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Falling 101
Although gravity is something everyone experiences, many have misconceptions tied to the concept. A PD lesson from the Good Thinking series explores misconceptions and how to correct them. The lesson also offers ideas for demonstrations...
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Sending "Learning Styles" out of Style
What the research says about learning styles may be different than you think. A quick video gives an overview of the research to show how teaching to a pupil's learning style isn't necessarily an effective strategy. Use the video as a...
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‘Tis the Season for a Reason
The distance from the sun causes the seasons, right? Review common misconceptions that interfere with scholars' understanding of how the seasons of the year occur. A video from the Good Thinking PD series offers strategies for overcoming...
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Chemical Reactions in Action
Learn from colleagues by initiating a professional development discussion. An episode from the Good Thinking series analyzes strategies for teaching chemical reactions. Using examples from the classroom, the video discusses the...
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Time: It’s Like, so Deep
Time can be relative but sometimes it is relevant. Large numbers are difficult for pupils to imagine ... and large time scale even more so. A video presentation from the Good Thinking PD series offers tips for teachers to give learners a...
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That’s so Meta(cognitive)!
Explicitly teaching metacognition strategies to pupils sometimes affects their learning potential. A PD video lesson from the Good Thinking series explores the concept and offers strategies for teachers to incorporate in their...
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What’s the “Matter” With Cells and Atoms?
Science concepts often span multiple disciplines. Learn strategies for helping pupils make the connections more effectively using an episode from the Good Thinking PD series. The lesson focuses on the concept of cells and atoms as they...
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Science: A Work in Progress
Science is best taught by connecting concepts rather than isolating topics. Using classroom examples, a video lesson highlights the importance of showing the interconnection of science concepts. The instruction includes strategies to...
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Why Right Brained Is Wrong…Brained
The brain is an especially complex organ. A PD lesson from the Good Thinking series discusses the importance of not isolating processes to the right or left side of the brain. The instruction uses specific examples to illustrate how...
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Photosynthesis: Blinded by the Light
Turn misconceptions into learning opportunities. A video PD lesson from the Good Thinking series reviews common misconceptions pupils develop when learning about photosynthesis. A professional development guide offers a format for...
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Attack the Knack
Motivation is a problem many scholars face—at any level. Use a helpful resource to light a fire and develop a growth mindset in young scholars. Praising effort is much more effective than praising correct answers and often leads to more...
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Make It Rain!
Consistent analysis of teaching and learning is important to growth in the profession. A video lesson—paired with a discussion guide—encourages teachers to consider their strategies for teaching phase changes and the water cycle. The...
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Fired up about Energy
Pupils often inadvertently develop misconceptions due to assumptions made during instruction. A video presentation from the Good Thinking PD series describes how misconceptions about the transfer and conservation of energy occur. By...
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Conceptual Change: How New Ideas Take Root
Get into their heads. Understanding how pupils think is an important consideration when developing lessons. A video presentation from the Good Thinking PD series explores how learners develop new concepts cognitively. It also provides...
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Natural Selection: Common Misconceptions
Overcoming pupil misconceptions is much harder than teaching a new topic. Anticipate misconceptions to avoid having to reteach and relearn by showing a lesson resource from the Good Thinking PD series that highlights common mistakes. A...
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Hirshhorn Museum Podcast: Morris Louis Now: An American Master Revisited
Learn about the American abstract painter Morris Louis in this podcast of the curator of the exhbition "Morris Louis Now: An American Master Revisited" at the Hirshorn Museum, talking about the exhibition.
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Smithsonian American Art Museum: Meet Frank Romero
Video on the American artist Frank Romero. [3:51]
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National Museum of Natural History: Qrius: Astrogeology Meteorites and Spacecraft Missions
Dr. Tim McCoy delves into how we can learn about the formation of the solar system through studying meteorites. [29:16]
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National Museum of Natural History: Qrius: Mineral Transformations: Demystifying Microbes
Understand how microbes transform minerals in this webcast. How can microbes possibly help curb pollution? [29:16]
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National Museum of Natural History: Qrius: Paleobiology Unearthing Fossil Whales
A webcast features a paleontologist who presents the data that can be collected by fossil whales. [29:15]
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National Museum of Natural History: Qrius: Human Evolution Early Human Diets
An archaeologist explains how the bones of early humans can reveal information about their diets. [29:15]
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Smithsonian Magazine: The Father of Camouflage
This short documentary video investigates the art of Abbot Handerson Thayer, the early 20th-century artist who examined camouflage in nature and recommended its use by the military. [6:03]
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National Museum of Natural History: Qrius: Mineral Dependence Gemstones to Cellphones
Dr. Michael Wise explains the incredible qualities of rocks called pegmatites, and our dependence on them for minerals. Wise is a geologist at the National Museum of Natural History. [29:19]
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National Museum of Natural History: Qrius: How to Discover a New Mammal Species
A zoologist from the National Museum of Natural History discusses his discovery of new mammals and why scientists are still looking for new mammals. What can finding new mammals tell us about Earth? [37:59]