Anusha_Shankar_2021

Collecting Data On Hummingbirds and Myself – Students Can Too!

by with No Comment Webinar - Science

Collecting Data On Hummingbirds and Myself – Students Can Too!

Anusha Shankar has spent 9 years studying how hummingbirds manage their energy and their time. In the process, she started collecting data on herself – especially her moods and what they were influenced by, and her time and how she allocated it. Anusha thinks collecting information systematically on yourself can give you insight that is difficult to get any other way. And this might be a way students can learn more about themselves and their connection to the world around them! Anusha will share her hummingbird research with students in National Geographic Learning’s upcoming high school Biology program launching in late 2022.

Anusha Shankar

National Geographic Explorer, Rose Postdoctoral Fellow, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Anusha Shankar has spent 9 years studying how hummingbirds manage their energy and their time. In the process, she started collecting data on herself – especially her moods and what they were influenced by, and her time and how she allocated it. Anusha thinks collecting information systematically on yourself can give you insight that is difficult to get any other way. And this might be a way students can learn more about themselves and their connection to the world around them! Anusha will share her hummingbird research with students in National Geographic Learning’s upcoming high school Biology program launching in late 2022.
 
In this webinar replay, you will:
  • Learn how hummingbird physiology relates to species adaptations in changing environments
  • Connect lesson ideas to NGSS Life Science standards
  • Understand how stories from diverse National Geographic Explorers can help students master high school biology concepts
Marc Hendrix

Teaching Phenomena-Based Earth Science Using the Geology of Yellowstone

by with No Comment Webinar - Science

Teaching Phenomena-Based Earth Science Using the Geology of Yellowstone

In this session, we explore a wide variety of earth science phenomena and how to apply these to high school earth science lessons. We tour Yellowstone’s unique geologic system and consider how it can form the basis for phenomena-based lessons that will meet several high school Next Generation Science Standards.
Marc Hendrix

Marc S. Hendrix

Professor of Geology, University of Montana
Author, National Geographic Earth and Space Science

In this session, we explore a wide variety of earth science phenomena and how to apply these to high school earth science lessons. We tour Yellowstone’s unique geologic system and consider how it can form the basis for phenomena-based lessons that will meet several high school Next Generation Science Standards.
 
This session includes an overview of the Yellowstone Volcano and other natural hazards including earthquakes, hydrothermal explosions, and extreme wildfires. We examine glaciation, surficial deposits, and the impact of recent and ongoing climate change on the park’s ecosystem. We also look at the thermophilic microbes and what they can tell us about life on other planets. You’ll get access to real-time datasets of seismicity, thermal activity, and hydrologic changes within the park.
 
In this webinar replay, you will:
  • Get lesson ideas and strategies to meet specific NGSS Earth Science standards
  • Receive suggestions for using Yellowstone National Park for phenomena-based lessons
  • Become familiar with a variety of publicly-available datasets that can form the basis for labs from the National Geographic Earth and Space Science program
Randy Bell

Teaching the Nature of Science: Strategies and Resources for Student Success

by with No Comment Webinar - Science

Teaching the Nature of Science: Strategies and Resources for Student Success

Teaching the Nature of Science is more important than ever. The events of the past year have emphasized the need for greater understanding of science as a way of knowing and how scientific knowledge is developed. Yet teachers still have concerns about teaching these abstract topics. What is the nature of science? How can it be used to increase student interest and promote scientific literacy? How is it addressed in the NGSS? These are just a few of the questions that you will explore as you learn from student-centered activities designed to encourage critical thinking. Dr. Bell’s session will offer specific strategies and resources that support ALL students in learning about the nature of science and how to make sense of scientific claims they encounter on a daily basis.
Randy Bell

Dr. Randy L. Bell

Associate Dean and Professor of Science Education

Teaching the Nature of Science is more important than ever. The events of the past year have emphasized the need for greater understanding of science as a way of knowing and how scientific knowledge is developed. Yet teachers still have concerns about teaching these abstract topics. What is the nature of science? How can it be used to increase student interest and promote scientific literacy? How is it addressed in the NGSS? These are just a few of the questions that you will explore as you learn from student-centered activities designed to encourage critical thinking. Dr. Bell’s session will offer specific strategies and resources that support ALL students in learning about the nature of science and how to make sense of scientific claims they encounter on a daily basis.
 
