STEM Roller Coasters During Our Energy Unit

How can elementary teachers bring ideas such as “centrifugal force” and “inertia” to life for their students? What can we incorporate into an energy unit that will engage our students while solidifying concepts such as potential and kinetic energy? How can we make it hands-on?

In the fall my teammate had some great ideas planned to kick off our energy unit. The students were excited to learn about why things move and how to label all the energy events happening around them. One day she was searching for more hands-on learning opportunities and saw a picture of a teacher creating roller coasters out of grey tubes! She researched a little further and brought the idea back to our team. She tried to sell it as an opportunity to support the science curriculum, STEM, collaboration, etc… and as soon as we saw the pictures we were sold! We just had to figure out if it was possible to pull it off.

STEM Roller Coaster Planning

My teammate found a great STEM project on Teacher Pay Teachers from Teachers Are Terrific called STEM Activity Roller Coasters Challenge. This resource is amazing and provided us with great background knowledge along with detailed teacher directions, editable work pages, and pictures to support us. We used this as a framework and it guided us through the exploration.

We knew time was going to be an issue. A challenge this size would need more time than the standard blocks of instruction in our daily routine. Even the set up and clean up would take more time than we had. As a team we decided that we were going to give up 2 full days of all of our teaching blocks and designate them as Roller Coaster-palooza!

Once the time issue worked out, we needed to find a place to be able to set up our roller coasters. We wanted a place large enough to accommodate the groups and safe enough for our roller coasters to stay overnight until our next work session. We decided on the auditorium.

In subsequent years we have done this challenge in a combined space (library/classroom). If you are planning for one class, a classroom will work. If you are planning for a larger more collaborative experience, you may need to find a space larger than a classroom to make it work. Plan according to the size of your group. We were more cramped in the library/classroom, but the learning was the same!

Materials were the next thing that we needed to troubleshoot. The tubes are around $1 a piece. Each group needs three halves. But we had 75 kids consisting of 15 groups (4-5 kids). I read that pool noodles can be used as well but they can’t be manipulated as easy as the insulation tubes. We needed a lot more than my classroom budget wanted to support. Many times we use Donor Choose to help with our STEM activities, but we didn’t have that kind of time. So my teammate put her feelers out to her classroom parents and found out that one of the fathers owns a HVAC business. They were more than happy to donate the insulation tubes for us! Ask around you never know who is listening!

We made groups that mixed all three homerooms so that our groups were heterogeneous. This allowed students to problem solve with students they wouldn’t choose on their own. Within the groups each student had a role that helped the group work as a successful unit. These roles helped maintain collaboration and allowed everyone to play a role in their success.

All of the tubing needed to be cut into halves so we had enough pieces for each group to have 3. We made sure we had at least 1 roll of masking tape for each group and a variety of marbles to use/test. We had large and small glass marbles as well as a variety of steel marbles. This provided opportunities to test how size and mass affected their trials.

Materials Per Group (4-5 students):

• 3 Pieces of FoamTubing (to act as the track)
• Masking Tape
• Recording Forms
• Pencils
• Various Marbles (glass, steel, etc.)
• Index Card
• Plastic Cup (to catch the marble)
• A Chair or Stool

We created a slide presentation that would work as a guide for our two days of STEM. The guiding questions, steps, and informational videos would help us move through our plans in an organized manner. We kept the guiding slides projected so every student could look up and reference what their goals were for each part of the day. We included a time frame and guiding questions.

We also made copies of the record sheets that came from Teachers are Terrific. It was great that we could edit these because we changed the schedule from 3 to 2 days due to our time constraints.

Prepping the Space!

Materials were all set. Now we had to prep the space. In the morning before the students came in, we divided the stage and floor into 15 sections that gave each group about a 3’x5’ area. We mapped out the floor with masking tape and we were ready for the materials to be brought in. We had one area in the front of the stage where all the materials were held. 

