This example Socratic questioning page provides an outline for leading a classroom discussion regarding whether or not viruses are alive. Sample questions, resources for background information, and tips and assessment information are provided.

This video segment adapted from NOVA features a variety of scientific perspectives on the age old question, "Are we alone in the universe?" Animations make vivid the improbability that we could intercept a radio wave signaling extra terrestrial intelligence.

The year is 2032 and your class has successfully achieved a manned mission to Mars! After several explorations of the Red Planet, one question is still being debated: "Is there life on Mars?" The class is challenged with the task of establishing criteria to help look for signs of life. Student explorers conduct a scientific experiment in which they evaluate three "Martian" soil samples and determine if any contain life.

This activity engages students in learning about ways to become energy efficient consumers. Students examine how different countries and regions around the world use energy over time, as reflected in night light levels. They then track their own energy use, identify ways to reduce their individual energy consumption, and explore how community choices impact the carbon footprint.

Are You Convinced? asks students to demonstrate their argumentative and evaluative writing skills.

Students will complete this survey that determines their personal and household contributions to atmospheric Carbon dioxide by using information about their previous year's consumption. They will understand that Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas produced by the combustion of fossil fuels, and that its production can be minimized by taking personal steps to conserve.

Students investigate the intelligence of dinosaurs by comparing the relative size of brain and body mass to living animals. Students plot the living animals to determine a general relationship of brain and body mass and then use that relation to interpret a range of dinosaurs. The activity gives students practice in graphical data comparison and other methods of data analysis. Students also investigate how well this method works and what weaknesses it might have.

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This simulation gives students the opportunity to explore both area and perimeter of 2-dimensional shapes. Students can explore by creating shapes and having the sim calculate the area and perimeter. They can also play a game where the goal is to create a shape with a specified area or area and perimeter, or to calculate the area and/or perimeter of a given shape.

The Area Context Model template provides a visio tool for developing a graphical representation for a an organizational / project scope enabled using technology. The template uses stick-people, rectangles, and circles to help organize information. Below are instructions for how to prepare a context diagram. This tool is useful for students who are in the introduction to information systems analysis and design, as well as for departments or teams engaged in project / departmental planning.

Find the area of a stained glass window. You will need to find the area of rectangles, circles inside rectangles and the area between. You will also need to calculate the price of the materials needed to make the stained glass window.Link to Google DocSome images and content were obtained from Open Up Resources: Download for free at openupresources.org. 

This lesson is based on the results of a performance task in which we realized that students' understanding of area and perimeter was mostly procedural. Therefore the purpose of this re-engagement lesson was to address student misconceptions and deepen student understanding of area and perimeter. The standards addressed in this lesson involve finding perimeter and area of various shapes, finding the perimeter when given a fixed area, and using a formula in a practical context. Challenges for our students included decoding the language in the problem and proving their thinking. (7th Grade Math)

Overview: Math in Real Life (MiRL) supports the expansion of regional networks to create an environment of innovation in math teaching and learning.  The focus on applied mathematics supports the natural interconnectedness of math to other disciplines while infusing relevance for students.  MiRL supports a limited number of networked math learning communities that focus on developing and testing applied problems in mathematics.  The networks help math teachers refine innovative teaching strategies with the guidance of regional partners and the Oregon Department of Education.

This problem is part of a very rich tradition of problems looking to maximize the area enclosed by a shape with fixed perimeter. Only three shapes are considered here because the problem is difficult for more irregular shapes.

This two week assignment asks students to interpret and analyze the 1974 Arecibo Message sent by Drake and Sagan. Week 1 introduces the concepts behind the construction of the message and engages with a critical analysis of the architecture and the contents of the message. Week 2 asks students to develop software in a Jupyter Notebook (available for free from the Anaconda Python Distribution) to interpret messages that were similar to those produced by Drake and Sagan.

In this Unit, students embark on a mission to create a campaign which promotes seat belt use for a teenage audience. In the context of this project, students explore NGSS PE’s 3-PS2-2, 3-PS2-1, 3-5-ETS1-1, 3-PS2-3, and 3-PS2-4 while investigating the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces acting on an object. Through a series of collect evidence to write a claim based on evidence for why seatbelts are important.

Download: ForcesAndInteractions.3rdgrade_krEFi7M.pdfDelete
Google Drive with Teacher Resources

Portions of this storyline can be successfully implemented without access to FOSS instructional or lab materials. Specifically, the unit entry event, driving question, supplemental lessons and online resources, etc., can still be used to engage students in learning the addressed NGSS bundle.

For most recent version of this unit, please visit www.stemmaterials.org

The purpose of this task is primarily assessment-oriented, asking students to demonstrate knowledge of how to determine the congruency of triangles.

A lab activity evaluating the hypothesis that Earth's biosphere is currently undergoing a mass extinction, the so-called "sixth extinction." Students practice quantitative skills by calculating extinction percentages and rates in recent history using real-world data from the work of Ceballos et al. (2015). Then, they integrate modern and fossil data to see whether recent extinctions more closely resemble a mass extinction or the background rate of extinction in the fossil record. In the process, students critically examine sources of error and uncertainty and reflect on how to resolve them.

Students analyze World War II posters, as a group and then independently, to explore how argument, persuasion and propaganda differ.

This activity helps students learn to be open-minded and to participate in respectful discussion using evidence and reasoning. These are great life skills that any citizen of the world should have. They’re also scientific argumentation skills. The ability to change one’s mind based on evidence and reasoning, to see issues as complex, and to look at issues and claims from different perspectives are all scientific argumentation skills. Students also learn that absolute answers rarely exist. These skills and understandings are useful beyond science for anyone interested in figuring things out and in talking with others about issues, particularly with those who have different perspectives and opinions.

Learners become introduced to the concept of budget and its use in business settings. They will prepare a simple budget in excel for two business trips from Washington D.C. to both a domestic and an international destination of their choice researching various websites and they will create a short presentation on ways to save money on business travel. The lesson will provide learners with an opportunity to develop basic literacy in MS office applications, basic financial literacy and to hone their internet researching skills.