@NGSSCHATThis is a pretty nifty Twitter channel for Next Generation Science Standards. It's full of great resources and phenomena to use in classes to spark our students' innate desire to question and figure out the world. They're an amazing and open community, with members from across the country, all sharing ideas, lessons, and support as we journey towards implementing the NGSS in our classrooms.
Natural Energy Lab of Hawaii AuthoritySo many amazing things are happening in Hawaii! We have NELHA, where they are testing out OTEC devices for future energy needs, 0-energy designs, biofuel production, aquaculture, and so much more. We take the kids here every year or so when we go on our Big Island trip, and it's amazing!
The website has ton of information about the various types of research they're conducting. Also, NELHA does tours! A perfect reason to bring your classes to Hawaii! Other than the volcanoes. Before the FloodThe message in this movie is so poignant and appropriate to our times. Best of all, it's told from the perspective of a layperson. As the documentary unfolds, we learn with him. He connects the Revenant (which he was filming at the time of the documentary) and art to climate change and sustainability. He speaks to people throughout the world, gathering their perspectives on this massive issue. It's a lot like An Inconvenient Truth, but he does bring new voice and urgency to the issue, and the emphasis on speaking to world leaders and stakeholders throughout the world is a major plus, highlighting the importance of "Living Local, Thinking Global." I think it would be a GREAT film to include in a unit on sustainability, environment, or climate change.
Sadly, it's not free, but it's so good and useful that I paid for it without a qualm. And, I just found it on YouTube for free, so... Global Education-ified NGSSI looked over two science standards from NGSS to see how much "tweaking' they would require to adapt to a global ed mindset. Turns out, the really don't need much at all. All of the standards are designed with a "figure things out" approach in mind. Meaning, students are expected to develop and use a model to explain why a phenomenon occurs. This phenomenon could be local or global in scale: Why are there rock bands in the quarry by my house? Why are storms increasing in both number and severity in recent decades? Things like that.
The ones that, however, that I found really interesting were the "human impact" standards like:
I like these standards because these are the Science and Engineering Practices; the standards that require students to build or investigate to solve a problem, and not just explain why something occurs. They're not just "content" in the traditional sense. They're also the standards that teachers struggle the most with. I like them because they really highlight the interconnections of between science and society. And, they explicitly require teachers to take a global perspective in their instruction and assessment. My attachment is my quick-fix to globalize the standards and how I'd teach and assess them in my class. Spoiler alert: I didn't really need to change anything.
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National Science Teacher AssociationNSTA has some great lessons that are vetted to NGSS. These aren't units; they are meant to be included as parts of a greater narrative It's a wonderful community of teachers that actively support each other better their practices. There's even a free NGSS-related eNewsletter that you can subscribe to!
Thanks NSTA! PS: they lessons are free and vetted by master teachers! Yay! The Curse of AkkadThis is an outstanding book. It discusses how climate change has effected world history from the foundations of human civilization to now. It's a fascinating read on its own. But, its great to combine with a unit on climate, the environment, or, even, world history. It neatly pairs with many of the standards in the Next Generation Science Standards, and would be an amazing inclusion in an interdisciplinary unit.
Crash Course!I can't get enough of Crash Course! Crash Course is a series of YouTube videos put out by the Vlogbrothers (one of them is John Greene, author of the Fault in Our Stars). It's sort of like Kahn Academy, only funny and about 5-10 minutes long each (and they're not trying to replace education, just provide fun and entertaining informative videos about topics that interest them). Some of the titles are a little, ahem, blue, but they're no worse than what someone would encounter watching prime time TV. They're pretty accurate and can be a great integration for further lectures and lessons.
This video I linked above is an open letter to students returning to school and it discusses how truly unique and special Public Education really is. CFF: Crops For the FutureIt's astounding to see people and "real" scientists doing agricultural research to meet our needs in an ever-changing climate. I say "real" because this is "hard" science: genetics, biology, chemistry, engineering, etc. But, people never think of agriculture as a science, which is a shame. One of the fastest growing and most vital industries of our times (and future) is agriscience. People are turning to nature to grow biofuel, new fibers, new foods, etc, and we should DEFINITELY be preparing our students for this field of research. I especially like that they work with local growers to get a foundation of research and best practices, first.
Just Eat ItThis movie was transformative in my aquaponics class. It highlights the gross amounts of food waste in the farm-to-table pipeline as well as how much money people waste. It discusses the cultural shifts that have contributed to this situation. Finally, it proposes solutions and actions people can take.
Like Before the Flood, the movie isn't free. You can buy it from their site for iTunes, GooglePlay, and for download. Its also available for pay on YouTube. But, I just found the movie on YouTube for free, so... The site also has a curriculum guide for educators. |