OUR 2 DAY SCHEDULE

DAY 1 AM:

• Whole Group Meeting with Slide Show and Videos
• One Tube and One Hill

DAY 1 PM:

• Whole Group Meeting and Debrief
• Two Tubes, One Hill, One Loop

DAY 2 AM:

• Whole Group Meeting and Debrief
• Three Tubes, Three Hills, One Loop

We divided the schedule into two days of roller coaster fun. In a nutshell we made day 1 the foundation learning and building of the basic coasters. This day started with only 1 tube to experiment with. We had the guiding questions scaffold the learning that was needed for adding a second tube for the afternoon. In the morning they only had hills; but in the afternoon, they were able to start experimenting with loops. This first day was magical to see how hard they worked together to make a working coaster.

On day 2 the groups were given their third tube to create 3 hills and a loop. They had to put all of their learning and trials to work. We saw more frustrations on day 2 because there were more expectations and constraints. But, we also started to see some unique thinking and engineering. Students started to look around for other materials they could use to get the correct amounts of potential and kinetic energy to get the marble in the cup.

Students were also tasked with naming their Roller Coaster! 

At the end of each day we had the students complete a Google Form that would give us immediate feedback for the project. We used the feedback to adjust for the next session. Of course, they learned more deeply about energy, but they gained a much better undertsanding of how to collaborate and problem solve. These kinds of lessons will forever be in their minds and be used as stepping stones for future collaborations. I can’t wait to do this again next year!

Other Blogs you Might Be Interested In:

Daffodil Disection in the Elementary Classroom

The Story of Snow: Upper Elementary Literature Study (nonfiction)

Paired Texts with Katherine Johnson

I remember when paired texts made their way onto the reading stage. Students would read one fiction text and one nonfiction text. They would answer questions about both texts individually and then move toward answering questions that connected the two texts. It was genius. I loved giving my students equal exposure of the two genres while using engaging content.

"Paired texts" was a phrase oftentimes used with the primary grades. Once students entered the upper elementary level, it shifted to "paired passages". It was a similar concept but there was a shift to using a greater variety of texts. The second passage would includes things such as recipes, interviews, directions, etc... If you have seen or worked with state assessments you know this formula well.

The last few years I have been using picture books more often. I have found ways to incorporate them into my units of instruction and have witnessed my students' levels of engagement and interest increase. Some of the most effective picture books for upper elementary students include one of the following: a person in history, a specific event, or stunning illustrations. 

With Katherine Johnson paired texts, I like to start with the picture book. It is visually appealing and offers better opportunities for discussions and connections for the students. It is easier for students to move to the less visually engaging nonfiction text when they have a vested interest in the subject matter. So, in this case, I like to hook them in with Johnson's story told through text and illustrations and then move them toward the other nonfiction text that is more fact-driven and offers different opportunities for using text features, understanding vocabulary, interpreting quotes, and working with timelines. 

You can see the money-saving bundle of these resources here.

Picture Book: Counting on Katherine

There are so many choices when deciding on which picture book to use. For me, I love the illustrations and the flow of the story in Counting on Katherine. Helaine Becker gives readers a concise and accurate look into the challenges and triumphs Katherine Johnson experienced in her life. Dow Phumiruk's illustrations helps readers to connect to the events in Johnsons's life through beautiful art work that contains a perfect blend of visual appeal and information. The overall messaging of the book constantly circles back to the character strengths of perseverance and teamwork. 

You can see the full resource of Counting on Katherine here.

Vocabulary Development

Counting on Katherine allows teachers an opportunity to work on vocabulary words such as: catapulted, segregated, and precise. I ask students to rate themselves using a knowledge rating at the start of the book. Once the students have had an opportunity to work with the vocabulary and digest the information, students will take another knowledge rating to see if their overall understanding of the words increased. It's a great way for students to see their own individual growth in a short amount of time. 

Literary Devices

Literary devices seem to be one of those concepts that teachers need to constantly reintroduce and reinforce. No matter how many times I teach similes and metaphors, it always feels like the first time! Counting on Katherine has a few literary devices teachers can focus on to help students master simile and metaphor. It also contains some examples of personification and idioms.

This is one activity where I would break students up into four different teams. Assign one literary device to each team. Challenge them to find the device within the text and report back to the whole class what they found. Teams can also be tasked with creating class anchor charts to display the devices and use them as reference tools beyond the lesson.

