Teachnology+Tips+6

Here are some ideas to try this term

PART 1 - Animations and Simulations to use in labs or on a SMARTboard

Science Edheads - Activate Your Mind! http://www.edheads.org/

Edheads first gained popularity online for their interactive animation "Virtual Knee Surgery". That's still there, and has been joined by "Virtual Hip Replacement" along with Weather Activities, Odd Machines, and a fantastic introduction to Simple Machines. There are lesson plans, a teacher guide, interactive games, and animations.

Simple Machines asks students to select items in various rooms, to show their understanding by saying what the item is used for, and to classify the type of machine. e.g. When you click the alarm clock, it asks: What are clocks use for? A) Making loud noises B) Throwing at the wall C) Telling the time D) Decoration

Personally, I wanted "All of the above" but when I finally chose C, I had to say what class of machine the clock is, then there was an animation of how this class worked. I'm not a big fan of alarm clocks, but I did like the animation!

WARNING: The virtual surgery sections are not recommended for anyone about to have a knee reconstruction!

COSI Similar to Edheads - has some similar material, plus a few other science-related activities http://www.cosi.org/visitors/on-line-activities/

PART 2 - GOOGLE for Educators

Google for Educators: Custom Search Engine With Google's Custom Search Engine (CSE) you can limit searches to child-safe sites or any group of websites you select. You can create a customized search engine for any topic you choose, so your search results are always relevant and appropriate for your audience. You can also invite other teachers to help you build a CSE, pooling your knowledge and expertise to better serve your students. If you're interested in creating your own CSE, follow the steps listed here:

http://www.google.com/educators/p_cse.html

Google for Educators: Other great tools Lots of ideas here, including: • Using Blogger in the classroom • Using Google Maps in the classroom • Literature Trips & Google Earth • Google for Educators Discussion Group • Printable Tips Posters

Google Search Tips