Smart Mouth is a website that makes students aware of the types of foods that they are eating. On this website, students can select many different types of food (Fast Food, desserts, snacks, etc.). When students select these foods, the website calculates how many grams of fat and how many calories are in that food choice. Students can enter in a particular meal that they usually eat at McDonald's and see exactly what they are putting in their mouths.
Curriculum Connections:
Grade: Seven
Subject: Health
Unit: Healthy Eating
How Would I Use This Website?
I would have students explore this website individually. Prior to using the website, I would have each student write down their three favorite meals from different Fast Food restaurants, making sure to include EVERYTHING that they would actually order (drink, meal, dessert?). Students would then use the website to see just what they are putting in their mouths when they order these meals. Students will record the number of calories and the amount of fat in each of their meal choices. After finding out the nutritional value in their meal choices, students would then have to think a way that they could make better food choices for each of the meals listed above. This does not necessarily mean that, if their favorite restaurant is McDonalds, then they cannot eat at McDonalds. Instead, students must look for healthier choices on the menu. Following this activity, students will discuss the idea of "eating out" and "fast food". Is it healthy to eat fast food often? Do we make wiser food choices when we eat at home?
Following this activity, students would look at Canada's Food Guide and create a 3-day meal plan in which they made healthy food choices and ate the recommended servings from each food group. Students would then try to complete their meal plan over the course of 3 days.
Benefits for Students:
Most students will have eaten at Fast Food restaurants before, probably regularly. It is beneficial for students to realize that these are often quite unhealthy food choices, and that there are ways to make better choices to stay healthy. This website is relateable for students because most will have eaten many of the foods listed. As well, I think students would be quite engaged in an activity like this, because it is bringing student interests into the classroom. Overall, I think this website offers a lot of valuable information and other teaching tools.
Supplementary Website:
I also found the website "Drive Through Diet" which again provided data relating to Fast Food. This website could be used in a way similar to that described above.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Kitchen Chemistry - The Virtual Kitchen
The Virtual Kitchen website offers the opportunity for students to experiment with chemicals and reactions. Students are given the task of working with acids, bases, and neutrals, trying to find the similarities between each group. As students progress through the interactive activity, they must decide whether each substance produced is either an acid, base, or neutral. In order to decide this, students are given different clues, such as the color the substance turns when mixed with another substance, or the type of reaction that occurs when mixed with baking soda. It is a really neat interactive website, and it also emphasizes the importance of keeping a "lab journal". In this interactive journal, students' observations are recorded. This will help to emphasize the importance of keeping detailed records and notes when performing 'real' experiments.
Curriculum Connections:
Grade: Six
Subject: Science
Unit: Chemicals and Reactions
How Would I Use This Website?
I would use this website as a review tool at the end of the Chemicals and Reactions unit. I really love doing hands-on experiments in science, but I also think that there is a place for these virtual experiments. With this activity, I would divide students up into pairs. Each pair would complete the activities on the website. Following the completion of the activity, the pair would sign up for one of the experiments. The pair would be responsible for presenting the "real thing" to the rest of the class, and explaining what happened and why. Students would also have to model the "lab journal" that is used on the website to keep track of their trial experiments. I think this would serve as a good review tool because the interactive and hands-on experiments reach out to many different learning styles in the classroom.
Benefits for Students:
As mentioned above, this activity could be used to reach multiple learning styles, such as visual and kinaesthetic learners. I think it would be a good review tool before the end of the unit. I also think this website highlights the importance of organization, with the use of the lab journal to record all results. In addition, the attractive design and layout make this site easy to use. Finally, I think students would benefit from being able to see all of the demonstrations and work through them at their own pace. With hands-on experiments involving the whole class, it is difficult to progress at a pace that is appropriate for everyone. By using the interactive website, students can work at their own speed and really develop a better understanding of the concept.
Curriculum Connections:
Grade: Six
Subject: Science
Unit: Chemicals and Reactions
How Would I Use This Website?
