What am I doing to help kids achieve?
How do I know when they are there?
What is the evidence?
Flinn Scientific has a great elearning video series on YouTube. Many of the videos have master teachers demonstrating some great labs and techniques that they do in the classroom.
A general theme in many of the videos seems to be combining demonstrations, labs, calculations and lab practicals. The nice part about what occurs is that for whatever concept the students are doing, it is not enough to come up with an answer on paper. They have to use that answer for a prediction and then see if they are correct actually checking and manipulating material. This idea has added a new dimension to my classroom. Students who are tired of "pen and paper" work now get to get up and use their answers to mass something or find the volume of something and see if they are correct. I have tried to add more of these to my lessons. Do you do a cool lab practical with instant feedback?? If so..I would love to hear from you...
Editor's Note: Thanks to a reader, we have updated the link as these videos are now housed on YouTube.