Newton's Castle- Filled with Captivating Converging 2-12 Content Connections

Just like the scientific genius of Newton which isSCIENCE
accessible to a multiplicity of ages and learners, soThey can have fun themselves with connecting
too, the Newton's Castle web resource provides aNewton's rich genius to Science and Math content
vast array of differentiated multidisciplinarycurricula, they are already studied or will be
curricula projects and investigative chambersstudying. They can even author a page of such
within its pages.connections with the heading: Newton KNEW IT
EARLY CHILDHOODALL!!
Language ArtsIntermediate students can design web pages that
A child in grade 2 or 3 can experience an onlinefocus on current issues or stories in science and
think aloud and read aloud using the animationor mathematics which resonate with Newton's
picture walk technique of balanced literacy as theunderstandings.
child considers how and why light is refractedThey can also digitally photograph natural
through a prism.phenomena in daily life that reflect Newton's
Further language arts uses for the prism and whyunderstandings and insights.
dogs chase cars problem construct, would be:SCIENCE/MATHEMATICS/LANGUAGE ARTS
having the children create their own pour quoiNewton's Inventions page can be the jumping off
deliberately fictional folk tale to explain this sciencepoint for the middle school students' creating their
fact and then include an informational paragraphown inventions inspired by his or exploring current
with the science fact data in it!!permutations of how his inventions live on in our
They can also use the questions to author acurrent time.
scientifically accurate answer to the question inThey can relate the information on the
the style of the wonderful John Sciezka SciencePennsylvania Mountains to their Earth Science
Verse (New York: Viking, 2004).Curriculum and research other magnetic
Science/ Mathematical Reasoning/Problem Solvingmountains. They can also develop a list of links for
Since color identification and discussion is part ofthese mountains.
the early childhood science curriculum, children canIntermediate Students can do an invention's need
use this animation as well as the animation of thesurvey, preliminary drawings and a précis
car rolling up hill, as the catalyst for science logdetailing the need, science/mathematical design
picturing observations. These questions also canprinciples behind it, and market design for their
serve as the bases for inculcating young learnersinventions. They can be Newton's 21st Century
in science method and hypothesis formation.apprentices in invention.
The same child can only ponder the scientificHIGH SCHOOL
explanation The child can hypothesize as to whyThe site was developed for, by and with high
the dog chases a car. Therefore the child hasschool students from John F. Kennedy High School.
practiced early childhood learning technologyENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS/TEST
assisted inquiry based learning. The animation andSOPHISTICATION/ REGENTS/SAT ESSAY
web has accessed the young learner to this bigWRITING/ DEBATING/ STUDIES/
Newtonian idea.Of course, for this grade level the power point
MIDDLE ELEMENTARY LEVEL INTERMEDIATEcan be the power catalyst for revisitings of
SCHOOLNewton's achievements and aligning Newton to
LANGUAGE ARTScontemporary issues of intellectual freedom.
On the middle elementary level, children canHigh school students can partake of his castle of
develop their own ideas and stories or factualcritical thinking , investigative and hypothesis
explanations for why cars roll up hill. They can alsoformation as they react to the same issues of
storyboard animations using the visual as acensorship and intellectual freedom for publication
catalyst for persuasive narrative or proceduralthat charged his life.
account or research writing.They can develop their own pro and con
They can develop further science riddles andpersuasive essay takes on some of the issues
respond to them in riddle format.and themes he advocated.
They can also use these questions and the otherOf course they can also research how these
Newton's question page on the web resource asissues have changed and the extent to which
the starting point for procedural account and/orthey figure in today's news.
outlining of the steps they would take in theThey can develop designs for their own pages to
preliminary research process to discover theamplify these issues.
answers to these questions. They could evenThey can also develop model English Regents test
detail what happens when they put thesesophistication questions in multiplechoice, DBQ and
questions into a search engine and then startessay format for the exam and of course
checking out the matches. Of course, they canprovide the answers as well.
also click on the site links to explore the actualMATHEMATICS:
sources of the information.They can explore the extent to which Newton's
They can also write to some of the othermathematical insights are part of their current
experts cited online, creating authenticcurricula or have fun by having him comment on
communications and practicing much neededtheir current mathematics textbooks!!
business/emailing skills.They can research to identify other
Intermediate school students can add in their ownmathematicians who were investigating at the
links with explanations as to how these links enrichsame time as Newton and compare their results
specific pageswith his.
SOCIAL STUDIES/ TEST SOPHISTICATION/SCIENCE:
INTEGRATED BALANCED LITERACYThey can develop sample pages from Newton's
On middle grade levels, the web resource canongoing data keeping in which they hypothesize,
provide information for biographical snapshots orusing his writings and ideas, how he would have
student biography writings of Newton. They canwritten or filled in a current lab observation journal
also rewrite his story for middle school studentsor lab procedure format.
since the web resource target audience is highWORLD HISTORY:
school students.Students can design a timeline focusing on other
Middle school students can map Newton's life togiant multidisciplinary science, mathematics, and
go along with his timeline.political thinkers such as Da Vinci and Einstein and
Intermediate Students can review a teen traderelate Newton's achievements to theirs using
book about Newton to enhance the site!!graphic organizers in a power point.
They can use the timeline, the animations, theA scientist and writer for all centuries, on
graphics, and photos on the site forcyberspace for all to visit and to revision!!
DBQ-document Question links.