Space is humanity's new frontier. Astronomy is a field of study which fascinates students of all ages. It is taught in varying degrees in all science courses (physics, geology, technology, biology, and much more). To inspire students to pursue studies in the sciences, NASA has created a website that taps the interests of teachers, researchers, teens, kids, and citizen scientists.
What is highlighted in NASA SCIENCE ? Everything including earth, heliophysics, astronomy, missions, technology, astrophysics, solar system is found here. There are also news feeds which cover the latest news on space. In fact, a current one debunks the "end of the world" myth which has earth being destroyed on 12/21/12. The most effective way to ease the unwarranted fears of students is to supply the facts and NASA does an exemplary job of it. Check out the SCIENCE CAST on why the world will not end.
Build assignments around the planets. Have students take a "walk" on Mars or research current missions to explore the solar system. What is there in astronomy that would not be found intriguing by even the most reticent student? Start here and move out to planetariums, backyard star parties, astronomy clubs, etc.
Bring the stars, planets, universe into any classroom with this site:)
Denise
ELL TEACHER PROS
Boardwalk Butcher Paper, 15 x 900', White (Google Affiliate Ad)
Showing posts with label earth science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label earth science. Show all posts
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING SCIENCE VOCABULARY TO ELLS--SUPPORT FOR COMMON CORE SCIENCE STANDARDS
You have ELLs in your science class. There are only a few of them scattered throughout the room. How do you decide WHICH words must be expressly taught and WHICH only need to be touched upon? Going strictly by the content vocabulary words the publisher has identified as IMPORTANT is not the best route to follow since the basic academic vocabulary needed to understand the text might be totally unfamiliar to them. Teachers need to preview the material to look for academic vocabulary that ELLs will need help with so that they fully participate in activities based on common core. In a word, science teachers must become English teachers.
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING SCIENCE VOCABULARY is a site that offers some excellent teaching tips on addressing this scenario. Students must hear the word, see it, recognize it when they read it, use it in making scientific arguments, write it in lab reports/research, etc. If they are new at learning English, they need the support of sentence frames to internalize the vocabulary in context. These frames can be accessed as needed in any of the language skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Do this on a regular basis in the class period (or part of the day when science is taught) and students will ALSO grow in their English language skills (big side benefit).
Many strategies are addressed here, but here are some of my favorites:
Graphic organizers where the focus is on building language is number one with me. See the example. In it, there is the main word in the center. From that center point, students add synonyms, definition, picture, and a sentence. I have even had kids keep them on a binder ring for easy access. Over time, they build their own content language "dictionary." Have students quiz each other right before quizzes with the weaker student quizzing the stronger one first. This way the weaker one has an opportunity to review the words before he is tested.
Word parts is an area that can be addressed in many content classes. The more word parts (affixes) a student knows, the richer the student's vocabulary will be. Science is rich in Latin and Greek affixes. Take for example -ology (the study of). Add BIO- and you have biology. GEO and you have geology. Build a class list of important affixes on a wall chart and leave it up there for all students to refer to as needed. Over time, students won't feel the need to check the list as much because they will have internalized it in long term memory.
Keep discussions in the ACTIVE VOICE "The moon controls the tides" as opposed to PASSIVE VOICE "The tide is controlled by the moon."
You have some successful strategies of your own as do your colleagues. Collaborate on this area. The more teaching tools at your disposal, the more successful ALL of your students will be in studying science!
Denise
ELL TEACHER PROS
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING SCIENCE VOCABULARY is a site that offers some excellent teaching tips on addressing this scenario. Students must hear the word, see it, recognize it when they read it, use it in making scientific arguments, write it in lab reports/research, etc. If they are new at learning English, they need the support of sentence frames to internalize the vocabulary in context. These frames can be accessed as needed in any of the language skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Do this on a regular basis in the class period (or part of the day when science is taught) and students will ALSO grow in their English language skills (big side benefit).
Many strategies are addressed here, but here are some of my favorites:
Graphic organizers where the focus is on building language is number one with me. See the example. In it, there is the main word in the center. From that center point, students add synonyms, definition, picture, and a sentence. I have even had kids keep them on a binder ring for easy access. Over time, they build their own content language "dictionary." Have students quiz each other right before quizzes with the weaker student quizzing the stronger one first. This way the weaker one has an opportunity to review the words before he is tested.
Word parts is an area that can be addressed in many content classes. The more word parts (affixes) a student knows, the richer the student's vocabulary will be. Science is rich in Latin and Greek affixes. Take for example -ology (the study of). Add BIO- and you have biology. GEO and you have geology. Build a class list of important affixes on a wall chart and leave it up there for all students to refer to as needed. Over time, students won't feel the need to check the list as much because they will have internalized it in long term memory.
Keep discussions in the ACTIVE VOICE "The moon controls the tides" as opposed to PASSIVE VOICE "The tide is controlled by the moon."
You have some successful strategies of your own as do your colleagues. Collaborate on this area. The more teaching tools at your disposal, the more successful ALL of your students will be in studying science!
Denise
ELL TEACHER PROS
Friday, June 1, 2012
FREE Science Review GAMES for High Stakes Tests!