In this webinar replay, you will learn:
  • What nature of science means and how it is represented in NGSS
  • Strategies for teaching nature of science and how they can be used to boost student interest
  • Resources and lesson ideas for teaching nature of science
Hoffman_Leister

Teaching Phenomena-Based Earth & Space Science

by with No Comment Webinar - Science

Teaching Phenomena-Based Earth & Space Science

In this session, we explore a wide variety of science phenomena from high school earth and space science and how to apply these to hands-on science lessons. Utilizing resources from National Geographic and the new Earth & Space Science program, we’ll show how images, videos, and hands-on demonstrations connect students to phenomena and standards-based learning (including NGSS). Lesson ideas and teaching strategies will be appropriate for distance learning and classroom instruction.

Mark Hoffman

Senior Product Marketing Manager, K-12 Science
National Geographic Learning | Cengage

Debbie Leister

Customer Success Consultant
National Geographic Learning | Cengage

In this session, we explore a wide variety of science phenomena from high school earth and space science and how to apply these to hands-on science lessons. Utilizing resources from National Geographic and the new Earth & Space Science program, we’ll show how images, videos, and hands-on demonstrations connect students to phenomena and standards-based learning (including NGSS). Lesson ideas and teaching strategies will be appropriate for distance learning and classroom instruction.

In this webinar replay, you will:

  • Get lesson ideas and strategies to meet specific Earth and Space Science standards
  • Receive tips you can use right now to incorporate phenomena-based lessons with students
  • Learn how to implement hands-on labs from the National Geographic Earth and Space Science program
pierre-yves-burgi-eQRywYTBZOQ-unsplash

5 Ideas to Teach Science Through Distance Learning

by with No Comment Science

5 Ideas to Teach Science Through Distance Learning

Mark Hoffman

Senior Product Marketing Manager • K-12 Science/Disciplinary Literacy • National Geographic Learning | Cengage

Finding time to engage students in science was already challenging enough before being forced into distance learning by a pandemic. Now with synchronous instruction time with students even less than before when you were in class, it’s nearly impossible to fit science in. With the fun and easy resources here, you will be motivated to tackle science lessons and keep students engaged with science in some unique and creative ways.

#1 Get Their Eyes on You

One very eye-catching way to get students’ attention is to show them some amazing live images. One way to do this is with a tool like a hand-held digital camera microscope. These little cameras can magnify the surface of any object up to 500x just by touching it with the tip of the lens. They can connect to a computer by USB or to a phone or tablet through WiFi. These live magnified images are an ideal way to introduce phenomena at the beginning of lessons. What you can magnify is practically limitless, but some interesting objects include: flowers; sand; fabric/clothing; insects; human body parts such as skin, fingerprints, hair, eyes; and everyday object become extraordinary under magnification such as coins and paper money, pen ink and pencil writing, and even the pixels on your cell phone will make you rethink how everything is made. There are many sources for getting these hand-held camera microscopes starting at about $50, one good source for teachers is Southern Science Supply.

The author's eye at 60x magnification

#2 Practice the Powers of Observation 

Making observations may seem like a simple task, but students (especially younger ones) can always use more practice in finding important details and patterns, and also practicing patience. One way you may not have tried is to have students make animal observations using the hundreds of free live streaming cams offered by zoos, aquariums, and other nature organizations. What is great about these is that they usually stream 24 hours a day allowing students to peek in on animal life at any time of day or night. Having students focus on one species (or even one specific individual animal), and make observations over hours or days will increase their observational skills and provide a window into animal behavior that a few minutes at a crowded zoo cannot provide. There are literally hundreds of zoos and aquariums with cameras, but below are a few good options to start with.

San Diego Zoo

National Zoo in Washington, DC

Monterey Bay Aquarium

#3 Connect Students Live with a Real Scientist

Kids will (sometimes) happily watch a pre-recorded video as part of a science lesson, but why not make that experience active and real by connecting live with a National Geographic Explorer or other scientists? There are many opportunities for your students to talk live to a scientist, engineer, Explorer, or photographer where students are live on-camera with the Explorer and able to talk and ask questions directly to them. The National Geographic Explorer Classroom program offers teachers comprehensive support for these live encounters with Educator Guides available for each event to help you prep students before, to pay closer attention while live, and to discuss what was learned after the event. Some of these are even offered in Spanish and American Sign Language.

One teacher, Joe Grabowski, set up so many of these live events with scientists and his students that he actually became a National Geographic Explorer because of his work to connect students to real scientists this way. With help from Nat Geo, Joe was able to set up and expand his own organization called Exploring By the Seat of Your Pants to facilitate daily live events for students to connect with scientists live.

