how to incorporate exploravision into your curriculum
TRANSCRIPT
How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your
Curriculum
Introducing today’s Presenters
Serena McCallaJericho High SchoolJericho, NY 2009 Grade Category 10-12 Regional Winner7 Honorable Mentions
Brian ShortNational Science Teachers Association
Overview
1. Introducing the Competition
What is ExploraVision? Why Should Students
Participate? Prizes offered.
2. ExploraVision & NSES
3. How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your
Curriculum
4. Resources for Teachers and Students
Introducing the Competition
How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum
1. Introducing the CompetitionWhat is ExploraVision?
• Competition for all students in grades K-12. FREE to
enter!
• Designed for students of all interest, skill & ability
levels
• Students work in teams of 2-4 to select a technology,
research how it works and why it was invented, and
then project how that technology may change in the
future.
• Each team is guided or led by a teacher and optional
mentor
Introducing the CompetitionUse your clipart to indicate elements eligible for the
competition
Grades K-12 Public School
Private Schools
Parochial Schools
Home-schooled
U.S. Canada Teams of 2-4 Students
1. Introducing the Competition
• Grades K-12• Public, Private,
Parochial & Home-Schools in
U.S. and Canada • All ability and interest levels• Teams of 2-4 students• Team coach (teacher)• Mentor (optional)
1. Introducing the Competition
Entry Components• Abstract• Description
– Present technology– History– Future technology – 20 years– Breakthroughs– Design Process– Consequences +/-
• Communication with web page designs• Bibliography• Web Page Graphics
1. Introducing the Competition
• Grades K-3• Grades 4-6• Grades 7-9• Grades 10-12
Each entry category is judged separately
1. Introducing the Competition
• Description (75 Points)– Present Technology (10 Points)– History (10 Points)– Future Technology (20 Points)– Breakthroughs (15 Points)– Design Process (10 Points)– Consequences (10 Points)
• Bibliography (5 Points)• 5 Web Page Graphics (20 Points)
1. Introducing the Competition
• 24 Regional Winners
• Toshiba products for all team members• Toshiba laptop computer for teams’ schools• School banner• Local awards ceremony
1. Introducing the Competition
• Regional Winning Teams create a web site to convey their future technology vision
1. Introducing the Competition
National Winners• Eight teams • Four first-place student team members each
receive a $10,000 U.S. savings bond• Four second-place student team members receive
a $5,000 U.S. savings bond• All team members attend gala awards weekend in
Washington, D.C.
1. Introducing the Competition
Washington, DC Awards Weekend• Congressional Visits• Science Showcase• Press Interviews• Gala Awards
Banquet Dinner• Awards
1. Introducing the Competition
Everyone’s a Winner!
• Entry gifts and certificates for all students, teachers and mentors
• Honorable Mention Awards for 500 teams
• 24 Regional Winners
• 8 National Winners
1. Introducing the Competition
• Winning ideas have focused on things as simple as ballpoint pens and as complex as nanotechnology applications.
• All inventions and innovations result from creative thinking and problem solving.
• Keep in mind that ExploraVision can be much more than a contest; it can be a tool to ignite every student’s enthusiasm for science.
1. Introducing the Competition
Why Should Students Participate?
• Motivates students to develop higher order thinking skills; to think about their role in the future; to use their imagination and creativity
• Provides an excellent way for students to learn how to work in cooperative learning groups
• It’s not only for high achievers
• It’s FUN & EDUCATIONAL! And everyone WINS something!!
1. Introducing the Competition
How many web page graphics should a team include with their entry?
A. 2B. 3C. 4D. 5E. Unlimited
1. Introducing the Competition
Let’s Pause for Two Questions
from the Audience
ExploraVision & NSES
How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum
2. ExploraVision & NSES
The Curriculum Is Already So Time Consuming...
• ExploraVision does require extra work for both teachers and students, but it is an excellent way to incorporate the National Science Education Standards into your class using existing framework, to motivate students, and to help them learn to organize and communicate what they learn.
