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Cotton Catapult

Design and construct a catapult that launches cotton balls as far as possible! This maker activity helps children build creative thinking skills, such as divergent (brainstorming) and convergent (decision-making) skills.

This activity and more can be found online at Creativity Catapult, from the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito, CA.,  a research-backed, expert-curated collection of activities that promote creativity skills in children ages 2-14. Creativity Catapult is an online collection of activities to promote children’s creativity development. Curated by experts with contributions from esteemed education institutions from around the globe, Creativity Catapult is intended for practitioners charged with raising a generation of future innovators – parents, teachers and informal educators – as well as kids themselves.

Activity Categories
For Parents For PD Providers For Teachers Website 5-10 minutes Multi hour 11-14 years old 5-8 years old 8-11 years old Activity Stations Lesson Basic Classroom Supplies Energy Transformation Sources of Energy Transfer of Energy

CLEAN Collection: Demonstrations

The CLEAN Collection is a hand-picked and rigorously reviewed collection of educational resources aligned with the Climate Literacy and the Energy Literacy frameworks, and the Next Generation Science Standards.

This short list of demonstrations include resources related to thermal expansion and sea level rise, fermentation, biofuels, and solar ovens.

Activity Categories
For PD Providers For Teachers Multi hour 14-18 years old Adult Demonstration Basic Classroom Supplies Technology Energy Transformation Sources of Energy Transfer of Energy

Energy: A Multidisciplinary Approach for Teachers (EMAT)

Energy: A Multidisciplinary Approach for Teachers (EMAT) is an online course for high school science teachers. We developed it for teachers, but it’s chock full of resources that teachers might use with high school students.

Energy ideas are fundamental to all areas of science. Our goal is to help teachers learn more about energy ideas and, in turn, help their students understand energy, too. When our kids understand key energy concepts, they will be better prepared to actively participate as citizens in making energy decisions as part of our rapidly changing economy.

BSCS developed the EMAT course in collaboration with Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), the National Teachers Enhancement Network (NTEN) of Montana State University, the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC).

Register with the Rise learning management system (it’s free) and then choose EMAT from the course catalog.

There are six units in the EMAT course:

  • Coal
  • Nuclear Energy
  • Wind
  • Geothermal Energy
  • Biofuels
  • Solar Energy

Each unit helps teachers learn key energy concepts and think about how to help students learn key energy concepts. As part of the course, there are a variety of materials to help both students and teachers:

  1. Animations—short animated videos that showcase important science and energy concepts
  2. Interactive Learning Experiences—interactive and fun opportunities to explore scientific ideas related to energy
  3. Classroom Videos—see how other teachers have engaged their students in teaching complex ideas related to energy
Activity Categories
For PD Providers For Teachers Document Simulations Video Website Multi hour Adult Lesson Unit Video Technology Energy Transformation Sources of Energy Transfer of Energy

ASTC Dimensions: Looking Toward the Future of Energy

Dimensions, the bimonthly magazine of the Association of Science-Technology Centers, just won another award for this energy-focused issue. Communications Concepts, Inc. has given an APEX Award of Excellence (category: Magazines, Journals, and Tabloids—Green) to our March/April 2016 issue, Looking Toward the Future of Energy. The Green category honors publications covering topics including energy efficiency, conservation, the environment, and climate education. This issue features a mix of in-depth analysis and briefs of noteworthy events and resources for the informal education field. The insights to energy trends and practices featured here are beneficial for teachers, parents, and informal educators alike.

Activity Categories
For Parents For PD Providers For Teachers Document Multi hour Adult None Energy Transformation Sources of Energy Transfer of Energy

Girls of Energy: DOE

Girls of Energy is designed to ignite curiosity and engage young minds across the globe, and we are thrilled to bring it to you. It showcases exceptional women who are conquering today’s energy challenges and creating tomorrow’s technology solutions. Comprised of lesson plans, activities, and an engaging website, Girls of Energy highlights the importance of energy and how it improves the lives of our friends, neighbors, and family members. Exploring the cutting-edge energy research and technology being developed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratories, Girls of Energy allows young women to see just how amazing a STEM career can be.

Activity Categories
For Parents For PD Providers For Teachers 5-10 minutes Multi hour Up to an Hour 11-14 years old 14-18 years old Demonstration Lesson Video Basic Classroom Supplies Special Equipment Technology Sources of Energy

Facilitating Discussion: The Art of Focused Conversation

In this video, learn how to slow down conversations and elicit deeper thinking and listening in small group discussion using a protocol designed for more focused conversations.  This protocol is ideal for exploring a topic and giving voice to each person in the group in a step-by-step process that allows for more reflective listening and thinking.

Activity Categories
For PD Providers Video Multi hour Up to an Hour Adult Video

Teaching Channel

Teaching Channel is a thriving online community where teachers can watch, share, and learn diverse techniques to help every student grow.

“So great to see good instructions live with kids. There are lots of resources linked with each lesson on the site.”

In terms of content related to energy, see these highlighted resources:

  • Energy Across the Disciplines: Students design Rube Goldberg machines to study energy transfers and energy transformations. The teacher uses the machines to help students make connections between flow of energy in ecosystems of life science with that of physical energy to then discuss conservation of energy and how that is reflected across different disciplines of science.
  • Potential Energy: Problem Solving Skills: A lesson introducing middle school students to the idea of potential energy. Students work through text with background information on potential energy before working with simulations calculating the amount of potential energy in different scenarios in small groups to further their understanding.
  • Exploring Real World Energy Transformations: Lesson with stations and identifying energy transformations and transfers using real world examples students are familiar with
  • STEM Activity: Heat Loss: In this fun activity, students build a house and then measure the amount of heat loss within the structure.  After making adjustments in “insulation”, students measure the amount of heat loss again, prompting further discussion on home energy efficiency

 

Activity Categories
For PD Providers For Teachers Document Video 5-10 minutes Multi hour Up to an Hour Adult Lesson Video Energy Transformation Sources of Energy Transfer of Energy

Project Learning Tree

Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an award-winning environmental education program designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth from preschool through grade 12.  “You’ll branch out and leaf a better educator!”

PLT also provides professional development training for educators.

 

Activity Categories
For PD Providers For Teachers Multi hour 11-14 years old 14-18 years old 5-8 years old 8-11 years old Lesson Basic Classroom Supplies Energy Transformation Sources of Energy Transfer of Energy

Beetles Project: Science and Teaching for Field Instructors

BEETLES  stands for “Better Environmental Education, Teaching, Learning & Expertise Sharing” and is based at the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California at Berkeley.  The site focuses on experiential learning approaches, primarily for field instructors and outdoor education, but also for classroom educators as well. You’ll find lessons and associated video segments that demonstrate the lessons that center. The lessons are centered around beetles as a science topic for discovery.  Also note the great questioning strategies the facilitators use to foster deeper discussion.

Activity Categories
For PD Providers Document Video Website Multi hour 11-14 years old 8-11 years old Lesson Video Basic Classroom Supplies Sources of Energy
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