Digital Learning Guidance for Middle and High School Science

As you develop digital lessons for students, please be sure to consider the essential standards for the subject you teach.  Whenever possible, create lessons that incorporate scientific literacy, critical-thinking and problem-solving activities.

Professional Learning Opportunities for Teachers

• The GaDOE Science specialists have created a variety of resources to help science educators provide effective virtual learning that meets the needs of all learners.
  • Check out the many excellent resources for science teachers of all levels:
    • https://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Curriculum-and-Instruction/Pages/Science.aspx
    • Virtual Supports for Struggling Learners
      • Video: https://tinyurl.com/VirtualSuppStrugglingLearner
      • Handout to accompany video: https://tinyurl.com/VirtSuppHandout
      • Slides of the video: https://tinyurl.com/VirtualSupportSlides
      • ​This document has choice boards with low-to-no technology options for teaching integrated lessons (K-5) in a distance format. It also provides family connections to keep students practicing skills at home. https://tinyurl.com/SWDdistancelearning
    • GSE Essential Toolbox
      • What do I Teach? How do I Teach? Did They Learn?
      • https://app.gadoe.org/TRLPublic
    • Science EOGs and EOCs information: https://tinyurl.com/MilestoneBlueprints

• Georgia Virtual Learning
  • Just in Time for Teachers: Digital Learning
  • In this FREE course learners, will identify the characteristics of effective digital learning days, recognize how digital learning days are a viable solution for schools and districts, explore best practices for planning, communication and implementation of digital learning. Learners will also consider open educational resources, shared content and web tools, acknowledge considerations for extended digital learning days and discover additional digital learning day resources.
  • https://gavirtualpd.catalog.instructure.com/courses/just-in-time-for-teachers-digital-learning-days

• KSU Professional Development Resources
  • Check out the wonderful KSUiteach collection of resources:
    • https://www.ksuiteach.org/
  • Screencasting: https://tinyurl.com/KSUscreencasts
  • Flipgrid: https://tinyurl.com/KSUflipgrid

Great Articles

• “Best Practices: Online Pedagogy”
  • https://teachremotely.harvard.edu/best-practices
• “Teaching Remotely: Science Labs”
  • https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/remote-labs
• “How to be a Better Online Teacher: Advice Guide”
  • https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/advice-online-teaching
• “Tips for Rigor, Relevance and Relationships with Online Learning”
  • https://tinyurl.com/RRRforDLD

• “Why We Need Differentiation Now More Than Ever”
• https://tinyurl.com/DLDdifferentiation

• “Making a Case for Science and Social Studies Through PBL in Distance Learning”
  • https://www.gettingsmart.com/2020/05/making-a-case-for-science-and-social-studies-through-pbl-in-distance-learning/
• “Dialogic Learning”
  • https://www.edutopia.org/article/lesson-planning-framework-leads-productive-struggle
• “Five Tips for Designing Remote Learning”
  • https://corwin-connect.com/2020/03/5-tips-for-designing-asynchronous-or-remote-learning/

Science DLD Resources

• STEMscopes is the adopted curriculum in PCSD for 6-8^th science, physical science, biology and chemistry. It supports the Science GSE and our focus on 3D learning, Claim-Evidence-Reasoning science literacy and is an excellent resource for DLD instruction.
  • For students to access STEMscopes from home (must use Google browser)
    • Go the PCSD Website
    • Go to the Student Dashboard
    • Click on Elementary or Middle & High School Dashboard
    • Click the STEMscopes Icon
    • If students are prompted for a login, they will use their PCSD login credentials. 
  • Teachers can also access STEMscopes in the same manner as students
  • STEMscopes provides:
    • integration of science into different subject areas
    • connections to Georgia Standards of Excellence and Three-Dimensional Learning
    • 5 E lessons
    • Literacy Connections
    • Math Connections
    • Real World and Career Connections
    • Problem-Based Learning activities
    • Assessments

• The Science S’mores contain links to a multitude of science instructional resources:
  • Winter 2019 S’more: https://www.smore.com/rd8uh
  • Spring 2020 S’more: https://www.smore.com/ngztf
  • Summer 2020 S’more: https://www.smore.com/r7hvz

• USATestprep is a great resource for 6-8^th science, physical science, and biology
  • Students and teachers must log in through Canvas
    • The teacher accounts were merged recently. If anyone has trouble logging in, please contact support@usatestprep.com
  • There are video lessons, games, activities and assessments that support the science GSE.

