One of the most obivious steps I am taking to ensure all students succeed is going through this program at Walden. I have found inumerable resources which have been directly applied to my class. The support of fellow students provides further incite about experiences of others. This has had a direct impact on my work on curriculum in my district. The backwards design process is one I use when designing lesson sequences. I establish learning targets for my students based on national and state standards. I incorporate more real world applications to motivate my students and help them develop a deeper understanding of content. I share what I've learned with others in meetings and workshops.
I still feel the greatest obstacle is colleagues who fail to recognize the impact they have on their students. Their negative attitudes poison their classrooms and student perceptions. They still attend workshops, but for the sake of being away from their students instead of for acquiring more knowledge. I hope they will one day find the spark to inspire their students. My inspiration has been to be the kind of teacher I want my own children to have.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Where is Our Next Sputnik?
I couldn't have agreed more with Thomas Frieman's article "What's Our Sputnik?" (January 10, 2010). I think the priorities of our country have shifted far from helping and supporting those within our own country and set a priority with handling the problems of those overseas. I do not disagree with supporting our global neighbors, but think it has been at the expense of the infrastructure in our own country.
President Bush enacted No Child Left Behind, but failed to supply the funding necessary to ensure districts focused on more than these two content areas. Since its inception, US school have fallen further behind in science test scores compared with European and Asian countries (Banchero, 2011). Science is not an isolated subject: it has application in medicine, farming, and bridge building. In addition to keeping science testing out of NCLB, districts have left it behind as far as adequately supplying facilities and technology. How can we expect to raise scientifically literate citizens prepared for a global economy, when educators are not able to provide experiences necessary to support them?
In addition to lags in education, businesses are falling behind because other countries are offering better incenctives to send US companies overseas (Carey, 2010). To make ourselves more competitive, the government must partner with businesses, workers, educators, and other countries to best utilize the human resources available supporting the vitality of our citizens. There does not seem to be a Sputnik spurring us on in this moment. LIke Friedman, I believe we are being driven by overseas oil supplies and terrorist groups instead of by what is best for the people. Until priorities are shifted, the United States will continue to fall further behind in education, business and world leading nations.
Banchero, S. (2011, January 26). Students score poorly on science test. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704698004576103940087329966.html
Friedman, T. L. (2010, January 17). What’s our Sputnik? [Op-Ed]. The New York Times [Late Edition (East Coast)], p. WK.8.
Carey, W.P. (2010, May 19). Will the U.S stay globally competitive? It depends. Know WPC. Retrieved from http://www.knowwpcarey.com/article.cfm?aid=122
President Bush enacted No Child Left Behind, but failed to supply the funding necessary to ensure districts focused on more than these two content areas. Since its inception, US school have fallen further behind in science test scores compared with European and Asian countries (Banchero, 2011). Science is not an isolated subject: it has application in medicine, farming, and bridge building. In addition to keeping science testing out of NCLB, districts have left it behind as far as adequately supplying facilities and technology. How can we expect to raise scientifically literate citizens prepared for a global economy, when educators are not able to provide experiences necessary to support them?
In addition to lags in education, businesses are falling behind because other countries are offering better incenctives to send US companies overseas (Carey, 2010). To make ourselves more competitive, the government must partner with businesses, workers, educators, and other countries to best utilize the human resources available supporting the vitality of our citizens. There does not seem to be a Sputnik spurring us on in this moment. LIke Friedman, I believe we are being driven by overseas oil supplies and terrorist groups instead of by what is best for the people. Until priorities are shifted, the United States will continue to fall further behind in education, business and world leading nations.
Banchero, S. (2011, January 26). Students score poorly on science test. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704698004576103940087329966.html
Friedman, T. L. (2010, January 17). What’s our Sputnik? [Op-Ed]. The New York Times [Late Edition (East Coast)], p. WK.8.
Carey, W.P. (2010, May 19). Will the U.S stay globally competitive? It depends. Know WPC. Retrieved from http://www.knowwpcarey.com/article.cfm?aid=122
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Modeling in Earth Science
Earth Science is definitely not my strength. My UGH attitude about it has been turned around quite a bit through the explorations we have journeyed through during this course. One of my least favorite parts about Earth science is rocks; yet, I chose to do my modeling lesson on the rock cycle. My model was edible using ingredients such as evaporated milk to represent silt, vanilla to represent crude oil, and walnuts for sediments and erosion. Additional ingredients included marshmallows, sugar, and chocolate. The process of heating and stirring were the change in temperature and pressure. Everything gets mixed together and finally cools creating a new "rock".
