn how these fibres are linked, examine the technology used and assess the future direction of this continually developing area of communication.
3.2: Histograms
This Unit will introduce you to a number of ways of representing data graphically and of summarising data numerically. You will learn the uses for pie charts, bar charts, histograms and scatterplots. You will also be introduced to various ways of summarising data and methods for assessing location and dispersion.
HPLC Primer
Nice introduction to high performance liquid chromatography that includes information on the modes of separation, a comparison of normal vs. reversed phase separations, identification of analytical, semi-prep, and preparative scale LC and a very nice large glossary that includes definitions of terms related to chromatography.
