“Far, far up north there is a long road that winds around trees and leaps over hills. At the very, very end of the dirt and stone road sits a little log house that stands one story tall…”
Through a story about a forest that needs help, Sam and Alex, the Delta Kids, use inquiry skills and problem solving to find solutions to what makes a healthy forest.
Mike will outline an innovative set of lesson plans created this summer using the Smarter Science framework and how it is used throughout the three grades to gradually build the skills of inquiry-based problem-solving and how it is incorporated into English Language Arts 1, 2 & 3. Sample lessons will be available.
A cross-Canada father daughter collaboration brings you a collection of our favourite inquiry activities for elementary physics and chemistry. Try out goop races, oobleck balloons, catapults and spinning tops, and take away a set of gear to impress and inspire your students. Best for grades 1-6.
FortisBC Energy Leaders - Supporting the development of energy education in B.C.
Making informed decisions about using energy responsibly, safely and with conservation in mind requires an understanding of where energy comes from, its natur and hte role it plays in our daily lives. That's why FortisBC created the Energy Leaders Program. Aligning with 21st-century learnings and supporting energy education in B.C., the FortisBC Energy Leaders Program offers high quality, inquiry-based classroom resources to support, enhance an denrich energy learnings in B.C. classrooms.
Classroom ready
The program makes it easy for you to find resources, lesson plans and activities related to energy solutions, conservation and safety. Select lesson plans include free, tangible classroom resources to assist with lesson delivery.
Curriculum connected
FortisBC's Energy Leaders Program supports the development of energy educaiton in B.C. classrooms by providing curriculum-connected resources highlighting B.C.'s energy story in the class room.
BC HYDRO ENERGY INVESTIGATIONS – Grade 9 teachers
This classroom resource directly supports the new BC curriculum for Science 9 – Physics, and features hands-on learning activities paired with a discovery-oriented approach to explore electricity, energy use, conservation and electrical safety.
Teachers with a permanent class receive a complete electricity resource that includes a variety of teacher-created and tested materials, including:
In this session, Grahame Rainey, BCScTA President, and Angie Calleberg, Ministry of Education, will provide you with an overview of the secondary science curriculum DRAFTS, which include 12 courses in the areas of biology, chemistry, Earth sciences, environmental science, and physics. After this quick re-cap, you will be invited to work in small groups to dig deeper into the curriculum drafts and provide feedback on the work through collaboration, questioning and problem-solving.
Inspire your students, tomorrow's researchers. The future is in their genes. Biotechnology is here and you need to teach it to your students. Learn about the nation’s leading biotech programs and find out how they got to where they are now. Learn how to set the foundation for engaging students using relevant real-world lab experiences and what building blocks will allow you to continue to address the world’s rapidly changing scientific landscape. You will be shown how to get the funding to introduce biotechnology into your current curriculum. Gain knowledge of how to engage your students in real research.
“Sam and Alex sit on the grass in the field behind their school, waiting while their teacher takes attendance. They feel the soft grass under their hands and hear birds trilling and the wind rustling through brightly coloured fall leaves.
“I’m going to tell you the story of John Rae, one of Canada’s most accomplished Arctic explorers,”
Storytelling forms the basis of STEM-based problem-solving in Grades 4,5 & 6. Through the true story of John Rae, Canada’s best and least known non-aboriginal explorer, Sam and Alex, the Delta Kids, use inquiry and problem-solving skills to plan and replicate one of his journeys through the Arctic.
Mike will outline an innovative set of lesson plans created this summer using the Smarter Science framework and how it is used throughout the three grades to gradually build the skills of inquiry-based problem-solving and how it is incorporated into English Language Arts 4, 5 & 6. Sample lessons will be available.
BC HYDRO ENERGY CONNECTIONS – Grade 6/7 teachers
BC Hydro’s Energy Connections has been updated to support and align with the new Grade 7 Science curriculum, including a focus on inquiry-based activities and the core competencies of 21st Century learning.
