snow – iLearn Technology

Flake Pad: Create geometric, symmetrical shapes

September 12, 2011Kelly Tenkely1 Comment16422 views

What it is: Flake Pad is a very simple little website that lets students create geometric snowflakes using basic shapes and a grid. To make their flake, students choose a shape and click a spot on the grid. Students can add as many or as few shapes as they would like to their flake. When they are done the flake can be viewed off of the grid for a screen shot that can be included in other projects or it can be printed off. I like Flake Pad because it gives students space to be creative and can be used to teach and practice symmetry.

How to integrate Flake Pad into the classroom: Flake Pad is a great little site to help students understand symmetry. Any time students click a space on the grid, the shape is added to multiple points on the grid. Use Flake Pad on an interactive whiteboard or projector-connected computer where students can identify lines of symmetry on the flake that the whole class can see. With the pointer tool on Flake Pad, students can drag the shapes they have created to different points. Have students in the audience describe what happens to the flake as the shapes are moved. Do the lines of symmetry change?

Flake Pad can be used on classroom computers as a center activity. Students can create their own flake, print the flake out and draw the various lines of symmetry with a ruler.

Use Flake Pad during a unit on weather. Students can experiment with creating their own snow flake, print the flake out and use the print out to list characteristics of snow, or snow related vocabulary along any straight lines on their flake.

Tips: Flake Pad works from the Safari browser on an iPad….mostly. The line shape doesn’t work. Students could still create their own flakes, print and add lines with a pencil…further practicing their understanding of symmetry!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Flake Pad in your classroom!

The Why Files

June 11, 2009Kelly TenkelyLeave a Comment1620 views

What it is: Colorado has had some extreme weather conditions in the past week. With tornadoes, rain, rainbows, and hail, The Why Files seemed like a fitting site to highlight today. The Why Files bring science to life virtually. Students can make rainbows, control a tornado, play with lightning, and build a snowflake. If only the real weather was this easy to control! The Why Files begin each interactive with a brief “why” of how the weather occurrence works, students can read all about the occurrence and even get a link where they can learn more. The fun starts when the students enter the interactive where they can control the weather.

How to integrate The Why Files into the classroom: The Why Files are amazing interactives that will help your students to better understand the science behind weather. This is a great site to use with an interactive whiteboard, invite students to take turns interacting with the weather. Read the paragraph before the interactive as a class. After the students have ‘controlled’ the weather, go back to the information page and follow the link to additional information. Your students will want to know more after playing with the interactive! The Why Files makes a great science center on classroom comupters while students are learning the science behind weather. Students can visit the center in teams and take notes in an observation journal recording their experiences about controlling the weather.

Tips: Check out some of the other goodies on the site: “The Why Files produces a new story each week, alternating longer features with shorter shorties. We also post a series of interactive science animations, the ever-popular “Cool Science Images,” and a series of Teacher Activity Pages linked to the national science teaching standards. Eager to explain the science behind the news, our home page reprises older stories that become relevant to the headlines.”

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using The Why Files in your classroom.