How I Use It
I discovered Exploratorium when looking for resources to support my classroom eye dissection. I love using this site to show students videos and pictures of what they would be observing during the actual dissection each year. I also utilize the printable "how to" resources for parents who were coming to support students during the dissection.
What worked: Great videos and printable resources to gear up students for the big day.
What didn't: Videos did not work on my school computers in the past, but have worked the past few years.
My Take
Overall I liked the layout of the video and directions that led students through the virtual eye dissection. The nice graphics allowed for students to first review and identify parts of the eye and their functions. Next, the video provided students with a clear depiction of what they would be doing during the dissection. Lastly, I like the printable directions to provide to small groups and parents prior to the dissection to guide them through identifying and understanding functions of the eye.
After only using the eye dissection resource from this particular site I explored the site further to prepare for my field note. The Exploratorium is an education center in California. Their site however has a wide variety of resources. I thought the way they have the tabs broken down into visit, explore, education, and collaborations was engaging and easy to navigate to the particular resources that would be most beneficial for your students. The "visit" tab provides necessary information for their site. The "explore" tab has great resources with websites and activities based around a variety of topics. The "education" tab presents a variety of tools and strategies to support science education. Lastly, the "collaborations" tab displays a variety of organizations that are supported by Exploratorium. I especially liked this tab because it detailed a variety of wonderful learning opportunities for people to also become involved with as well.