Comprehension

Comprehension can be approached in so many ways. I have a few go-to strategies I like to use with my students. Evidence charts rank high. They are one of my first choices when helping students develop their comprehension skills. Even though some might view a picture book as "easier reading", that doesn't mean the rigor in the comprehension is less.

When students are asked to find evidence that supports or refutes a statement, the rigor automatically goes up. Some of the deepest and broadest thinking happens. It invites students to "think outside the box" when considering response and demonstrates that there can indeed be more than one correct answer.

Statements I use for Counting on Katherine:

• Katherine enjoyed math.
• Numbers were important to Katherine.
• Computers are machines.
• Space travel is dangerous.

 Short Written Response

Oftentimes educators can become so focused on vocabulary and comprehension that written response becomes secondary. Yes, students need to be able to understand what they are reading in order to write about the topic. However, teachers can tackle these equally important standards with a bit of forethought. I like to task students with written responses that directly connect to a comprehension activity completed earlier in the unit/study. 

One example from Counting on Katherine is students fill in a Character Traits Mat that examines the traits demonstrated by Johnson and the text evidence that supports the trait. Once students have sucessfully filled in the mat, they will have several examples to choose from when drafting a short response later on.

My students have learned over time that it is smart practice to completely and thoroughly fill in their notes and activity sheets. They never know when they will need to refer back to them for tasks assigned later in the unit! 

Extended Written Response - Opinion Writing

I am always looking for ways to integrate standards and increase rigor. Sometimes it's an easy adjustment, other times it takes careful thought and consideration. Aside from the short responses, I like to assign students an extended response that connects to previous lessons and discussions.

There are many topics to discuss and explore when reading Counting on Katherine. There are themes and issues that extend beyond Johnson's achievements such as: segregation, gender roles, personality traits. For an extended response, I ask students to reflect back on an earlier discussion point using a quote from the text: "All the computers were women. They were given the tasks that men thought were boring and unimportant". 

I like using this quote because it touches on two aspects of Johnson's story: gender roles/expectations and teamwork mentality. This writing prompt reflects back to the discussion card questions shared before reading the book. Students have had a bit of time to digest and think about tasks they may think of as boring or unimportant and see the approach Johnson took when working through tasks at NASA. 

Opinion writing can be a challenge when students haven't had time to think and digest a topic. By the time students are presented with this question, they have had several opportunities to hear, speak, read and reflect on the phrasing "boring and unimportant". They will have a better base to build an argument, the drafting won't be as laborious, and the details will be stronger.

Katherine Johnson Nonfiction Reading

Once students have had some time to go through the different activities and discussions using Counting on Katherine, I start using the other nonfiction text. This second text is more fact-driven and is less dependent on visual appeal. It is structured more like an article in an encyclopedia or a magazine. 

You can see the full resource of Katherine Johnson Nonfiction Reading here.

The structure lends itself to working with students on text features, breaking down vocabulary, and tiered comprehension. There are posters included to give teachers bulletin board focal points and/or visuals to use during instruction. Students also have an opportunity to think about quotes from Katherine Johnson and interpret one of them. 

Listed below are some additional links teachers can use to deliver an even more comprehensive unit about Katherine Johnson. As a supplement for student response, teachers can subscribe to my list and receive 5 Google Slides for Reading Response for FREE! Read about them here.

Additional Links:

• Katherine Johnson Biography (via NASA)
• Katherine Johnson (via National Geographic Kids)
• Katherine Johnson (via Biography)
• YouTube read aloud of Counting on Katherine: Animation Series: Counting On Katherine
  

The world lost a special woman when Katherine Johnson died in 2020. I am grateful to have plenty of ways to remember and celebrate her accomplishments. Whether your planning involves a few lessons or an entire unit, there are ample choices when using these paired texts. With many ways to offer flexibility and differentiation, teachers can craft a series of lesson their students will never forget!

Ways to Use Reading Response Graphic Organizers in Your Classroom

What if there were reading response organizers that were rigorous, differentiated, and flexible enough to be used with any lesson? And they were free!

Yes, you read that correctly; and you can get them right HERE.

