Q1 STEM Interactives: Science
INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE INTERACTIVES
This page contains interactive activities and additional resources focused on Science. Click on the "plus" symbol in each green field to access the activities and resources.
- Check with your teacher about the expectations for your exploration of these Science resources. There are a variety of different interactive resources that can support your interests and learning goals.
- Some assignment options:
- Choose ONE of the Interactive Activities below and complete the Recording Document linked in the activity. If there is no Recording Document, follow the steps in the activity and use a format of your choice to record your findings.
- Again, check with your teacher about the expectations for submitting the Recording Document or your work. Your teacher may have set aside time for you to complete all of the Interactive Activities.
- Write a brief review in the best format for you (i.e., Google Slide Presentation) about one of the Interactive Activities or the Resources below that you think would be the most useful to you in school. Include the information below.
- Choose ONE of the Interactive Activities below and complete the Recording Document linked in the activity. If there is no Recording Document, follow the steps in the activity and use a format of your choice to record your findings.
- The name of the activity
- URL of the activity
- Topic you researched
- Two or three sentences describing the activity with a screenshot of it
- Two to four sentences telling why you recommend this activity and what you liked about it the most
- Share something you learned with another classmate or the entire class,
CANDY BAR GEOLOGY ACTIVITY
Be a Geologist and learn about rocks!
Geologists have the luxury of making observations and collecting rock samples in person.
This activity from NASA scientists look at and classify rocks using observations about how they are formed.
Steps:
1. Check with your teacher to arrange to work with a partner or in a small group with two others.
2. Visit the Nasa Jet Propulsion Lab that studies rocks from Earth and Mars, site link: Describe Rocks like a NASA Scientist  Game .
- One member of the group will copy or download and open this Candy Bar Observation Document.
- Image Source: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/describe-rocks-like-a-nasa-scientist/
- HINT: It will help if one person has the descriptions and images on their screen from the NASA page, and another has the observation document open to compare the descriptions and vocabulary carefully.
Additional Learning Activities:
- Explore information about each state with the U.S. Earth Science Quick Facts about geology.
- Types of material stress with rocks: compressional, torsional, and shear. Rock Solid Lesson from Teach Engineering.
BALLOON HOCKEY ACTIVITY ~ PhET
Be an electrician and learn about positive and negative charges.
All sources of electricity have a positive and negative terminal, and electrons flow from negative to positive through conductors. Once you have completed this activity you will know a little bit more about what this means.
Steps:
- Use this recording document (Balloon Hockey Static Activity) to work through the activity.
- Check with your teacher about experimenting with a real balloon that they will provide.
- As a class or with a partner, blow up the balloon and rub the balloon against various surfaces and then observe what happens when you move the balloon close to (or touching) other surfaces.
- With a partner, explore the Balloons and Static Electricity sim. Follow the steps in the recording document linked above.
- With a partner, explore the Electric Field Hockey sim in Practice mode. Follow the steps in the recording document linked above.
RESOURCE: PhET Science Simulations
Student Goals for the PhET Simulations (slide deck)
Simulations are available for: Physics, Chemistry, Math, Earth Science, and Biology.
ASSIGNMENT: Check with your teacher if there is a specific subject area to explore and what type of notes or report you will be expected to provide, along with your reflections about the area you selected to explore.
1. Visit the PhET website.
2. Select a SUBJECT Area (Physics, Chemistry, Math, Earth Science, or Biology), and your GRADE LEVEL (e.g. Elementary, Middle School, High School).
3. Select a specific area of interest for simulations in the subject area such as in Physics and then select a simulation activity.
Tips:
- Review the Learning Goals and use the Help! button as needed.
NOTE: Some may require permission to run a version or download a file to play them.
RESOURCE: Nova Labs Explorations
Check with your teacher about specific investigations.
These labs encourage you to develop questions as you explore and play them.
Nova Labs requires you to log in using your Google email or PBS account. It hosts virtual labs focused on sciences that include
- RNA Virtual Lab: In this lab, you'll play the role of a molecular engineer by solving RNA folding puzzles.
- The Cloud Lab: Learn how clouds play a key role in our planet and how they form, and try your hand at classifying them.
- The Sun: This lab explores what makes the Sun so volatile through access to data, images, and tools scientists use to predict solar storms.
- Evolution: In this lab, you explore and puzzle out evolutionary relationships linking species.
- Energy: This lab investigates what energy is, how it can be converted into useful forms, and why some sources are running low.
- Exoplanet: In this lab, you will explore techniques that scientists use to find and characterize exoplanets.
- Polar Lab: Join a hunt for clues about the planet's past while exploring what is happening to the climate and the impact of the polar regions.
RESOURCE: Smithsonian Exibit on Epidemics
Explore Science & Nature provided by the Smithsonian
- Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World Digital Exhibit. Explore how human health is connected to animal and environmental health.
Competencies & Standards
MITECS Michigan Integrated Technology Competencies for Students, and
1. Empowered Learner
a. Articulate and set personal learning goals, develop strategies leveraging technology to achieve them, and reflect on the learning process itself to improve learning outcomes
d. Understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate the ability to choose, use and troubleshoot current technologies, are able to transfer their knowledge to explore emerging technologies
5. Computational Thinker
b. Collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to analyze them, and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making
c. Break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving
Websites and Documents
Websites
- https://polypad.amplify.com/p
- https://www.desmos.com/fourfunction
- https://www.desmos.com/scientific
- https://www.desmos.com/calculator
- https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/filter?type=html
- https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/describe-rocks-like-a-nasa-scientist/
- https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/
- https://www.si.edu/explore/science
- https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https://static.pbslearningmedia.org/media/media_files/72efa416-618c-4f1b-b41e-e333306ede92/8b56d42b-4a8a-4399-90a5-a4c572ee2528.docx
- https://www.engineering.com/games/assembler/
- https://www.engineering.com/games/dynamic-systems/
- https://www.engineering.com/games/bridge-designer/
- https://pbskids.org/videos/design-squad
- https://apps.mathlearningcenter.org/fractions/
- https://apps.mathlearningcenter.org/geoboard/
- https://apps.mathlearningcenter.org/pattern-shapes/
- https://apps.mathlearningcenter.org/whiteboard/
- https://www.ck12.org/flexi/?utm_campaign=13996134672&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_term=flexi%20ck12&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5OrQxfqriAMViDcIBR0T4waUEAAYASAAEgJQKfD_BwE
- https://toytheater.com/calculator/
- https://pigly.com/calculators/for-kids/
- https://polypad.amplify.com/p
Videos from Outside Sources
21t4s Videos
21t4s Documents & Quizzes
- See Teachers Guide on each Activity summary