Teaching Tools Series: Caliper Practice Block

So, I teach PLTW Gateway courses (Design & Modeling and Automation & Robotics).  In Design & Modeling (DM), I teach students to use calipers as a precise and accurate measuring tool.

See my assessment ideas, and download all of the files for free at: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1878943

I have 2cm interlocking blocks that come with the curriculum materials for PLTW, but I wanted something with larger and more varied dimensions for the students to measure. I also wanted the object to cause students to use the different tools that are on the caliper.

So, I created this:

See my assessment ideas, and download all of the files for free at: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1878943

I printed several of them out on an Ultimaker 2 and I use them to assess my students' caliper skills or give them extra practice.

Teaching Tools Series: Caliper Practice Block

Yale Peabody Fellows Institute, The Sun and Resources Continued

Resources

Motherlode: Click here for a FULL FOLDER of resources on the Sun (including beautiful powerpoint lessons, movies and a complete, 108 page curriculum from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (NASA)

Below, I have links to sites and a lesson plan on charting sunspots with real SOHO data. 

Yale Peabody Fellows Institute, The Sun and Resources Continued

Free Study Tool! iPad Smartcover App: Evernote Peek

This is absolutely adorable.  About 20% of my students have iPads...they are going to LOVE this!  It's free in the Apple App Store.  Click here!

Free Study Tool! iPad Smartcover App: Evernote Peek

Educational Rap: Rhythm, Rhyme, Results has excellent new science songs!

They have SMASHING new songs--The Planets and The Periodic Table of the Elements.  My students request the songs regularly.  By  most accounts, they preferred The Planets right away; some students now are finding that they like the Periodic Table better, but maybe just because that is what we are studying.

Click here to view the lyrics, listen to samples of the songs and/or purchase the music.  Today only, you can download a FREE song on the Civil Rights Movement.

Educational Rap: Rhythm, Rhyme, Results has excellent new science songs!

Google Music and My Friend Daria Musk--free download of her newest single!

Daria Musk is a dear, sweet friend and she also happens to be an unbelievably incandescently accomplished musical artist who has found recent, explosive international fame via Google+ Hangouts.  To read her whole story and listen to her music, click here or here.

To read about Google Music, click this link.

Daria has her 4th Google Hangout Concert tomorrow night, 7pm Eastern Standard Time (New York City).  View it live at www.HangoutParty.com, or join the hangout on Google+ (if you can snag a front row seat).

Google Music and My Friend Daria Musk--free download of her newest single!

Free FUN!! Lesson on the Nature of Science and Inquiry--a.k.a. "CUBE OF SCIENCE!"

Cube of Science!
This is one of my favorite activities to do with my newest science students at the beginning of the school year.  I usually do this with my 6th graders, because I teach all three middle grades, and it is a great way to introduce the idea of SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY (also known as the scientific method, sometimes)--tons of fun!
Click here to download the PDF, with color and blackline masters of the cubes.
Click here to download the SMART Notebook file (interactive die) that has the same PDF as an attachment.


I didn't write this lesson, it is a lesson from a book called Teaching Evolution and the Nature of Science by the National Academy of Sciences.  I have used this lesson for TWELVE years in various iterations, and I am always pleased with the results.  


Ways that I have modified the lesson from it's current format:
1. I make a large number cube out of a cardboard box instead of giving out small ones.  We do the first part as a large group--I display the cube on a stool from a lab bench so the students cannot see the bottom.
2. I do not put anything on the bottom of the cube--no "accidents" that knock the cube down will reveal the answer...this drives the kids nuts, but (and?) it models the real 'no answer key' nature of science inquiry.  After all, there is no big book of science answers anywhere that tells the scientists if they got it right...
3. Generally, I don't let the kids use the mirrors or tongue depressors as "technology" models.    In fact, the students can't touch the cubes at all...they have to ask their classmates what is on the other side--they can't turn it themselves.  This models information sharing across the lab, state, country or globe that goes on with scientists around the world.


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Free FUN!! Lesson on the Nature of Science and Inquiry--a.k.a. "CUBE OF SCIENCE!"

Novel Uses of Google+ Hangouts Leads to Breakout Internet Music Sensation with Musical Artist Daria Musk

This text is quoted directly from artist Daria Musk's Google+ page:

HANGOUT CONCERT 3 + Daria (+Daria Musk) SATURDAY AUG 20th!!!