I have been using a particular set of templates over the years that meet all those parameters. I keep an extra set of paper worksheets printed and ready to go. The digital version have their own folder in my Drive so I can find and share them in a few seconds. 

If you limit your responses to a few standard organizers, you will be reducing the cognitive load of your students and allowing their brains to focus in on the specific content you are teaching. They will be able to respond in a deeper and more meaningful way because they will already be familiar with the template.

Although these organizers lend themselves to reading response, they can also be used during your math lessons or as a summative response. For example, students can be assigned a Memory Box or 3-2-1 Response after a field trip (virtual or in-person). Click over to the Best Virtual Field Trips for Your Elementary Classroom for field trip links!

Let me share with you my 5 "go to" response sheets:

FOR FICTION AND NONFICTION

5 Square Organizer 

Some people refer to this as a 4 Square Organizer; despite the spot in the middle. However, the basic premise is that one particular topic or question is presented in the middle (or top) of the graphic organizer. Then, students use the 4 remaining spaces to input data, opinions, notes. 

Ideas for a 5 Square Organizer:

• Place a vocabulary word in the center and have students fill in the four remaining spaces with things related to the word such as: definitions, antonyms, synonyms, sentences, drawing/graphics, text citations. This would be applicable to math vocabulary, too!
• Put a character's name in the middle and have students cite details from the text that help them understand the character. These examples could be related to character traits or physical traits.
• Similar to starting with a charcter in the middle, you could start with a character trait in the middle. Ask students to cite examples in the text where a character demonstrates that trait.
• Name a text (or section of text) in the middle. Ask students to fill in the spaces using categories such as: People, Objects/Symbols, Vocabulary, Message/Theme, Problem/Solution, Cause/Effect, Favorite Part.

3-2-1 Response

This one is a classic. If you've been in teaching for a few moons, you've probably seen some variation of this response. Basically, it asks students to share 3 interesting words or people, 2 things they learned, and 1 question they still have.

When I assign this response I make sure to explain the expectations. For instance, no "repeat" of ideas and use complete sentences on the 2 and 1 response.

A 3-2-1 Response lends itself to some great post-lesson discussions. When I assign this as a digital response, I will oftentimes answer the question while grading the work. It's a nice opportunity to connect with students on an individual level. The "1 Question I Still Have" can also be used to start discussions the following lesson. 

Memory Box

A Memory Box is about as flexibile a response as you can find. The basic idea is that students need to fill in the spaces with information from the text or lesson. Teachers can increase rigor by giving specific parameters for the Memory Box. 

For math applications: have students write the different fact families for a given number. Or, ask them to describe the properties of a particular shape. 

Way to increase rigor with a Memory Box:

• Require students to use complete sentences.
• Quote statements from the text and indicate if they are fact or opinion.
• State inferences from the text and cite the pages/quote that led to the inference.
• Describe cause and effect events within the text.
• Cite text evidence that demonstrates character traits for a given character, or give the students a character trait and ask them to find evidence of that trait in different characters.

FOR FICTION

Story Elements

This is a classic graphic organizer that helps students break down a story. It is loosely designed to mimic a 5 Square Organizer. The title of the text is written in the center of the page. The Characters and Setting are at the top, the Plot at the bottom. Plot can always be divided up using a Problem/Solution format.

Chapter/Section Summary Sheet

For a more detailed look at a chapter or section of text, teachers can have students fill out a Summary Sheet. This organizer asks students to fill in the chapter (or section) and explain what happened. 

When students first start to fill in the "What Happened" section they can sometimes be very generic with their responses. I encourage students to sum up the section by sharing something from the beginning, something from the middle, and something from the end. That small bit of guidance gives students just enough direction to put together a quality summary.

In addition to those two basic parts, students are also asked to share what their thoughts are about the section and to then make a prediction! These two parts help students to make connections to text, consider their opinions about events, and to do a little bit of thinking about how events they have already read may impact events later on in the book.

The "My Thoughts" and "My Prediction" sections are usually the most challenging for students. Oftentimes, students will write very shallow and basic responses such as "I like it" or "It is good". It can take a bit of modeling to get them to internalize what they are reading, formulate their own specific thoughts, and convey them in writing. 

