Power Pix

My first unit, "Becoming a Scientist", includes information about lab safety, the metric system, and conducting a test (which aluminum boat can hold the most pennies) while learning about variables. I made up five Power Pix to go with this unit. Four are connected to the New Generation Science Standards (the second public draft of these are supposed to be available in the fall) and one is from the common core math standards. You can download them for free from my Teachers Pay Teachers store. My entire unit is also available on TpT . if you are interested. These power pix are free, since the amazing WBT is a free teachers movement! Since I'm a newbie to WBT, I would love any feedback you have about these power pix!

My plan for using these in class includes having two copies of each pic, one full size and one half size. During the specific lesson, the full size Power Pic will be posted on the front wall of my classroom. Students will practice the gesture and phrase that explain each fact multiple times during that lesson. Each consecutive day after the lesson, class will begin by reviewing all of the Power Pix on the front wall. Once the unit is completed, all of the Power Pix posted on my front wall will be removed, and the half size versions will posted on my power pix wall.

To get all "science-y" on you for a second, I love what Chris Biffle says in his e-book about using power pix.: "A significant quantity of modern brain research demonstrates that we learn best by seeing, saying, hearing and doing. When we see information, we employ the visual cortex near the rear of the brain; when we say and hear information, the language centers, Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area in the brain’s left hemisphere are active. When we engage in a physical learning activity we employ the motor cortex, our most reliable memory storage area, located in a band across the top, center of the brain. " (Third Grade Power Pix Language Arts, copyright 2009, Chris Biffle and Jay Vanderfin)  It  makes complete sense to me, and I can think of a hundred examples in my own life where I have remembered something for a long period of time because I could connect it to sounds, images, and/or body movements. I can still remember the dance routine that I did as a cheerleader at my senior homecoming pep assembly (15+ YEARS AGO!) ! I can only do the routine if I sing the song, though! I can't wait to see how this activity positively impacts my students.