Make Science and Math Lessons Interactive with PhET Interactive Simulations

Are you looking for a way to make your science or math lessons more interactive? Have you loved using interactive simulations with students? Now it’s easier than ever to incorporate your favorite PhET simulations using the new built-in PhET tool in Lumio. The tool, Desmos, is a free resource that allows you to add various interactive simulations that students can manipulate in real time. PhET simulations allow your students to experiment with science concepts that can often be abstract, such as diffusion or color vision. They can be created as standalone activities or added to any Lumio lesson, including those containing pages from uploaded content like PowerPoint or Google Slides. Students can engage with a PhET simulation on the SMART Board or individually, using their own devices when content is pushed out via Lumio. 

How to add a PhET simulation to your Lumio lesson:

1. Login to your Lumio account.
2. Click the green activities button to create a new activity or click the blue plus sign from within an existing Lumio lesson. 
3. Choose PhET at the top of the page.
4. Browse through the available simulations or search for a specific topic. Click on the simulation you are interested in. 
5. Preview the simulation before using it and select “Save to my lesson” to add it to the Lumio lesson. 
6. Once you’re ready to go, launch the lesson by clicking “Start”. 
7. When you get to the PhET simulation in your lesson, click “Start” to push out the content to students. 

As you can see, PhET simulations are unique interactive tools that are easy to implement with your students. Please note that any work produced or data collected will not be saved during your lessons. Consider using the screen capture tool on the SMART Board or have students take screenshots on their individual devices to keep records of student work. 

To learn more about SMART Learning Suite and Lumio, check out the website, or take a look at our library of SMART courses. Let us know your classroom success stories with Lumio – email us at otis@teq.com.

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