The best part is that every event from both organizations above is recorded and available for free, on-demand, any time. There are literally hundreds of videos on every subject area imaginable to choose from!

Students can also get to know National Geographic Explorers through using our National Geographic Exploring Science program for grades K-5 where students ‘meet’ many Explorers in the pages of the book and in the digital platform through videos. Each grade includes one host Explorer who revisits students throughout the year in the text and digital platform.

#4 Take a Virtual Field Trip

Instead of using Google Earth to fly over your own house or to ‘spy’ on your neighbors, why not use the power of the tool to take students to places they’ve never been before? Google Earth and other organizations have created some incredible opportunities for learning through hosted, informational, and content-rich explorations all over the world. Being whisked away digitally to a faraway place is only so valuable without some context and guidance while you’re there. The examples below include either teacher resources to help students make the most of their trip, or they have valuable resources and guidance built-in to keep students on task in their learning. The Google list below includes several expeditions created by National Geographic and other Explorers including Jane Goodall. All of these are free resources.

The Nature Conservancy Virtual Field Trips

Google Earth “Voyager” Expeditions (may take a minute to load)

National Geographic Virtual Expeditions:

            Saving the Kordofan Giraffe with Explorer Naftali Honig

            Goodall, Gombe, and Google with Jane Goodall

            Building the National Geographic Photo Ark with Joel Sartore

            Helping People and Animals Coexist with Explorer Krithi Karanth

            Explore the Last Pristine Seas with Explorer Enric Sala

#5 Connect with the Broader Science Community — Citizen Science

Students as young as preschool have the skills to collect real scientific data that scientists need to do their work. Allowing students of all ages the opportunity to make a real contribution to the scientific body of knowledge can be a very powerful experience. Citizen Science projects connect everyday people and their willingness to observe and collect some data, with scientists who rely on that data to conduct their research. This can be as simple as taking a picture with your phone using the iNaturalist App to share with the science community, or as elaborate as climbing a mountain peak and collecting snow samples along the way (only for the experts!). These projects can also be as local as observing the stream in your neighborhood to the worldwide Christmas Bird Count conducted every year for the past 120 years by the Audubon Society. Get started choosing how you’ll make an impact with the links below.

scistarter.org

National Geographic Citizen Science Projects

Adventure Scientists run by NG Explorer Gregg Treinish

Watch the Webinar On Demand!

Interested in additional ideas on how to engage your K-8 Science Students? Watch the recording of our webinar, Ideas and Best Practices to Teach Science Through Distance Learning, with Mark Hoffman and 2nd Grade Teacher Kathy Seidl.
Watch Now
Hoffman_Seidl

Ideas and Best Practices to Teach Science Through Distance Learning

by with No Comment Webinar - Science

Ideas and Best Practices to Teach Science Through Distance Learning

Engaging K–8 students in the current environment is especially challenging. With the demands on teachers to keep students on-task through distance learning or with social distancing in classrooms, science instruction time is being sacrificed for other priorities. This session will provide teachers with practical guidance on using available tools and resources to teach K–8 science effectively regardless of how you are teaching. Hear advice from fellow teachers for keeping science at the forefront in lesson planning and the benefits science instruction has in keeping students engaged and motivated to learn. We will use examples from our Exploring Science K–5 program to show how students can learn science content and practices, including hands-on activities, in any teaching scenario.

Mark Hoffman

Senior Product Marketing Manager, K-12 Science

Kelly Seidl

2nd Grade Teacher, Blissfield Community Schools

Engaging K–8 students in the current environment is especially challenging. With the demands on teachers to keep students on-task through distance learning or with social distancing in classrooms, science instruction time is being sacrificed for other priorities. This session will provide teachers with practical guidance on using available tools and resources to teach K–8 science effectively regardless of how you are teaching. Hear advice from fellow teachers for keeping science at the forefront in lesson planning and the benefits science instruction has in keeping students engaged and motivated to learn. We will use examples from our Exploring Science K–5 program to show how students can learn science content and practices, including hands-on activities, in any teaching scenario.

In this webinar replay, you will:

  • Hear from experts on techniques to effectively incorporate science instruction in distance learning scenarios
  • Get practical recommendations for engaging students in 3-Dimensional learning and phenomena-based lessons
  • See examples from teachers who are effectively teaching science in a variety of in-class and at-home scenarios
Bertinos

Fingerprinting Techniques and Activities for Remote Learning

by with No Comment Webinar - Science

Fingerprinting Techniques and Activities for Remote Learning

Join National Geographic Learning for an exciting webinar enabling you to provide your students with at-home, hands-on activities for Forensic Science that use simple, inexpensive, and easy-to-find materials. Get advice and directions to make and use teaching tools to engage students in the processes of forensic investigations. We will discuss easy ways to collect and analyze fingerprint evidence and tire impressions and show tricks to successfully photograph fingerprints using cell phones.