Click here to get a set of these 5 graphic organizers for reading response for FREE!

Other Blog Posts You May Be Interested In:

• How to Host a Book Tasting in an Elementary Classroom
• Easy Back to School with Picture Books
• Best Character Analysis Strategies for Your Elementary Classroom
• Best Vocabulary Strategies for Your Elementary Classroom
• Best Comprehension Strategies for Your Elementary Classroom

Questioning Techniques in an Elementary Classroom

Questioning can be the harderst part of a lesson. How can we, as educators, ensure that students are learning the material, feel confident in their responses, and have a sense of contributing to the classroom community?  

I've learned a lot through the years and I've had my fair share of victories and mistakes. Throughout that time, I've been able to pull from different techniques in an attempt to give each student the confidence to raise their hand and take a chance. 

Pick the Hesitant Kid First

We all know which kids will be the first to shoot their hand up to answer a question. They love to share their knowledge and thrive off of answering correctly. On the flip side, we know which kids never put their hand up and would rather feed it to a wood chipper than volunteer a response. 

So, if the wood chipper kid goes for it, call on them! They are taking a huge risk. Support them; even if you suspect it may be a bit messy getting to an answer.

If the hesitant kid never puts their hand up... ever, and you would like to hear from them, I have a technique that will ease them into raising their hand and sharing ideas. 

Ask a very basic question; a question that has multiple correct responses or is based on thoughts/feelings. Or, a question that does not have an incorrect answer. Ask that question, give the students time to think, then choose the hesitant kid. Choose them first so that the "easy answer" can't be said by someone else first.

Examples:

• Name a character in this story.
• What is your favorite holiday?
• What does the word "xxx" mean to you?
• What is a multiple of the number 5?

By giving the hestitant kid a chance to answer the easier questions, you will be helping them build up the confidence to tackle a harder question later on.

Think Time

If you've been in the trenches for awhile, you know that students process at different speeds. Even if their hand is up, they may still need a bit of time to process a verbal answer. Give them time. Be patient. 

If it looks like they can't retrieve the information, ask them, "Do you need a bit longer?" If they want the time, let them off the hook and tell them to pop their hand up once they've got it. Promise to come right back to them and then keep your word. You'll have to keep scanning for their their hand to go back up, but it will be worth it when you go back to them and make sure they are part of the conversation.

Keep a Balance

Years ago I had an adminstrator keep a tally during an observation. She marked how many times I called on a boy versus calling on a girl. I hadn't even thought about that! I was close to even, but that was a happy coincidence. Moving forward, I always keep a running score in my head. If I call on two girls in a row, I then call on two boys. Make a cognitive effort to keep it even. It may not seem like other people notice (admins, students, TAs), but they do.

One Student Owns the Question

Once you have selected a student to answer a question, they own it. I will work with that student as long as necessary to get them to an answer. I use a delving technique (see below) to help guide them to a correct response. 

If all the attempts to delve and guide do not work, there are two choices: give the answer or have the student choose someone to assist. The question being asked determines which choice I make. For instance, if it's a math question (where there is oftentimes just one correct answer) I will have the student choose a person to answer. If it's an open-ended question, I might give one possible answer or list what's been already shared, to see if it triggers another idea from the student.

One common occurrence will be for other students to raise their hands when the student called on is struggling to come up with an answer. Refuse to call on them. Stay focused on the student who owns the question. For the first couple of months it is very common for me to say, "Put your hands down, it's Johnny's question." I let the class know that raising their hand for another student's question is futile. 

Over time, students learn that if they are called on they own the question. And if assistance or ideas are needed, they are the ones who will call on someone for help. The only person who can call on another student is the one who owns the question.

Delve the Question

Questioning techniques take time and experience to develop. The way I question students now is vastly different from the way I did when I first started out teaching. I've learned over time that delving is highly effective and is an excellent way to help a student work their way toward an answer.

