Submit an Activity

The goal of the standardized format of the activity sheet is to concisely communicate to other educators what the key elements of the activity are so that they can adapt the activity for their own environment; or perhaps use it as a source of inspiration and good ideas. An activity sheet will contain all the materials necessary to conduct the activity; student handouts, instructor notes, relevant web links, and bibliographic references.

After you submit this form you will be able to immediately view a page containing your materials and make changes to that page. You will receive instructions on how to do this once you have clicked on SUBMIT at the bottom of this form.

Activity Title

Choose a descriptive title that conveys the main focus of the unit. Titles should reflect both the science content and the teaching approach.



Author

Name and institution of the unit's author(s), along with any other appropriate attribution information. If activities are based on other material, original sources should be cited and links provided.



Email

Email addresses of the activity author(s) separated by commas. These will not be displayed in the activity page but are used for internal tracking.



Summary

This thumbnail sketch of your instructional unit should clearly state its content focus and the central questions that drive it. It should offer an overview of the activities students will do along with the intended aims. The summary must be concise, yet descriptive. It should offer readers a clear idea of the unit. Note the age group and type of setting the unit was designed for.



Related Image

A small (200 pixels wide or less) image 'of' the activity to provide visual interest and immediate context. This could be an image of the 'output' of the activity or a photo of people engaged in the activity (or something similar). Not required.

Goals

What do you want students to understand and be able to do as a result of their participation? State these goals. Note the content understanding and inquiry processes that should develop, as well as the context in which this will occur.



Context for Use

This text should help an educator understand the types of teaching situations for which this activity is appropriate. Important types of context include educational level, class size, institution type, etc. Is it lab, lecture, or field exercise, or a longer project? How much time is needed for the activity? Is there special equipment that is necessary? Are there skills or concepts that students should have already mastered before encountering this activity? How is this activity situated in the course? How easy (or hard) would it be to adapt the activity for use in other settings?



Background

Outline relevant background that provides the context for the unit. This may include a brief description of the scientific topics the unit addresses or pertinent historical information.



Activity Description and Teaching Materials

This section should include a narrative describing the mechanics of the activity and all the materials needed to implement the activity (or links and references to those materials).

If you upload files as part of your activity remember to consider their final use in deciding on appropriate formats. Materials that other faculty are likely to modify should be provided in easily editable formats (plain text, Word files), whereas materials that will be likely only used verbatim are most convenient in formats that are universally readable (PDF format is often a good choice).

Please be sure all materials you upload can be freely redistributed. For more information about copyright as it applies to materials you are sharing through this site please check our more detailed discussion (opens in a new window) of this issue.

In-Class Activities

Step-by-step directions for the in-class activities planned.



At Home Assignments

Step-by-step directions for homework.



Materials List

This comprehensive materials list should address all activities in the unit. Links for specific materials may be included.



If you have more than 5 files to associate with this activity, include the first 5 here. You will be able to upload more once your activity page has been created.

Standards Addressed

List the key state or national standards that are addressed.



Teaching Notes

Include information not included elsewhere that will help others to implement the unit successfully. Options for varying the sequence of activities, the materials, or the timetable; suggestions for avoiding pitfalls; and tips for supporting students with particular challenges are among the items that may appear in this section.



Assessment

How will you find out what students understand and can do? Describe both formative and summative assessments. Include links to relevant student work pages, record sheets, or evaluation forms.



Resources

This section should include references and links to online resources that discuss the specific activity or will support faculty and/or students using the activity.

Web resources should include both the url and a brief description of the site (and why it is relevant). Print resource should include basic citation information as well as a brief description of the resource.



Topical Vocabulary

Check all that apply.










Short Description

Include information from the summary along with other key words that will enable other educators to locate your teaching activity using an internet search engine.






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