Interactive and Experiential Science Tools

Can we expect our students to work on inventions that have tangible and positive effects on the society, while providing empathetic and empowering learning experiences? Read how one school used purposeful design in PBL, to leverage their education and their classroom experiences to effect change.

As you might have noticed that all our August interactives are live on prepmagic.com. We are constantly listening to our rockstar teachers, and our September updates feature some of the requests that came in at the beginning of the school year. You can send in your requests by filling up this form.

Enzymes - Biological Catalysts

• Investigate how enzymes act as catalysts to control the rate of metabolic reactions.

NGSS: Life Sciences HS-LS1-2. Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multi-cellular organisms.

Active Transport

• Investigate transportation against the concentration gradient by expending energy.

NGSS: Life Sciences HS-LS1-7. Use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration is a chemical process whereby the bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and the bonds in new compounds are formed resulting in a net transfer of energy.

Cell Surface Area to Volume Ratio

• Investigate how the surface-area to volume ratio affects the efficiency of a cell to transport material, mitigated by cell division or change in the shape to maintain the optimum area to volume ratio.

NGSS: Life Sciences HS-LS1-4. Use a model to illustrate the role of cellular division (mitosis) and differentiation in producing and maintaining complex organisms.

Atomic Number

• Using a periodic table, determine the number of protons and electrons of an element based on its atomic number.

NGSS: Physical Sciences HS-PS1-1. Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.

Isotopes & Mass Number

• Determine the number of neutrons in an isotope of an element, given its mass number.

NGSS: Physical Sciences HS-PS1-1. Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.

Average Atomic Mass

• Determine the weighted average atomic mass of an element, based on its isotope abundance.

NGSS: Physical Sciences HS-PS1-1. Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.

Electron Configuration

• Understand and construct the electron configuration of an element and relate to its position on the periodic table.

NGSS: Physical Sciences HS-PS1-1. Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.

Half-life of a Radioactive Substance

• Understand the concept of half-life in exponential decay.

NGSS: Physical Sciences HS-PS1-8. Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.

Position

• Understand, define and compare the position of an object in Cartesian and polar coordinate systems.

NGSS: Physical Sciences HS-PS2-1. Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.

Vector

• Explore definition of a vector and methods of vector addition.

NGSS: Physical Sciences HS-PS2-1. Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.

Displacement

• Explore displacement of an object moving in 1-D and 2-D, including plotting of Distance-Time graph, resolution of the displacement vector into its perpendicular components and comparison with the distance traveled.

NGSS: Physical Sciences HS-PS2-1. Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.

Velocity

• Explore velocity of an object moving in 1-D and 2-D, including plotting of Velocity-Time and Displacement-Time graphs, resolution of the velocity vector and comparison with the speed as a scalar quantity.

NGSS: Physical Sciences HS-PS2-1. Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.

Acceleration

• Explore acceleration of a moving object and investigate its relationship with velocity and displacement through analyses of different motion graphs.

NGSS: Physical Sciences HS-PS2-1. Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.

With a few schools back in session and many others to follow these coming weeks, we know how exciting it is for teachers to return back to what they love the best; their kids and classrooms. More often than not, this beginning can be strenuous at times, hence this nice article on the National Education Association website, offers educator-tested tips, advice, and resources for a successful start to the school year.Over the summer we have been working relentlessly to get the best, that interactive and experiential science education has to offer.

This August we will be publishing the following interactives on prepmagic.com.

Seismic Waves and Epicenter Location

• Interactives exploring the different types of seismic waves, speed through different media and locating the epicenter by the triangulation method.

NGSS: Physical Sciences and Earth & Space Sciences HS-PS4-1. Use mathematical representations to support a claim regarding relationships among the frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling in various media. HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

The Greenhouse Effect

• Interactive demonstrating the greenhouse effect using a simplified model based on thermal radiation and climate sensitivity. 

NGSS: Earth & Space Sciences and Physical Sciences HS-ESS2-2. Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems. HS-PS3-1. Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.

Satellite Launch and Orbit

• Interactives exploring Newton's law of gravitation by launching a satellite and configuring the resultant orbit, including conditions for a geostationary orbit. 

NGSS: Physical Sciences and Earth & Space Sciences HS-PS2-4. Use mathematical representations of Newton’s Law of Gravitation and Coulomb’s Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects. HS-ESS1-4. Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the solar system.

