Technology Resources for Middle Grades Science

Phases of the Moon
  1. Inside Angela's 4th Grade Classroom - a blog post on moon phases with ideas that can easily be adapted for middle school.
  2. Phases of the Moon - a technology integrated, detailed lesson plan with links to resources by the Ashford School
  3. Experiments in Learning by Doing - a blog post by a middle grades math teacher who uses lunar phases to teach graph interpretation through real data plotting.
  4. Extreme Classroom Makeover - article on student-created podcasts that highlight a lab on lunar phases.
  5. Current Moon Phase - a real-time calculator that shows you what the moon looks like at all times. Can be embedded as a widget on a classroom website.
  6. The Moon Connection - a comprehensive website containing links to lessons, labs, pictures, technology tools and much more!

Meaningful Learning with Technology

Objectives
  1. Define meaningful learning
  2. Establish teacher and student roles in the learning process
  3. Explore the role technology plays in extending and encouraging meaningful learning  activities
  4. Describe the relationship between technological, pedagogical and content knowledge
Terms
  • Meaningful Learning
  • 21st Century Skills
  • TPACK
  • Personal Learning Network
  • Web 2.0
Schedule
> Overview
> Meaningful learning group activity
> Your Data
> Planning  for Technology Integration
> Technology Evaluation Activity

Meaningful Learning Group Activity

Step 1: Divide the resources to the right among your group and explore. Take notes on characteristics you feel define meaningful learning.

Step 2: Share your notes with your group members.  Brainstorm five characteristics that a lesson should have so that it results in meaningful learning for students.  Don't try to be specific (e.g. must include laptops), think in terms of broader ideals (e.g. students should have the opportunity to use what they've learned in different settings).  To help you determine these five characteristics, consider the following:
    • The five characteristics should apply to any grade level, and to any content area
    • Think about ways that you learn things best - even outside of the classroom (e.g. bike riding, cooking, sewing, painting, singing, changing a tire etc.)
    • Consider something you learned in school that has really stuck with you.  Why did this happen?  What did the teacher do?  What did the students do?
Step 3: With your group, determine a short list of three to five characteristics that must be present for meaningful learning to occur. Add your responses to Twiddla and be ready to defend!

Activity Resources

  1. Rote Versus Meaning Learning
  2. Meaningful Engaged Learning
  3. Meaningful Learning and ICT
  4. Develop Meaningful Activities and Learning Experiences
  5. Using Technology to Enhance Engaged Learning for At-Risk Students
  6. Teaching for Meaningful Learning

What is Out There - Your Data

Classroom Technology Access
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Laboratory Technology Access
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Web 2.0 Technology Access
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Planning for Technology Integration

  1. 5w Example of Technology Integrated Lesson
  2. Bloom's Digital  Taxonomy
  3. eThemes
  4. 21st Century Skills
  5. BioLogica Example

Resources to Explore

tech_integration_lesson_plan_template.doc
File Size: 37 kb
File Type: doc
Download File
evaluation_checklist_for_technology_integrated_lesson.pdf
File Size: 41 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Technology Evaluation Activity

Explore the activities linked to the right in the area of middle grades science, paying attention to the quality in utilizing technology in this area. Evaluate the two activities you feel are the best  by using the guidelines your team developed in your group discussion to evaluate the meaningfulness of learning.

Be prepared to share your group findings and describe how you might build on these applications in your own classroom or technology use.

Technology for Data Collection

Excel Help
  1. The Essentials of Working with Excel 2010 Charts
  2. Microsoft Office Help
  3. Free How to Create a Basic Chart in Excel Shortcourse
  4. A Quick Youtube Tutorial
Create A Graph
  1. Link to Create a Graph Website
  2. Graph Examples
Data Collection Activity Resources
  1. Making Science Graphs and Interpreting Data 
  2. What's in a Graph
  3. Adopt a City Weather Unit
  4. Accessing and Investigating Population Data
  5. What is Quantitative Literacy
  6. Misleading Graphs
  7. The Data Library
  8. Data Sources - scroll down a bit for middle school data collection activity ideas.
Other Online Chart/Graphing Tools
  1. Chart Go
  2. Chart Tool
  3. Rich Chart Live
  4. DIY Chart
  5. Online Chart Generator
  6. Chartle Net
  7. Java Script Charts
  8. Hohli Online Charts Builder
  9. CSS Chart Generator
ACTIVITY

Directions - Part A
  1. Explore the help websites for your assigned graphing tool.
  2. Determine, with your group members, the order of the skills students would need to know to become familiar with your tool.
  3. Create a short introduction activity for your tool.
Directions - Part B
  1. Explore the different lesson plans and resources provided on data collection and recording. 
  2. Use these resources, with your group, to create a short data collection activity. Remember, you need to provide a data set or instructions on how to obtain a small data set!
  3. Determine, with your group members, the role your chosen tool would play in this assignment.
Directions - Part C
  1. Combine the 2 learning activities you created in Part A and in Part B into one, short mini lesson. 
  2. Think through all instructions your "students" will need to complete your lesson activity successfully!
  3. Meet with your Partner Team for co-teaching & feedback