https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf Tools, Resources, Strategies, Quotes, & What I Learned... en-us 2019-01-22 15:12:06 UTC 2023-02-27 10:45:41 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Apple.png sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/323727071 Seeing the Whole Through Social Studies: Tarry Lindquist

This textbook was used in a social studies methods course. It emphasized the importance of teaching key topics such as reading, writing, and math while incorporating science and social studies themes. By teaching through these lenses I feel it gives the teacher a creative opportunity to broaden the scope through which she teaches certain subjects. 

It also is a useful resources as it includes a plethora of creative and engaging informal assessments that can be customizable for any grade and subject level. ]]> 2019-01-24 00:10:33 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/323727071 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/323739514 Think Like a Scientist: GoNoodle

Videos such as the one shown are great ways of making learning a fun, engaging, and active process. Students typically retain information when it's linked to music or a song in some way. The video below explains the scientific method and the steps involved, but there are tons of videos online that are various topic related and can be beneficial]]> 2019-01-24 01:18:46 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/323739514 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/323742085 "Questions are more important than answers... If I were a fairy godmother, my gift to every child would be curiosity" - Jeanne Bendick]]> 2019-01-24 01:29:25 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/323742085 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343578859 This website is full of fun phenomena hooks to get kids interested in a topic and ask why things happen]]> 2019-03-20 23:38:46 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343578859 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343580982 This is a great tool for teachers. The website lays out standards for each grade level, key elements to the factors that should be in each lesson, and student handouts to aid learning (such as videos, graphic organizers, and vocal support). Sometimes we don't have the time or energy to raw lesson plans from scratch so these are great to build off of.]]> 2019-03-20 23:52:56 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343580982 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343581535 Great visuals for kids to look at to collect quick facts from as they are appealing and well thought out on a multitude of subjects]]> 2019-03-20 23:56:09 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343581535 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343582070 Boston Children's Museum is filled with science wonders. This is a great place to go to inspire students and for the resources put out by the museum itself, it's for kids for a reason!]]> 2019-03-20 23:59:49 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343582070 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343582483 The Boston Public Schools website is full of tools and suggestions to other sources itself! Not only is it a great avenue for other things, but it also provides an in depth look into the science frameworks for Massachusetts. ]]> 2019-03-21 00:02:23 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343582483 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343583595 Teachers pay teachers is always a great resource for any topic or subject. In this aspect, even if you don't want to pay for the visuals, it provides great ideas for science bulletins and posters for around the room. ]]> 2019-03-21 00:09:14 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343583595 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343584495 These videos are all extremely short (one minute) and include various topics for children that focus on basic science principles such as what is science, how do we conduct it, etc.]]> 2019-03-21 00:14:22 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343584495 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343629640 This idea comes from my own love of science and where I experienced it most in my childhood. I remember a time when everyone I knew had National Geographic subscriptions and would come all of the new editions. This seemingly simple resource got kids excited about science and all the cool things kids could learn. Motivation is key and these always boosted that for me. ]]> 2019-03-21 04:48:11 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343629640 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343630009 This website I found has interesting and quality videos that may be sophisticated for children, but are great for teachers in great need of inspiration. Sometimes developing lesson plans I run out of cool subjects to grab students. Watching one of these videos always sparks questions I have about the natural world that I can then delve into with my students for fun and interactive lessons. ]]> 2019-03-21 04:51:13 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343630009 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343630762 Although I don't, and will likely never have the funds to visit the Smithsonian Museums with my students, their website has a plethora of links, videos, and teaching tools to help promote science in classrooms. Their communication line is always open and with serious science inquiries around teaching, I could always reach out for an expert opinion if need be.]]> 2019-03-21 04:56:24 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343630762 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343631078 "The scientist is not the person who gives the right answers; he is one who asks the right questions"
- Claude Levi Strauss]]> 2019-03-21 04:59:35 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343631078 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343631525 Some inspirational TED talks by children in STEM. Showing these may help motivate students and help encourage them to try the impossible. Seeing someone like themselves so successful could help students consider them in that place one day.]]> 2019-03-21 05:03:59 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343631525 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343631864 Sometimes students need to be rewarded with fun tasks like educational games. Allowing them to play these is an incentive, and they're still learning. Brain Pop is a wonderful source for a wide array of subjects but in the context of science it is superb, and fun!]]> 2019-03-21 05:07:51 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343631864 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343632243 Although this source was used in class, I couldn't help but use it because it so wonderfully explains to teachers and students alike why science is such a fluid process. The visuals to this piece as well are extremely strong and concise.]]> 2019-03-21 05:12:06 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343632243 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343632623 Memes are always an entertaining little piece to throw up on a board every once in a while. This one isn't too difficult and could be for even younger ages with some vocabulary instruction first. ]]> 2019-03-21 05:15:59 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343632623 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343632817 Students should always be able to relate to the curriculum in their school days. This may be a bit of a stretch, but asking students to find themselves on a map, and continue with a science lesson about where students live could be a very motivating, fun, and educational activity about biomes for example! ]]> 2019-03-21 05:17:51 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343632817 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343633034 Students love activities that allow them to be hands-on and actively engage in what they are learning in. This experiment in early classrooms is a classic, but for a reason. Seeing things blow up then discovering why will always be a fun activity for children and teachers alike. ]]> 2019-03-21 05:20:16 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/343633034 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/344612832 Students interested in science non-fiction should always have access to it. Many students find the depths of the ocean fascinating and this is a great tool. It is also a great tool for younger students to begin practicing with wide varieties of texts such as this one. It has been proven that students exposed to expository texts at a younger age tend to be stronger readers than those who have not. ]]> 2019-03-24 21:04:08 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/344612832 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/344613497 Sometimes visualizing new concepts for children can be difficult. The website listed below has activities and videos based off of tricky new science topics that might challenge students. The interactive qualities of this website provide in depth explorations that could be difficult with 2D pictures on paper.]]