March 31st, 2023

High School Resource: Rain by Books Should Be Free

RainHigh School Resource

Rain by Books Should Be Free

This resource allows users to freely download W. Somerset Maugham’s Rain as an audio book in mp3, iPod, or iTunes format.

Related NY State Academic Standards: SL.9-10.2, SL.9-10.5, SL.11-12.2, and more!

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March 24th, 2023

High School Resource: The Parachute

parachute

High School Resource

The Parachute

The Parachute is an activity in which students design and then conduct an experiment to investigate the effects of various factors on the rate of fall of parachutes.

This learning experience was designed as a variance for the Physics Regents examination (35% Option). In addition to supporting student progress toward meeting the Mathematics, Science, and Technology learning standards, the goal of this experience was to incorporate performance tasks into the examination to assess the skills, processes, and kinds of thinking that are essential in an investigatory science project but are not adequately evaluated in the traditional Regents examination. In this experience, the students were assessed on experimental design, observational skills, graphing and interpretation, critical thinking and synthesis, and error analysis.

A constructivist learning model is implicit in this learning experience, with students first engaged, and then involved in exploring a natural phenomenon, explaining their observations, and then applying the knowledge they have constructed to make predictions. Assessment occurs throughout the experience.

To succeed with this learning experience, students need to have an understanding of the concepts of free fall and gravity as well as skills in solving a problem by designing, conducting, and evaluating a scientific experiment using an appropriate model.
After engaging student interest in parachutes (by referring to Leonardo da Vinci’s plans for such a device, for example, and the effect of free fall on human bodies), students are asked to write a procedure to determine the effect of different size parachutes and different masses on the time it takes the masses to fall. Students are asked to study the nature of a parachute and the factors that affect the time of fall.

The students are divided into groups and each group is given a stopwatch, several masses, a balance, a meter stick, and materials to construct parachutes.

The students work in groups to perform a mutually agreed upon procedure. They record all their data, and repeat steps as needed. From this point on, the students work as individuals consistent with the protocol for an exam. If this were a class activity, they might continue to work in groups.

After completing the experiment, students are asked to write three observations they made, plot a graph, interpret the graph, and evaluate the reliability of the data and sources of error. They also interpret their experimental data to determine the mathematical relationship between time of fall and the parachute mass.

Students are asked to perform the following experiment at home. They push a plastic cup into a sink full of water and observe the resistance to the pushing as they make a hole; and then enlarge the hole in the bottom of the cup. They are then asked to apply their results with the plastic cup to the use of an adjustable hole in the top of a parachute. They are to predict the effect of a hole in the parachute and then cut the hole and actually measure the effect.

Students are presented with a diagram of a parachute with an attached basket, and are asked to draw and label the forces acting on this combination, which causes its vertical motion. They also must calculate the speed with which the parachute hit the ground.

Students are provided with an experimental procedure for measuring the relationship between the diameter of a parachute and the time of fall. They are asked to critique the procedure, indicating if it is clear and if it is adequate to obtain the desired information. They must also compare this procedure to their own procedure.

During the experimental phase, Step 2, the teacher coaches the groups to insure that, for example, they construct a functioning parachute, measure the drop distance, and discard the results if the parachute hits an obstacle.

Related NY State Academic Standards: RST.9-10.1, RST.9-10.8, RST.9-10.9, and more!

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March 17th, 2023

High School Resource: Definition of a Locus by Math Open Reference

High School Resource

Definition of a Locus by Math Open Reference

This resource illustrates the concept of locus. The page shows a model of the plane populated with a large number of points on a grid. Those points equidistant from a point are highlighted forming a circle. The user can drag the point and drag the distance, showing the circle moving and changing size.

There is a description of the locus concept and links to other loci – a straight line and an ellipse.

The page can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. After use in the classroom, students can access it again from any web browser at home or in the library with no login required.

Related NY State Academic Standards: MST3.C.MM4.MA.D, MST3.G.G.22, and MST3.G.G.23!

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March 10th, 2023

High School Resource: KITES: Food for Thought, 7 – 9

Cards

High School Resource

KITES: Food for Thought, 7 – 9

In this activity, students will:

  • Use estimation to check the reasonableness of results obtained by computation, algorithms, or the use of technology.
  • Estimate the probability of events.
  • Use simulation techniques to estimate probabilities.
  • Determine probabilities of independent events and mutually exclusive events.

Related NY State Academic Standards: 7.RP.2.b, 7.NS.1.b, 7.NS.1.c, and more!

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March 3rd, 2023

High School Resource: History of St. Patrick’s Day by History.com

St. Patrick's Day

High School Resource

History of St. Patrick’s Day by History.com

This video, from History.com’s archives, focuses on the history behind St. Patrick’s Day.

Related NY State Academic Standards: SS.6.4, SS.6.4.b.1, SS.6.4.c.2, and more!

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February 24th, 2023

High School Resource: Humble Beginnings by History.com

Women History Month

High School Resource

Humble Beginnings by History.com

This video, from History.com’s archives, focuses on inspirational African American women from history.

Related NY State Academic Standards: SS.7.8.e.1, SS.8.4.e, SS.8.4.e.1, and more!

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February 17th, 2023

High School Resource: Food Fat

Junk food

High School Resource

Food Fat

The purpose of Food Fat is for teenagers to evaluate snack foods dealing with calories and fat and to use this information to make informed and wise food choices. Students will be able to identify the amount of fat in common snack foods, and graphically see the fat in a container by measuring the equivalent of the food fat with shortening. Students can also determine what kind and amount of physical exercise would be needed to burn off the same number of calories from this snack food.

Related NY State Academic Standards: ARTS.D.C.2.1.MS.E, CDOS.C.3b.HP.9.A.SW, HPF.HE.C.1.1.B, and more!

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February 10th, 2023

High School Resource: What Would You Have Done? 20th-Century Presidents

High School Resource

What Would You Have Done? 20th-Century Presidents

Objective:

Students will investigate decisions made during various presidential administrations.

Activity:

  • Students divide into teams of three and select a 20th-century President to research. Teacher makes sure that each President is selected only once.
  • Students use library resources and Internet to research the President to identify:
  • Significant decisions made during his administration
  • The impact decisions had on this and other countries
  • Political, economic, and social policies
  • Students representing various Presidents sit on a panel to lead class discussion about decisions made during various presidential administrations.
  • Other students serve as reporters on the White House Press Corps and ask probing questions.
  • Students select one President and write a reaction paper based on one of his decisions; paper is entitled “What Would I Have Done and Why?”

Related NY State Academic Standards: RI.11-12.8, RI.11-12.9, RH.9-10.6, and more!

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February 3rd, 2023

High School Resource: Electric Heart

High School Resource

Electric Heart

This web-based practice allows students to:

  • see how a heart works
  • manipulate an interactive and perform a heart transplant
  • learn interesting facts about the heart
  • learn how an artificial person could be created

Using this resource is an engaging approach allowing students to learn about the parts of the heart as well as how a heart transplant takes place. This can be used as a review of a previous lesson or as an instructional approach for an introductory lesson.

Related NY State Academic Standards: S.MS.LS.1.1, S.MS.LS.1.3, MST4.I.LE.1.2, and more!

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January 27th, 2023

High School Resource: Malcolm X by History.com

High School Resource

Malcolm X by History.com

This video, from History.com’s archives, focuses on Malcom X speaking on the Black Nationalist Movement.

Related NY State Academic Standards: SS.8.9, SS.8.9.a.1, SS.E.1, and more!

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