Food Energy Calorimetry

• Interactive investigating energy derived from different food types based on heat of oxidation measured using a bomb calorimeter.

NGSS: Physical Sciences and Life Sciences HS-PS3-4. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the transfer of thermal energy when two components of different temperature are combined within a closed system results in a more uniform energy distribution among the components in the system (second law of thermodynamics). HS-LS1-7. Use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration is a chemical process whereby the bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and the bonds in new compounds are formed resulting in a net transfer of energy.

Active Transport and Chemiosmosis

• Interactives exploring the mechanics of active transport and chemiosmosis during the process of cellular respiration.

NGSS: Life Sciences HS-LS1-7. Use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration is a chemical process whereby the bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and the bonds in new compounds are formed resulting in a net transfer of energy.

Homeostasis - Effect of Chemical Agents on Heart Rate

• Interactives investigating the effect of chemical agents such as ethanol, nicotine and caffeine on the heart rate of Daphnia magna.

NGSS: Life Sciences HS-LS1-3. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis.

Ionization Energy and Electronegativity Trends

• Interactives exploring and comparing the trends in ionization energy and electronegativity of elements based on their positions in the periodic table.

NGSS: Physical Sciences HS-PS1-1. Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.

Though the school year is coming to an end, exploration and learning will continue. We all know, that science learning playgrounds are everywhere around us, and hence we educators are constantly trying to figure out how to bring creativity to our classrooms and beyond. We particularly liked this article published in Wired, that talks about creativity in science classrooms.

At prepmagic.com we believe our deep contextualization engine which allows you to customize our interactives and control the narrative is a great catalyst to your creative endeavor.

Visit prepmagic.com to check out the May interactives. The new ones that are coming in June are listed below.

CHEMISTRY

Atomic Theory

• Gold Foil Experiment - Recreation of Rutherford's gold foil experiment that led to discovery of the nucleus and the formulation of the nuclear model.

NGSS: SEP - Developing and using models, SEP - Planning and carrying out investigations, SEP - Analyzing and Interpreting Data, CCC - Cause and effect, CCC - Energy and matter, DCI - PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter.

Periodic Table

• Property Trends - Investigate the trends in properties such as atomic radius, electronegativity and ionization energy across elements in the periodic table

NGSS: SEP - Analyzing and Interpreting Data, CCC - Patterns, DCI - PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter.

Stoichiometry

• Mole Concept - Explore the concept of mole and the relationship between molar mass and atomic mass.

NGSS: SEP - Analyzing and Interpreting Data, CCC - Energy and matter, DCI - PS1.B: Chemical Reactions.

BIOLOGY

Cell Structure & Function

• Diffusion - Explore diffusion and facilitated diffusion as modes of passive transport.

NGSS: SEP - Developing and using models, SEP - Analyzing and Interpreting Data, CCC - Systems and System Models, CCC - Structure and Function, DCI - LS1.A: Structure and Function.

• Active Transport - Investigate transportation against the concentration gradient by expending energy.

NGSS: SEP - Developing and using models, SEP - Analyzing and Interpreting Data, CCC - Systems and System Models, CCC - Structure and Function, DCI - LS1.A: Structure and Function.

• Life Functions: Virus Replication - Explore how a virus infects and rapidly replicates inside a host cell.

NGSS: SEP - Developing and using models, SEP - Analyzing and Interpreting Data, CCC - Stability and Change, DCI - LS1.A: Structure and Function.

PHYSICS

Radioactivity

• Radioactive Decay - Investigate effects of emitting an alpha particle or a beta particle and the resulting decay chain.

NGSS: SEP - Analyzing and Interpreting Data, CCC - Cause and effect, PS1.C: Nuclear Processes.

Momentum

• Impulse Momentum - Explore thrust produced by a jet or a rocket engine resulting in its motion.

NGSS: SEP - Planning and carrying out investigations, SEP - Analyzing and Interpreting Data, CCC - Cause and effect, DCI - PS2.A: Forces and Motion.

2-D Motion

• Projectile - Explore motion of a projectile in 2 dimensions.

NGSS: SEP - Planning and carrying out investigations, SEP - Analyzing and Interpreting Data, CCC - Cause and effect, DCI - PS2.A: Forces and Motion