21st Century Topics and Tools

I decided to use electricity for the specific content area of physical science.  I discovered several activities for students on the Internet.  One of the most powerful web addresses I discovered is a website with several links to electric and magnetic simulations for students to explore electricity and magnetism through.  The website is http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/physics/electricity-magnets-and-circuits , and is through the University of Colorado.  All of the links work, and they explain electricity and magnetism as well as give students online simulations of currents and magnets.  This website supports students' scientific understanding, facilitates students' inquiry processes, and awakens students' interest and motivation in science.

Another powerful website that promotes 21st century learning is the Electricity Webquest at http://www.skokie69.net/index.php/ed-lmc-resources/webquests/item/496 .  As students move through the webquest, they learn about electricity, types of electricity, how electricity gets to the house, potential dangers involved with electricity, and conservation of electricity.  They take this information and prepare a PowerPoint presentation to use when informing 5th grade students about electricity.  They work collaboratively as a group to gather information, record information, synthesize information, and communicate the information.  These are 21st century skills.

A physical activity that could be planned around the first website is a lab where students create electric circuits.  Because they practice with circuits using the website, they have background knowledge to physically construct parallel and series circuits and explain the best uses for both types of circuits.

Challenges with both of these tools would be lack of computers, Internet issues, and the websites being shut down as time passes.