V. TEACHING IDEAS, LESSONS AND CURRICULUM MATERIALS
Science
Recommended:
Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future
This multimedia teacher education programme from UNESCO aims at reorienting education towards promoting the values required for a sustainable future. The 100-hour course prepares teachers to develop curricula that emphasise the interconnectedness of such problems as poverty, consumption, conflict and human rights.
TryEngineering
Tryengineering.org is a resource for students, their parents, their teachers and their school counselors. This is a portal about engineering and engineering careers, helping young people to understand better what engineering means, and how an engineering career can be made part of their future.
Of Mind and Matter: The Mystery of the Human Brain
This website is a great source of information on all aspects of the brain, from physical anatomy and functions to psychology and mental disorders. Also includes interactive activities and materials.
Neuroscience for kids
Neuroscience for Kids is a fascinating site exploring every conceivable subject relating to the brain. There are copious lesson plans and classroom activities on, for example, the nervous system, reflexes, and how and why we dream, as well as a gallery for students’ work, and outside links.
Other Useful Sites:
UNESCO: Science and Technology Education
This page contains a number of useful science and maths-related links. It includes virtual museums, a chemistry dictionary, online science journals, news and more.
School Science Lessons
This website features a database of school-friendly and teacher-friendly science experiments which use locally-available materials and do not require high-tech equipment. Descriptions of experiments are supported by background information and theory.
Science Classroom Experiments
A large selection of science experiments sub-divided into biology, chemistry and physics, primarily for grades 6-8. Teachers can also contribute their own favourite classroom activities.
Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study
The HBES is a long-term ecological study based in the USA, and offers an engaging learning experience for students of environmental issues. Students can take virtual tours and learn about scientists involved in the project, and there are extensive resources for teachers.
Education World: science
Plenty of resources for science teachers are available here at Education World, ranging from individual lesson units to projects and collaborations to further site listings recommended by educators and curriculum developers.
McREL: science
This is a good source of lesson plans and related resources for teachers of all science-related subjects. The site connects to US standards databases as well as classroom activities and material for curriculum developers.
Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
An inspiring website on inventors and the history of ideas. This link from the site’s homepage offers teachers additional information and material for classroom use – women inventors in the 20th century and how to make a lightbulb, for example.
Astronomy and Space Science Lessons
There are numerous lesson ideas and materials here with an emphasis on student-centred experiments. Topics covered include: instruments for astronomy; stars and planets; observing celestial phenomena; models and demonstrations for astronomy; models for space science.
Interactivate: Mathematics and Science online resources
Developed by the Shodor Education Foundation, this website contains a collection of Java-based courseware (educational interactive activities and lesson plans) for teaching and learning mathematics and science.
Ray’s chemistry and science software
There is a good range of freeware and shareware available on this page for chemistry teachers, which also contains details of web-based tutorials and other useful links.