Teachers with a permanent class receive materials to teach electromagnetism, electrical safety, methods of generating electricity and conservation, including:
Join us for a hands-on session that connects inquiry, integrates curricular competencies and makes connections for students. Come explore how you can leverage what you already know, integrate new ideas from the curriculum and broaden inquiry in your classroom through discussions and hands-on activities. This session will leverage some examples from the new McGraw-Hill BC Science Connections resource and we’ll help you understand how you can move your students along the science inquiry continuum from directed to guided to open inquiry that is doable in your classroom. We’ll provide you with ideas and activities to try in your class on Monday.
A cross-Canada father daughter collaboration brings you a collection of our favourite inquiry activities for physics and chemistry. Tinker with electric circuits and motors made from surprising materials, explore the chemistry of mysterious white powder, and more! You’ll take home a sack of equipment ready to show off in class. Best for grades 7-10.
In this session, I will show how I have been using Playdough in my senior biology classes to engage students and model complicated processes like enzyme-substrate interactions, blood transfusions and membrane transport.
In an effort to further engage students, I have them document their work using their mobile devices and use apps of their choice to add labels. They then submit the work on a course management system such as Moodle.
Students have enjoyed the process of these modelling activities and through Moodle, I was able to give detailed feedback and see where there was confusion on their part. It gave an excellent opportunity for summative assessment.
If time permits, we will also explore the addition of Plickers to senior biology instruction and the impact it has had on classroom dynamics.
The new BC K-9 Science curriculum has some exciting additions including more focus on Inquiry and Project-based learning. This interactive hands-on session will show some correlations between the Core Competencies and the Smarter Science Framework and Steps to Inquiry. This will provide your students with the skills to do in depth research and experimentation possibly leading to a Science Fair project. Find out how the Science Fair Foundation of BC and the 13 Regional Science Fairs around the province can provide support for your students to pursue their passions in science. Participants will receive a handout with the correlations.
Karen Morley is a recently retired Surrey science teacher, former BcsCTA president and Certified Smarter Science trainer. She is currently working with the Science Fair Foundation of BC.
“Alex stands in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, watching as Sam fills a large metal pot with water from the sink.
“Why do we boil the water before we use it?” Alex asks Sam.”
Storytelling forms the basis of STEM-based problem solving in Grades 7 & 8. On a canoe journey along the coast, Sam and Alex learn about systems, especially water systems and use inquiry and problem-based learning to find solutions for safe drinking water.
Mike will outline an innovative set of lesson plans created this summer using the Smarter Science framework and how it is used throughout two grades to gradually build the skills of inquiry-based problem-solving and how it is incorporated into English Language Arts 7 & 8. Sample lessons will be available.
Oct 25, 2016: Thanks everyone for coming to our session. We've uploaded our PowerPoint. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Grace and Lionel
PS. You can contact Lionel through his gmail account and a period between first and last name.
“Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand”. This practical session provides teachers with an easy model to pull together all the curricular pieces (big ideas, core & curricular competencies, pbl, content) to assess student understanding. Presenters will share rich examples and ideas aligned to the new curriculum that will allow you to assess your students while engaging them in science inquiry. And don’t miss a demonstration of McGraw-Hill’s interactive adventure assessment showpiece, TimeStamp™. Participants will leave with a strong understanding of how all the pieces fit together as well as ready-to-implement ideas for the classroom on Monday.
This workshop will cover a Mini Medical Genetics Case Study aimed to help students understand the purpose of medical genetics and the process of evaluating a medical genetics case as they diagnose Mrs. Ima Patient with a mysterious genetic disease. We will also cover revised Alien Babies , designed to teach students inheritance patterns as they cross two alien parents to make a unique alien baby.
In this session, I will show how I have been using Playdough in my senior biology classes to engage students and model complicated processes like enzyme-substrate interactions, blood transfusions and membrane transport.
In an effort to further engage students, I have them document their work using their mobile devices and use apps of their choice to add labels. They then submit the work on a course management system such as Moodle.
Students have enjoyed the process of these modelling activities and through Moodle, I was able to give detailed feedback and see where there was confusion on their part. It gave an excellent opportunity for summative assessment.
If time permits, we will also explore the addition of Plickers to senior biology instruction and the impact it has had on classroom dynamics.