Tech Toolkit: Phet Simulations, Fun For All Ages!

Okay! So, since I am someone who is torn between History and Science, today I am going to introduce something that is more science centered. Here we have PhET Interactive Simulations. It is a website dedicated to creating free, interactive, math and science simulations. It is a project of the University of Colorado Boulder, which was created in the hopes of engaging students, through interaction with the sciences, in a game-like environment.

 

Students and Teachers can start to search for simulation, either filtering first by grade levels elementary through university, or simply by subject. The subject areas include: Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, and Math. The thing that I like about this software is that it allows students to use the simulations, in conjunction with their lesson, and see multiple outcomes. Think, if you were to do a science experiment using acids, or with projectiles to analyze angles, mass, and gravity, you probably only can allow the students to experiment once or twice. With the PhET simulations you can still do those experiments, but you can also add in the online simulation. If you were to use the simulation before doing it in person, it would allow the students to practice, and makes mistakes in a fun way. You can even have them do the simulations way out of balance, in order to demonstrate what would happen if everything is not properly aligned.

Here I have a picture of a simulation that plays with projectile motion. The topics that this simulation includes are: motion, speed, angles, mass, and resistance. If you are a registered teacher, you can also access teacher aids. They do confirm your license before allowing access. The aid you can receive includes teacher tips for learning goals, lessons and activities posted by other teachers, and other outside recourses to aid your lessons.

Other games I tried:

Above is My Solar System; which allows you to create your own solar system, control  the mass of planets along with other factors, and see how they rotate.

Below is a game to help students practice arithmetic.