Online Mentors and Experts

Online mentors and experts are sites which allow students, teachers and parents to access mentors and experts in many fields. Upon requesting the services of a particular mentor and/or expert, projects can be planned and questions answered on a specific research topic.

Lesson Plans

1. Maryland Learning Outcome Grade 2: Students will demonstrate their ability to read for information by examining, constructing and extending meaning from articles, editorials, content texts, and other expository materials related to the content areas. www.askanexpert.com - Ask an expert is an Internet site that allows you to ask questions of an expert in many fields. The site “connects you with hundreds of real world experts, ranging from astronauts to zookeepers.” This web site is free. Depending on your topic of research the site provides facts, games and surveys for students, teachers and parents. Questions may be e-mailed to the expert for answers.
2. Counting Money - www.askanexpert.com Ask Dr. Math Accessing this site provides information for students, parents and teachers at various educational levels.
3. Science www.askanexpert.com Access Pitsco’s Ask an Expert. Choose “education” category.
4. science@nasa.gov Science@Nasa:AskaScientist - Get questions answered from Nasa experts and e-mail a scientist. Site includes students and teacher lesson plans and activities about various space sciences, earth sciences, etc. Includes lessons with higher-level questions

Activities

1. MLO 2.2.5 Distinguish between cause and effect and fact and opinion. www.askanexpert.com Ask Reptile Man about snakes or other reptiles being researched. Research “myths” about snakes.
2. www.kidsource.com N.2.15 Number Relationships and Computation. Determine the value of a given set of coins up to $10. Learn math. Game 7. Credits: U.S. Department of Education. This sites provides several money math games.
3. www.LessonPlansPage.com MSDE 1.3.9 The student will interpret and communicate findings (i.e. writing and drawing) in a form suited to the purpose and audience, using developmentally appropriate methods including technology tools and telecommunications. Choose: Using the Computer to Learn the Planets. There are many free lesson plans. This lesson plans uses either Microsoft word or Clarisworks to draw the nine planets
4. Science@Nasa:AskaScientist To find more information about "The Sun, Solar System and Soho spacecraft.

ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES TO ONLINE MENTORS AND EXPERTS:

Advantages: These sites are full of current facts and information about various topics. Many topics have already been researched and questions answered. Therefore, you can quickly access information you are researching. Homework help is provided on some. Information can be used by students, teachers and parents. Real world scenarios can be developed and researched.

Science@Nasa:AskaScientist shows current imagery of space topics. Lessons plans and student activities are easily accessed. Motivation is key here for aspiring scientists and the curious minds of our students.

Key benefits of these online services include:

1. instant information access and gathering;
2. development of higher level thinking and learning;
3. differentiated instruction by evaluating different sites and interests;
4. vocabulary development;
5. usage of cooperative groups;
6. self-motivating and fun!

ADAPTATIONS TO CURRENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS:

Individual students and cooperative groups could use online mentors and experts. Cooperative groups could research a subject and come up with questions that still need to be answered. Students could work in cooperative groups based on interest or different topics. An example, would be asking a Nasa scientist using different focus cooperative groups researching ideas like the solar system, comets, satellites, other galaxies, etc.

Acceptable use policy instructions would need to be in place.

1. which mentor and expert links could be used,
2. when the links could be used and by whom (student/teacher)
3. e-mail policy (student and/or teacher),
4. approval of question by teacher
5. how information/research would be communicated
6. instructions and policy for use of PDAs (if applicable)
7. instructions and police for use of laptops (if applicable)
8. Timelines for projects and research
9. Cooperative Team Roles

1. PDAs could be used to take notes and write summaries.
2. Cooperative Groups could use laptops to research Expert sites.