Anthony “Bud” Bertino and
Patricia Nolan Bertino

Teacher Trainers and
Forensic Science Program Authors

Join National Geographic Learning for an exciting webinar enabling you to provide your students with at-home, hands-on activities for Forensic Science that use simple, inexpensive, and easy-to-find materials. Get advice and directions to make and use teaching tools to engage students in the processes of forensic investigations. We will discuss easy ways to collect and analyze fingerprint evidence and tire impressions and show tricks to successfully photograph fingerprints using cell phones.

In this webinar replay, you will learn:

  • Techniques to use hands-on forensic science activities to improve student understanding and engagement
  • Instructions for making inexpensive tools for use in Forensic Science lessons and curriculum
  • Review and receive hand-outs and lesson resources that you can use with students right now, however you are conducting your classes
mike-benna-SBiVq9eWEtQ-unsplash

Students Become Real Scientists with Citizen Science Projects

by with No Comment InterdisciplinaryScience

Students Become Real Scientists with Citizen Science Projects

Mark Hoffman

Senior Product Marketing Manager • K-12 Science/Disciplinary Literacy • National Geographic Learning | Cengage

Here are two things that are still taking place normally in this extraordinary time of pandemics and social distancing:

  1. Kids still need new activities and learning opportunities to stay happy and engaged, and
  2. Scientists still need new data collected to continue their research. 

Why not combine these two needs for the benefit of kids AND science!? All from your own home or a visit to a nearby park or open space.

April is Citizen Science Month and none of us will have experienced an April quite like this one. Regardless of what’s happening in the news and at home, the natural world outside is continuing as normal. Spring flowers are emerging, bugs and other wildlife are waking up, and the stars and moon still appear every night. And scientists need help from as many people as possible to observe and report data on all sorts of interesting phenomena. Check out some opportunities below to have your students or your own kids become real scientists and contribute to real science research. It’ll help them and the science community at large!

A few of our own National Geographic Learning programs include Citizen Science Projects and ideas for elementary and high school students. See below for links to free lessons taken from Exploring Science for grades K-5 and Environmental Science: Sustaining Your World for high school that students can work on now.

Project BudBurst Student Pages
(excerpt from Grade 1 Exploring Science)

Click here

Project BudBurst Teacher's Edition Pages
(excerpt from Grade 1 Exploring Science)

Click here

Track Bird Life Student Pages
(excerpt from Grade 4 Exploring Science)

Click here

Track Bird Life Teacher's Edition Pages
(excerpt from Grade 4 Exploring Science)

Click here

Citizen Science: Of the People, By the People, For the People Student Pages
(excerpt from Environmental Science: Sustaining Your World)

Click here

Citizen Science: Of the People, By the People, For the People Teacher's Edition Pages
(excerpt from Environmental Science: Sustaining Your World)

Click here

The National Geographic Society’s Education group has a wonderful list of 24 Citizen Science Projects for you to consider that range from classifying galaxy shapes from images on your computer, observing and reporting on bird sightings in urban cities or anywhere else, and listening to frogs in any wetland area near you.

National Geographic also partnered with the California Academy of Sciences to create the iNaturalist App which lets anybody take a picture of any plant or animal, offers help in identifying the species, but also submits that data including time and location of the sighting for scientists to analyze.

These projects are so widely varied in subject and so flexible in their commitment of time (from a few seconds to take a picture in iNaturalist up to a few hours of observations) that there is surely something to interest any young scientist to make observations, learn about their environment, and potentially help scientists make some important new discoveries.

Here are a few other good online resources for finding a Citizen Science project that can engage adults and kids of all ages and advice on how these projects increase educational value.

Official Citizen Science Month Website – great starting place to learn what citizen science is, find a project, or start one of your own!

