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Sample NGSS assessment tasks

Achieve, the company involved in developing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), has released some sample assessment tasks.  You can see several middle and high school tasks.  They are aaligned with both the NGSS and Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS).  Whether or not your state has adopted the NGSS, I think it's a good idea to take a look at them.  The NGSS has a great way of approaching science that some teachers aren't used to.  If you aren't, or even if you are, familiar with this method be sure to check out these assessment tasks.

PhysicsQuest: Spectra's High Intensity

Registration is now open for this year’s PhysicsQuest kits!

Register now for the upcoming PhysicsQuest, Spectra: High Intensity. Miss Alignment has broken out of jail and is on the loose hatching evil plans. Armed with a high IQ, an inferiority complex, and a secret lair, she will try yet again to control the town. Your students can help Spectra, her gang, and her new friend the Quantum Mechanic stop Miss Alignment’s focus on evil.

In celebration of the International Year of Light, this kit will have all of the equipment needed to teach students about bending light, spherical lenses, how color and energy are related, and how the sun’s light also carries heat. As the students do these activities, they will be applying all the skills they need to help our superheroes prevent Miss Alignment’s attempted town domination.Register now for your FREE PhysicsQuest kit!

We will be sending out the Spectra: High Intensity kits (for free) in early January. If you would like to purchase last year’s kit, Spectra’s Quantum Leap, please visit our online store.

REGISTER NOW

Information about this year’s PhysicsQuest kit can be found on the PhysicsQuest web page.

For more information about the overall program, please visit the PhysicsQuest About Page.

If you have questions or comments about PhysicsQuest, please contact:
Becky Thompson, PhD
Head of Public Outreach
American Physical Society
thompson@aps.org
301-209-3206

Bill Nye Worksheets

Bill Nye Worksheets

If your middle school kids are anything like my middle school kids, they love watching Bill Nye the Science Guy.  I try to show the movies as much as I can because I know the kids like it and I think it's nice to have material presented to them in a different way.  I usually just show them the movie and that's was it, but I found this site that has worksheets to go along with the Bill Nye videos.  The site from Star Materials.  The worksheets are not anything fabulous, but just enough to make sure that the kids are paying attention during the movie.  It also gives you a good follow up to the movie and a closure to the lesson.

This post is cross-posted in my other blog The Tech Savvy Science Teacher.

Big Blogger Giveaway!

I'm so excited to participate in my first giveaway!! Check out all of the great bloggers participating and be sure to enter the rafflecopter below!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway