This
resource kit is for teachers who are trying to teach the science
standards set by the state of Tennessee. Two standards were
selected, then researched by the authors until seven different resources
were found for each standard. The resources
were chosen based on their ability to help the teacher and the students
better understand and master the standard set by the state. The authors
then went on to create a resource of their own that could be used by the
teacher and the students.
The
first standard selected was Tennessee Standard 1.5a:
Tables and
graphs may be used to interpret the meaning and significance of data.
More specifically
the authors chose to concentrate on the benchmark set for grades 6-8th:
Mathematical
statements can be used to describe the magnitudes of change
one quantity has
on another. The graphic display of numbers may help to show patterns
such as trends, varying rates of change, gaps, or clusters.
Name: The
National Student Research Center (http://youth.net/nsrc/nsrc.html)
Purpose: Can be
used by teachers and students.
Description:
This site allows children form around the world to become a part of the
science
and technology based
global community. It allows students from anywhere on earth to view
research and/or to submit their own research.
Evaluation: This
site is great for teachers and students. If a teacher is wanting
to teach students
about a certain
subject and/or wants the students to research the topic, the teacher could
use this site to view how other students went about getting a project completed.
Students could use this site to review other student’s, from around the
world, research projects. They can see how useful graphs and charts
can be in trying to communicate an idea or scientific results.
INTERNET PROJECTS
Name: Region
20, Education Service Center (www.esc20.net/etprojects/formats/6_8.html)
Purpose: Can
be used by teachers and students.
Description: The
site has a variety of webquests and other Internet projects for all different
subjects in the grade levels of 6th through 8th.
Evaluation: This
site is useful for teachers looking to integrate technology and science
lessons. This site allows the teacher to view projects age appropriate
to the students. There are many projects that include the use of
graphs and tables. Students can use this site to enhance their understanding
of science. They could use these projects or webquests as homework
or just for fun.
Software Evaluation
Name: Tom
Snyder Productions (www.tomsnyder.com)
Purpose:
Can be used by teachers and parents.
Description:
This site offers reviews for educational software, as well as, it offers
the opportunity to buy the software from this site.
Evaluation: This
site is great for teachers and parents because there are so many different
types of educational software, that it is almost impossible to know which
products are the best for the children. The site is very informative and
easy to navigate. This site is also convenient. Not only
does it tell you about the different educational software, it also allow
you to purchase it at the same site. It is like one stop shopping.
Name: Microsoft
(www.microsoft.com/office/excel/default.htm)
Purpose: Can be
used by teachers and students.
Description: This
site lists all of the features of Microsoft Excel. It features helpful
hints and a short tutorial.
Evaluation:
MS Excel is one of the easiest spreadsheet software available. It
is easy to use and to comprehend. This site, as well as the actual
software, offers plenty of assistance through tutorials and Help Wizards.
Teachers can use this piece of software to introduce the students to inputting
information into a spreadsheet. This is most helpful in keeping up
with scientific data. The teacher can then show the students how
to create charts and graphs with the information they have put into the
spreadsheet.
Students can
use this web site and the actual software to learn more about graphs and
charts. They can use the software to build their own graphs from
information they have collected. This will help the students recognize
how easy it is use and understand graphs and charts.
LESSON
PLANS AND UNITS
Name: Education
Place (www.eduplace.com/search/activity.html)
Purpose: Designed
specifically for teachers.
Description: This
site offers a multitude of lesson plans and activities for all age groups
and subjects.
Evaluation: This
is one of the smaller lesson plan sites found on the Internet, but the
plans that are available are unique and easy to manage. The site
has over 400 original lesson plans and classroom activities. They
are easy separated by grade level and subject area; this will help you
get to the correct area faster. Each activity can incorporate certain
state standards in a fun and interesting manner. Teachers can use
this site to find an appropriate lesson for a standard they are trying
accomplish.
Name: Lesson
Plan Page (
www.lessonplanspage.com/sciencejh.htm)
Purpose: Designed
specifically for teachers.
Description: This
site offers great ideas and fun lesson plans for all subject areas and
grade levels.
Evaluation: This
site breaks down science into the actual classes taught in that grade level.
For example, if you teach in the 7th grade, you may teach physical science.
This site actually has activities and lessons designed specifically designed
for physical science. This allows you, the teacher, to go straight
to the class you are teaching and find an appropriate activity. This
site has several activities using charts, graphs, and tables.
