Science Contests

Watershed Poetry & Art: http://www.riverofwords.org/contest/index.html
Enter by December 1, 2009 ~ Ages 5-19
River of Words is conducting a free international poetry and art contest for youth on the theme of WATERSHEDS. The contest is designed to help youth explore the natural and cultural history of the place they live, and to express, through poetry and art, what they discover.

Inventing Future Techology: http://www.exploravision.org/
Enter by February 2, 2010 ~ Grades K-12
ExploraVision can help all students — even those who haven't been high achievers — become interested in science and technology as they apply to everyday life.

Science Essay Contest http://www.popsci.com/sciencecontest
Enter by June 30, 2010 ~ Grades K-12
Rules: http://www.popsci.com/files/ScienceContestRules.pdf

Forces that Shape the Earth

NEW!!! C.I.S.D. Lesson plans for Earthquakes and Volcanoes  - with anchor activities!
NEW!!! Volcanoes are a Constructive Force - slideshow for use with above lab

NEW!!! Edible Ice Cream Model of Volcanoes *

*  Note: for ice cream lab see Texas Law and FMNV


General Sites on Earth Science
Earth: Our World in Motion
Research Project
Video Clips
Annenberg - Click on VOD icon next to the video you want to watch.

Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition
Weathering & Erosion ppt
Picture Practice & Simon Says
Animated Weathering - Be sure to click "Next" to see all of them!
Free Brainpop video on Weathering
If video is small, change % size of screen in the lower right of your browser.

Rivers & Water Cycle
Posters, Scrapbook, and banner

Earthquakes, Volcanoes, & Glaciers
Volcano Cross-section
Build your own Volcano
Kid-Friendly Information about Volcanoes
USGS earthquake information
Hawaii - Search for "volcano" and click on "Dragonfly TV Hawaii's Hot Spot"
Glaciers - Search for "glacier" and click on "Dragonfly TV Alaska"

Layers of the Earth
Layers of the Earth ppt
Plate Techtonics ppt

Rocks & Rock Cycle
Word Wall, Banner, and Scrapbook
Find the Earth Materials --> Click words below for pictures!
Idioms that have to do with stones, rocks, and minerals

Online Science Readers - HOLY COW!!!

All I have to say is I feel like I've hit the motherload of narrated science books!!! 

You can print these (or parts of these).  But, if your students read it a computer, there is a speaker icon on each page and it will read the page out loud.  I can see this as a science reading activity (either on the computer or with a paper copy depending on the needs of your students.) There are also follow up activities (usually writing assignments.)  Given how awesome this resource is, I would save the ones you like to your computer... just in case!

Words

http://metaatem.net/words/
You could use this for science words (sight words, spelling words, etc.)... but I just thought it was cool!


http://www.wordle.net/create
Also if you haven't played with Wordle, it has lots of possibilities beyond just practicing spelling.  I entered a article I found online about Erosion.  The more frequently the word appears, the larger it is in the wordle picture.  So, this article is mostly about water erosion.

Human Body Systems & Health

Lesson Plans:
Functions of Body Systems - ScienceNetLinks
Model of Respiratory System - ScienceNetLinks
Measuring the Digestive System
Integration Ideas

Resources:
Amazing Heart Facts
Comparing Skeletons
Articles on Body Parts in English (in Spanish, too!)
Body Part Idioms
Body Part Poetry and Rhymes

Video Clips:
Free Brainpop video on Nutrition in English
Free Brainpop video on Sangre in Spanish

Interactive Websites:
The Amazing Human Body
Bones of the Body

Word Walls

Science word walls are a critical component of increasing the amount of "science talk" using proper science vocabulary in your classroom.  They provide a reference for students during science learning and discussion.  When used correctly, they are also part of Marzano's 6-step vocabulary process.

I understand that wall space is limited, but it helps students if words from the entire year of science can be posted as it is taught and left up for the rest of the year.  In bilingual classrooms especially space is limited.  Some of the word wall lists posted below are on sheets of paper.  Bilingual teachers print English on one side and Spanish on the other and then flip the page over depending on the language of instruction that day.

Kindergarten - English **
Kindergarten - Spanish **
** Thank you for sharing these with me, Tori!

1st Grade - English
1o grado - espanol

3rd grade - English
   --> Look in the C&I folder in First Class.  There are words with pictures for the entire year!

See HELP! if you have questions about downloading/printing.
I will add more as I make them.  Unfortunately, it's not a quick process.

Similarities & Differences

According to Marzano's research-based instructional practices, "Identifying Similarities and Differences" is the most effective way to increase student achievement.  Games that look at examples and non-examples are a great way to practice this skill.

GAMES
Gatekeeper - Colors and Shapes (2 player)
Gatekeeper - Colors and Shapes (3 players)

Zookeeper - Animal Attibutes (Black & White cards)
Zookeeper - Animal Attributes (Color cards)

EXAMPLE / NON-EXAMPLE
a.k.a. "Which doesn't belong and why?"
States of Matter & Natural Resources

Electricity

Students only need to know how to make a complete simple circuit.  They do not need to know the difference between series and parallel.  They need to know that the circuit can do more than just light a light, it can also produce motion, create sound, etc.  In grades 4 and 5, students should be able to identify conductors and insulators of electricity.

Cheerios and Static Electricity
Lessons from BBC - Circuits
Simple Lesson using Christmas Lights
Lesson from BBC - Conductors/Insulators
Conductor or Insulator Data Table
Lemon Battery - How-to

Online Activities
Circuit Builder

Sound: Hear all about it!

Remember that the only information students are held responsible for on the Elementary Science TAKS test is that sound is caused by vibration.

Adult background knowledge about sound

Six Stations on Sound Exploration - Suitable for all grades.

Read aloud book that I like (and was recommended by Debbie Silver!) 
I have a Sister, My Sister is Deaf

Force & Motion Resources

Lesson Plans/Ideas:
Look at this! List of Force and Motion Experiments for many levels
Many Ideas for 1st
Analyzing Parts of Simple Machines - 3rd
Build a Catapult - 4th

Readings:
The Wheel
Bicycle Gears
Braking and Steering
Simple Machines
http://www.iknowthat.com/
You will need to create a log-in and then look for "Gravity"  and "Magnetism" in the Science topics.

Online Force & Motion Simulations:
Push and Pull
Ramp and movement
Changing Friction
Balanced Forces - Using Mass
Skateboard Science

Online Activities for Simple Machines:
Edheads - Simple Machines
Harcourt - Simple Machines