Online Resource Roundup

Here are a few new resources I've recently learned about:

Nature Works Everywhere

http://www.natureworkseverywhere.org/

Introducing a new online portal providing teachers and students with tools to explore and understand nature's fantastic factory.  The Nature Conservancy and its scientists have partnered with Discovery Education to create Nature Works Everywhere to help students learn the science behind how nature works for us and how we can keep nature running strong. It includes a video tour, interactive lesson plans, a "meet the scientists section, and an online game.

The Scale of the Universe 2

http://htwins.net/scale2/scale2.swf?bordercolor=white

Zoom from the edge of the universe to the quantum foam of space-time and learn about everything in between.

Planting Science
http://www.plantingscience.org/

Planting Science is a learning and research resource, bringing together students, plant scientists and teachers from across the nation.  Students engage in hands-on plant investigations, working with peers and scientist mentors to build collaborations and to improve their understanding of science.  The program is cost-free to schools and teachers. 

Fresh and Salt Curriculum

http://www.iisgcp.org/catalog/ed/freshsalt.html

Designed for teachers of grades 5-10, this curriculum from the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence Great Lakes provides an interdisciplinary approach to understanding Great lakes and ocean principles. The curriculum presents varied instructional experiences – such as simulations, data interpretation, experiments, and investigations – for engaging students with diverse learning styles. For example, to understand the principle that the ocean supports a great diversity of life, students conduct a “Tangled Web” simulation and play a Food Web card game. 

Test for Misconceptions with AAAS Science Assessment Web Site

http://assessment.aaas.org

Here you will find free access to more than 600 items.  The items are appropriate for middle and early high school students.  Test student understanding in the earth, life, physical sciences, and the nature of science.  Test for common misconceptions as well as correct ideas. “ My Item Bank” is a feature that allows you to select, save, and print items and answer keys (requires site registration).  Another feature allows you to create and take tests online using items from the item collection (requires site registration).

What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Reports

The U. S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences’ What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) program reviews research on education products, practices, and policies to help teachers make important decisions about their instruction and curriculum materials.  Two new reports on interventions designed to increase middle grades science achievement are available. 

The first, Chemistry that Applies (http://1.usa.gov/wZTEUX), is an instructional unit for grades 8-10 exploring the laws of conservation of matter, and the second, ThinkerTools (http//1.usa.gov/yIZ7Vq), is a computer-based program designed to increase middle school students’ understanding of physics and scientific modeling. The reports provide insight into which interventions are effective in increasing students’ learning of science content, processes, and skills and which interventions are most effective for certain types of students, particularly those from underserved populations. 

Siemens STEM Academy

http://www.siemensstemacademy.com

Share your favorite STEM lesson plans, ideas, presentations, websites, or other resources at this destination for middle and high school educators looking to grow their library of STEM resources that inspire students.  Visitors can also connect with STEM experts through webinars on topics like “STEMulate Student’s Minds with creative Web 2.0 Sites.”

This resource explores how scientists use inquiry to research rare diseases and treatments and to further understand the workings of the human body. The accompanying web seminar leads teachers through portions of the module, providing insight into what students will experience. 

http://science.education.nih.gov/customers.nsf/MSDiseases.htm

This resource explores how scientists use inquiry to research rare diseases and treatments and to further understand the workings of the human body. The accompanying web seminar leads teachers through portions of the module, providing insight into what students will experience. 

Happy exploring! Have you learned of any new fantastic online resources lately? If so, please share!