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The Lab ReportA Monthly Newsletter for the Discovery Education Science Techbook

NOVEMBER 2011

Our monthly Lab Report will provide you with quick updates, instructional strategies, best practices and professional development opportunities surrounding the Discovery Education Science Techbook. Meant to be a quick read, many of our updates will link you to the the Discovery Education Science Blog where you may dive deeper into the story and explore other posts focused on science instruction. If you’re reading this and thinking I’ve got a great strategy to share, contact us and we’ll feature you in our next issue.

In October, twenty educators from seven states attended our Discovery Education Science Institute held at the Discovery World Headquarters In Silver Spring, MD (see above and cover photos). This week long professional development event produced some wonderful resources that we’ve shared in the Technically Speaking section of the newsletter.

T h e D i s c o v e r y E d u c a t i o n Instructional Implementation Team

is here to support you through in-person and virtual events, as well as

updates through this newsletter. In this edition we welcome back team member Trinette Green. Learn more about Trinette below and check out her section of the newsletter, “Going Green”.

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Let’s Go Beyond the Textbook

Trinette GreenInstructional Implementation ManagerNewsletter Section: Going GreenClick here to Learn More about Trinette

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING with Mike BryantThe Discovery Education Science Institute was held October 23rd - 27th here at the Discovery World Headquarters in Silver Spring, MD. During this week-long professional development event attendees had the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities including hands-on science labs. Check out just a few samples of the hands-on activities that you can do in your class below.

Creating Moon Craters - Separating Mixtures - Balloon Filling Bottle - Investigating Air Pressure

FOUNTAIN’S FAVORITES with Brad FountainIn Fountain's Favorites we have been highlighting some of the great resources located within the site. For the next couple of issues we are going to take a little twist on that idea and provide a couple of concrete classroom strategies around literacy and science. In future issues we will look toward integrating with other subjects. The first example I would like to share is what is called a GIST strategy. In this strategy we have students read a passage and summarize what they have read using a series of words or statements from the passage. For example, students will read a passage about tornadoes come up with a list of 20-25 words or statements they feel are important to summarizing the article. The word or statement list can be done as a class or individually, depending on the grade level. They will then narrow the list of 20-25 words or statements to 6-7 words or statements individually that they feel provides an adequate summary of the article. They share their list with a classmate and discuss. The students are then asked to narrow the list of 6-7 words or statements to 4-5 words or statements. This activity is great for students to work on summarizing information, narrowing important details, and defending their ideas.

Feel free to use this template to get you started.

HUBBLE’S TELESCOPE‣ Seasonal Science Streams

Monthly live video broadcast focused on engaging hands-on science activities fit for the season. Lesson plans included.

Register below for the November 30th event: november2011seasonalsciencestream.eventbrite.com

‣ Science Instructional Webinar Series The Instructional Implementation team brings you a webinar series that highlights integration strategies for using the Discovery Education Science Techbook.

Click here to access the Archives, Learn More & Register

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A quick look at upcoming events from

EINSTEIN’S Es with Patti DuncanIn past issues of “The Lab Report” we have been discussing ideas for the 5Es instructional model in the Discovery Education Science Techbook classroom. This month we will look at ways to use Discovery Education Science Techbook resources to “Explain”. The “Explain” portion of a 5E lesson has two goals. First, it is the piece where teachers firm up understanding that the students gain as they “Explore” the concepts. Resources such as video segments, reading passages and interactive glossary terms all help the teacher define and confirm understanding for the student. The second goal of this portion of your lesson is where the students “Explain” what they understand of the concept by putting it in their own words. One resource that is especially valuable for this is the “Scientific Explanation”. To read all about the "Scientific Explanation", click here to visit this blog post.

Going Green with Trinette GreenMany of us have heard Kermit the Frog state that “it’s not easy being green,” but "Going Green" and helping students learn about the environment and understand the importance of becoming better stewards of the world around us is made simpler with the Discovery Education Science Techbook. Studying science increases knowledge of the earth’s resources. Understanding science promotes an awareness of human impact on the earth and provides a context for recycling, reusing, and reducing the materials we use.

What easier way is there to “Go Green” than to learn it and live it in the science classroom? To begin with, the Discovery Education Science Techbook provides alternatives to a printed book and decreases the use of paper while also engaging students with rich lessons about our environment. In this “Going Green” section we will not only explore the wonders of natural resources that are around us, but we will also advocate sustainability of our environment through various instructional strategies.

“Being green,“ may not be easy but “going green” can just start with understanding a few basic concepts about the world around us and knowing we all can make a difference.

Try a few of the keyword searches below:

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green alternative energy recycling