Overview

PhET Interactive Simulations (https://phet.colorado.edu/), a project of the University of Colorado Boulder, provides fun, free, interactive, research-based science and mathematics simulations for use across, primary, secondary, and higher education levels. We extensively test and evaluate each simulation to ensure educational effectiveness. All simulations are open source and free to all students and teachers. In this course, you will (a) acquire teaching and facilitation strategies for how to use PhET simulations in a K-2 classroom, (b) explore how PhET simulations can support multilingual students, and (c) engage with lessons supporting students’ learning of counting, number sense, and place value. To finish this course, you need to complete one assignment with peer review: complete one early math teacher guide (using a template) to plan a lesson on numeracy using one of the PhET simulations introduced in this course.

Syllabus

Building Number Sense

In this module, you will activate your prior knowledge of what it means to have number sense, and brainstorm ways to support all students.

Exploring Math Identity

It is common for many students–and their teachers–to approach math with some trepidation. This module aims to help you unpack how you and your students might approach math, and what you can do to shift from math anxiety toward mathematical curiosity and joy.

Teaching Early Math to Diverse Student Populations

In this module, you will learn the importance of providing a strong foundation of number sense for early mathematics learners, specifically to diverse populations.

Number Play

In this module, you will learn how to effectively facilitate a lesson using the Number Play simulation.

Number Pairs

In this module, you will learn how to effectively facilitate a lesson utilizing the simulation, Number Pairs, which will continue to build a foundation for composing and decomposing numbers within 0-20, and adding two numbers to create sums from 0-20. Multiple contexts allow for learners to engage in two problem types in which both addends are unknown: location-based and attribute-based (Champagne et al., 2014). In location-based problems, the addends are separated in distinct ways, such as in separate piles, or on the left and right side of a simulation. In attribute-based problems, the addends are distinguished by an attribute, such as color. Number Pairs includes both problem types to better connect to each student’s thinking, regardless of how they visualize two addends. Reference: Champagne, Z. M., Schoen, R., & Riddle, C. M. (2014, September). Variations in both addends unknown problems. Teaching Children Mathematics, 21(2), 114–121.

Number Compare

In this module, you will learn how to leverage the functionality of Number Compare to support students’ learning of how to compare numbers in multiple ways.

PhET's Instructional Approach

In this module, you will learn about PhET’s teaching philosophy and how this philosophy is supported with meaningful sim-based lessons.

Make a Ten

In this module, we now return to sample lessons, with which you will learn how to effectively facilitate a lesson utilizing another simulation called Make a Ten.

Creating Your Own Sim-Based Lessons

In this module, you will learn how to build effective sim-based lessons in different contexts.

The PhET Website

In this module, you will learn about resources available on the PhET website that can support you as you plan to use simulations with your students.

Pulling It All Together

This module is a summary and wrap-up of the simulations and resources with which you have engaged in this course. As you think about your experience with the simulations and accompanying lessons, reflect on ways the sims and lessons support student confidence, agency, ownership, growth mindset, and positive mathematical identity in all learners.