Thinkfinity Resources for Teaching Science and Math

Mathematics and Science Summer Learning Experience, 2009

Resource Page               Projects and Ideas Page

Description

Participants will receive a brief introduction to the Thinkfinity online resources followed by a brief interactive tutorial using the site. The main emphasis of the workshop will be an inquiry based activity in which participants will work in grade level groups to explore the science resources.  Each group will create an integrated lesson plan that uses a Thinkfinity resource to engage students on the first day of class.  This workshop is designed to be interactive and collaborative.  Participants will use a wiki site to share their ideas with the group online.  A computer with wireless access is required. 

Program Agenda for Thinkfinity Workshop

Welcome

Connectivity Issues?

Does everyone have a laptop and is able to get connected?

Roster into the Session

Go to thinkfinity.org online and "roster into" this Thinkfinity session.

Click on My Thinkfinity.  Click on Attendee Sign In.  FInd this session..

Workshop Wiki

Join the wiki at mssle09.pbworks.com.  You can get your resources and information there, for all three of my workshops.

The site is open for everyone.  You can be a guest or a member.  Request to join. 

You have to a member to be able to post and edit.

Brainstorm Topic of Interest

Think about something that you will be teaching in the upcoming school year that your students find particularly challenging.  You might want to supplement your lessons on the topic with some resources from Thinkfinity. 

Group Introductions and Activity

Venn Diagram activity using the 2 circle  Venn Diagram application from ReadWriteThink.

Venn Diagram activity using the 3 circle Venn Diagram application from ReadWriteThink.

• What is your name?
• What is your content domain?
• What grade level do you teach?

20th Century versus 21st Century Learning

Visit the gravity activity on Thinkfinity.

Visit the Gravity Launch activity.

Look at the Gravity Launch Lesson.

Goals and Targets

Look at what our objectives and goals are for the workshop.

• What is Thinkfinity?you ask. You soon will know and be able to share
• Be wowed by the FREE resources!
• Figure out the best ways to find the FREE resources.
• Thinkfinity is not just about what resources are available, but to integrate them into the classroom!
• Create an Lesson Integration Plan, so you can help others to do the same!

What is Thinkfinity?

Take a closer look at Thinkfinity and the structure and organization of its resources.

Use the Thinkfinity website at http://thinkfinity.org.

Explore the Thinkfinity Website and Resources

Self-directed activity to familiarize yourself with the resources available on Thinkfinity.

Integration Framework

Thinkfinity has a lesson plan template that focuses your planning on the integrating of resources into your existing curriculum.

Download a copy of the Thinkfinity Integration Plan template.

Review some of the features on the template.  Focus should be on integration.  Learning objects are integrated into lessons.  They should not replace them.  We have to teach students and integrate these activities into our exsisting curriculum.

Work on Your Integration Template

Self-directed activity that provides you with the opportunity to use the Integration Template to plan an integrated  lesson that you could use to teach one of your most difficult topics. 

Share the Integrated Lessons

We can share our ideas and upload our lesson templates to the wiki so we can all collaborate and share the work we've done today.

Professional Development

A word about other professional development opportunities from Thinkfinity and OPEN NH.

Thinkfinity Professional Development and training opportunities.

OPEN NH Professional Development opportunities. Facilitator and Developer training is offered as well.

Thinkfinity Resources and Outcome Review

Let's see what we've learned today, and whether or not we've met our goals.

Training Survey

Take a few minutes to take the evaluation survey at the end of this workshop.

Go to My Thinkfinity.  Select Surveys.  Choose the appropriate survey from the list.

Final Questions and Continued Learning

Talk about any final thoughts or questions and continue our discussion on the wiki.

This wiki is an open resource.  Tell your friends and colleagues about it.

Feel free to explore the resources for my other workshops as well.

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