OUT
ON A LIM with Educational Technology
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Ideas
for Integrating Technology Into Science Classes
February/March
2002, Journal of Adventist
Education, written by Janine
Lim
A recent study by the CEO Forum, found that technology
in the classroom can facilitate "increased application
and production of knowledge for the real world."
"Technology allows teachers and students to augment
the curriculum with current information and timely study
of real-world events, thus making learning more dynamic,
engaging, and valuable. Studies have shown that students
who used simulations, microcomputer-based laboratories,
and video to connect science instruction to real-world
problems outperformed students who used traditional
instructional methods alone."(1)
This summer, as you plan and think about your science
teaching for next year, consider the following ways
to integrate technology and real-world problems into
your science lessons.
Internet Web Sites
Among the many Internet sites that can supplement your
science classes, here is a sampling of some of the most
useful. Be sure to visit each site to make sure it is
appropriate for your curriculum before having students
access the Web site. Also, refer to the earlier article
in this column on structuring student activities and
research online.(2)
- WebQuests
are inquiry-oriented activities that use mostly online
resources. A selection of exemplary WebQuests can
be found at http://webquest.sdsu.edu/matrix.html.
Scroll down for the science ones.
- Alfy's
Thematic Units - Look at the science section at http://www.alfy.com/teachers/teach/thematic_units/index.asp
- Education-Now!
at http://www.education-now.com/Science/index.htm
features technology resources for Adventist Education
and links to sites that correlate to the Adventist
grades 5-8 science textbooks: Discover God's Creation,
Explore God's Creation, etc.
-
BrainPop.com: This site features short animations
or movies that explain many science, biology and technology
subjects and corresponds to the National Science Education
Standards for grades 5-8. Also included are interactive
quizzes, experiments, printable activity pages, and
more. Limited access is free, and you may view three
movies/day for free. Unlimited access is available
for a fee.
-
Exploring Planets in the Classroom: 25 K-12 hands-on
activities from NASA at http://www.spacegrant.hawaii.edu/class_acts/index.html.
-
Over 250 science WebQuests created by other teachers
are listed here in alphabetical order by title at
http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/computing/web_quests/science/
-
HowStuffWorks.com: http://express.howstuffworks.com/.
Visit the Teacher's Corner for lesson plans, activities,
and more.
-
Interactive Physics and Math includes illustrations
that can be manipulated, such as a bouncing ball with
an angled floor, a pendulum, diffraction, refraction,
oscillation and more at http://www.lightlink.com/sergey/java/
-
GRIN - Great Images in NASA is a searchable database
containing hundreds of photos from scientific to historical
that you can use in projects, reports, presentations,
etc.: http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/index.html
-
Try Virtual Frog Dissection at http://www-itg.lbl.gov/vfrog/dissect.html.
- Water
Science for Schools from the U.S. Geological Survey
at http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/index.html.
Includes information on many aspects of water, pictures,
data, maps, quizzes, etc.
-
ChemTutor.com:
Basic chemistry help for high school and college students.
-
Earth Science links at
http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/bcisd/classres/escience.htm
- Life
Science links at http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/bcisd/classres/lscience.htm
- Physical
Science links at http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/bcisd/classres/pscience.htm
- Creating
Rubrics: If you use rubrics to assess lab reports,
group projects and more, be sure to visit RubiStar
at http://rubistar.4teachers.org/.
This free site is supported by the US Department of
Education.
Internet
Projects
One of the most powerful uses of the Internet is helping
students participate in data-collection projects. Usually
these are organized by another teacher, who sends all
the data collected back to participating classes for
analysis. One of the best places to find projects on
the Internet is the Global School Net Project Registry
at http://www.gsn.org/pr/.
Projects cover topics such as the following:
- World
Wide Weather Service. Students collect weather data
each day and post information on the site. Data is
then shared with all participating schools.
-
TENAN: The ENdangered ANimals of the World. An international
research project for students of all ages. Participants
choose an animal to research and post the report on
the site.
-
Conservation Database. Enter conservation ideas in
an on-line database. Students studying garbage, water,
energy, heat or any other topic can enter and view
ideas for how to help conserve the Earth's resources.
All ideas will be shared over the Web!
-
Some are time specific such as this one: Wild Flower
Quilt Square Exchange 2002. Early in 2002, students
at Pashley Elementary in Glenville, NY, worked with
children in grades 2-5 from 12 states to design and
make quilt squares representing native wild flowers,
which they exchanged with other participating classes
by the first day of spring.
