Ms. Downing's Science Web Page

Welcome to the wonderful world of Science!

This is what we will be working on this year:

Science skills - Observing, Organizing Information, classifying, sequencing, concept mapping, making and using tables and graphs, measuring, comparing and contrasting, cause and effect, forming operational definitions measuring in SI, forming a hypothesis, designing experiments and projects to test a hypothesis, separation and controlling variables, interpreting data, communicating, inferring, relating, making generalizations, applying, evaluating information, problem solving, decision making, inquiry, making models, predicting, sampling and estimating

Physics - Light and Vision, Sound and Hearing, Motion, Motion near earth, Waves, *properties and changes of matter, motions and forces, transfer of energy.

Life Science - Describing the Living World, Viruses and Simple Organisms, Animal Life, Plant life, Ecology, changing Ecosystems, *Structure and function of living systems, reproduction and heredity, regulation of behavior, populations and ecosystems, diversity and adaptations of organisms.

Earth Science - Viewing the earth and sky, moving water, shaping the land, earthquakes and volcanoes, the Earth-Moon system, *structure of the earth, earth's history, earth in the Solar System

Chemistry -Describing the Physical world, Matter in Solution, Acid, Bases and Salts.

Science and Technology - *Abilities of Technological design, understanding about Science and Technology

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives - *Personal health, Populations, resources and environments, natural hazards, risks and benefits, Ethics and Science and technology in Society, careers in Science

Unifying Concepts and Processes -*systems, order and organization, Evidence, models and explanation, change constancy and measurement, Evolution and equilibrium

Science as Inquiry - *Science abilities , understandings about Scientific inquiry

History and Nature of Science -*Science as Human Endeavor, nature of Science, History of Science

* Program Supports the National Science Education Standards, Sunshine State Standards of the Florida Dept. of Ed., Project 2061 of The American Association for the Advancement of Science

Web Sites to Visit to help you with SCIENCE
The Great Plant Escape: http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/~uplink/gpe/index.html
In this series of online cases, students are asked to "help Detective Le Plant and his partners Bud and Sprout unlock the amazing mysteries of plant life." The interdisciplinary lessons at this site combine Web-based activities with hands-on experiments. The site includes six cases, a glossary, links, and a guide for teachers. From the Illinois Cooperative Extension Service.

An Online Guide to Meteorology: http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/home.rxml
This guide offers instructional modules that incorporate text, colorful diagrams, animations, computer simulations, audio and video to introduce fundamental concepts in the atmospheric sciences. Topics include Light and Optics, Clouds and Precipitation, Forces and Winds, Weather Forecasting, Severe Storms, Hurricanes, El Nino (Ni�o), and the Hydrologic Cycle.

Auroras: Paintings in the Sky: http://www.exploratorium.edu/learning_studio/auroras
Developed by a high school teacher and Exploratorium staff, this well-designed site is an introduction to auroras and the processes that create these mysterious lights. Stunning aurora images are included.

The Biology Project--University of Arizona: http://www.biology.arizona.edu/
This "interactive online resource for learning biology" from the University of Arizona was designed for high school and college-level biology students. Tutorials, problem sets, activities, and other resources guide learners in biochemistry, cell biology, developmental biology, human biology, Mendelian genetics, immunology,and molecular biology.

Cow's Eye Dissection: http://www.exploratorium.edu/learning_studio/cow_eye/
The Cow's Eye Dissection is one of the most popular demonstrations at the Exploratorium. The material presented here is meant not to replace the act of dissecting a cow's eye, but rather to enhance the experience.

Genetics Tutorial: http://morgan.rutgers.edu/MorganWebFrames/How_to_use/HTU_Frameset.html
This series of units explain the concepts of genetics using hypertext, Quicktime movies, and sound.

Particle Adventure: http://pdg.lbl.gov/cpep/adventure.html
From the Particle Data Group, this site introduces the Standard Model theory of fundamental particles and forces. It explores the experimental evidence and the reasons physicists want to go beyond this theory. In addition, it provides information on particle decay, a brief history section, and materials to support classroom activities.

Classifying Galaxies: http://world.smv.mus.va.us/~hastings/galaxy.htm
In this unit designed for grades 5-9, students observe how the galaxy classification system of Edwin Hubble assigns galaxies to different groups according to their shapes . Students also attempt to categorize unknown galaxies according to the Hubble classification descriptors. Includes a teacher lesson plan, printable worksheets and answer keys, images from telescopes all over the world, and links to other useful astronomy websites.

Finding Your Way with Map and Compass: http://www.usgs.gov:80/fact-sheets/finding-your-way/finding-your-way.html
This tutorial from the U.S. Geologic Survey will show you how to determine distance, take a compass bearing from a map, and more.

Rainbow Lab: http://www.geom.umn.edu/education/calc-init/rainbow/
How are rainbows formed? The University of Minnesota's Calculus Initiative has the inside scoop. Here your students will learn about reflection, refraction and how light travels. They will be able to calculate the path of a beam of light through a water droplet and predict the best viewing angle for observing the resulting rainbow.

Chem-4-Kids: http://www.chem4kids.com/
Chemistry can be easy to understand and fun. At this site, learn about elements and how they combine to make compounds. Read great explanations of basic terms along with handy tips and tricks to help you learn concepts like bonding and electron orbitals. Discover how the periodic table got its name and why it is a helpful organization for studying the elements.

Interactive Frog Dissection: http://teach.virginia.edu/go/frog
The Interactive Frog Dissection uses photographs and videos to teach this common biology topic.

Virtual Earthquake: http://vflylab.calstatela.edu/edesktop/VirtApps/VirtualEarthQuake/VQuakeIntro.html
Virtual Earthquake (VEQ) is a web-based application that allows anyone to become a "virtual seismologist." Designed by Gary Novak, a professor of geology, VEQ provides a "hands-on" lesson on how to locate an earthquake's epicenter and how to determine its Richter magnitude. Users interpret simulated seismograms from three seismic recording stations in an effort to triangulate the location of an earthquake's epicenter. The user's results are plotted on a map and compared to the actual results.

MIT Biology Hypertextbook: http://esg-www.mit.edu:8001/esgbio/chapters.html
This hypertextbook is designed to supplement the MIT Introductory Biology course materials and give you additional tools to learn introductory biology. Includes a searchable index and practice problems.

The Physics Classroom: http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/BBoard.html
The Physics Classroom is a set of interactive, hypertext lessons covering the topic of motion. The site presents an exhaustive amount of physics principles in an easy-to-read style, complemented by informative graphics. Also included in each lesson is a set of "Check Your Understanding" questions with answers and explanations hidden within pop-up menus. From Glenbrook South High School in Illinois, this site is an ongoing effort to present physics content online in an interactive style.

Check the 7th and 8th grade web links too. Be sure to have fun!