activity
Perimeter Inspirations: Figuring Outer Space
September 01, 2018
Figuring Outer Space is an inquiry-based educational resource. Hands-on activities focused on stars, exoplanets, the Milky Way, and Crab Nebula stimulate learning for students using this resource. Students explore the life cycle of stars, sequence images, model a method for detecting exoplanets, learn about key features of our home galaxy—and more. Math topics include using ratio and proportion, exponents, percent and proportion, and mathematical modelling—as well as graphing data and evaluating algebraic expressions. This digital resource is designed to excite learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) with an emphasis on 21st century skills—including collaboration, problem solving, and critical thinking.
As usual with Perimeter Institute products, this downloadable resource comes in both PDF and Microsoft Word versions, so you can customize it if you want to.
Linked in the grade 9 space unit.
As usual with Perimeter Institute products, this downloadable resource comes in both PDF and Microsoft Word versions, so you can customize it if you want to.
Linked in the grade 9 space unit.
Perimeter Inspirations: A Deeper Understanding of Energy
September 01, 2018
A Deeper Understanding of Energy is an inquiry-based educational resource. Hands-on activities focused on energy explore energy transformations in everything from everyday technology to stellar dynamics and the expanding universe. Students model energy transformations using energy flow diagrams and work-energy bar charts, as well as algebraic methods.
Opportunities are provided throughout the resource for students to explore the role of energy in the nucleus as they consider nuclear transformations, ionizing radiation, and mass-energy equivalence. The power of conservation laws is illustrated as students work through a series of experiments that expands their understanding of how scientific models evolve.
This digital resource is designed to excite learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), with an emphasis on global competencies—including critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, and communication.
As usual with Perimeter Institute products, this free downloadable resource comes in both PDF and Microsoft Word versions, so you can customize it if you want to.
I used the draft version of this last year, trying most of the activities. I think they are worthwhile. I did find the time estimates a bit optimistic — allow for up to 50% more time to complete an activity than the lesson plan suggests.
Linked in the grade 11 physics energy unit.
Opportunities are provided throughout the resource for students to explore the role of energy in the nucleus as they consider nuclear transformations, ionizing radiation, and mass-energy equivalence. The power of conservation laws is illustrated as students work through a series of experiments that expands their understanding of how scientific models evolve.
This digital resource is designed to excite learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), with an emphasis on global competencies—including critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, and communication.
As usual with Perimeter Institute products, this free downloadable resource comes in both PDF and Microsoft Word versions, so you can customize it if you want to.
I used the draft version of this last year, trying most of the activities. I think they are worthwhile. I did find the time estimates a bit optimistic — allow for up to 50% more time to complete an activity than the lesson plan suggests.
Linked in the grade 11 physics energy unit.
Perimeter Inspirations: Wave Model Applications
September 01, 2018
Wave Model Applications is an inquiry-based educational resource. Hands-on activities focused on waves explore the far-reaching extent of the wave model for understanding and manipulating natural phenomena. Students are introduced to the basic properties of waves and how they are used to solve problems.
Opportunities are provided throughout the resource for students to explore the breadth of technologies that use wave phenomena to reduce noise, image ship wrecks, study earthquakes, and detect gravitational waves. The fundamental properties of sound are also explored to build a deeper understanding of how the human ear functions.
This digital resource is designed to excite learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), with an emphasis on global competencies—including critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, and communication.
As usual with Perimeter Institute products, this free downloadable resource comes in both PDF and Microsoft Word versions, so you can customize it if you want to.
I used the draft version of this last year, trying most of the activities. I think they are worthwhile. I did find the time estimates a bit optimistic — allow for up to 50% more time to complete an activity than the lesson plan suggests.
Linked in the grade 11 physics waves unit.
Opportunities are provided throughout the resource for students to explore the breadth of technologies that use wave phenomena to reduce noise, image ship wrecks, study earthquakes, and detect gravitational waves. The fundamental properties of sound are also explored to build a deeper understanding of how the human ear functions.
This digital resource is designed to excite learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), with an emphasis on global competencies—including critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, and communication.
As usual with Perimeter Institute products, this free downloadable resource comes in both PDF and Microsoft Word versions, so you can customize it if you want to.
I used the draft version of this last year, trying most of the activities. I think they are worthwhile. I did find the time estimates a bit optimistic — allow for up to 50% more time to complete an activity than the lesson plan suggests.
Linked in the grade 11 physics waves unit.
Perimeter Inspirations: Evidence of Change
September 01, 2018
Evidence for Climate Change is an inquiry-based educational resource. Hands-on activities focused on heat, carbon dioxide, and thermal expansion explore the essential science behind climate change. Students are introduced to the observational data for climate change and the climate models that describe the principal factors involved. Opportunities are provided throughout the resource for students to consider how they contribute to both the problem and the solution.
Math topics include using trigonometry and geometry to calculate the carbon stored in trees, using algebraic equations to calculate carbon footprints, and solving linear relations to make better decisions.
This digital resource is designed to excite learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), with an emphasis on global competencies—including critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, and communication.
As usual with Perimeter Institute products, this free downloadable resource comes in both PDF and Microsoft Word versions, so you can customize it if you want to.
I used the draft version of this last year, trying almost all the activities. I think they are worthwhile, especially if your math department will cooperate by doing the math connections in math class. I did find the time estimates a bit optimistic — allow for up to 50% more time to complete an activity than the lesson plan suggests.
