Ontario News from ExploreLearning: Lesson Materials

06/01/2012

More Math Gizmos with New Lesson Materials

ExploreLearning released 3 more new sets of Lesson Materials to the wild:


Conditional Statements Gizmo		Biconditional Statements Gizmo		Dividing Polynomials Using Synthetic Division Gizmo

The first two Gizmos are word-tile-based Gizmos that encourage students to think about logic, truth values, and definitions.

The third is a number-tile-based Gizmo that's designed to help algebra students see the connections between synthetic division and polynomial long division. (They're really the same thing, if you see them side-by-side.)

As always, logged-in teachers will have access to all 4 of our Lesson Material documents (Student Exploration sheet, Exploration Sheet Answer Key, Teacher Guide, and Vocabulary sheet), available either as a Word document or as a pdf.

Let us know what you think, and stay tuned for more to come!

Posted by Stephen Lippa at 08:36 AM in Announcements, For Teachers, Lesson Materials, Math | Permalink | Comments (0)

04/09/2012

Six Math Gizmos with new lesson materials!

We're happy to announce that we've published 6 new sets of Lesson Materials!

We think you'll find some great inquiry-based lessons here, to promote true understanding of the math, and to help you and your students to get the most out of Gizmos.

This brings us up to 29 math Gizmos with new Lesson Materials now, as part of our Math Update project!

Posted by Stephen Lippa at 04:08 PM in Announcements, For Teachers, Lesson Materials, Math | Permalink | Comments (0)

04/04/2012

Two New Science Gizmos - Digestive System & Unit Analysis

Have you ever wondered what happens to the food you eat? Most of us are pretty familiar with the path of the digestive system--mouth, esophagus, stomach, and so on. But what would happen if our digestive systems were designed differently? What if food went through the small intestine before the stomach? What would happen if the pancreas was attached to the large intestine? Do we really need a gallbladder?

The new Digestive System Gizmo allows students to arrange the organs and structures of the human digestive system in any way they like. By measuring how well different nutrients are digested and absorbed, students can discover for themselves the important role that each organ plays in the digestive process. Perhaps somebody can use this Gizmo to improve the design of our own digestive system!

An important skill in all areas of science and math is the ability to convert a measurement or value from one unit to another. The Unit Conversions Gizmo allows students to answer questions such as "What is the height of Mount Everest in kilometers?" or "How fast is sprinter Usain Bolt in miles per hour?" With 55 preset problems (and 12 additional randomized questions) to choose from, students will get plenty of practice converting distance, time, speed, mass, volume, and density units. This is a great review before end-of-year tests as well as an excellent way to start off next Fall.

We hope you enjoy the new Gizmos and please let us know what you think!

Posted by Stephen Lippa at 08:42 AM in For Teachers, Lesson Materials, Math, Science, Teaching Strategies | Permalink | Comments (0)

02/16/2012

February 17th - Professional Development Around Ontario

February 17th is a busy day around the province with some spectacular learning opportunities for teachers. ExploreLearning is pleased to be a part of three of these events. Below are some resources that are related to the presentations happening for the Durham DSB, Toronto DSB and Ottawa Carlton DSB.

Durham DSB - Graham Whisen, OCT

Downloadable version of the workshop folder: Download Gizmo Folder

Getting started with Gizmos boo klet: Download Self Guided Tutorial

What are Gizmos flyer: Download What are Gizmos

Toronto DSB Eureka - Peter Wright, OCT

Workshop Handout: Download TDSB Eureka

Workshop folder: Download Gizmo Folder

Getting started with Gizmos booklet: Download Self Guided Tutorial

What are Gizmos flyer: Download What are Gizmos

Ottawa Carlton DSB - Stephen Lippa, OCT

Downloadable version of the workshop folder: Download Gizmo Folder

Getting started with Gizmos booklet: Download Self Guided Tutorial

What are Gizmos flyer: Download What are Gizmos

Posted by Stephen Lippa at 08:21 AM in Conferences, Events, For Teachers, How-To & Support, Lesson Materials, Professional Development, Science, Teaching Strategies | Permalink | Comments (0)

02/15/2012

OISE Workshops

I have the distinct pleasure of supporting teacher candidates at OISE this week in learning more about Gizmos and Reflex. This post is simply bringing together the resources that I am planning on sharing so everyone can find what they need.