• Project Zero Ideas and Distance Learning: Visible Thinking and Teaching for Understanding
  • A multitude of instructional strategies for synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning
  • https://tinyurl.com/ProjectZerostrategies

• Pasco has a great variety of resources to support 6^th -12^th Teachers can search by grade level, subject, and file type.
  • Experiment Library: https://www.pasco.com/resources/lab-experiments
  • Video library: https://www.pasco.com/resources/video
  • Blog articles: https://www.pasco.com/resources/blog
  • Distance learning resources: https://www.pasco.com/resources/home-science-tools
  • DIY 3D printing files: https://www.pasco.com/resources/diy

• Flinn Scientific has launched a website with resources specifically developed to help

5^th – 12^th grade teachers, students and parents continue their science education journey – even if that learning is taking place outside the classroom or laboratory environment.  The resources are searchable by grade and discipline.

• Flinn Science at Home - Labs, activities, “The Science Behind…”
• Georgia Public Broadcasting for Chemistry and Physics (and Physical Science)
  • https://www.gpb.org/chemistry-physics
  • This site provides the entire course content for on-level chemistry and physics courses
  • There are video lessons, note-taking guides, video labs and lab sheets and questions to help students assess their understanding of the content

• AP Science Courses
  • Teachers and students should access the College Board resources for their specific course
  • Please use the AP Classroom as your digital learning plan

General Science Resources

• Math Science Music uses music as a tool to teach math and science to students. The activities incorporate music to encourage students to gain skills and acquire knowledge in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects and learn to think creatively. 
  • https://mathsciencemusic.org/

• Georgia Virtual Learning Resources:
  • These are open education resources
  • http://www.gavirtuallearning.org/Resources/ScienceResources/ScienceShared/SharedBiology19.aspx
• GaDOE Resources for Online Teaching:
  • Compiled by the Georgia Science Teachers Association, this spreadsheet contains over 50 resources designed to support digital learning.
  • https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18yg4T4-iGQrNoa2weikCZIrpN9_zqJxlh0GAQaWZKoc/edit#gid=0
• ChemCollective is an awesome collection of virtual labs, scenario-based learning activities, tutorials, simulations, visualizations and assessments. The course aligns with college Chem I and II (AP Chemistry), but some of material may also be useful for honors and on-level chemistry.  The visualizations require the Java plug-in.
  • Resources by topic and type: http://www.chemcollective.org/
• Physics Pedagogy Shared Google Drive: Physics Google Drive
• Workbench enables K-12 teachers to find, create and assign lessons that support STEAM, PBL, flipped and virtual classrooms. Content can be searched by subject, grade and standards. The site will not be available after December 2020, but content can be accessed and downloaded until then: https://edu.workbencheducation.com/
• NSTA has excellent elementary and secondary lessons, as well as professional learning resources, at https://www.nsta.org/
• Open Culture
  • This site has links to more than 200 free DLD resources, including video lessons, websites, books, and apps.
  • Scroll down to find science-specific resources
  • http://www.openculture.com/free_k-12_educational_resources

• Green Ninja
  • This site has a multitude of free resources that support virtual learning
  • https://web.greenninja.org/program

• GYSTC Recommended Resource Websites for K-8 Teachers:
  • https://us19.campaign-archive.com/?e=&u=61e699691eef976b12ee232b6&id=6a8e9c6f81

• School districts in many states are utilizing Digital Learning Days. Here is a link to shared lessons from teachers across the country: https://sharemylesson.com/
  • The lessons are categorized by grade level and content area