The physical science topic that I chose to research was Motion and Forces. The best website that I found was http://www.learningscience.org/psc2bmotionforces.htm. This site incorporates all aspects of forces and motion for grades 5-8. It has 18 small topics including simple machines, levers and rollercoasters. This interactive website will help students to understand topics and applications that are used in everyday life. I plan to use this website as a tool to introduce and reinforce the motion and forces of rollercoaster’s. This is a standard taught in 6th and 7th grade; however, the students are tested in 8th grade over all material that was learned in 6th-8th grade. The website is engaging, fun and educational. The challenge that I will face trying to use this tool for instruction will be having all of the students on the same site at the same time. The computers tend to run slowly when an entire class is trying to activate the same website.
LRickert,
ReplyDeleteI am elementary certified but I found your website was a great find for you. You know have an ample site for the students to visit. I understand the worry you have of students using the computers at once. This is something I struggled with even at an elementary level. Maybe you can have them work in groups? Or maybe if all of your students have computers at home they can do a homework assignment involving the site.
Sara
Sara,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your suggestions with using the internet. It is a wonderful learning tool, but it poses challenges for schools with limited resources and schools that have a poverty level of 60%.
I think it was great that you found a resource that compliments a vertical alignment of standards for grades 5-8. As you stated, the students are usually tested over material that they were supposed to have mastered during previous years. It is a plus that the site is engaging, fun, and educational. Because it is, students are more likely to glean more from it and take what they learn into their next courses. The challenges you mentioned are very real challenges for a number of schools, including mine. I like the suggestion Sara gave to have the students work in small groups. I would like to also suggest that you make that a center that the students rotate to throughout the week. That way they get the experiences and not all are trying to access the site at once.
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