I would use this website as a review tool at the end of the Chemicals and Reactions unit. I really love doing hands-on experiments in science, but I also think that there is a place for these virtual experiments. With this activity, I would divide students up into pairs. Each pair would complete the activities on the website. Following the completion of the activity, the pair would sign up for one of the experiments. The pair would be responsible for presenting the "real thing" to the rest of the class, and explaining what happened and why. Students would also have to model the "lab journal" that is used on the website to keep track of their trial experiments. I think this would serve as a good review tool because the interactive and hands-on experiments reach out to many different learning styles in the classroom.
Benefits for Students:
As mentioned above, this activity could be used to reach multiple learning styles, such as visual and kinaesthetic learners. I think it would be a good review tool before the end of the unit. I also think this website highlights the importance of organization, with the use of the lab journal to record all results. In addition, the attractive design and layout make this site easy to use. Finally, I think students would benefit from being able to see all of the demonstrations and work through them at their own pace. With hands-on experiments involving the whole class, it is difficult to progress at a pace that is appropriate for everyone. By using the interactive website, students can work at their own speed and really develop a better understanding of the concept.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Ecological Footprint Calculator
The Ecological Footprint Calculater is a part of the Earth Day website.
How Would I Use This Website?
Curriculum Connections:
Grade: Seven
Subject: Social Studies
Unit: Resources
As a part of the unit on Resources, students will have the opportunity to consider the distribution and use of resources around the world. As a lead-in activity to this study, students will visit the Earth Day website and complete the Footprint Quiz. This quiz asks students about their lifestyle and their use of resources by asking about their housing, food, transportation, etc. After students answer all of the questions, the footprint calculator tells students how big their ecological footprint is - that is, how many hectares of land does it take for that student to live. In addition, the website compares each student's ecological footprint with the average for the country that they live in. Perhaps the neatest thing of all is that the website tells students how many 'earths' there would need to be if everyone lived the way that they do. Following this activity, students will participate in a large class discussion in which they identify how different people around the world live compared to Canadians. Students will then consider and create a personal action plan outlining what they plan to do to reduce their ecological footprints.
Benefits for Students:
By using this website, students will be able to see their own personal impact on the environment. Often, it is difficult to see the big picture when talking about things like recycling, saving energy, etc. This website, however, shows students how the way they live directly impacts the earth. I think some of the statistics might be quite shocking for students, perhaps motivating them to change certain aspects of their lifestlyes. Overall, I think this interactive activity could have a big impact on students because they have the opportunity to look outside their own "bubble" and consider the greater impact that humans have on the environment. I think this activity would produce some excellent discussion and possibly some great action from students.
How Would I Use This Website?
Curriculum Connections:
Grade: Seven
Subject: Social Studies
Unit: Resources
As a part of the unit on Resources, students will have the opportunity to consider the distribution and use of resources around the world. As a lead-in activity to this study, students will visit the Earth Day website and complete the Footprint Quiz. This quiz asks students about their lifestyle and their use of resources by asking about their housing, food, transportation, etc. After students answer all of the questions, the footprint calculator tells students how big their ecological footprint is - that is, how many hectares of land does it take for that student to live. In addition, the website compares each student's ecological footprint with the average for the country that they live in. Perhaps the neatest thing of all is that the website tells students how many 'earths' there would need to be if everyone lived the way that they do. Following this activity, students will participate in a large class discussion in which they identify how different people around the world live compared to Canadians. Students will then consider and create a personal action plan outlining what they plan to do to reduce their ecological footprints.
Benefits for Students:
By using this website, students will be able to see their own personal impact on the environment. Often, it is difficult to see the big picture when talking about things like recycling, saving energy, etc. This website, however, shows students how the way they live directly impacts the earth. I think some of the statistics might be quite shocking for students, perhaps motivating them to change certain aspects of their lifestlyes. Overall, I think this interactive activity could have a big impact on students because they have the opportunity to look outside their own "bubble" and consider the greater impact that humans have on the environment. I think this activity would produce some excellent discussion and possibly some great action from students.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
