Category: Science

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Nature Soundmap

Look anywhere on the map for a place of interest and select the pinpoint to hear wonderful soundscapes and wildlife sounds from around the world. Nature Soundmap was put together by a group of professional nature recordists who have collaborated to develop high-quality field recordings and satellite imagery.

What an interesting way to have your students close their eyes and listen to the sounds from a particular place around the world to see if they can identify what they are hearing.

https://www.naturesoundmap.com/

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That Quiz

Here’s a simple site for student practice on some classroom subjects. No login necessary unless you choose to create an account and assign activities to your students. You can create your own too.

https://www.thatquiz.org/
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Wide Open School

Curated by the editors at Common Sense, this resource is a must share with your student’s parents! Wide Open School helps make learning from home an experience that inspires kids, supports teachers, relieves families, and restores community.

Wide Open School is a free collection of the best online learning experiences for kids organized by 25 reputable organizations so teachers and families can easily find it and plan each day. 

Wide Open School offers many resources that can be completed offline and on smartphones, as well as bilingual and English-language learner resources.

Example of K-5 menu.

Daily Schedule, Emotional Well-Being, Field, Get Started Learning at Home, Live Events, Math, Reading + Writing, Science, Social Studies, Special Needs, Access For All Students, English Language Learners, Get Moving, Life Skills, Arts, Music, DIY, Virtual Classroom Setup.

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Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Oh My!

Are your kids studying animals and need a project to reinforce what they are learning? Then consider this: Augmented Reality for the animal and a Diorama for the animal’s habitat.

Visualize learning with Google’s new Augmented Reality (AR) mobile / tablet feature that allows you to project a 3D animal on your screen in a setting of your choosing or as an object you can manipulate. It’s easy, no app required.

How To Use

  1. Open Chrome and enter a search for your favorite animal on your smartphone or tablet. (Make sure your settings allow Chrome to access your camera).
  2. Scroll down until you find a new white box that says “Meet a life-sized [animal] up close.” with an animation of said animal under the wikipedia info.
  3. Click on the “View in 3D” icon to the left of the animal within the box.
  4. At this point your screen will change like a pop-out window.
  5. There are two tabs at the top –
    Object – where you can manipulate the animal.
    AR – where your animal will appear in your setting. Wiggle your phone or tablet until the animal appears. Use the diorama for the background setting.

ANIMAL LISTING – Alligator, Angler fish, Brown bear, Cat, Cheetah, Dog, Duck, Eagle, Emperor penguin, Goat, Hedgehog, Horse, Leopard, Lion, Macaw, Octopus, Pug, Giant panda, Rottweiler, Shark, Shetland pony, Snake, Tiger, Turtle, Wolf.
New animals are added periodically.

Look what I found in my backyard!

At any time while viewing your animal you are able to snap a picture. If you hold the button down you can record a video. Try it out!
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Science Snacks by Exploratorium

Science Snacks are hands-on, teacher-tested activities, and use cheap, available materials. Search for activities for family-friendly snacks, after school snacks, by subjects, A-Z, special collections, or by the Next Generation Science Standards. Satisfy your curiosity without ever getting full. A few examples:

  • Afterimage – After looking at something bright, such as a lamp or a camera flash, you may continue to see an image of that object when you look away. This lingering visual impression is called an afterimage.
  • Penny Battery – Use two different metals and some sour, salty water to create an inexpensive battery.
  • Vortex – Water forms a spiraling, funnel-shaped vortex as it drains from a soda bottle. A simple connector device allows the water to drain into a second bottle.
  • Fan Cart – Build a low-friction cart and explore Newton’s third law.
  • Falling for Gravity – Calculate the acceleration of gravity using simple materials, a cell phone, and a computer to record, watch, and analyze the motion of a dropped object.
  • Wiggle Pressure – Self-rolling pet toys can wiggle around, pushing on objects a lot like air molecules do, modeling many of the behaviors of the molecules in gases.