ORC Resource Types

Discipline: Science

Professional Commentary: This promising practice lesson examines water quality by having students analyze a water pollution story, learn about water contaminants, and have a class discussion (both online and in the classroom) about water uses. The main goal is to teach students that depending on how water is used and who is using it, it can be safe or unsafe....

Discipline: Science

Professional Commentary: This promising practice resource helps students understand the stages of mitosis and associated cell structures within the context of learning about cancer. Students actively explore mitosis by investigating three hypothetical plant-based medicines....

Discipline: Science

Professional Commentary: This promising practice lesson provides students the opportunity to investigate environmental chemicals as a possible cause of the observed frog deformities. It asks students to view web-based evidence and interpret whether it supports the environmental chemical hypothesis....

Projects: Standards First

Discipline: Science

Professional Commentary: This promising practice resource provides students with the opportunity to investigate parasites as a possible cause of observed frog deformities by viewing web-based evidence.  They are then asked to interpret this evidence to determine whether or not it supports the parasite hypothesis.  As a culminating activity/assessment students are asked to write a letter to a scientist stating their opinions and questions about the parasite hypothesis.  (author/cb)

Discipline: Science

Professional Commentary: In this promising practice resource, students learn what malaria is, where it is prevalent, and how people catch it.  Then they analyze and examine evidence from the Internet related to the malaria. Lastly, students investigate three suggested strategies for controlling the spread of malaria.  Take this lesson one step further by examining ORC Resource #4838, The DDT-Malaria Controversy.  This resource asks students to critique the scientific evidence related to the productive uses and harmful side-effects of DDT.  (author/cb)

Discipline: Science

Professional Commentary: In this best practice project, students critique the scientific evidence related to the productive uses and harmful side-effects of DDT. Based on what they learn about this pesticide and what they already know about malaria, they create an argument about the proposed global ban of DDT and present this argument during a classroom debate....

Projects: Standards First

Discipline: Science

Professional Commentary: The promising practice resource begins with a review of the basic biology and behaviors of wolves as well as their roll in the ecosystem as a predator.  Along with this, interactions that wolves and humans have leads into an exploration of potential management plans.  Students are then asked to analyze these potential plans during an online class discussion.  Take this resource one step further by having students research and come up with a management plan for one of Ohio's endangered animals by going to ORC resource #2180, Ohio's Endangered Wildlife.  (author/cb)

Discipline: Science

Professional Commentary: The resource requires students to critically think about evidence dealing with the global warming controversy. Based on the evidence students develop a causal map showing the relationships between the causes and effects of global warming....

Discipline: Science

Professional Commentary: This promising practice lesson is designed to be used in any of the science disciplines prior to students doing research on the Internet. Students develop a set of criteria using the CARS (credibility, accuracy, reasonableness and support) strategy for evaluating information on the Internet and then apply that criteria to a series of articles....

Discipline: Science

Professional Commentary: This best practice lesson is an inquiry-based lesson dealing with Gypsy Moth infestations in forests. In Module 1 students gather background information on Gypsy Moths....

Projects: Standards First