-
What kind of animals do you have in your neighborhood?
Students will collect data and photos of animals from
different regions of the world. The information and
photos will be posted to the Web site under "Schools
and Animals Around the World," and the receiving
class will also compose a book for their science library.
Momre than 800 projects, mostly created by teachers
like you, are listed in the registry. Try one out! Or
start one yourself!
Using a Digital Camera
Many schools now have a digital camera available for
use in the classroom. Prices have dropped drastically
in the past several years. Here are some ideas for using
a digital camera in your science classroom.(3)
- Take
a series of pictures showing how to do a science experiment.
If desired, assemble into a slideshow. (4)
-
Use the five-second movie option (if your camera has
that feature) to record students explaining a science
concept, definition, or experiment. Assemble into
a slide show (PowerPoint or KidPix).
-
At the elementary level: take pictures of your students
at various times throughout the year to watch them
grow!
-
Document the growth of a school project such as planting
& growing of a class garden, the tree outside
your classroom window throughout the seasons, your
class pet, etc.
-
Assign a new "Class Photographer" each week.
This student should have easy access to the digital
camera. Their assignment is to capture at least one
photo of "learning in action" to be used
in that week's newsletter home. Have the student also
write a description of what's happening in the photo.
-
Take lots of pictures when your class is on a field
trip. Back in the classroom, ask each student to choose
one picture to label with a short description of what
was happening or why this was important or something
he or she learned. Print a copy for all or assemble
into a slideshow.
-
Record pictures of bulky science projects to put into
a student portfolio.
Using
a Document Camera
A document camera, or visual presenter, allows
you to show objects, overhead slides, posters, maps
and more. It can zoom in to show detail as close as
the date on a nickel. Many science teachers use the
document camera for demonstrations of experiments, dissection,
and slides.(5)
Probes, Handheld Computers, and Data Collection
Learning with real-world problems can enhance and deepen
students' understanding of scientific concepts. Handheld
computers, probes, and other devices that can be easily
taken out of the classroom can assist student learning.
"Real-time data collection seems to be the most
effective way to connect a graph with the real-world
experiences of the student." A biology teacher
at Carl Sandburg High School says that "her students
have used their Palm computers to measure the "ecological
footprint" of their homes by gathering information
on their families' use of transportation, food intake,
and energy use. This data is easily downloaded for analysis
without the need to retype the information from hundreds
of paper worksheets." (7)
Geographic information systems (GIS) technology "can
be used for scientific investigations, resource management,
and development planning."(8)
GPS units can be used to collect data to enter into
GIS systems for further analysis. GPS "provides
specially coded satellite signals that can be processed
in a GPS receiver, enabling the receiver to compute
position, velocity and time. Four GPS satellite signals
are used to compute positions in three dimensions and
the time offset in the receiver clock."(9)
Students at Hopkinton High School in New Hampshire use
a sophisticated software package called ArcView to collect
data about the flora and fauna in their community and
draw conclusions based on the data. This unit helps
the students understand the environmental issues impacting
their community. (10)
-
Journey North: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/
This data collection site focuses on a global study
of wildlife migration. Includes lesson plans and data
from around the world on the bald eagle, manatee,
tulips, leaves, and more.
-
Handheld Computers in Education: http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/bcisd/classres/mobile.htm
Includes articles, software resources, and other information.
-
GIS/GPS in K-12 Education: http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/bcisd/classres/gis.htm
includes articles, data sets, lesson plans, product
overviews and more.
-
From a Distance: NASA's introduction to GIS and GPS
and remote sensing. Lesson plans for K-3, 4-8, and
9-12 are included. http://education.ssc.nasa.gov/ltp/
Software
Of course, you should also carefully consider which
software to invest in. The Children's Software Review
offers unbiased, educator and kid tested reviews of
many software packages. Their magazine and Web site
are a worthwhile investment. Here's a sampling of science
software reviewed by CSR:(11)
-
DK Multimedia, Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Science
2.0 (4.5 stars) contains 80 animations, 40 video sequences,
800 photos and illustrations and 3 1/2 hours of audio.
- DK
Multimedia, The Mad About Science Series (4.0
stars) with 32 science lessons introducing children
to forces, electricity, light, sound and heat.
