Thursday, 31 August 2023
Ontario Science and Technology Long Range Plans and Scope & Sequence
Friday, 24 March 2023
CHAT STATIONS IN ELEMENTARY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
As an elementary teacher, you are always looking for innovative ways to engage your students and make learning about science and technology more interactive. One strategy that has been gaining popularity in recent years is the use of chat stations in the classroom.
Chat stations are small group discussions that take place at different stations set up around the classroom. Each station is focused on a specific question related to the topic or unit being taught. Students rotate through the stations, spending a set amount of time at each one, and engage in discussions or complete activities related to the topic at that station.
Chat stations are a great way to introduce a unit and activate prior learning or to review what has been taught after the unit is finished. By engaging in small group discussions, students are able to share their ideas and build upon each other's knowledge. This not only reinforces what they have learned but also encourages them to think critically and creatively.
Here are some tips for using HANDS-ON~MINDS-ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CHAT STATIONS in your elementary science classroom:
- Use prompts and images that are relevant to the topic or unit being taught. This could include introducing or reviewing key vocabulary and discussing important concepts from the curriculum.
- Set up the stations in advance. Print out the prompts and put them up around the classroom. Make sure that students have a copy of the recording sheets and a pencil. Provide each student with a clipboard, if possible.
- Provide clear instructions for each station. Explain the purpose of the activity or discussion and give students a clear task to complete.
- Keep the rotations short. Depending on the age and ability level of your students, rotations should last between 3-5 minutes to ensure that students are engaged and focused.
- Encourage student participation. At the end of the stations time, provide opportunities for students to share their ideas and ask questions. This can be done through whole group discussions.
Click on any of the images below to see the Hands-On~Minds-On Science and Technology Chat Stations for Ontario Science and Technology.
GRADE 7 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CHAT STATIONS |
GRADE 6 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CHAT STATIONS |
GRADE 5 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CHAT STATIONS |
GRADE 4 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CHAT STATIONS |
GRADE 3 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CHAT STATIONS |
GRADE 2 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CHAT STATIONS |
Tuesday, 17 January 2023
Grade 3 Strong and Stable Structures
- Different types of structures (e.g. bridges, buildings, towers)
- The properties of different materials (e.g. strength, flexibility)
- The different types of forces that act on structures (e.g. tension, compression)
- How engineers and architects use this knowledge to design and build safe and functional structures.
Overall, the Grade 3 unit on strong and stable structures is an engaging and hands-on way for students to learn about the world around them and the principles of engineering and architecture.
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HANDS-ON~MINDS-ON STRONG AND STABLE STRUCTURES |
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HANDS-ON~MINDS-ON GOOGLE SLIDES™ STRONG AND STABLE STRUCTURES |
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STRONG AND STABLE ILLUSTRATED WORD WALL |
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STRONG AND STABLE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CONCEPTS POSTERS |
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STRONG AND STABLE STRUCTURES WORD WALL AND POSTERS BUNDLE |
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STRONG AND STABLE STRUCTURES ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING TEST |
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STRONG AND STABLE STRUCTURES TOPIC BUNDLE |
Tuesday, 25 October 2022
2022 ONTARIO CURRICULUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UPDATES
Friday, 31 December 2021
Bundle Up for Bundles Sale! January 1st
For the first time EVER, all of my individual grade MEGA BUNDLES will be on sale for 50% off. Grab one (or more) of these bundles and get everything you need for teaching science in Ontario.
-Digital Google Slides versions of the student activities (force copy link in PDF)
Sunday, 7 November 2021
ONTARIO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING TESTS
"The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. Information gathered through assessment helps teachers to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses in their achievement of the curriculum expectations in each subject in
each grade. This information also serves to guide teachers in adapting curriculum and instructional approaches to students’ needs and in assessing the overall effectiveness of programs and classroom practices." (The Ontario Curriculum Science and Technology, pg. 22)
The Ontario curriculum is designed in such a way that evaluation focuses on students’ achievement of the overall expectations, although all curriculum expectations must be accounted for in instruction and assessment. (See Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools, p. 38.)
For as long as I have been creating resources for science and technology, teachers have been asking me how to assess what students have learned. Having been an Ontario teacher for over 30 years, I have developed a repertoire of assessment and evaluation techniques based on my lived experiences with students. When they are working I am making observations, giving them oral feedback and checking that their written work is accurate and complete.
As teachers we record our observations on checklists and use rubrics for major projects and notebooks. Each time I teach a new topic in science and technology, I use the student notebooks and their Let's Create! and Let's Inquire! tasks as part of my triangulation of data but I wanted to create an assessment piece that would help tie all of the parts of my assessment data together.
Enter my NEW editable assessment of learning tests!
These tests:
- address both what students learn and how well they learn;
- are based both on the categories of knowledge and skills and on the achievement level descriptions given in the achievement chart on pages 26–27
- accommodate students with special education needs, consistent with the strategies outlined in their Individual Education Plan;
- accommodate the needs of students who are learning the language of instruction;