Getting Started
- Florida Standards - http://www.cpalms.org
- Puffin Browser https://www.puffinbrowser.com/index.php . a mobile browser for iPad, iPhone, and Android devices that runs Flash, enabling many online math supports to work on a mobile device
- Natural Reader (Win) http://www.naturalreaders.com/index.html . a free text to speech reader
- Text to Speech on Mac https://support.apple.com/kb/PH14230?locale=en_US
- Text to Speech on iOS http://osxdaily.com/2012/05/30/text-to-speech-iphone-ipad/
Science Resources
- LearningScience - http://www.learningscience.org/ . online K-12 resource of free web interactives
- Discover Simulations - http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmsc/content/simulation/ . collection of animations on a variety of science topics for grades K-6 from Houghton Mifflin
- National Science Foundation's Multimedia Gallery . http://nsf.gov/news/mmg/index.cfm?s=2 . collection of images, video, audio, and more
- Interactives - http://www.learner.org/interactives/ . provides educators and students with strategies, content, and activities that can enhance and improve students’ skills in a variety of curricular areas
- Steps of the Scientific Method - http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/project_scientific_method.shtml . basic overview of the scientific method with a nice visual diagram of the process
- Try Science - http://www.tryscience.org/ . science fair project ideas
- Windows to the Universe - http://www.windows.ucar.edu/ . content lessons on our planet, solar system, and the universe. each lesson is available in 3 different reading levels and in English or Spanish
- Earth & Moon Viewer - http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/vplanet.html . view a map of the Earth showing the day and night regions at any time or view the Earth from the Sun or Moon
- Starry Night (Win . Mac) - http://store.simulationcurriculum.com/ . extremely realistic astronomy simulation software with activities for K-12
- Stellarium (Win . Mac) - http://www.stellarium.org/ . free open source planetarium. be sure to check out the User's Guide
- Star Walk - (iPad) - http://vitotechnology.com/star-walk.html . discover what is in the sky with your iPad
- Scratch - http://scratch.mit.edu/ . interactive programming language for kids
- Simple Machines - http://www.kanetix.ca/simple-machines-in-cars. online resource with a variety of links on exploring simple machines, force and motion, and the science of movement
Virtual Labs / Simulations
- OE-Cake (Win . Mac) - http://oecake.wikia.com/wiki/OE-Cake_Wiki . a 2.5D physics-based paint program where users can insert objects and see them interact under the laws of physics
- Lego Digital Designer (Win . Mac) - http://ldd.lego.com/ . free virtual lego software
- Crayon Physics Deluxe (Win) - http://www.crayonphysics.com/ . inexpensive 2D physics puzzle game with a very simple interface. download the demo
- World of Goo (Win . Mac . iPad)- http://www.worldofgoo.com/ . physics based puzzle construction game
- ExploreLearning - http://www.explorelearning.com . extensive online set of science simulations and visualizations . each simulation can be used for free for up to 5 minutes per session
- Froguts - http://www.froguts.com . virtual frog dissection software
- Virtual Labs from Riverdeep . free virtual labs that are a part of larger software programs available from Riverdeep (note: the Mac9 versions will only run under a Mac 9 operating system)
- Electricity Lab (Win)
- Kinetics Lab (Win)
- Toy Workshop (Win)
- EcoMUVE - http://ecomuve.gse.harvard.edu/standalone_EcoMUVE.php . a curriculum project from Harvard that uses immersive virtual environments to teach middle school students about ecosystems and causal patterns
- PowerUp - http://www.powerupthegame.org/home.html . 3D science game students can download with a teacher’s guide for support for earth science
- Edheads - http://www.edheads.org/ . great online collection of interactive science activities
- PhET - http://phet.colorado.edu/ . interactive science simulations from the University of Colorado
- NASA Simulations - http://www.knowitall.org/nasa/simulations/science.html
- RoboMind - http://www.robomind.net/en/index.html . software simulation where students program the actions of a rover
Technology Tools
- Mindstorms - http://mindstorms.lego.com/en-us/Default.aspx . build and program robots, from LEGO
- Science Writer - http://sciencewriter.cast.org . great online tool that supports students in writing lab and class science reports
- ProScope - http://www.bodelin.com/proscopehr/ . high resolution hand-held digital microscopes in wireless and USB configurations
- Digital QX7 Computer Microscope - http://www.digiblue.com/digital-blue-qx7-digital-computer-microscope/ . USB microscope for viewing microscopic organisms on a computer screen or projected on a large screen
- Bionic Eye & Bionicam - http://www.amazon.com/EyeClops-Bionic-Eye-Multizoom-Green/dp/B000PGRBGA . the bionic eye is a magnifier you plug into a TV. the bionicam is a hand-held microscope you can carry around and capture images with
- Science Probes for iPads - http://appsineducation.blogspot.com/2012/04/science-probes-for-ipad.html . probes for iPads and iPhones
- Timelapse Garden Camera - http://www.hammacher.com/Product/76551?source=FROOGLE
- Flix - http://www.nimisis.com/projects/flix.php . software that will turn a web cam into a time lapse camera
Tip - Need a quick way to enlarge small objects, plants, insects, etc.? Many document cameras come with great zoom capabilities and can be used to enlarge and capture images of small objects “on the fly.”
Or try a regular photo scanner. Place a transparency on the glass surface to protect it from any scratches and then place the object on the transparency. Lay a sheet of paper over the object you are scanning. Scan it into an image editing program at 600 dpi. You will then be able to view on screen, project, or print out a large version of the scanned object.
Making Science Personal - Some students will become more engaged in a science activity when it is their “personal” experiment; when the materials under the microscope came from their yard or their house.