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National Geographic Forces of Nature

January 21, 2010Kelly Tenkely1 Comment3401 views

What it is: Our fifth graders are going to be reading stories about extreme nature next week. To build background knowledge about extreme nature, I was on a hunt for some sites that would teach them about different natural occurrences and include an interactive where they could explore the occurrence first hand. National Geographic has a great collection called Forces of Nature. Here students can explore a natural forces lab where they learn about the extreme nature. Students can learn about tornadoes, volcanoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Students learn what the force of nature is, what causes them, their characteristics, the damage that they do, how they are forecasted, and then have the opportunity to actually create the force of nature virtually. Students can also view an interactive map that shows hot sites where the forces of nature occur, and read case studies of actual events.

How to integrate National Geographic Forces of Nature into the classroom: Set up a science or reading center where students can read and learn about each force of nature. Allow students to interact with the activities to control their own tornadoes, volcanoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Choose a “weather forecaster” for the class. Using an interactive whiteboard or projector have the forecaster change the elements that lead to the force of nature. Ask students at their seats predict what will happen with the force of nature. Are conditions right for a tornado/hurricane/earthquake/eruption? The forecaster will test out conditions to find out what happens. Ask students to explain the occurrence and why their predictions were correct or incorrect. If you don’t have access to an interactive whiteboard or projector, students could complete this activity in partners on the classroom computers. This is an excellent visual aid for the science classroom, it is like an interactive text book.

Tips: National Geographic has a great Forces of Nature photo gallery (found below the interactive) where students can see high quality photos of tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanoes, and earthquakes. The earthquake interactive is a timely addition to the classroom with the recent earthquake in Haiti. This is a great way for kids to understand exactly how the earthquake occurred.

Leave a comment and share how you are using National Geographic Forces of Nature in your classroom.

The Why Files

June 11, 2009Kelly TenkelyLeave a Comment1450 views

What it is: Colorado has had some extreme weather conditions in the past week. With tornadoes, rain, rainbows, and hail, The Why Files seemed like a fitting site to highlight today. The Why Files bring science to life virtually. Students can make rainbows, control a tornado, play with lightning, and build a snowflake. If only the real weather was this easy to control! The Why Files begin each interactive with a brief “why” of how the weather occurrence works, students can read all about the occurrence and even get a link where they can learn more. The fun starts when the students enter the interactive where they can control the weather.

How to integrate The Why Files into the classroom: The Why Files are amazing interactives that will help your students to better understand the science behind weather. This is a great site to use with an interactive whiteboard, invite students to take turns interacting with the weather. Read the paragraph before the interactive as a class. After the students have ‘controlled’ the weather, go back to the information page and follow the link to additional information. Your students will want to know more after playing with the interactive! The Why Files makes a great science center on classroom comupters while students are learning the science behind weather. Students can visit the center in teams and take notes in an observation journal recording their experiences about controlling the weather.

Tips: Check out some of the other goodies on the site: “The Why Files produces a new story each week, alternating longer features with shorter shorties. We also post a series of interactive science animations, the ever-popular “Cool Science Images,” and a series of Teacher Activity Pages linked to the national science teaching standards. Eager to explain the science behind the news, our home page reprises older stories that become relevant to the headlines.”

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using The Why Files in your classroom.