Science (6-12)

Take the Science Fair into Cyberspace

December 20, 2012

The US Army’s eCYBERMISSION is a free,web-based Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)competition in which students in grades 6–9 compete against other students in their grades for state, regional and national awards.Teams consisting of three to four students and a team advisor work to solve problems in their community utilizing the scientific method,scientific inquiry or engineering design process. Up to $24,000 in USEE Savings Bonds will be awarded in the competition. At the state level, first-place winners will each receive $1,000 in US EE Savings Bonds; at the regional level, $2,000 in US EE Savings Bonds; and at the national level, $5,000 in US…

See How Cells Function in Real Life

December 5, 2012

Meta!Blast is a real-time 3-D action-adventure video game, aimed at high school and undergraduate student audiences. The game is meant to provide an entertaining, engaging experience while simultaneously educating players about cell biology. By playing Meta!Blast, students will be introduced to the concepts of respiration, photosynthesis and the functions of various organelles in a manner complementary to the textbook. Students will also be introduced to how the living cell actually appears through a biologically accurate virtual replica of a cell environment. They will be presented with a series of puzzles and goals, such as having to create oxygen, which will require them to…

December 5, 2012

Foldit is an interactive computer game enabling students to contribute to important scientific research. In the Foldit game, players are presented with puzzles that start with a snaking arrangement of amino acids, identical to the sequence of an actual protein. Players then have to fold that sequence into a complex 3-D structure that fits the laws of chemistry. The closer players get to folding a realistic looking molecule, the higher they score, and the more researchers learn about how proteins loop and scrunch inside living cells. Click Here to Visit Website This information is provided as a courtesy for BISD teachers and inclusion here…

Trace Space Back To You

December 5, 2012

NASA @ Home and City is a virtual tour of NASA-related science that is everywhere we look. Students visiting NASA @ Home and City can rotate buildings and take a look inside to discover everyday items, the development of which has been influenced by space exploration. Each item within a building has a narrated explanation of how that item was influenced by NASA technology. For example, students can take a look inside the bathroom of a house to learn how technology used at NASA has had an impact on the development of cosmetics and toothpaste. Click Here to Visit Website This information…

Turn a Book into a Digital Classroom

December 5, 2012

Subtext is a free iPad app that allows classroom groups to exchange ideas in the pages of digital texts. When you and your students annotate a book or a document in Subtext, notes are linked to a specific passage, so there’s a built-in emphasis on the source text and close reading. In addition, Subtext allows you to layer all types of web content over texts—videos, photographs and links to articles, blog posts, maps and even locations on Google Street View. Immediate access to a variety of related information encourages students to compare and contrast different media and creates a more complete picture of a…

Help Students Become Better Searchers

December 5, 2012

Google has created a series of lessons to help teachers guide their students to use web searches meaningfully in their schoolwork and beyond. Google Search Education provides free Search Literacy Lesson Plans and “A Google a Day” Challenges. The search literacy lessons help teachers meet the new Common Core State Standards and are grouped based on level of search expertise: Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced. “A Google a Day” Challenges help students put their search skills to the test as they use technology to discover the world around them. The challenges are organized into the following categories: Culture, Geography, History, Science. Click Here to Access Free Search Resources…

Engage Students in Modern Biology-Related Scenarios

November 16, 2012

The Partnership for Biotechnology and Genomics Education (PBGE) project on theUniversity of California Davis campus involves components of secondary education focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) concepts. The components include the development and distribution of innovative 3-D virtual reality software. InSTEMware: Zombie Plague, students explore a 3-D world where they are responsible for identifying the pathogenic microorganism causing a deadly outbreak and implementing a cure. Although the symptoms of the fictional disease is zombieism, the science content embedded in the software deals with diagnosis, treatment strategies and career connections that are applicable to any disease caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. Interactions with…

Learn About a Range of Scientific Subjects

November 16, 2012

Scitable, created by NatureEducation, is an online collaborative space for science learning. Visitors to the site can browse or search through science articles and ebooks, ask experts science-related questions, build an online classroom and even share their own content. Currently, Scitable’s materials focus on the life sciences; however, Scitable also offers resources for the budding scientist, with advice about effective science communication and career paths. Click Here to Visit Website

Use Modern-Day Sleuthing Skills

November 16, 2012

Murder at the Met: An American Art Mystery is a free web-based application that guides users of smartphones and tablets through the galleries of American paintings, sculpture and decorative arts at The Metropolitan Museum of Art to solve a murder mystery. The fictional plot transports players back to an evening gala in 1899 and revolves around the murder of beautiful Virginie Gautreau, who was immortalized by John Singer Sargent in the portrait Madame X, one of the museum’s best-known paintings. Players use their mobile devices to travel through the galleries, where the art has come to life and everyone has secrets to share. By learning to look more closely at…

Create Meaningful Learning Experiences with Mobile Devices

November 16, 2012

Mobile Learning Reflections is a free ebook intended for anyone interested in using mobile devices as instructional tools. The 80-page ebook is full of detailed examples of leveraging mobile devices to create meaningful learning experiences for students. You can read the ebook online or download a free copy for yourself from this Issuu website. Click Here to Visit Website Click Here to Download Free Ebook