NASA PlanetQuest Historic Timeline

NASA has numerous resources for educators including the PlanetQuest Historic Timeline.  This interactive, multimedia timline begins in 500 BC and traces the search for extrasolar planets from philosophical beliefs to modern discoveries.  The timeline can be autoplayed or users can explore on their own.  Users can also browse through the timeline using three different categories - technology, discoveries, and thought/ culture.

Exploratorium Snacks

Exploratorium Science Snacks are different science experiments that are similar to exhibits at the Exploratorium Museum.  They can be used to explore many different science topics such as convection currents, momentum, circuits, and molecules. 

 

The Exploratorium Museum website also has over 500 online activities, exhibits, photo essays, and videos to explore.  These resources are divided into different categories - astronomy and space, culture, earth, everyday science, human body, listening, living things, material world, mind, and seeing. 

Google Maps Weather Overlay

Google Maps has several different mapplets that can be added to maps including time zones, demographic information, and elevation contours.  One useful mapplet was created by The Weather Channel and allows users to overlay information about current weather on their maps.  This information includes temperature, wind speed, dew point, sky conditions, humidity, and pressure.  Users can also view current radar images on their maps.

This mapplet can be found by logging into Google Maps, then clicking on the "Browse the Directory" link.  It is also available in Google Earth.

Twitter

Twitter is a microblogging service that allows people to share information in short text messages called "tweets."  Posts are limited to 140 characters.  Typically tweets describe what people are doing, thinking, or working on.  However, tweets can be responses to tweets or questions for others to respond to.

Here are some ideas for using Twitter in the classroom:

Twitteracy in the Classroom

Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom

My class creates tweets to review concepts we have learned or to wrap-up a lesson.  Students create tweets to tell the most important information in a lesson.  It is a good way to discuss summarizing.  Our latest tweets can be found on the right-hand side of this page.

Ideas to Inspire

Ideas to Inspire



This site has many presentations with ideas for lessons including uses for web tools such as Wordle, Twitter, and GoogleEarth. There are also lesson ideas for different curricular areas including math, science, writing, music, and geography.