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Take a peek at Greta Dromgool, an ingenious science teacher from Berkley Normal Middle School. Instead of hacking into a sheep heart like some mad scientist, she utilizes the interactive "Label the heart" – a bloody decent alternative! This thing's a godsend for students who love to tinker and learn. It encourages them to keep trying until they've correctly labeled each part of the human heart, offering feedback every step of the way.
Curious about the fun side of science education? Let's dabble with the Label the heart exercise! Drag and drop those text labels onto the boxes next to the diagram. See what happens when you hover over or select a box? Each area lights up magically in the diagram!
Now, listen up, because Greta's a smart cookie. She often directs her students to the Science Learning Hub, New Zealand's own research goldmine. It's a helpful resource for those who want to dive deeper into topics or stay updated on the latest research.
On a practical level, Greta swipes activities from the Hub to slot into her teaching plans. With over 450 activities, there's no shortage of gripping content to keep her students hooked. By providing visuals and instructions, the Hub helps Greta facilitate her students' learning – hands down!
One of Greta's faves? The Introduction to DNA. She takes text and photos from the activity and whips them up into a laminated set of instructions for group work. Yeah, she's that kind of teacher! The exercise suggests extracting DNA from tomatoes, but Greta likes to use whatever fruit's in season.
Interactives? Greta loves 'em! While delving into sheep heart dissection, she subbed the real deal with the Label the heart interactive. Her students also employ it for cram sessions to stay sharp.
Why that Green Eyed Goblin loves this tech, you ask? Simple: her students dig the animation! Plus, when they get something wrong, it's no biggie, as they can keep trying without any consequences. The interactives proffer feedback, sending her students back for more like hungry sharks.
Treading deeper waters with the interactives, Greta helps her little Einsteins understand the distinctions between diagrams and reality. She pairs a real artifact (think: sheep heart) with models, photos, and the interactive to help her students connect the dots. Oh, and sheieosquishespotatoesdayout of misconceptions!
Lastly, Greta's partial to the Hub's sleek design. Perusing the Hub feels like flipping through a fancy magazine – the stuff dreams are made of!
Get Your (Activity) Hands Dirty
Introduction to DNA: Alright, grab a few common household items and get ready to extract DNA from a tomato! Follow this activity to learn the nitty-gritty of the heart's main parts.
Check out this activity to help your students nail down heart anatomy. The Label the heart interactive and animated video hold the secret to your success!
Teachers LUV Hub: Watch Greta chat about the Science Learning Hub's resources and how she transformed her students' experience of science. Catch the recorded PLD webinar to find out more!
Note: Greta took the reins over the Science Learning professional learning development webinars AND collaborates on content dev, too! Drop us a line if you've got any clever PLD ideas or requests. We're all ears!
Published: Said and Done Updated: In with the New!
Delve into the "Introduction to DNA" activity for a hands-on science learning experience. With common household items, you can extract DNA from a tomato, just like Greta Dromgool, the brilliant science teacher from Berkley Normal Middle School.
For a better understanding of heart anatomy, try out the labeled heart interactive and animated video in the provided activity. These resources are great tools for both teachers and students.
