New York state has updated the Scope and Sequence for high school science classes. The updated document is still labeled as a draft, but there are lots of improvements over the older version.

Most noticeably, they went with a spiffy blue color scheme. The year is now broken up into two terms, with each term shown on separate sheets. The right hand column in each unit represents the Major Understandings taken from the New York State Core Curriculum, Standard 4. This addition finally bridges the gap between the Scope and Sequence and the State Standards. It has made aligning objectives with the State Standards a lot more straight forward.

Do yourself a favor and download a copy if you haven’t already. Look at the Scope and Sequence and the State Standards side-by-side and you will see what an improvement this is over the previous version.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Meeting a new class can be both intimidating and exciting. Icebreakers are a good way to get students active and participating early. Here are 5 ways you can start your classes off on the right foot.

Two Truths and a Lie

For this icebreaker you will pass out 3×5 cards to everyone and ask them to write down 2 true statements about themselves and 1 lie. Then each person reads their own card aloud and the class guesses which statement is the lie. It is best if the teacher goes first to illustrate how it should be done before participants write down their statements.

For example - I went to school in Hawaii, I met President Bush when I visited Washington D.C. and I once got 12 people to go skydiving. The lie is President Bush. Notice how I didn’t put the lie last and the skydiving example could be a lie.

First Impressions

For this icebreaker you tape a piece of paper to each participants back. Students stand up and mingle for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes each student writes one or two words describing the first impressions they got about the person they just met. Students shuffle and do this process again. After meeting 5-10 people, participants remove the sheets from their backs. Students pair off and introduce each other to the class using the word on the sheets. This is a feel good activity, so when you introduce this make sure students write appropriate words on the sheets.

Human Bingo

For this activity you give each student a copy of a bingo sheet. During a set amount of time, students go around and find classmates who match the statements on the sheet. Participants can’t sign the same sheet twice. At the end of the time, students tally up points and whoever has the highest total wins a prize (extra credit, candy). This is very fun and engaging. The link above is just an example you can make your own at Print-Bingo.com or Bingo Card Printer.

Candy Toss

Be sure and introduce this activity as the Candy Toss. You need a large bag of candy for this activity. Students assemble in a circle and then the teacher passes the bag around and tells students they can take as many pieces of candy as they would like (go crazy), but they can’t eat it. Once the bag has made it around, you tell the students that for each piece of candy they took from the bag, they have to say one statement about themselves. Thus the more candy they took, the more they will have to say. After completing this, they can eat the candy.

Commonality

In advance prepare 3-4 sets of 3×5 cards that have names on them that are related. Then pass them out randomly and have students find their matches. For example you would prepare 4 cards each one with a different name such as Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa once those 4 students find each other they should realize they are the Simpsons. You can use band members, movie characters, presidential candidates, etc. Be creative, but use something students will know. Once they have found each other, have them sit together and introduce the group to the class. This is a great activity to get students into random groups.

Good luck tomorrow and have a great year.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Group activities that truly engage students are hard to come by. This lesson is one of those activities.

Space ship takes a look at rebuilding human civilization. What if the world was coming to an end? Who should we choose to continue the human race?

Students are taken on a thought provoking journey to a time when the Earth will be destroyed. A giant meteor is headed toward Earth and life as we know it will end. Scientists have found an inhabitable planet and built a ship to carry a small group of people there. 11 people were originally chosen, however there is actually only room for 7 on the ship. Through a process of elimination students must choose the seven best candidates for this journey.

Procedure

1. Typically I begin by describing the end of the world (PowerPoint Slide 02), emphasizing that no one left on Earth will survive.
2. Next I give the story about the spaceship and show them the PowerPoint images of the each of the potential passengers
3. I then pass out the worksheet and have students on their own chose seven people they think should go.
4. Then students discuss their choices with their group. In order for someone to be added to the group list, everyone in the group must agree. You can have students put their choices on a piece of poster paper.
5. After all the groups have made their choices, the groups present their choices and explain why they made those decisions.

Things To Keep In Mind

1. There are no right or wrong answers, but there are better choices.
2. Male to female rations are important (we want to rebuild humanity right?)
3. Questions like, do we need religion, guns or art on the new planet always spark a conversation.
4. Finally, have fun! This activity really gets participants engaged.

