Meeting+needs+of+all+students

This page is for resources to help all students/learners succeed in the science classroom. Please post information regarding Special Needs learners (consider ELL, ED, physically challenged, or special ed learners). Please post information about how to include girls in math and science activities. Please post information about how to integrate multicultural dimensions into the science classroom. If you have sites that highlight the achievements of people of color or women scientists, this is the page to share that information.

1) Math and Science Accessibility for Students with Disabilities http://www.washington.edu/doit/stem

2) http://www.dickblick.com/lessonplans/ This site has mostly art artivities, but if you look carefully, there are some that are geared for the 6-12th grades that integrate math and science. I have found that when working with ELL and some special needs students, that integrating projects as a form of assessment gives these students more opportunities to express themselves! You could allow students a choice on the type of project they want to create: a term paper, a report, a presentation using ppt, or an art project. Students love choices and this option reaches diverse learners! Just remember that you might have to provide some art materials for those low SES students who may not have access to crafty stuff at home.

3) http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Science-Language-Minority-Students/dp/1853592730 Here is an amazon page for a book on teaching science to non-native speakers. I have not read it, but I thought it sounded interesting. The following link is from ERIC digest and outlines what is in this book: http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED391380&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED391380

4) http://www.as.wvu.edu/~equity/african.html Wow! I found this page to be really fascinating. This page is targeted to in-service and pre-service science teachers (that means you!) who want to know more about how to be more inclusive of African-American students in their classroom teaching. Some suggestions are geared towards African-Americans; howevever, other suggestions/ tips are relevant for any minority student. The page was created out of West Virginia University but has not been updated since 2005.Here is another page from the same website, but this is geared towards teaching Hispanic (Latino) students science: http://www.as.wvu.edu/~equity/hispanic.html

5) http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/45922/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0 This link is to an article in the journal, Science Education. I am not allowed to post the pdf of the article, but if you are interested, contact me (your CSU Sci Methods instructor) and I can help you get the article. The article is about the danger of using and believing in the label, Model Minority, when interacting/ teaching Asian American students. The author, Okhee Lee, is a well-known Science Education researcher from Florida who focuses on ELL science education issues. She is SUPER FRIENDLY and very approachable. She would love it if you emailed her with questions with how to take into consideration Asian American issues or ELL issues. I will not post her contact info here. Google her or contact me for more info on this topic.

6) http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/jun/20/report-confronts-model-minority-myth/ An article from Boulder this summer (2008) about the Model Minority Myth (this means that misconception that Asian American students are always successful students and good standardized test takers, esp. in the areas of math and science). This myth has been found to be "crippling." I feel passionately about this topic and hope that you read this regardless of whether you have Asian American students in your classroom this year or not; chances are, you will have these students at some point or another.

7) http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/10/local/me-asian10 Another model minority myth article that came out this summer 2008, in response to some recent research findings that not all Asian American and Pacific Islanders could be lumped into one academic category. This article is from the LA Times.

8) http://web.mit.edu/arab/www/About_ASO/about_the_ASO.html This is a university website; however, it might be a useful resource for those of you who have Arab American students in your class. Massachusets Institute of Technology has had a formal Arab American organization for science, engineering and management students since the mid 1950's. Part of their mission is to serve as role models and educators of their roles in US culture. This site may be used to contact folks who would be willing to answer questions or serve as mentors to middle-high schoolers. It also may help you as a teacher learn more about Arab American issues (granted, the focus is at the collegiate level).

9) http://www.atomicmuseum.com/Tour/scientists.cfm This page highlights the successful careers of Hispanics in science and engineering careers. A great way to integrate diversity issues into a class is to discuss science heroes of all different ethnic backgrounds. http://www.factmonster.com/spot/hhmbio4.html this site also highlights a handful of scientists of Hispanic descent. And here is a book that focuses on the biographies of five Hispanic scientists in particular. http://www.amazon.com/Hispanic-Scientists-Capstone-Short-Biographies/dp/1560653604

10) http://www.nativeculturelinks.com/education.html This website was developed and managed by Lisa Mitten, as part of a project of the American Indian Library Association. This site is about and for those are interested in P-16 (preschool-college) Native American educational issues/ institutions. You will have to do some searching on this page to find information that would be relevant to your needs, but it is a great place to start.

11) http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/10/01/06science_ep.h28.html?tmp=88304694 This link is to an Education Week article about how elementary teachers in Florida teach science to ELL students.

12) http://literacynet.org/lp/hperspectives/home.html This page is a link to help non-Hispanic educators teach from a "Hispanic perspective." I am not familiar with this site but I thought it might have some useful information tucked in some of the links.

13) This paper is more than 10 years old but it addresses the issues of multiculturalism in the biology classroom. Melear, C. (1995) Multiculturalism in science education. The American Biology Teacher, 57(1), 22-26. http://www.jstor.org.proxy2.library.uiuc.edu/stable/pdfplus/4449908.pdf

14) http://www.childrenandnature.org/ In an effort to reconnect kids with nature, this on-line magazine highlights research, policy, and stories by/about educators who want to help all children learn by getting them outside so they can wonder about their natural world.

15) http://www.educationalrap.com/ Educational rap and pop songs!--covers math, science, english, and social studies topics.  16) [] Teacher Vision's page on Adaptations and modifications for students with special needs. Information on ADD/ADHD, ELA/ELL students, curriculum planning, tips and advice, and how to modify some content areas for students who have IEPs. 17) [] Some students learn by touching, manipulating, and doing! Here are tons of fun gadgets, gizmos and exhibits that you can recreate in your own classroom. This the Science Snacks webpage from the San Francisco Exploratorium Museum.

18) [] This is the link to the Science Education for Students with Disabilities. Here you will find links to resources and strategies to help students with physical, emotional, and learning disabilities.

19) [|Braineos Flashcard Games] is a science web 2.0 tool that I found and it allows students to create flashcards and has study games for them, either by themselves or against classmates. All it requires is an email to register and a teacher could also use it interactively on the smart board.