Gizmos: www.explorelearning.com

Downloadable version of the workshop folder: Download Gizmo Folder

Getting started with Gizmos booklet: Download Self Guided Tutorial

What are Gizmos flyer: Download What are Gizmos

Modeling Linear Systems - activity for whole class instruction: Download Modeling Linear Systems

Reflex: www.reflexmath.com

What is Reflex flyer: Download Reflex Flyer

Reflex White Paper: Download Reflex_White_Paper

Results from Ontario pilot schools: Download ReflexOntarioFlyer

Importance of Math Facts by Marian Small: Download Marian Small (Importance of Math Facts)

Posted by Stephen Lippa at 07:47 AM in For Teachers, Lesson Materials, Math, Professional Development, Technology | Permalink | Comments (0)

11/22/2011

Growing Plants Gizmo and Smarter Science

Kay Stephen shared her experiences with the Smarter Science lesson I developed for the Growing Plants Gizmo a long time ago now. She even published a blog post describing what happened when she delivered this lesson to her locally developed science class. This was a really satisfying story to read mostly because I am regularly dreaming up lessons that weave great teaching strategies and Gizmos but do not regularly have a class of students to test whether or not the idea works to engage learning.

Thanks for sharing Kay! (and if you have a success story to share - please pass it along: slippa@explorelearning.com )

Posted by Stephen Lippa at 03:30 PM in For Teachers, Lesson Materials, Science | Permalink

10/18/2011

CHAMP 2011 - Grade 9 Gap Closing & Gizmos with Peter Wright

Today (Oct 18, 2011) is the annual gathering of CHAMP teachers coming together to share best practices at St. Marcellinus Secondary School. Peter Wright is representing ExploreLearning and sharing a preview of the work we have been doing to build supports for the soon to be published Ministry of Education Gap Closing (Grade 9) materials. Here are the resources he refered to in his presentation:

1. Gap Closing with Gizmos: Download CHAMP handout (PDF)

2. Link to register for your account with your board registration key (Umm..I need more info?)

3. Getting Started with Gizmos Folder

4. Self Guided tutorial - Download Self Guided Tutorial (PDF)

5. Gap Closing Grade 9 Shared Gizmo lists (must be logged into your ExploreLearning account to view)

Fractions Decimals 2D Measurement Volume and Surface Area

(Other topics coming soon...)

Posted by Stephen Lippa at 10:54 AM in Conferences, For Teachers, How-To & Support, Ideas, Lesson Materials, Math, Professional Development, Teaching Strategies | Permalink

04/01/2011

New Ripple Tank Gizmo - simulate the tsunami in Japan!

Recently, we added a new Gizmo called Ripple Tank to the collection. I have been waiting for this one for quite a while. I never had a Ripple Tank in my classroom so I always went to the great java simulation by Paul Falstad (http://www.falstad.com/ripple/). My students have spent many lessons pondering wave properties looking at this simulation.

With the addition of this Gizmo the things I used to do with the other simulation become much easier (i.e. screen shots, changing variables, etc.). Check out the teacher guide for a really comprehensive lesson on how to teach properties of waves.

Although the interaction of large waves on the continental shelf aspect is not included, students can see how waves are generated from point sources (i.e. earthquakes). Try varying the wavelength, wave strength, and wave depth; as well as place submerged objects in the wave’s pathway. Use the Gizmo to demonstrate how waves behave as they pour over submerged flood walls, pass through flood gates, and flow across the landscape! We’ve seen so many of those pictures on the TV reports from Japan (Example 1, 2, 3)…and now you can demonstrate some of it with the Ripple Tank Gizmo!

Posted by Stephen Lippa at 10:44 AM in For Teachers, Ideas, Lesson Materials, Science, Teaching Strategies | Permalink

02/12/2011

Did you know? En français aussi?

I have to admit that I can make no claim to be able to speak French, and frankly, am embarassed that what I studied in school is basically lost. Fortunately, we have some passionate bilingual teachers in Alberta who have started off the sharing of translations on www.ExploreLeanring.com. Now teachers in New Brunswick and Quebec have also lent their expertise to the translation effort. Thank you for all those contributions! And - if you want to add some of your own - go for it!

The list of Gizmos with translated materials is growing all of the time, but here is a selection that will help you get started. Follow the hyperlinks below to get your French-speaking students into Gizmos:

Science

Growing Plants