How can you use the currently free Skype a Scientist to enhance your lessons?
Consider how the Skype a Scientist experience can support student learning around the 5 E’s:
Engage - What big wonderings do students have about science careers in the real world? What background knowledge do they have about the type of scientist or specific field?
Explore - Through virtual visits with scientists, students will be able to explore all facets of life and work as a scientist and how their contributions shape society.
Explain - During work with scientists, students will learn science while improving their reading and writing skills and broadening their understanding of world geography and culture.
Extend - What cross-curricular connections can be made with the scientific concepts learned?
Evaluate - Summarize the academic and social-emotional impacts of connecting with a scientist and learning more about their work.
Skype a Scientist offers several different tools and resources to support learning across the curriculum. These additional resources can be connected with or extend the Skype a Scientist activities:
Stories in Science - These are collection of stories relating to science which could connect the activity to English Language Arts and History/Social Studies Curriculums.
Data Nuggets - This resource allows students to work with messy data analysis. Each collection of data is curated by a scientist with a rich bio. This is a great way to connect this work to math and science curriculums.
Letters to a Pre-Scientist - This is another way to connect students with future scientists which is more writing-based and allows connections to English Language Arts curriculum as well as allowing students to connect with individuals pursuing science in post-secondary education.