2. ExploraVision & NSES
Which standards do you believe closely align with ExploraVision?
Performance-based assessments of science & problem-solving abilities
Engaging students in problem-solving & critical thinking activities
Teaching students responsibility for their own learning
Building strong communication skills
Working in cooperative learning groups
Stressing science is for all students
Encouraging interdisciplinary learning
2. ExploraVision & NSES
• Moving towards performance-based assessments of science and problem-solving abilities.
• Engaging students in problem-solving and critical thinking activities.
• Teaching students responsibility for their own learning.
2. ExploraVision & NSES
• Building strong communication skills.
• Working in cooperative learning groups.
• Stressing science is for all students.
• Encouraging interdisciplinary learning.
2. ExploraVision & NSES
1. The importance of invention in history
2. The scientific breakthroughs required to create an invention
3. The gradual “building block” nature of scientific progress
4. How science relies on constant improvement of technological tools in order to progress
5. That all new technologies have both positive and negative impacts on our lives
The process of putting together an ExploraVision entry will help your students understand:
2. ExploraVision & NSES
Let’s Pause for Two Questions
from the Audience
How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum
How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum
3. How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum
Benefits for the ExploraVision in your classroom
Teachers use this program as a frame work to teach many science discipline from biology to nano-technology, etc. in their class.
Use the ExploraVision program as a framework to teach science
There will be incentives from NSTA & Toshiba provided when you enter.
3. How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum
Teacher’s roles will vary somewhat according to the age level of the student teams.
Sponsor your students
Brainstorm
Assign roles
Facilitate
Seek assistance
Provide Encouragement
Challenge your team
Provide oversight
3. How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum
Do:• Help the team determine a schedule and timeline and
monitor its progress• Coach students on being a team• Give students feedback, but allow them to work
independently• Make them famous• Provide them a little freedom from other school and
homework, if possible
3. How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum
Do:• Remind your team that every student will receive a
gift/certificate• Encourage, encourage, encourage!
Don’t:• Forget that ideas (and egos) are fragile• Ignore the obvious
3. How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your CurriculumWhat students & teachers say about the program:
• “One of the most important things I learned is that teamwork is awesome and that science can be fun.” – Students, Grades 7-9
• “My interest level in the sciences has been growing steadily since becoming involved in ExploraVision and I have gained a lot of confidence in my capabilities, in large part as a result of this tremendous program.”
– Student, Grade 8
• “ExploraVision truly allows children to think and act like scientists.“– Teacher, Grades K-3
• “What a great idea to incorporate many learning styles to work together in cross-curricular research. I had groups of artists working with science buffs and language arts gurus.” – Teacher, Grades 4-6
• “This project stimulates learning of a number of skills that students can use in experimental research, and it provides intrinsic motivation.”
– Teacher; Grades 10 – 12
3. How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum
• Personal Experience
3. How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your
Curriculum
Let’s Pause for Two Questions
from the Audience
Resources for Teachers & Students
How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum
4. Resources for Teachers & Students
• Visit the ExploraVision web site:
http://www.exploravision.org – How to obtain entry materials– The entry process– Online registration and submission– Web seminar archive– Prizes, Rules and FAQ’s– Past winners– Videos of interviews from teachers and students
• ExploraVision’s Educational Value - Teacher Spotlight
June 16, 2009
•Getting Your Class Started in ExploraVision
September 16, 2009
•ExploraVision Online Resources
October 13, 2009
•How to Avoid Disqualification in ExploraVision
January 12, 2010
http://www.elluminate.com
Elluminate logo
http://learningcenter.nsta.org
NLC screenshot
National Science Teachers AssociationDr. Francis Q. Eberle, Executive Director
Zipporah Miller, Associate Executive Director Conferences and Programs
Al Byers, Assistant Executive Director e-Learning
NSTA Web SeminarsPaul Tingler, Director
Jeff Layman, Technical Coordinator