Delving can be difficult at first. There is an art and science to it. However, think of a funnel. Structure your questioning by starting with the widest possible question that offers many options for a correct response. Granted, this doesn't work for everything, but you can use this technique in many parts of the day. If the student you have called on struggles to come up with an answer, start to "funnel down". This is the delve. If a student has had appropriate think time, ask the question again in a different way. Depending on the student, a differently worded question will prompt a response. For others, it may be a simple repeat. 

The next step will be to ask again and narrow down a parameter of the question. Keep moving down the funnel. At some point, you may be asking the student a 50/50 question. Cross your fingers they pick the correct answer. But, even if they don't, it's ok. Give the correct answer. Do not call on another student. I will write it again - do not call on another student. Once a student has been called on for a question - they own it. As stated above, the only person that can call on another student is the student who owns the question.

One example of how to delve a question:

T: Who can name a European explorer who sailed to present day New York?

S: Christopher Columbus.

T: Ohh- great start. We know that he sailed from Europe and journaled about his time in the Caribbean. But, we don't have any documents that tell us he sailed this far north. Can you think of someone else?

S: ...

T: We know that Columbus was Italian and sailed for Spain. We learned about other explorers that sailed for Spain. Also, England, the Dutch, and France. Can you remember any of those guys?

S: ...

T: We have some things in New York named after them. Can you think of any famous rivers or lakes or bridges named for a European explorer?

S: ...

T: What is one of our famous rivers that we have learned about?

S: The Hudson?

T: Right! Do you remember that guy's first name?

S: Ummm, Henry?

T: Yup. What else do you remember about his voyage?

Once you get to an asnwer, you can always follow up with a short Q and A to keep the conversation going and give the student another opportunity to share their knowledge.

If they can't recall a name, you can try to give them a "fill in the blank". 

T: What is one of our famous lakes we have learned about?

S: ...

T: In the northern part of the state. 

S: ...

T: Lake _______

S: ...

T: Samuel de _______

S: Champlain.

T: Yes! What else can you remember about his voyage?

Again, follow up with a bit more about Champlain. Invite the student to keep sharing and give them another opportunity to be in on the conversation.

Repeat Responses

If you have called on a student after some answers have been given, and the student is coming up short, try to list off what has been already shared to give their brain a jolt.

T: Who can name another European explorer?

S: ...

T: We have heard the names Columbus, de Champlain, and Hudson. Who else sailed over here? 

S: ...

T: Who was the Italian guy that has a bridge named after him, the one who sailed for France?

S: Verrazzano.

Connect Their Dots

Many times a student may give a wrong answer for a good reason. Their brain may be firing and connecting to something they learned from another lesson or experience. The connection might be caused by things such as: a vocabulary word, a time frame, or geographic area. Help them connect the dot to why that answer popped into their head and solidify a correct connection in their memory bank.

One example of how to connect a dot:

T: Who can name a European explorer who sailed to present day New York?

S: Lewis and Clark.

T: Ahhh, I can see why you might think that. They were very famous explorers hired by our 3rd president, Thomas Jefferson. They explored the land west of the Mississippi River. They documented their travels much like the European explorers we have learned about. But, they explored during the early 1800's; a couple hundred years before the time we are talking about. Can you think of someone who explored during the Age of Exploration? (1400s-1600s)

In this example the teacher can help the student correctly connect the dots between the question being asked and their thinking. Giving a bit more information to the student (explaining why their answer connects to the question) and helping them wire it correctly for the next time they need the information. 

If you have a timeline to reference (or other visuals), show the student "where" their answer lies and "where" the question lies. Or, if your students have notebooks, digital notes, etc... you can also have them refer back to discover a correct answer. Too often, students think that using resources is a "cheat". I try to instill in my class that it is actually the opposite. I want them to feel the empowerment of looking up a correct answer, knowing the correct place to find information, and connecting their own dots.

Keep Practicing

Questioning techniques take years to develop. Just as we tell our students that the best way to become a better reader is to read, the best way to become a better questioner is to question! 

If you do misstep, dust yourself off and try again. And, don't be too discouraged when you give the answer while in the middle of questioning... after 20+ years it still happens to me. I've resigned myself to the fact there is no cure for that particular "whoops"!

