Access

Students and their families have been exposed to people, programs, resources, and connections that can open doors for them, and they are able to navigate and access those opportunities.

Introduction

Providing access for my students means giving them opportunities to experience scientific concepts that they would not otherwise have access to within their education. These experiences need to build real world connections to our content through immersive activities, useful resources, and material that supports my unique set of 21st century learners. Science in the 8th grade is unique because it really is a culmination of everything that students have learned in previous grades with added new content, so the prior knowledge that students bring to my classroom is essential to their progression. By providing students with access to enriching activities I am able to reinforce their prior knowledge and create meaningful interactions with the new content they are asked to master.

Click below to learn more about how access is planned and executed in my classroom.

Conclusion

The two access opportunities help to introduce my students to people and environments that they would not have otherwise encountered to benefit both their academic and personal growth goals. Nearpod provides a platform for students to travel to destinations outside of the classroom and learn more about the ecosystems that exist in those spaces. Skype a Scientist gives genuine insight into the life a a scientist to connect it with our content and to allow students to visualize their pathway to a career in science. As an educator I am constantly looking for ways to bring science to life for my kids to get the most enriching academic experience and access fundamental knowledge. While students never had to leave my classrooms to take in these experiences, I am sure that they were exposed to resources that will be useful to them moving forward.