How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum

How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your

Curriculum

Introducing today’s Presenters

Serena McCallaJericho High SchoolJericho, NY 2009 Grade Category 10-12 Regional Winner7 Honorable Mentions

Brian ShortNational Science Teachers Association

Overview

1. Introducing the Competition

What is ExploraVision? Why Should Students

Participate? Prizes offered.

2. ExploraVision & NSES

3. How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your

Curriculum

4. Resources for Teachers and Students

Introducing the Competition

How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum

1. Introducing the CompetitionWhat is ExploraVision?

• Competition for all students in grades K-12. FREE to

enter!

• Designed for students of all interest, skill & ability

levels

• Students work in teams of 2-4 to select a technology,

research how it works and why it was invented, and

then project how that technology may change in the

future.

• Each team is guided or led by a teacher and optional

mentor

Introducing the CompetitionUse your clipart to indicate elements eligible for the

competition

Grades K-12 Public School

Private Schools

Parochial Schools

Home-schooled

U.S. Canada Teams of 2-4 Students


• Grades K-12• Public, Private,

Parochial & Home-Schools in

U.S. and Canada • All ability and interest levels• Teams of 2-4 students• Team coach (teacher)• Mentor (optional)


Entry Components• Abstract• Description

– Present technology– History– Future technology – 20 years– Breakthroughs– Design Process– Consequences +/-

• Communication with web page designs• Bibliography• Web Page Graphics


• Grades K-3• Grades 4-6• Grades 7-9• Grades 10-12

Each entry category is judged separately


• Description (75 Points)– Present Technology (10 Points)– History (10 Points)– Future Technology (20 Points)– Breakthroughs (15 Points)– Design Process (10 Points)– Consequences (10 Points)

• Bibliography (5 Points)• 5 Web Page Graphics (20 Points)


• 24 Regional Winners

• Toshiba products for all team members• Toshiba laptop computer for teams’ schools• School banner• Local awards ceremony


• Regional Winning Teams create a web site to convey their future technology vision


National Winners• Eight teams • Four first-place student team members each

receive a $10,000 U.S. savings bond• Four second-place student team members receive

a $5,000 U.S. savings bond• All team members attend gala awards weekend in

Washington, D.C.


Washington, DC Awards Weekend• Congressional Visits• Science Showcase• Press Interviews• Gala Awards

Banquet Dinner• Awards


Everyone’s a Winner!

• Entry gifts and certificates for all students, teachers and mentors

• Honorable Mention Awards for 500 teams

• 24 Regional Winners

• 8 National Winners


• Winning ideas have focused on things as simple as ballpoint pens and as complex as nanotechnology applications.

• All inventions and innovations result from creative thinking and problem solving.

• Keep in mind that ExploraVision can be much more than a contest; it can be a tool to ignite every student’s enthusiasm for science.


Why Should Students Participate?

• Motivates students to develop higher order thinking skills; to think about their role in the future; to use their imagination and creativity

• Provides an excellent way for students to learn how to work in cooperative learning groups

• It’s not only for high achievers

• It’s FUN & EDUCATIONAL! And everyone WINS something!!


How many web page graphics should a team include with their entry?

A. 2B. 3C. 4D. 5E. Unlimited


Let’s Pause for Two Questions

from the Audience

ExploraVision & NSES



The Curriculum Is Already So Time Consuming...

• ExploraVision does require extra work for both teachers and students, but it is an excellent way to incorporate the National Science Education Standards into your class using existing framework, to motivate students, and to help them learn to organize and communicate what they learn.


Which standards do you believe closely align with ExploraVision?

Performance-based assessments of science & problem-solving abilities

Engaging students in problem-solving & critical thinking activities

Teaching students responsibility for their own learning

Building strong communication skills

Working in cooperative learning groups

Stressing science is for all students

Encouraging interdisciplinary learning


• Moving towards performance-based assessments of science and problem-solving abilities.

• Engaging students in problem-solving and critical thinking activities.

• Teaching students responsibility for their own learning.


• Building strong communication skills.

• Working in cooperative learning groups.

• Stressing science is for all students.

• Encouraging interdisciplinary learning.


1. The importance of invention in history

2. The scientific breakthroughs required to create an invention

3. The gradual “building block” nature of scientific progress

4. How science relies on constant improvement of technological tools in order to progress

5. That all new technologies have both positive and negative impacts on our lives

The process of putting together an ExploraVision entry will help your students understand:



from the Audience



3. How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum

Benefits for the ExploraVision in your classroom

Teachers use this program as a frame work to teach many science discipline from biology to nano-technology, etc. in their class.

Use the ExploraVision program as a framework to teach science

There will be incentives from NSTA & Toshiba provided when you enter.


Teacher’s roles will vary somewhat according to the age level of the student teams.

Sponsor your students

Brainstorm

Assign roles

Facilitate

Seek assistance

Provide Encouragement

Challenge your team

Provide oversight


Do:• Help the team determine a schedule and timeline and

monitor its progress• Coach students on being a team• Give students feedback, but allow them to work

independently• Make them famous• Provide them a little freedom from other school and

homework, if possible


Do:• Remind your team that every student will receive a

gift/certificate• Encourage, encourage, encourage!

Don’t:• Forget that ideas (and egos) are fragile• Ignore the obvious

3. How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your CurriculumWhat students & teachers say about the program:

• “One of the most important things I learned is that teamwork is awesome and that science can be fun.” – Students, Grades 7-9

• “My interest level in the sciences has been growing steadily since becoming involved in ExploraVision and I have gained a lot of confidence in my capabilities, in large part as a result of this tremendous program.”

– Student, Grade 8

• “ExploraVision truly allows children to think and act like scientists.“– Teacher, Grades K-3

• “What a great idea to incorporate many learning styles to work together in cross-curricular research. I had groups of artists working with science buffs and language arts gurus.” – Teacher, Grades 4-6

• “This project stimulates learning of a number of skills that students can use in experimental research, and it provides intrinsic motivation.”

– Teacher; Grades 10 – 12


• Personal Experience

3. How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your

Curriculum


from the Audience

Resources for Teachers & Students


4. Resources for Teachers & Students

• Visit the ExploraVision web site:

http://www.exploravision.org – How to obtain entry materials– The entry process– Online registration and submission– Web seminar archive– Prizes, Rules and FAQ’s– Past winners– Videos of interviews from teachers and students

• ExploraVision’s Educational Value - Teacher Spotlight

June 16, 2009

•Getting Your Class Started in ExploraVision

September 16, 2009

•ExploraVision Online Resources

October 13, 2009

•How to Avoid Disqualification in ExploraVision

January 12, 2010

Thank you!

Other questions?

Please email [email protected] or call 1-800-EXPLOR-9

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.elluminate.com

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http://learningcenter.nsta.org

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National Science Teachers AssociationDr. Francis Q. Eberle, Executive Director

Zipporah Miller, Associate Executive Director Conferences and Programs

Al Byers, Assistant Executive Director e-Learning

NSTA Web SeminarsPaul Tingler, Director

Jeff Layman, Technical Coordinator

Documents

How to Incorporate ExploraVision Into Your Curriculum