Extending Learning & Challenging Students
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One of the best things about online learning is the ability to extend learning and challenge students. We don't have a formal Gifted program, because there's so much flexibility inherent in online education. However, it can be challenging for LCs to stay a step ahead of their students and keep them engaged.
Whether or not your student is gifted, check out these ideas to teach cross-curricular, extend OLS learning, and challenge your student!
Whether or not your student is gifted, check out these ideas to teach cross-curricular, extend OLS learning, and challenge your student!
Extend your child's learning by introducing volcanoes to build background knowledge using the video above. This will make reading the story "Pliny Saw It All" (Lit & Comp Unit 9 Lessons 6-7) and "The Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius" (Social Studies Unit 8 Lesson 11), as well as the chapter book "Volcanoes" (Lit & Comp Unit 9 Lessons 8-11) more meaningful.
Students should study and explain the Before and After structure of Mt. St. Helens. Tie in math concepts by asking students to explain what happened to the surrounding geography. Where did the top of the volcano go? Dig deep and encourage critical thinking and further research!
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A Day in Pompeii, a Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition, was held at Melbourne Museum in 2009. Over 330,000 people visited the exhibition - an average of more than 2,700 per day - making it the most popular traveling exhibition ever staged by an Australian museum.
Zero One created the animation for an immersive 3D theatre installation which gave visitors a chance to feel the same drama and terror of the town's citizens long ago, and witness how a series of eruptions wiped out Pompeii over 48 hours. Science: Make a Volcano
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Science: Unit 2 Forces & Motion
We never advocate purchasing additional supplies. Instead, substitute with items found around your house.
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Experiments are a great way for students to extend their learning. The experiment to the left will not only demonstrate force, specifically push, but it can also include expanding student understanding of friction.
Friction Expansion: Have students sprinkle Legos over the floor between themselves and their "pins." How does the friction from the Legos change the trajectory of the ball? The speed? The number of "pins" knocked over? Repeat Experiments with Variables to Compare/Contrast Results: Real-life scientists replicate experiments varying one thing to compare/contrast results. Do the same thing! Use the substitution ideas to the left and see how each one changes things. Be careful to only vary one thing at a time, so you're comparing apples to apples. However, eventually, you may come up with your own brand new experiment! |
Join Mystery Doug Science
Mystery Doug is a weekly video series for elementary teachers based entirely on questions that real students ask. It's the perfect five-minute break for your student!
We incorporate some videos into our lessons, but we encourage you to sign up for a FREE account and access these wonderful resources! Click here for his YouTube channel. Click here to sign up. |
Social Studies: Unit 1 Map Skills Extension
The first unit in your Social Studies course is Map Skills. This is can be a difficult concept for students. In the LC University, we recommend that LCs teach cross-curricular as much as possible. A great way to incorporate Art and Math into these Social Studies map lessons is to show your student a floor plan. This is an aerial view of a map! Then ask your student to draw their own floor plan with a legend and labels. Floor plans can be:
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Legend Detailing Scale
Advanced Floor Plan to Scale, with Cardinal Directions
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