Materials

1. PowerPoint Presentation
2. Worksheet
3. Poster Paper
4. Markers

Good Luck, if you have any questions about or modifications to this lesson, please let us know about them in the comments section.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Thank you everyone who attended the Dynamic Earth Professional Development. Below you will find the PowerPoint presentations that I used. If you have any questions about the presentations, feel free to leave a comment. Don’t forget to sign up for the forums.

Day 1 - The Big Bang

Day 2 - Our Solar System

Day 3 - Earth’s History

Day 4 - Dynamic Earth

Popularity: 14% [?]

In response to Dan Meyer’s Where is Your List?, I put together this collection of science related animations, movies, and interactive modules. This list features resources I find valuable and have used either in a PowerPoint presentation or as a stand alone example. I still like to keep science real, but sometimes an animation can bring a topic to life in ways a text or lecture can not.
1) Radiation & Conduction
2) Atmospheric Layers
3) Big Bang
4) Plate Tectonics
5) Earth Rotation
6) Sun Motions
7) The Seasons
8) Pangaea Breakup
9) Polar Sea Ice Melting
10) Lunar Landing
11) Making a Topographic Profile
12) Convection Currents
13) Density
14) Seismic Waves
15) Volcano animation: Mt. Kilauea
16) Minerals
17) The Rock Cycle
18) The Water Cycle
19) Land Slide
20) Flash Flood
21) Braided Stream
22) Soil Horizons
23) Half-Life
24) El Niño/ La Niña
25) Global Warming
26) Phases of the Moon
27) Tides
28) Orbital Eccentricity
29) Periodic Table (Thanks Todd)
30) Sun Dial (Thanks A. Mercer)

Popularity: 16% [?]

In this episode John Herrera and Michael Doig take a helium balloon along for a car ride to show how air moves within an accelerating car.

Watch on: YouTube | Revver | Vimeo | Download

Host: Michael Doig & John Herrera
Duration: 3:15

Materials

• Car
• Helium Balloon
• Open Road

Convection Fast Facts

• Lighter than air gases move from areas of high pressure toward areas of low pressure.
• The highest air pressure is near the surface of Earth.
• As you increase your altitude/elevation air pressure decreases.

Popularity: 15% [?]

In this demonstration we visit the lab and look at the circulation of water based on temperature differences. This demonstration is done using the Oceanic Circulation Model from ScienceKit.com.

Watch on: Youtube | Revver | Vimeo | Download

Host: Michael Doig
Duration: 4:16

Materials

• Oceanic Circulation Model
• Ice
• Water (Hot/Cold)
• Food Coloring

Convection Fast Facts

• Heated fluids rise because they have a lower density
• Cooled fluids fall because they have a higher density
• The Equator gets more solar energy than the poles
• Ocean water gets heated at the Equator and cooled at the poles

Popularity: 18% [?]

This demonstration was filmed at Gateway Education Center during a professional development seminar.

Watch on: YouTube | Revver | Vimeo | Download

Materials

Milk Bottle (or other bottle with an egg size opening)
Hard Boiled Egg
Matches
Paper

Instructions

To get the egg into the bottle you:

1. Hard boil several eggs for about 12 mins.
2. Create a tightly wrapped piece of paper that will burn slowly.
3. Light the paper and drop it into the bottle.
4. Have an assistant place the egg on the opening.
5. Watch in amazement!

To get the egg back out you:

1. Turn the bottle over and shake out any loose matter.
2. Adjust the egg so it makes a seal with the opening.
3. Place the bottle over your lips so it seals.
4. Blow forcefully into the bottle and move it away from your face.
5. Watch in amazement!

Explanation

The burning paper causes air inside of the bottle to heat up and expand forcing some of the air out of the bottle. When the egg seals the top of the bottle, the flame goes out and the air on the inside of the bottle begins to cool and contract, which results in less air pressure inside the bottle. The air pressure outside is now greater and this causes the air pressure on the outside of the bottle to push the egg into the bottle.

Popularity: 21% [?]

The forums have officially launched and membership is now being offered. I’ve included the following tutorial to help you through the process. The forums are a valuable asset, you can get your questions answered or share the tricks of the trade with other teachers. You can find the ScienceBoom Forums by clicking on the Forums link at the top of every page.

Membership Tutorial

Here is a screen capture that explains how to obtain a membership for the Forums.


Watch on: Download

Homework

Once you have your membership and you are up and running, your first homework assignment is to tell us a little about yourself in the New Members Introduction thread.

Popularity: 25% [?]