Natural Curiosity: www.naturalcuriosity.ca
Environmental Inquiry is an overarching approach to Environmental Education that combines inquiry-based learning, experiential learning, integrated learning, and stewardship. It is based on a transformative vision of education, one that seeks to develop not only skilled and knowledgeable students, but also environmentally and socially-conscious world citizens with a love of learning.
Visible Thinking: www.visiblethinkingpz.org
The goal of the Visible Thinking approach is to make students’ thinking visible and deepen their conceptual understanding across subjects. This website gives a thorough overview of what visible thinking looks like and offers a plethora of suggestions on how to promote this type of thinking your classroom.
BOOKS
Making Thinking Visible by R. Ritchart, M. Church, & K. Morrison
This book provides an overview of how to make students’ thinking more visible across content areas and grade levels while deepening their conceptual understanding of the subject matter.
Purchase it online here: www.amazon.ca/Making-Thinking-Visible-Understanding-Independence/dp/047091551X
ARTICLES
Pithers, R.T., & Soden, R. (2000). Critical thinking in education: a review. Educational Research, 42, 237-249.
One of the key goals of inquiry-based education is to cultivate students’ critical thinking ability that will allow them to make sense of the world around them. This review provides an overview of research on critical thinking in education as well as teaching practices that can improve or hinder its development.
Ritchart, R., & Perkins, D. (2008). Making thinking visible. Educational Leadership, 65, 57-61.
This richly informative, but concise article defines what visible thinking looks like in the classroom. It also explains how to engage students in the process of ‘think-puzzle-explore’, a method that places student ideas in the centre of learning.
WEBSITES
Trent Math Education Research Collaborative: www.tmerc.ca
Dr. Catherine Bruce, Dean of Education at Trent University, is the team leader for the Trent Math Education Research Collaborative. She is involved in a number of exciting research projects on mathematics education in Ontario. Dr. Bruce is also one of the principal investigators for the Math for Young Children.
Ask Dr. Math: www.mathforum.org/library/drmath/drmath.elem.html
Ask Dr. Math is a webpage created by The Math Forum @Drexel website. People from all over the world can submit their questions to be answered. Dr. Math has already answered many questions on mathematics topics across the developmental continuum. Browse through the archives to find answers to your own burning math questions!
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM): www.nctm.org
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is an American organization devoted to equitable and high-quality mathematics education. Its website has useful resources in the form of mathematics standards, journals, books, lesson plan resources, and others. The website also has updates on events, such as conferences and workshops featuring renowned mathematics educators across North America. Some resources are available for free previews, while others are accessible only to NCTM members. Check the website for membership application procedures.
OAME: www.oame.on.ca
The Ontario Association for Mathematics Education is a professional organization that promotes mathematics education in Ontario. Look here for conference information and the recest publications!
CMESG: www.cmesg.org
The Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group is an opportunity for mathematicians and mathematics educators to congregate and discuss current issues in both mathematics research and education.
PME-NA: www.pmena.org
The North American Chapter for the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education is an academic-oriented organization that holds an annual conference inviting the submission of research papers on mathematics education.
BOOKS
Making Thinking Visible
by R. Ritchart, M. Church, & K. Morrison
This book provides an overview of how to make students’ thinking more visible across content areas and grade levels while deepening their conceptual understanding.
Go to the Book Review page for a full list of books and reviews.
WEBSITES
Natural Curiosity: www.naturalcuriosity.ca
This website provides an overview of what inquiry-based science curriculum with an environmental focus looks like and how it can spark children’s innate curiosity about the world. Also look here to download the free resource ‘Natural Curiosity’!
Everyday Classroom Tools: http://hea-www.harvard.edu/ECT/
A resourceful website created by Harvard University’s School of Graduate Education that explores different science topics using an inquiry lens.
Smarter Science: www.smarterscience.youthscience.ca
Smarter Science is a Canadian science education initiative that provides an educational framework for science learning across grades K-12. Check out their website for teaching resources and upcoming events!
National Science Teachers Association (NSTA): www.nsta.org
The National Science Teachers Association is an American organization devoted to promoting excellency in science teaching and learning. The association offers an assortment of resources ranging from curricular standards in science education to professional development opportunities in the form of workshops and conferences. Although some resources are available right off the site, others are only accessible to members. NSTA offers membership fees at different rates, including discounts for students and new teachers.
Science Teachers’ Association of Ontario: www.stao.ca
This is the Science Teachers’ Association of Ontario’s website. Look here for the latest news on science education in Ontario and different events that STAO organizes.
Stellarium: www.stellarium.org
Stellarium is a free planetary software that shows 3D images of the sky in real time as if you were viewing it with your naked eye, or through binoculars, or a telescope.
PhET Interactive Simulations: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/gravity-and-orbits
The PhET website allows you to try out different simulations of scientific phenomena such as observing the planets orbiting the sun, etc.
Lotto Lab: www.lottolab.org
Lotto Lab is a research institution focusing on perception sciences. Explore the website for an overview of creative science projects. We especially recommend the Blackhawton Bees project, an inquiry-based science unit led by 8-10 year old children at a school in Devon, England. The project culminated in the children publishing a peer-reviewed article in the prestigious scientific journal Biology Letters.
BOOKS
You Are Stardust by E. Kelsey
‘You Are Stardust’ is a children’s book written by award-winning author Elin Kelsey. Accompanied by beautiful dioramic artwork, the book begins with the fascinating fact that human beings, along with all other objects in the world are composed of stardust – the ingredient that makes up the cosmos. Throughout its pages, the book communicates the critical message that we are intimately connected to the natural world around us.
Purchase it online here: http://www.amazon.ca/You-Are-Stardust-Elin-Kelsey/dp/1926973356
ARTICLES
Scientific Inquiry Among the Pre-school Set. The New York Times. 01-10-2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/02/science/scientific-inquiry-among-the-preschool-set.html?_r=0
This short, but fascinating article describes a 10-year long research study that has demonstrated that when children are allowed to engage with objects or play without parameters set out for them, they often act like scientists – testing hypotheses and exploring different possibilities.
Getting Kids into the Kitchen. Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. 16-07-2012
http://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2012/07/getting-kids-kitchen
The article describes a novel 2-week program aimed at children in the junior grades. The children learn about the math and science behind cooking through hands-on instruction.