Did you notice that COSI Columbus has created a new Weather Watch program? It sounds like it’s jam packed with great hands-on activities, perfect for your weather unit. I’m hoping to see one soon and blog about it. This is from the same provider that does Gadget Works.

Here’s the description:

Weather Watch, our newest videoconference program for grades 4-7, explores how meteorologists predict the weather. Work with COSI’s Storm Spotter to learn how changes in air pressure and temperature can affect the weather – and especially Storm Spotter’s vacation plans!

Students take and use readings from barometers and thermometers to help them predict basic weather patterns.  They explore air pressure using everyday objects and understand why changes in weather often occur around cold and warm fronts.

Pre-visit activities include tracking weather for a specific location prior to the show (reading thermometers, barometers), working with weather symbols, mapping a specific forecast, and learning about air pressure with a hands-on activity using pop bottles and syringes (without needles).

Post-visit activities include tracking weather and building a forecast for a specific area, a hands-on activity about convection currents, and a hands-on activity on air pressure using suction cups. There are also extension activities on air pressure, hot and cold air, density and pressure. Altogether, the activities for the program can encompass more than five hours of class time, if they all fit into your weather unit.

All materials for pre- and post-visit activities are included in the kit. This program is “on demand,” meaning you can sign up for it when you’d like to have it.

We’re doing our second Content Provider Showcase of a series this year. This time we’re connecting to the NASA Marshall Flight Center for the teacher demonstration. As part of the overview of programs, they played a little video clip ad for the program: Directive: Mapping the Moon with WALL-E. Cool! I think we might be signing up for this one soon!

Today’s showcase featured the program Toys in Space. We had the teachers collect some materials for an activity where the students build a Kendama and then predict how it would work in microgravity.

This was a great program and I’m sure I’ll see registrations coming through shortly!

This morning Ottawa Elementary is connecting to the Liberty Science Center for their Pumpkin Circle program.

Before the program starts, as the students come in, they listened to a song about pumpkins and pumpkin seeds. In the introductory part, the presenters asked the students questions to get them thinking about pumpkins.

The presenter walks through an animation of a pumpkin plant growing in the field, and has the students identify and spell the different parts of the plant.

Next, another presenter reads the book, Pumpkin Circle, showing the pictures from the pages at the same time. She asked the students questions throughout the program: i.e. why do the seeds look different? What was your favorite part of the story?

The students then look at different types of seeds and try to identify them. The lesson also includes looking at the difference between fruits and vegetables.

In another activity, students stand up and wave like a tree or plant and consider the strength of different types of roots.

Students learn about how the pumpkin (and other vegetables) decay or compost back into good soil. Finally the students get to ask questions at the end.

This program is visually rich and full of interactive questions and discussion. The price still seems a little steep to me, compared to programs where actual hands-on materials are mailed to the school. Still, a very good program.

Today and tomorrow, we have four sessions with the Cleveland Museum of Art for 8th and 9th grade art classes at Coloma Jr. High. They are doing the program, “Race” is a Four Letter Word.

One of the things I really like about the CMA programs is the way Arielle asks the students questions. Here are some of her questions from today:

• What do you think the word stereotype means?
• Why do you think artists use abstract art?
• Has anyone ever had a caricature done of themselves? (asked while showing a great collection of caricatures of celebrities)
• What do you see as being exaggerated in this figure?
• What is this person in this painting doing?
• Do you think this is a fair representation of this person? If you were from that area of the world, how would you feel about it?

After a few minutes of lots of questions, the kids woke up (this session was at 7:30) and really started to say what they thought!

This program includes a collection of art representing different time periods and ethnicities and really engages the students in the content.

Reed Middle School, Bridgman, is connecting today to The Cleveland Museum of Art for their Native Americans and Settlers program. Last year, this school did several CMA programs with another grade level, and since they loved the experience, the media specialist has found funding for most of the classes to connect to CMA this year!

We hadn’t seen this particular program yet, but it was excellent just like the others! The program was visually rich, with students learning about Native American and settlers differing views of the land, methods of building, and various native foods. As always, Arielle engaged the students with in-depth questions and discussion throughout the session.

The program ended with a trading activity. The students are divided into Native Americans and settlers, and they have to trade without talking to each other (since they couldn’t speak the same language of course). Afterwards, they discussed the process of trading and what they might do with what they traded for.

Great work, Reed Middle School & thanks Arielle, for another excellent lesson!

Today Village Adventist School is connecting to the New York Hall of Science for their Sports Challenge program. This is our first student videoconference of this school year (many meetings have happened already!)

One thing I noticed right away, is the presenter waved his hands and asked the students if the movement was fast or slow. He also had the students do the same, so he could gauge how well the videoconference was working. Great idea!

The program starts with a discussion comparing and contrasting various types of sports. Students found similarities and differences between different sports.

Next the students did a hands-on activity where they tested different surfaces for the ball to bounce on. The students first predicted which would work best, and then spread out to actually test their hypothesis. This led to a discussion and demonstration of the concepts of energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, etc.

The program includes several hands-on activities, as well as touring through a few of the exhibits in the New York Hall of Science. In one activity, students learned about reaction time for driving.

Because the session is presented from the exhibit floor, our students got to say hi to the NY students who were onsite using the exhibits.

The surfboard exhibit was used to explain the center of gravity and balance. Students discussed sports where a low center of gravity might be useful. Great session and lots of fun!

The Buffalo Zoo has added IP; so now they can do IP and ISDN! We use the Buffalo Zoo for our Ice Bear & Little Fox ASK programs and they are excellent! So, if you need a zoo program, and want to connect to a zoo that does flexible scheduling (on demand), try the Buffalo Zoo. We really enjoy their programs!

Are you following the NY Hall of Science Virtual Visit blog? If not, take a look at their new video clips introducing and featuring their “virtual visits” or videoconference programs. Check it out!