Always Question, Always Wonder

The mission is to ignite the mind of young people with the wonder of science. Generation Genius is a public benefit organization that has produced new science lessons. Generation Genius is produced in partnership with the National Science Teachers Association. Thirty-six lessons are available for the K-2 age group. Science lessons start with engaging colorful science videos that capture the children's attention and imagination.  Then learning objectives, discussion questions, vocabulary, reading material, DIY activity guide, lesson plan, teacher guide, and assessment are available for each lesson.

 

Authentic Learning Opportunities:

 

The “Do It Yourself” activities in every lesson allow the children to have a hands-on opportunity to apply their thinking skills. Students use metacognition to complete these scientific experiences with a group of children. The children direct their own learning by completing the tasks of the projects together. Families may choose to create websites to display their children’s work and invite other participating Generation Genius kids to share their links.

 

Developmentally Appropriate Practice:

 

Each lesson meets a New Generation Science Standards for second grade. For example, the following lessons correspond to the standards and their performance expectations. “Solids, Liquids, and Gases: Material Properties and Purposes” meets 2-PS1-1 performance expectation, plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.  “Materials Properties and Purposes” meets 2-PS1-2 performance expectations, analyzes data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.  “What is Engineering?” meets 2-PS1-3 performance expectations, make an observation to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made a small set of pieces can be disassembled and made into a new object.  “Heating and Cooling” meets 2-PS1-4 performance expectations, construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating and cooling can be reversed and some cannot. Each lesson is developmentally designed to lead students’ interests through explorations. These scientific investigations challenge children cognitively and teach them about their world.

 

https://www.generationgenius.com/about/

https://www.generationgenius.com/standards/

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                                                      Ranger Rick Magazine

                                                            Free Digital Subscription

                                                                                              

                                                                                          

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Children get up close and personal with many different kinds of animals and their ecosystem in this life science magazine for kids that they now can find online. The United States National Wildlife Federation publishes this magazine for children to spark a passion for nature and interest in outdoor activity. While encouraging all their young readers to become more active in protecting the environment has been an ongoing mission.

 

Authentic Learning Opportunities:

 

This new generation of conservationists is encouraged to develop their higher-level thinking skills to discover new insights into animal life, promote environmental awareness, and preservation efforts. Looking closely at real-life issues and the ecosystems involved. The Ranger Rick magazine and upline website offers open-ended inquiries through articles and activities for children ages 7 and up. Families can access Educator’s Guides that provide extensions of educational activities from each month’s magazine. Students will find games, jokes, videos, crafts, and a photo contest. In the photo contest, children 13 years and younger are encouraged to share their best original nature photos. Winners will be shared online in the next month’s magazine.

 

Developmentally Appropriate Practice:

 

New Generation Life Science Standards Core Ideas 2-LS4.D is all about biodiversity. While we know that there are many different kinds of living things in any area, they exist in vastly different places on land and in the water. Children are encouraged to make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats (2-LS4-1).  Once these observations are made by studying the full-color pages of the Ranger Rick magazine students will be ready to document their finds in several different ways.  EAL/Literacy writing standard (W.2.7) has the performance standard of students participating in shared research and writing projects. Students are supported in reading about a life science topic to produce a report and record science observations (2-LS2-1), (2-LS4-1). ELA/Literacy W.2.8 asks students to recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question (2-LS2-1), (2-LS4-1). Ranger Rick is an excellent source for students to find answers to their scientific questions. Once students have made their findings, they may wish to make audio recordings of stories or poems, add drawings or other visual displays to stories, or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, or feelings (2-LS2-2). Ranger Rick is culturally and environmentally sensitive. Showcases ecosystems and the interactions of people within those systems around the world. Students develop a global awareness as they witness and appreciate the natural habitats of the continents far away.

 

www.rangerrick.org

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https://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/2%20combined%20topicsf.pdf

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