Hi G+rgeous G+niuses!!
I'm bursting with excitement... Ok breathe...
It's my total thrill to announce that my 3rd G+ Hangout Concert will be on Saturday, Aug 20th at 6pm (Eastern Standard Time).

As you can see in my photo below I've tried to add some start-times for a few of your cities around the world. ;-) And as you know, I will play through my night into your mornings and afternoons to have the chance to meet you, laugh with you, dance with you, sing for you, and see your cities and bedrooms and sunrises and your beautiful faces.

There will be some exciting new things going on at this concert that I can't wait to tell you about:

FREE DOWNLOAD OF "+1 ME", FOR YOU
My 3rd Hangout Concert will be the first place where you can get the FREE DOWNLOAD of my song inspired by this amazing G+ Community, called "+1 Me".*
It's my humblest, deepest 'thank you' to you.
(And just the beginning of me spending my lifetime giving back to you in every way I can, especially in song.) If you haven't heard it yet, here's a video from Hangout Concert 2: Daria Musk "+1 Me" Live Google+ Hangout Concert

MY FIRST SINGLES AVAILABLE ANYWHERE!
Concert 3 will also be the first place anywhere where I will have available and ready to download my very first singles, chosen by you!!

Before I met you brilliant and amazing people about 3 weeks ago, I was just starting to record my first album… Now you're a living breathing part of that process for me and I can't tell you how blessed I feel. So of course my first songs will be available to YOU first at Hangout Concert 3!!

I think I was even writing songs about you before we met here! ;-) (Evidence Exhibit A: "You Move Me" a song about finally connecting with someone - or lots of someones - who lift you up, move you to the core and shake you into your heart… I sing "All around the world, you move me!" Watch it live from Concert 2 here: Daria Musk "You Move Me" Live Google+ Hangout Concert)

UNLIMITED VIEWING ALL NIGHT
Just like last time, Concert 3 will be Live-Streamed so that anyone anywhere can watch it! You can watch at www.hangoutparty.com and that's also where you'll find the links to download "+1 Me" and my first singles!

There will also be a handy "Join This Hangout" button right on www.hangoutparty.com so you can watch and click to join as G+niuses rotate in and out of the "front row seats" where we can meet and talk face to face!! There will be more live-streaming details and updates as we get closer to the show too.

HOW HANGOUT ROTATION WORKS
This is one of my favorite things about G+: how we work together as a community, a team and a family! At Hangout Concerts 1 and 2 people would click "Join This Hangout" stay for a few songs, a few laughs and make some friends from all over the world ... and then exit the Hangout to let someone else in. It's organized by you G+niuses working together. :-) Last time people even posted on my page saying things like "I'm dropping out in 30 seconds, start clicking to grab my spot!"

GLOBAL GIVE BACK
One of the most amazing things about our community of G+inuses here is how effortlessly global is it! Because of you I feel like I have friends now in Norway, Australia, Ghana, The Dominican Republic, Portugal, Sweden, US, UK, everywhere… It's a dream come true... the most wildly beautiful thing I've ever experienced… And because of that I want to make sure I'm giving back as much love as I can globally! (Here's a post I wrote earlier this week about connecting to a girl in Africa through Save The Children: http://tiny.cc/savethechildrenpost)
And there will be some cool announcements leading up to the concert about some Global Give-Back tie-ins I'm working on! :-)

I know AUG 20th sounds like it's far away, but I'm also planning a bunch of really cool things leading up to it… :-)
I'll be talking with lots of you G+niuses for articles and blogs (GUEST BLOG POST FOR MIDEM hits Monday! Ahh!!), I'll be popping into hangouts, getting inspired by all of you, launching a Soundcloud Page where you can record your voices saying "You Move Me" in your native languages for inclusion in the song(!!!) and lots more!!

So stay circling for updates, details, events and other fun stuff leading up to Hangout Concert 3!! I can't wait to talk with you each day as we get closer...
Your notes, photos, messages, and faces all make my heart pop with joy!

I am so totally G+rateful and cannot wait to see you again!!!
Your G+rl Forever and Always,
Daria

Novel Uses of Google+ Hangouts Leads to Breakout Internet Music Sensation with Musical Artist Daria Musk