There are many great science related sites for children to explore but which ones have content that will help students inquire about science and science topics? In my search for good sitesthat incorporate technology, motivate students, and utilize twenty-first century skills I found a few that fit the bill. First, I need to identify the topics of my research, which is “Quantum Theory.” Quantum theory has a wide variety of topics that are not only interesting to children but can be modified to bring into the classroom or research using technology. My focus, because it has to do with the Wisconsin State Standards is electricity and how it works. Wisconsin core standard D.8.8 Describe and investigate the properties of light, heat, gravity, radio waves, magnetic fields, electrical fields, and sound waves as they interact with material objects in common situations, retrieved from http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/standards/scid8.html on April 8, 2011 is a great standard for students to investigate electricity, discuss how electricity moves and does work and analyze a variety of ways that we can produce electricity. Knowing how electricity works is a key component to understanding technology and the benefits it provides humans.
A web site that I use for many of the lesson I teach is http://www.brainpop.com/.
It has short videos, quizzes and even some labs that the students can do on line that help them to understand concepts of science as well as other core subjects. The students like the videos so they are motivated to watch and learn. Another site I found was Riverdeep, http://web.riverdeep.net:80/portal/page?_pageid=820,1388464&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&success_cancel_url=http%3A%2F%2Fweb.riverdeep.net%3A80%2Fportal%2Fpage%3F_pageid%3D820%2C1388464%26_dad%3Dportal%26_schema%3DPORTAL&source=demo&source_code=# retrieved April 11,2011,this cite had many virtual labs that the students could manipulate and have questions answered for a better understanding of how things worked.
One activity that I would use in class would be that of virtual labs that have the students build electrical circuits. The students can manipulate virtual wires, lights, buzzers, batteries and other gadgets so that they can gain an understanding of how series circuits and parallel circuit use electricity to do work. The challenge of using this in my classroom would be the lack of computers for student use. We have a computer cart but it is virtually impossible to get so I have a group of four desktop computers, which makes it difficult to get twenty-two students on for this type of activity.
References:
BrainPop: retrieved April 8, 2011 http://www.brainpop.com/
