Tech Tidings

Today I added a blog post that is directed at the teachers in my county.  I wanted to share it here as a way of communicating to the DEN, that I value my Star status and I try to encourage educators to become Stars!  I’ve only been a DEN Star for a couple of years.  This is one professional learning community that stays current, offers numerous opportunities for professional development, and appreciates the efforts educators make everyday.  Thanks, Discovery!

I took a look and I love what I see of the Discovery Education’s newest resource, Science Techbook.  Imagine your class actively engaged with this interactive resource. In January of this year, the Florida State Instructional Materials Committee approved the Discovery Education Science Elementary Techbook for Florida for classroom use.  Available for grades Kindergarten through Grade 8, the DE Science Techbook offers the connection to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS).

As I looked at the benchmarks for Florida Grade 3, I was pleased to see suggested topics of study associated with each benchmark.  The use of “breadcrumbs” allows an educator to navigate through the site easily.  Lesson plans offer Essential Questions and Lesson Objectives, as well as key vocabulary. Background information for the teacher is provided. This will be extremely helpful to many. Lessons are set up to cover 5 main learning components: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate.  The DE Resources included will assist teachers in making Science lessons engaging and memorable!

I will continue to explore what the DE Science Techbook has to offer.