Best Virtual Field Trips for Your Elementary Classroom

Once upon a time, field trips meant loading up the bus and heading to a museum or park for the day. But with today's technology, "field trips" have taken on a whole new dimension! Virtual field trips offer an opportunity for teachers to bring unique experiences to their students from the comfort of their own classroom. 

Listed below are some of the best virtual field trips on the web that offer plenty of choices and directly align with multiple science or social studies standards.

If you are looking for a way to get your students responding to what they  experienced, grab this FREEBIE set of digital response templates. Read about them here.

Teachers can choose from 3 different responses that will fit any field trip chosen! These responses offer maximum versatility to reach every learner in your classroom. 

SCIENCE

Access Mars

The ultimate field trip- another planet! This engaging website allows students to explore the Red Planet as well as the rover, Curiosity.

Detroit Public TV Digital Adventures:

Great Lakes Now - Virtual Field Trips

360 Experiences Winged Creatures 

Grab a lesson plan and link (provided on the website) and take your students to various areas along the Great Lakes.

International Wolf Center

Whether you're seeking red or grey wolves, this website has you covered! The IWC offers a variety of distance learning opportunities as well as free or paid encounters. Click on the "programs" tab to see all of your options.

Lights Over Lapland

Click in and choose your frosty adventure! Stunning photos and beautifully edited videos give students a virtual experience from Sweden.

National Zoo Live Web Cams

Download the provided bingo cards and click through to some fun! 5 different webcams and 4 different bingo cards offer plenty of virtual fun for you and your students.

Nickelodeon - Slime in Space

This YouTube link will lead you and your students through slime experiments in space, vocabulary enrichment, as well as some Q & A.

San Diego Zoo Live Webcams

Choose your animal and click in to watch them live in their exhibit!

Son Doog Cave

Enjoy this amazing land structure in Vietam and enjoy the 360 degree view as well as the accompanying audio.

Stellarium Web

An interactive website that gives stydents options for exploring the night sky.

SOCIAL STUDIES

American Battlefield Trust 

Click and select a battlefield! These virtual tours of Civil War and American Revolution battlefields bring your students to historic spots and give them a 360 degree view.

Colonial Williamsburg Webcams

Explore eight different webcams and see what's happening at places like Market House or Raleigh Tavern.

Ellis Island

Walk the hallways that millions of immigrants moved through as they made their way to a new life in America. View the refurbished Great Hall as well as areas frozen in time such as the Hospital Wing and Staff Quarters. The 360 degree views, navigation map, and comment side bars will give your students a modern-day lens to a historic place in American history.

History View - American Revolution

Click in and watch reinactors demonstrate what happened at the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Commentary and visuals help students get a comprehensive understanding of "The Shot Heard Around the World". See everything History View offers here --> HistoryView.org

Museum of the American Revolutionary War (Distance Learning Link)

Along with an impressive virtual tour, the AmRev Museum also offers paid, live experiences for classrooms. 

National Constitution Center - Virtual Tour Exhibits

Choose from four different exhibits that offer 360 degree viewing, audio commentary, and zoom options.

National Constitution Center - Interactive Constitution

A brilliant website that gives students an opportunity to explore the process of drafting the Constitution as well as a closer look at the Civil War Amendments and the Susan B. Anthony Amendment.

Monticello

See Thomas Jefferson's estate in all it's glory. Monticello teamed up with Google to bring users a truly museum-like experience. Use the map or tale of contents to explore every inch of the home and grounds (incuding the Hemmings Cabin).

Mount Vernon

Tour the estate of our first president, George Washington! The clickable links lead students to 360 degree views, short texts about specific artifacts, stories, and videos.

National WW2 Museum (K-12 Distance Learning Link)

Offering a range of experiences, the National WW2 Museum is sure to have something that will fit your needs and budget. Video archives, webinars, and virtual and electronic field trip experiences are just a sampling of what they offer. Teachers can even explore their own professional development!

US Census Bureau - Home and Distance Learning Activities

A plethora of activities designed around the Census and statistics. This website offers educators lesson plans written in a classic format that includes grade level, time needed, and the location on Bloom's Taxonomy!

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

A virtual version of every exhibit. Bookmark and come back for more and more!