Name: A
to Z Teacher Stuff (http://atozteacherstuff.com)
Purpose: Designed
specifically for teachers.
Description: Offers
Themes and Lesson plans for all subject areas and grade levels.
Evaluation: This
is more than just another lesson plan site. This site offers complete
units and Themes than can be integrated together between subject areas.
This site guides you through each Theme step by step. It offers helpful
teaching tips and articles on the subject material you are teaching.
This site also offers a store to purchase educational software. Many
of the educational software programs for math and science include graphs
and charts in the program.
Back
to Standards
The
Second standard selected was Tennessee Standard 1.1b:
The human senses
and technological instruments are used to gather information from
the environment.
More specifically
the authors chose to concentrate on the benchmark set for grades 6-8th:
Scientific investigation
is enhanced through the use of technology.
LESSON PLANS AND
UNITS
Name: Ed’s
Oasis http://www.classroom.com/edsoasis/TGuild/Lessons/TGuildTOC.html
Purpose: For Teachers
Description:
This site gives teachers many lesson ideas for today's middle school science
classroom.
Evaluation:
At this site, teachers can browse through many different and creative lesson
plans
developed by teachers
just like them. All of them are creative and integrate technology
with learning.
INTERNET PROJECTS
Name: An
Amazon Adventure (http://jajhs.kana.k12.wv.us/amazon/)
Purpose: Students
and Teachers
Description:
This site began as a report on a 1996 expedition to the amazon and has
grown since then by the addition of work contributed by students around
the world.
Evaluation:
This is a great site for a lesson on the rainforest. Students can
email questions to experts in the rainforest. Students are encouraged
to submit their own work to be published on this site.
Interactive Internet
Project
Name: Sea
Turtle Tracking Program (http://cccturtle.org/sat1.htm)
Purpose: For Students
and Teachers
Description:
Contains information regarding the threatened sea turtle including species
types, biology, habitat and more.
Evaluation:
At this site, student can look up facts about sea turtles and check their
migration patterns. Students can also email questions to marine biology
experts and can even adopt and name a sea turtle. Teachers can integrate
this site in teaching biology, marine biology, or a lesson on endangered
species. It would be a neat class project to adopt a sea turtle.
CONTENT RESOURCE
Name: Knowledge
Integration Environment or KIE (http://www.kie.berkeley.edu/)
Purpose: For students
and teachers
Description:
Learning environment that uses the internet to help middle and high school
aged
students develop
an integrated understanding of science and a critical eye toward complex
resources found on the web.
Evaluation:
KIE provides a framework that can be used for many different types of specific
Cirriculum units.
KIE projects involve surveying evidence on the Internet to answer a
Complex scientific question or support a theory. KIE projects range
from two days to two weeks. Teachers can use this site to find projects
that KIE is working on currently and can use them in their own classroom.
Interactive Internet
Project
Name: Blue
Ice: The Food Web (http://www.onlineclass.com/BI/BIsub_web.html)
Purpose: For students
and Teachers
Description:
This site is designed to help students understand the interrelationship
between animals
of the Antarctic
and their environment. This site has a lot of information and daily
activities. Students are encouraged to email questions to special
guests and respond to questions of the week. Students can also publish
their work on this site.
Evaluation:
This program would be really neat for a lesson on the Antarctic but the
program does
cost $145.00.
Name: The
Mad Science Network (www.MadSci.org)
Purpose: For Students
and Teachers
Description: Creators
of the Mad Scientist Network use this website to link over 300 scientists
together
from around the world in a forum where students can ask questions and learn
more about the world around them.
Evaluation:
Posted questions are answered in about 2 days and there are ideas for edible
or
inedible
experiments that can be done in the classroom. There is also a virtual
tour of the Visible Human, which can be integrated into any anatomy
lesson.
LESSON PLANS
Name: McRel
(http://www.mcrel.org/)
Purpose: For
Teachers
Description:
In this website, you can type in the subject that you want and the many
different lesson plans for this subject will come up
Evaluation: This
web site is good for teachers in giving them good ideas and lesson plans
to help aid in teaching with technology in the classroom.
Back
to Standards
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Greg
Gideon is a graduate student from Maryville Tennessee with an Undergraduate
degree in business from Maryville College.
Lakiea
Rivers is a physical Education major from White Pine Tennessee and
hopes to graduate from Carson Newman in 2002.
In the beginning,
both authors' technology skills were limited, but over the course of this
semester, both have gained much knowledge in the use of technology.
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