Read. Write. Science!
from the desk of Jodi Wheeler-Toppen
Three Great Things to Know:
FREE National Park Passes
The Every Kid in a Park program offers a free annual park pass to any family in the US with a 4th grader. Tell your students, their parents, your neighbors, the guy in the grocery store...
Become a CDC Science Ambassador
Zika got you down? Spend a (free) week at CDC headquarters in Atlanta learning about disease prevention, July 18-22. Apply by April 15 (middle and high school/ science and math teachers only).
Save the Penguins!
In this free set of lessons, kids work to protect their ice-cube penguin from melting. This is my absolute favorite engineering-based lesson,because the content learning (about heat and heat transfer) is integral. Kids really want to learn, because they don't want their penguin to die! (Adjustable for upper elementary through middle school.)
NEW Assembly Program: Explain This!
I'm launching a new assembly this year (in addition to Try This!, which I will continue to offer). Explain This! will feature some unsolved science puzzles and clues to their solution. Students will practice science writing in the assembly and in a take-back-to-the-classroom assignment.
Middle and High School Staff Development
The integration of reading, writing, and science is my research area and the focus of my dissertation at UGA. I help teachers use literacy to support their science instruction, and vice versa. I also address scientific argumentation (making claims and supporting them with evidence).
Elementary Staff Development
I work with teachers on specific science areas that they struggle to teach, and demonstrate ways to integrate reading/ writing instruction with science. This year, for Georgia educators, I'm adding a workshop on helping students with the writing portion of the Georgia Milestones.