> 2019-03-24 21:09:21 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/344613497 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/345026962 This website contains games to uplift science topics that are typically challenging for early middle school students. No student is going to complain about playing games for a fun, once-in-awhile activity and these are the perfect ones to do so.]]> 2019-03-25 21:31:28 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/345026962 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/345027550 Fun facts kind of play into the phenomena-hook concept where a fun fact is displayed and makes students wonder why and how that happens. This website is full of fun child appropriate facts that are organized into categories to make finding certain topics easy.]]> 2019-03-25 21:34:55 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/345027550 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/350610293 This website includes a list of kids friendly dissections ranging from cow eyeballs to frog bodies. This mad not be appropriate for the younger elementary grades, but depending on the task at hand would be fun to play around with and discover all the features the website has to offer. ]]> 2019-04-11 01:44:15 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/350610293 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/350611193 Class pets require a daring teacher to take on the responsibility of pet parent in a classroom full of children. However, class pets are a great way for kids to connect with animals and a great segway into many life science standards. Class pets can range in variety and depending on their type, can travel home with students over vacation with parent approval! This is a fun and interactive way to get kids excited about learning. ]]> 2019-04-11 01:47:38 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/350611193 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/350612090 Especially in the city, it can be hard to discuss certain characteristics of nature when surrounded by concrete. For the Boston area, I chose to include a field trip to the Charles River Esplanade. While this is still considered the city, there are many grassy and even aquatic areas that students could observe and collect data from as a phenomena intro to a lesson. An activity similar to this was implemented at Mission Grammar and was a huge success as the children searched for insects!]]> 2019-04-11 01:51:44 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/350612090 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/350620760 Although this web page has multiple lesson plans on it for low elementary grades, the lesson I really liked were the scores baked in the solar oven. In science we have been discussing how phenomena can be a great lead into a lesson and this one is super creative. Getting students to bake stores with the power of the sun is exciting, yummy, and is a great transition into learning about heating and cooling of materials and the sun's influence. ]]> 2019-04-11 02:37:22 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/350620760 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/350621741 Although this isn't necessarily a resource, science notebooks are a great way to help keep student thoughts organized and in one place. These notebooks are great to stay in the classroom so the teacher can analyze student work at the end of special activities or simply to monitor student effort and progress. I liked doing them in our science classroom and would love to implement them in a classroom of my own. ]]> 2019-04-11 02:43:17 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/350621741 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/353214673 This website is full of all types of science topics useful for both teachers and children. I used it when creating my lesson plans for the final project and it helped me immensely. It has resources on the topic for teachers, fun and interactive games for children, and guidelines as to how in depth each topic should go!]]> 2019-04-23 01:09:44 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/353214673 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354877409 Much like the program Boston Public Schools has, this website has a list of hands on science kits that can be sent to a school. Some are great just to spark ideas as a teacher, but some others are actually doable and would be a great tool to have in a classroom. ]]> 2019-04-29 03:55:30 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354877409 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354880614 Just a little something cheesy to throw on the board to make students laugh when they come in each day. ]]> 2019-04-29 04:18:08 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354880614 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354881570 "Science never solves a problem without creating ten more." - George Bernard Shaw]]> 2019-04-29 04:23:57 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354881570 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354882446 This book is a very detailed and accurate representation of how recycling works, why it' important, and what will happen if we don't. Having used this book for a literacy unit plan, I think it's a great resource for kids to read.]]> 2019-04-29 04:29:50 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354882446 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354883928 This is a ted talk for teacher reference. It is an inspirational story of how a man grew up learning about science and about responsibility, how it has affected him today, how it has affected his teaching, and what successes he has seen from giving children freedom.]]> 2019-04-29 04:41:01 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354883928 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354884405 This comes from one of my favorite activities to do when I was in elementary school. Hatching monarch butterflies was a great lesson because it was prolonged over time and very low maintenance. Other learning goals could be achieved as students watched the caterpillars develop each day. I got so much joy from doing this myself and would love to incorporate it into the classroom. ]]> 2019-04-29 04:45:22 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354884405 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354884872 This website is not only pertaining to science, but important for all teachers. Parents and families should be included in the classroom as much as possible to foster communication and a learning experience outside of the school. This website includes a list of useful hints and tricks to get parents to partake in some of the daily events in a classroom, or to just be educated about what their students are learning. ]]> 2019-04-29 04:49:16 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354884872 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354885732 This idea was mentioned in class and it really stuck with me. We all know that green time for students is so important for both their learning and mental health. By having a green space like a garden at school, students can both learn from it, and relax in it in a much more healthy way than by being stuck in a classroom. When we went outside briefly in our class, we felt such relief. For students, I can only imagine it's harder to be locked inside all day. ]]> 2019-04-29 04:56:27 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354885732 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354886127 This website has a list of some of the most influential scientists in history and brief summaries of what they have accomplished. It's super important as a science teacher to ensure students can envision themselves achieving high goals and maybe a quick research activity on scientists could inspire students while also practicing key elements of language like reading. ]]> 2019-04-29 05:00:18 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354886127 sucur https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354886362 Slime is big right now in elementary schools. It can be made either in school or at home and is not labor intensive at all. This could be a great phenomena opener to a lesson as it is fun, cool, and simple. Allowing children to get their hands on things is often a great stress reliever and with good classroom management, I believe would benefit the students.]]> 2019-04-29 05:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/sucur/bc8dtzaag2xf/wish/354886362