How about science game sites to motivate kids to remember everything they learned over the year? Or what about giving upcoming students a head start on the science classes they will be taking in the new school year? What about using science games for in class competition--team against team? Have some ELLs who need more time to process new information in a non-traditional format? This site would fit the need of probably any student including those with special needs and make the process fun:)
SCIENCE REVIEW GAMES --here, you will find games for astronomy, geology, meteorology, and earth science. Why not let students use textbooks and notes to assist them in selecting their answers? You could also have students explain why the answer choice they made was correct and why the others were wrong. Being able to explain why certain answers were wrong better prepares students for finals. Another idea, ELLs (and anyone else who would like to try for that matter) could draw labeled diagrams/illustrations to go with the final answer choices.
With the new common core standards coming out in science shortly, teachers will need to spend more time on academic writing, reading comprehension, and academic vocabulary. If teachers make use of the many tools already out there on the internet, they will not be inundated come the fall. In fact, if you consider this a reference "book," you may already have much of what you need here already!
Denise
ELL TEACHER PROS
SCIENCE REVIEW GAMES --here, you will find games for astronomy, geology, meteorology, and earth science. Why not let students use textbooks and notes to assist them in selecting their answers? You could also have students explain why the answer choice they made was correct and why the others were wrong. Being able to explain why certain answers were wrong better prepares students for finals. Another idea, ELLs (and anyone else who would like to try for that matter) could draw labeled diagrams/illustrations to go with the final answer choices.
With the new common core standards coming out in science shortly, teachers will need to spend more time on academic writing, reading comprehension, and academic vocabulary. If teachers make use of the many tools already out there on the internet, they will not be inundated come the fall. In fact, if you consider this a reference "book," you may already have much of what you need here already!
Denise
ELL TEACHER PROS
Friday, May 4, 2012
Everything You Could Ever Want on EARTH SCIENCE!
Exploring Earth is covered in every life science class. The planet is fascinating to study and students generally enjoy taking part in almost any instructional activity that teachers can devise on any topic related to it. What would it be like if teachers had at their finger tips access to a multitude of interactive/video sites on every topic on the subject for free? Incredible! Thanks to the US Federal Resources for Educational Excellence this is possible.
EXPLORING EARTH
The above site is an incredible collection of every aspect of this science from the smallest molecular level to the wonders of galaxies! Each of the 30 chapters captures life (both past and present) in vivid details which will captivate students. With such colorful visuals, teachers will be able to build background knowledge for those (ELLs especially) who have had limited exposure to the subject with ease. For ELLs, the more time a teacher spends building an academic content foundation, the more productive the lesson will be. A little extra here pays off tremendously since it provides immediate access to content while simultaneously developing academic language. Further, since this is a free online site, ELLs can easily review the materials as needed after class at home or in a library if they don't have computers at home.
Some of my favorites are the following:
An asteroid hitting earth in the CRETACEOUS PERIOD will leave a major impression (forgive the pun) on your students. The short video allows students to "see" the impact from space and therefore take in full impact of the crash right from their desks. Another great link here is one that highlights the VAST DISTANCES BETWEEN PLANETS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. Too often students find it difficult to grasp the true distance between planets and this site helps them better understand the layout of the solar system. With this background, students would have a better appreciation of the hard work behind space exploration.
I hope your students enjoy the site as much as I do:)
Denise
ELL TEACHER PROS
EXPLORING EARTH
The above site is an incredible collection of every aspect of this science from the smallest molecular level to the wonders of galaxies! Each of the 30 chapters captures life (both past and present) in vivid details which will captivate students. With such colorful visuals, teachers will be able to build background knowledge for those (ELLs especially) who have had limited exposure to the subject with ease. For ELLs, the more time a teacher spends building an academic content foundation, the more productive the lesson will be. A little extra here pays off tremendously since it provides immediate access to content while simultaneously developing academic language. Further, since this is a free online site, ELLs can easily review the materials as needed after class at home or in a library if they don't have computers at home.
Some of my favorites are the following:
An asteroid hitting earth in the CRETACEOUS PERIOD will leave a major impression (forgive the pun) on your students. The short video allows students to "see" the impact from space and therefore take in full impact of the crash right from their desks. Another great link here is one that highlights the VAST DISTANCES BETWEEN PLANETS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. Too often students find it difficult to grasp the true distance between planets and this site helps them better understand the layout of the solar system. With this background, students would have a better appreciation of the hard work behind space exploration.
I hope your students enjoy the site as much as I do:)
Denise
ELL TEACHER PROS
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Earth Science--Make It Even More Fascinating for Your Students:)
Earth science is a fascinating subject for all grade levels. It covers many aspects of life that affect us all in varying ways: eruption of volcanoes, explanations of earthquakes, different forms of weather, etc. If you live in an area of the world with earthquakes, you will see a natural fascination with students in not just how to prepare for such an event, but why they actually occur. What about twisters or tornadoes? Again, if these surface in one's neighborhood especially, the interest peaks as teachers explain the WHY behind them and the destruction they bring.
EARTH SCIENCE addresses the above topics and much more at a level that is easily accessed by kids. For ELLs, this site provides background information to support them in completing classwork assignments. You will note that each link offers many sites on the subject at different grade levels as well as at different levels of English proficiency. Imagine that all the accommodations you will ever need are within the same site! A definite time saver in a teacher's otherwise very busy day:)
Denise
ELL TEACHER PROS
EARTH SCIENCE addresses the above topics and much more at a level that is easily accessed by kids. For ELLs, this site provides background information to support them in completing classwork assignments. You will note that each link offers many sites on the subject at different grade levels as well as at different levels of English proficiency. Imagine that all the accommodations you will ever need are within the same site! A definite time saver in a teacher's otherwise very busy day:)
Denise
ELL TEACHER PROS
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
