Source | www.smartbrief.com | Kanoe Namahoe
Need some new tools for your teaching toolkit? We got you covered. We asked educators to tell us about their favorite edtech apps and resources. Here are their top picks, from science and math to reading and social studies and everything in between.
Science and Math
We incorporate hands-on learning in a variety of ways to create real-world connections for students. One way we do this is by creating a weather station at our school with WeatherBug, a free weather app with 18 different weather maps. Students use this tool to gather real-time weather data, which enhances their studies in math, science, geography and technology. Our school is part of a network of 8,000 sites collecting weather data, and we offer this data to our community. — Sue Shepard, principal, Ash Creek Elementary School, Pearce, Ariz.
PhET Interactive Simulations enables students to see and interact with difficult to understand chemistry topics in a meaningful way. Discovery Education Experience is a tremendous resource, but in particular, I am a fan of the SOS — Spotlight on Strategies — feature. These are vetted strategies that are simple to understand and implement. Plickers are cards that allow for a quick assessment for understanding or a vote or a quick review and with the ease of use and valuable data I can pinpoint quickly who may need some extra help with a topic. — Rob Lamb, science teacher, Pattonville High School, St. Louis, Mo.
POWERUP Toys are research tools that are disguised as toys. I use it to teach middle schoolers aerodynamics, the lift equation and systems engineering. My students can apply math concepts and see immediate outcomes in their powered paper airplane designs. I also use Matlab/Simulink computer programming to help my students learn science and engineering. They are feeling more confident and empowered to take on challenges that enhance their knowledge, skills and abilities. — Diallo Wallace, teacher and science department chair, TVT Community Day School, Irvine, Calif.
Reading
It was my first day with my group of Tier III second-graders, and they were going around the room and introducing themselves. It was going fine until one student said something surprising.
