Student Activities
Track Spring's Journey North: Migrations, Mystery
Schools, Climate, More
Teachers and students in K-12 classrooms are invited to participate
this spring in Journey Norths 16th annual global study of
wildlife migration and seasonal change. A free Internet-based
citizen science project, Journey North enables students in
11,000 schools to watch the wave of spring as it unfolds.
Students monitor migration patterns of monarch butterflies,
hummingbirds, whooping cranes, and other animals; the blooming
of plants; and changing sunlight, temperatures, and other
signs of spring. They share their local observations with
classmates across North America and beyond, and look for patterns
on real-time maps. As they put local observations into a global
context - and connect with field scientists - participants
are better prepared to explore how climate and other factors
affect living things.
Each Journey North study features many entry points and resources
that address learning standards: Journey North for Kids reading
booklets and lessons, stunning photos and video clips, weekly
migration updates, interactive maps, instructional units,
and compelling migration stories.
Thanks to Annenberg Media, Journey North Web site access and
participation is free. Take a glimpse at the spring projects
here: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/season/spring2009.
Home page: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/.
Plan now; these begin on February 1st!
What2Learn
What2Learn is a free interactive educational resource. It
contains literally hundreds of learning games and exam drills
for Science based on the requirements of the California State
Board of Education's content standards. Students can create
accounts for content suitable for Grades
6-8 (see http://www.what2learn.com/grades-6-8-usa/
for details) and Grades
9-12 (see http://www.what2learn.com/grades-9-12-usa/
for details). All student attainment in the activities is
automatically calculated and recorded, making it quick and
easy for parents and teachers to monitor progress. The fun
way in which the learning content is presented, along with
in-built rewards within the system (such as the ability to
further personalize their online portfolio) encourages students
to play and replay activities to build their knowledge. What2Learn
has been tried and tested and proven to be very effective
with all kinds of students, from those with learning difficulties
such as ADHD to gifted and talented students keen to work
independently to develop their knowledge. http://www.what2learn.com/
Northern California Chapter of the American Vacuum
Society
The Education Committee of the Northern California Chapter
of the American Vacuum Society (AVS is a member group of the
American Physics Society) is pleased to announce a new free
program for Northern California Science Teachers.
This free program is a set of classroom experiments or demos
of Vacuum Science in Physics and Chemistry. One or more of
our committee members will bring in the vacuum apparatus to
present the program in your classroom, with full student participation.
The program can be modified to fit into the class’s work and
the California Standards on pressure, etc. It’s length can
be reduced or expanded from the ~40 minutes average, as required.
If you are interested in having a free program in your classroom,
please contact our chapter office, listed below. One of our
committee members will contact you to set up a date. We look
forward to being of service to you and your students.
The web site for Northern California Chapter of AVS is www.nccavs.org.
The office e-mail is della@avs.org
and telephone is (530) 896-0477.
The USA Biology Olympiad (USABO) is the
premier competition in biology in the United States. The objectives
of the USABO are to stimulate young scholars' intellectual
curiosity and develop their critical thinking skills in biological
reasoning. www.cee.org
Findings, a
publication of the National Institutes of Health can be used
in the classroom to enhance knowledge provided in text books
and lecture materials for high school science courses, including
introductory biology, honors/advanced placement biology, anatomy,
science/technology, chemistry, health, and others. Many educators
have found Findings to be a useful career planning resource
for students, as well as a valuable teacher resource for staying
current in the fast-changing world of 21st century science.
http://publications.nigms.nih.gov/findings/.
Science Buddies is a non-profit organization
empowering students from all walks of life to help themselves
and each other develop a love of science and an understanding
of the scientific method. With the help of their Mentors and
Advisors, they help students improve their science skills
and literacy, and inspire them to consider additional study
or careers in science. Check out Science Buddies' How-To Guides,
Teacher Resources, Ask An Expert, and more at http://www.sciencebuddies.org.
eCYBERMISSION is a free, web-based science,
math and technology competition open to all students attending
a U.S. or Department of Defense Education Activity School
in the sixth through ninth grades. In the competition, student
teams identify a problem that is related to health and safety,
arts and entertainment, sports and recreation or the environment.
Selecting a real-life Mission Challenge encourages self-discovery
and illustrates how science, math and technology apply to
everyday life. www.ecybermission.com.
Hundreds of free science fair projects are
categorized under biology, chemistry, physics, earth science,
and engineering and can be sorted alphabetically or by their
level of difficulty. http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/.
Every four to six weeks, students who enroll in the Harry
Potter Science Club, available exclusively from Troll
at Home Book Clubs, receive a new Harry Potter's Spells and
Potions Activity Kit developed by Delta Education. The Troll
at Home Club is available only through school programs. Parents
or guardians enroll their children in the club using forms
provided by schools. For information, call 1-888-998-7655.
HowStuffWorks
Designed for grades 5-8, HowStuffWorks hooks students with
cool subjects, superior graphics, and striking photography.
The mysteries of the world are addressed in a fun, engaging
format that kids love. http://express.howstuffworks.com/.
Dragonfly TV, the national science series
for kids on PBS, has several educator guides available on
their website. Download the DragonflyTV Educator's Guides
to get kids started on their own inquiry investigations. The
activities are developed with the National Science Teacher's
Association. They're aligned with today's science standards,
and they're ideal for the classroom or for after-school programs.
http://kids.pbs.org/dragonflytv/parentsteachers/index.html.
e-mail the webmaster
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