Citizen Science Toolkit – Great educator resource for integrating citizen science projects into classroom/school settings

How to Help Scientists Without Leaving Home – Atlas Obscura

Fairfax County Public Schools Citizen Science page

Unlocking the Educational Potential of Citizen Science – National Geographic Article

Resources and help for those affected by COVID-19

We’re monitoring the spread and impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on K-12 schools across the country. If you’ve been affected by Coronavirus and are experiencing a school closure, we’ve collected resources for educators that may help.
Learn More
jeremy-bishop-h7bQ8VEZtws-unsplash

Explorers in the Classroom – Keep students engaged and learning from home

by with No Comment InterdisciplinaryScience

Explorers in the Classroom – Keep students engaged and learning from home

Mark Hoffman

Senior Product Marketing Manager • K-12 Science/Disciplinary Literacy • National Geographic Learning | Cengage

A 5th grade teacher friend told me about how she is trying to keep her students engaged as they continue their learning from home. “There’s a limit to the number of math worksheets you can give them,” she explained. “Have them read anything, the back of the cereal box, just as long as they’re reading!” She was hitting on the problem of keeping her students engaged from a distance, but also wanting real-world and authentic experiences that she can no longer provide in person.

One way to overcome this challenge is with live streaming videos of real National Geographic Explorers, scientists, engineers, and conservationists right at home. This is exactly what teacher Joe Grabowski started doing in his own classroom several years ago. His methods and results were so successful, he was selected to become a National Geographic Explorer in 2017 and soon after became National Geographic’s first Education Fellow.

So how can your students benefit from what National Geographic and Joe have started? Two ways, actually.

National Geographic Explorer Classroom

Explorer Classroom connects classrooms around the world with National Geographic Explorers, bringing science, exploration, and conservation to life through live video events. Students have the opportunity to ask the explorer their questions directly. Each month Explorer Classroom features a new theme and provides supporting resources for educators. Throughout the school year, classes can also join explorers live on expedition through their In the Field series.

To help students stuck at home, starting March 23, Explorer Classroom is launching a daily broadcast at 2pm Eastern time. This is in addition to other scheduled events throughout the day/week. They have also set up Family Guides for parents to help students learn more about the Explorers and the topics they study including pre- and post-session activities and questions.

Every talk is recorded, so if you can’t attend live to ask questions in person, you can view over 100 past talks with Explorers any time on National Geographic Education’s YouTube page.

Exploring By The Seat of Your Pants

Exploring By The Seat of Your Pants is the nonprofit set up by Explorer and teacher Joe Grabowski with dozens of live events each month streaming Science, Exploration, Adventure, and Conservation into classrooms across North America. Joe and his team host guest speakers and take students on virtual field trips with leading experts from around the world using special transmitters to broadcast live into classrooms and homes from the most remote regions on the planet. Since September 2015, they have run well over 1,000 live events connecting hundreds of thousands of students to scientists and Explorers in over 70 countries.

Their news series starting this month, Coronavirus Can’t Stop the Virtual Classroom, was created specifically for students and parents at home.

These talks are recorded as well and you can view hundreds of them on-demand at the Exploring By the Seat of Your Pants YouTube page.

Resources and help for those affected by COVID-19

We’re monitoring the spread and impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on K-12 schools across the country. If you’ve been affected by Coronavirus and are experiencing a school closure, we’ve collected resources for educators that may help.
Learn More
Andres Ruzo

STEAMy Lessons from the Amazon: A Behind the Scenes Look at the Boiling River Project and using STEAM to connect students to science and conservation

by with No Comment Webinar - Science

STEAMy Lessons from the Amazon: A Behind the Scenes Look at the Boiling River Project and using STEAM to connect students to science and conservation

Andrés Ruzo is a geothermal scientist, conservationalist, educator, host, author, and science communicator best known for his work at the Boiling River of the Amazon. Whether it is working with governments, energy companies, students, or indigenous communities, his goal is to connect people to the natural world and help build bridges to an environmentally conscious future.

Andres Ruzo

Andrés Ruzo

National Geographic Explorer

Andrés Ruzo is a geothermal scientist, conservationalist, educator, host, author, and science communicator best known for his work at the Boiling River of the Amazon. Whether it is working with governments, energy companies, students, or indigenous communities, his goal is to connect people to the natural world and help build bridges to an environmentally conscious future.

It’s imperative for students to understand what science can teach them, where it can take them, how to understand current global issues, and how they can play a part in changing the future for our people and planet. Join Andrés for an update on his latest endeavors on the Boiling River Project and his award-winning NatGeo Latin America television show, Misterios del Inframundo (Mysteries of the Underworld), and other innovative projects.  

In this webinar, you will learn:

  • How to connect kids with nature, conservation, and preservation
  • Expert insights into current global events including wildfires, wildlife trafficking (stories recently published by NatGeo Magazine), and responsible tourism
  • How to expand your curriculum to include renewable energy projects, sustainable initiatives, and empowerment of students through STEAM education