Linked in the grade 10 climate unit.
Math topics include using trigonometry and geometry to calculate the carbon stored in trees, using algebraic equations to calculate carbon footprints, and solving linear relations to make better decisions.
This digital resource is designed to excite learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), with an emphasis on global competencies—including critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, and communication.
As usual with Perimeter Institute products, this free downloadable resource comes in both PDF and Microsoft Word versions, so you can customize it if you want to.
I used the draft version of this last year, trying almost all the activities. I think they are worthwhile, especially if your math department will cooperate by doing the math connections in math class. I did find the time estimates a bit optimistic — allow for up to 50% more time to complete an activity than the lesson plan suggests.
Linked in the grade 10 climate unit.
Element Bingo
November 02, 2017
Climate Change Coloring Book
September 03, 2017
Another project I backed on KickStarter, getting both the book and a PDF version. The idea looked intriguing, and it’s definitely going to be something I use in the classroom.
This book contains guided coloring activities that explore scientific climate data and research. Learn, explore, and reflect on issues related to climate change through act of coloring.
Climate change is one of the most significant issues that uniquely affects everyone around the globe. There currently is a significantly large gap between scientific consensus and public perception of climate change. Since public perception influences government and business policies around environmental issues, it is important to ensure enough unbiased and reliable information about the issues are available to the public.
This book is not political, but a celebration of information, learning, and research.
Why a coloring book?
The act of coloring is slow. A coloring book has a meditative quality. A chart or article about climate change may be good at delivering information quickly. But with a coloring book, there is more time to absorb the information and reflect upon on the underlying issues.
Book details
Linked in the grade 10 climate unit.
This book contains guided coloring activities that explore scientific climate data and research. Learn, explore, and reflect on issues related to climate change through act of coloring.
Climate change is one of the most significant issues that uniquely affects everyone around the globe. There currently is a significantly large gap between scientific consensus and public perception of climate change. Since public perception influences government and business policies around environmental issues, it is important to ensure enough unbiased and reliable information about the issues are available to the public.
This book is not political, but a celebration of information, learning, and research.
Why a coloring book?
The act of coloring is slow. A coloring book has a meditative quality. A chart or article about climate change may be good at delivering information quickly. But with a coloring book, there is more time to absorb the information and reflect upon on the underlying issues.
Book details
- 40 pages with over 20 coloring activities accompanied by written descriptions of the research and sources
- Coloring activities include the causes and effects of climate change as well as solutions to reduce climate change
- Printed by a local eco-friendly printing company
- Heavy, high-quality, 100% recycled paper
- Vegetable-based, non-toxic ink
- 8.5 x 11 inches
Linked in the grade 10 climate unit.
Penguin House Activity
March 01, 2017
In this activity students construct simple devices to stop ice cubes melting when exposed to direct sunlight. To do so they need to apply their knowledge of energy transfer and albedo.
The backstory is simple: rising temperatures mean that in South Africa penguins are overheating when they sit on their eggs, and need to visit the nearby ocean to cool off. While they are gone gulls swoop in and eat eggs and chicks. Park rangers constructed simple ‘huts’ on the beach that provide shelter from the sunlight.
To simulate actual penguins this activity uses penguin-shaped ice cubes. Students must design and construct a small hut to shelter their penguin, provide a drawing explaining how to construct the hut, and explain how their design affects energy transfer (specifically absorption, reflection, radiation, convection, and conduction).
This PDF file contains a 2-page student handout, a 2-page teacher’s guide, and a marking rubric (referencing the Ontario curriculum and achievement levels).
Linked in the grade 10 climate page.
The backstory is simple: rising temperatures mean that in South Africa penguins are overheating when they sit on their eggs, and need to visit the nearby ocean to cool off. While they are gone gulls swoop in and eat eggs and chicks. Park rangers constructed simple ‘huts’ on the beach that provide shelter from the sunlight.
To simulate actual penguins this activity uses penguin-shaped ice cubes. Students must design and construct a small hut to shelter their penguin, provide a drawing explaining how to construct the hut, and explain how their design affects energy transfer (specifically absorption, reflection, radiation, convection, and conduction).
This PDF file contains a 2-page student handout, a 2-page teacher’s guide, and a marking rubric (referencing the Ontario curriculum and achievement levels).
Linked in the grade 10 climate page.
New Grade 10 Chemistry Resource
May 02, 2015
New Grade 9 Resource
April 23, 2015
New Grade 10 Chemistry Resource
February 11, 2015
Updated Grade 10 Biology Resource
January 10, 2015
Updated Grade 10 Resource
December 23, 2014
Updated Resources
- Updated the Word Puzzle Booklet to include answers, as well as adding page numbers. Linked on the general science page.
- Updated the Organ Matching Game to include a rule book. Linked in the biology unit.
New Grade 10 Climate Resource
December 20, 2014
New Grade 10 Biology Resource
November 24, 2014
New Grade 9 General Science Resource
November 19, 2014
New Grade 10 Climate Resources
May 01, 2014
New Resources
- Added link to the book Climate Change, Children and Youth, linked in the climate unit.
- Added the card game Forest Fables, from the above resource, link in the climate unit.
Updated Grade 10 Resource
March 12, 2014
New Grade 10 Resource
March 04, 2014
Teaching Science