The Statue of Liberty

See Lady Liberty in all her glory. Multiple links will bring you to every inch of her magnificence; including some spots not included in the ticketed tour!

The Vatican Museum

Breathtaking 360 degree exhibits; includes the Sistine Chapel

Google Field Trips

The Great Barrier Reef 

Harriet Tubman

Ford's Theater

Google Voyager

Google has an amazing "grid". So, it's no surprise they have some amazing tools that offer your students up close and personal experiences around the globe. I have done a handful of the experiences in Google Voyager and the students absolutely love them. The interactive component of moving around the globe blended with factoids, informational text, short videos, and artifacts give the students a truly museum-like experience.

No matter what your budget or subject area might be, there is something out there for you and your students. Keep using key terms to search for the latest and greatest offerings. And, if you come across some really spectactular finds, let me know. I'll gladly add them to this list!

Best Vocabulary Strategies for Your Elementary Classroom

Vocabulary can be so tricky. It can make or break a student's understanding of text; this is especially true when working with content-specific vocabulary. There are many ways to introduce, develop, and master vocabulary. 

In this post I will share with you 2 student-specific strategies, which work for any subject you teach, that will help your students master vocabulary.

Knowledge Rating

Knowledge ratings are a simple way to introduce words that students will encounter in upcoming lessons or text. Knowledge ratings can be used for any subject and with any number of terms you may need.

Students are presented with a given list of terms. For each term, the student will rank themselves on a 4-point scale. A score of 1 means the student has never seen or heard the word. A score of 4 means the student has mastered the word and can teach it to someone else.

Knowledge Rating Vocabulary Strategy

Once students have completed the individual scoring of each term, they add up the individual numbers and have their rating. When using a knowledge rating for a unit of study (social studies, science, math) have them keep the rating. At the end of the unit, ask them to rate themselves again. The goal will be for students to increase their rating. If using a knowledge rating for a novel study, break the terms up by chapter or section. Once students have completed the section, go back to the rating and rate once again.

Knowledge Ratings are a great way for students to consider their own level of understanding and mastery of upcoming vocabulary. Using a rating allows students to consider where they currently are with particular terms and gives them a focus for improvement throughout the upcoming lessons.

Vocabulary Card

Vocabulary Cards are basically 4-Square Organizers that give students a space to write words they find interesting. They are organized by part of speech. (I also arrange my Word Wall by Part of Speech.) As students read a novel or work through a unit of study, they can add words to the appropriate spot and refer back to them later on.

Vocabulary Card Strategy

When meeting in a small group, I will ask students to share words they have added to their cards. Where did they find them (page number)? What do they think the word means? What might be a synonym for the word?

Allocating 10-15 minutes to this discussion gives students an opportunity to steer the lesson in a direction they find interesting. 

Different from a glossary, in which particular words are given to the students, vocabulary cards give students the opportunity to create a collection of words they find interesting. It is very student-specific and helps keep students engaged in what might otherwise be a very bland topic of conversation.

For other ideas to develop vocabulary click a link below:

4 Steps to Building Vocabulary

Teaching Vocabulary with Mentor Texts

Developing Vocabulary in Social Studies

No matter what the subject is, vocabulary can be a tough obstacle to overcome. With a few student-driven vocabulary strategies, you can keep your students engaged and on their way to mastering vocabulary!

You can read about other strategies to use during your ELA instruction by clicking a link below:

Best Comprehension Strategies for Your Elementary Classroom

Best Character Analysis Strategies for Your Elementary Classroom

Grab your own set of editable vocabulary activities (along with other reading responses) to use with your students from my TpT store here: Reading Response Worksheets or by clicking the image below.

Your download will include:

Google Slides

• Cover Slide

• 3 Vocabulary Slides

• 5 Comprehension and Character Study Slides

• 5 Author's Craft, Summary/Sequence Slides

• 3 Theme Written Response Slides

PDF Printables 

• Pre-Reading Activities

• Vocabulary

• Literary Devices

• Comprehension

• Character Analysis

• In-depth Analysis

• Summary & Sequence of Event Responses

• Theme Written Response

• Organizers & Rubrics