- DK
Multimedia, My Amazing Human Body (4.6 stars),
an entertaining and educational introduction to the
human body that teaches about the skeleton, organs,
and body systems.
- DK
Multimedia, Pinball Science (4.8 stars) turns
your computer into a responsive and realistic game
of pinball... with no need for quarters. Kids apply
important physics concepts like force and magnetism
as they modify their machines with springs, levers,
rockets or windmills.
- DK
Multimedia, The Ultimate Human Body 2.0 (4.5
stars) teaches anatomy, science and health by taking
children on a journey inside the human body. Full
color video and animation sequences show how the body's
organs work. A 360-degree rotating skeleton lets kids
examine every aspect of human structure.
- Edmark,
Virtual Labs: Electricity (4.3 stars) Children
explore electricity as they experiment with batteries,
bulbs, fans, switches, fuses and breakers. Designed
for classroom use, the software features onscreen
labs and comes with 40 reproducible lab worksheets
and an onscreen Sci-Clopedia of Electricity information.
- Edmark,
Virtual Labs: Light (4.3 stars) This lab offers
26 different lenses, mirrors, filters, colored lasers
and light targets- all of which can be freely positioned
and adjusted.
- Edmark,
Space Academy GX-1 (4.6 stars) Children use
virtual science tools to learn about the solar system.
By experimenting with movable diagrams, reading tables
and controlling simulators, kids can compare the planets
and their attributes, investigate the astronomical
basis for the seasons and more.
- Edmark,
ZAP! (4.6 stars) Children experiment with lasers,
light rays, electrical gadgets and sound waves, either
in an open-ended fashion, or while trying to solve
problems in labs. These problems are arranged sequentially,
so kids learn the main properties of the subject at
hand in small, easy to understand steps. It's a fantastic
program for classroom use, but would also work well
in the home, particularly for children who like to
take things apart and put things together.
Finally, here are two other must see software packages:
- Decisions,
Decisions: The Environment. This software lends
itself to the one computer classroom, and walks students
through a simulation where they play the role of mayor
of a town and make decisions about the environment.
Topics covered include pollution, land use, and economics
and environment. Visit TomSnyder.com
to find information about this product, and Decisions,
Decisions Online, which covers current topics such
as cloning, genetically engineered foods, and energy
and the environment.
-
Weather Bug (PC only)
http://aws.com/schools:
Bring 21st century learning to your students with
all the excitement of real-time weather, the Internet,
educational technology and live television.
Challenge yourself this summer to find two new ways
that you can integrate technology in your curriculum
next year. As you bring real-world problem solving to
your classroom, your students will learn more and become
engaged in the scientific process.
_____________________________________
Janine Lim is an Instructional Technology Consultant
at the Berrien County Intermediate School District in
Berrien Springs, Michigan. She works with Adventist
schools, as well as with other private and public schools.
Notes
and References
- Carol
Chmelynski, "Technology can raise achievement,"
Electronic School (June 2001). Also available
at http://www.electronic-school.com/2001/09/0901ewire.html.
- Janine
Lim. "Effective Internet Research," Journal
of Adventist Education. Also available at http://www.janinelim.com/jae/99decjan.htm.
- Most
of these ideas are adapted from this site: http://www.edzone.net/~mwestern/pix.html
- PowerPoint
has a new plug-in available called the Photo Album.
It allows you to quickly make a slideshow with digital
pictures. Download it for Office 2000 here: http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2000/album.aspx
- North
Central College has a great page explaining how to
use a document camera. http://www.noctrl.edu/library_ncc/instructional_media/documentcamera/documentcameradirections.htm
Elmo is one company that sells document cameras: http://www.elmousa.com/.
- Douglas
A. Lapp
and Vivian Cyrus, "Using data-collection devices
to enhance students' understanding," Mathematics
Teacher 93:6 (September 2000), p. 507.
- Del
Stover, "Hands-on Learning," Electronic
School (2001). Also available at http://www.electronic-school.com/2001/03/0301f4.html
- From
http://info.er.usgs.gov/research/gis/title.html.
- From
http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/gps/gps_f.html
- From
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=291
- From
http://www.childrenssoftware.com/sciencejul00.html
Visit this page for a more detailed review of these
software packages. Also visit http://www.electronic-school.com/0698f6.html
for a 1998 review of science software.
©
2002 Journal of Adventist Education
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