I like the lesson I developed. I reviewed the rock cycle, had graphic models, and even found some animations. The problem was I presented my lesson to a group of summer school students entering grades 5 through 8. Some of them had the prior knowledge necessary, but most did not. I struggled with content because it was really difficult to have all students at the level I would have expected if teaching this in a regular classroom. It was also difficult because this was outside the context of the reading remediation class in which the students were enrolled. It was definitely not the success I was hoping for.
I did modify the lesson and use more guided instruction than I had originally planned. The students were able to retrieve some important information and did make some connections to what I was attempting to represent with my edible rock cycle model. They were happy because they had a treat at the end. I was satisfied with what I learned about the rock cycle and the resources that I may need for future use. It has been tricky to teach other lessons for the coursework out of sequence within my own classroom. This was a much bigger challenge than that. I would definitely be willing to use this lesson at another time.
I like the lesson I developed. I reviewed the rock cycle, had graphic models, and even found some animations. The problem was I presented my lesson to a group of summer school students entering grades 5 through 8. Some of them had the prior knowledge necessary, but most did not. I struggled with content because it was really difficult to have all students at the level I would have expected if teaching this in a regular classroom. It was also difficult because this was outside the context of the reading remediation class in which the students were enrolled. It was definitely not the success I was hoping for.
I did modify the lesson and use more guided instruction than I had originally planned. The students were able to retrieve some important information and did make some connections to what I was attempting to represent with my edible rock cycle model. They were happy because they had a treat at the end. I was satisfied with what I learned about the rock cycle and the resources that I may need for future use. It has been tricky to teach other lessons for the coursework out of sequence within my own classroom. This was a much bigger challenge than that. I would definitely be willing to use this lesson at another time.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Natural Disasters and Student Involvement
It seems there has been a steady flow of disasters affecting people all around the world. The most recent include the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the tornadoes in the southern United States. I teach 7th graders who often start class asking if I have heard about the latest headlines or I begin by asking the same. (This included birds falling from the sky in Arkansas in January.) I always give class time for students to share what they have heard or seen and ask questions.
I feel it is important for students to be given the opportunity to have discussions about science because it is rarely the topic for conversation with their friends or at home. Often, students make their own connections to scientific concepts or draw conclusions based on what has been shared. I bring in articles from the newspaper and magazines to start some of our conversations. Other times, I go to the web to get the latest updates or for clarification. We not only discuss the science part of the topic, but include how it impacts their lives or those of people they know.
I have never asked my students what they thought they might do to help those in need because so many of my students are in need of some kind of assistance. Usually, there is a small group of students in the school that starts some kind of drive and advertises over our morning announcements. One of the most successful fundraising efforts was a penny war between grade levels after the earthquake in Haiti. I always donate through UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) because they are among the first to arrive. I would worry about promoting any kind of help that is connected to a church because of that line separating church and state. In the future, I will try to solicit more ideas from my students about what they think would be a way to help those in need. It is very possible that we could be the next community in need of others' help.
UMCOR information found at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/
The Washington Post. 2011. Dead birds fall from the sky. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/05/AR2011010502625.html
I feel it is important for students to be given the opportunity to have discussions about science because it is rarely the topic for conversation with their friends or at home. Often, students make their own connections to scientific concepts or draw conclusions based on what has been shared. I bring in articles from the newspaper and magazines to start some of our conversations. Other times, I go to the web to get the latest updates or for clarification. We not only discuss the science part of the topic, but include how it impacts their lives or those of people they know.
I have never asked my students what they thought they might do to help those in need because so many of my students are in need of some kind of assistance. Usually, there is a small group of students in the school that starts some kind of drive and advertises over our morning announcements. One of the most successful fundraising efforts was a penny war between grade levels after the earthquake in Haiti. I always donate through UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) because they are among the first to arrive. I would worry about promoting any kind of help that is connected to a church because of that line separating church and state. In the future, I will try to solicit more ideas from my students about what they think would be a way to help those in need. It is very possible that we could be the next community in need of others' help.
UMCOR information found at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/
The Washington Post. 2011. Dead birds fall from the sky. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/05/AR2011010502625.html
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Ask a Scientist
I asked a scientist a question about my endangered species project. I asked, "Are there genetic factors that are contributing to the endangerment of the Indiana bat? Are there any genetic links between the Indiana bat and its resistance or susceptibility to white nose disease?" Unfortunately, I have not had a response to my question and will need to seek this information elsewhere.
I do like the website. There are a lot of interesting links. One that leads to health areas has a link called "BAM! Body and Mind" that targets 9 - 13 year olds. It's a bit corny, but appropriate for that age. There is also a link for teachers with activities to use in the classroom. There are also interesting links about science career choices specifically for kids.
I did like reading the top 10 questions in each of the science categories. Some were similar to questions my students have asked me. Some were waaaaaay over my head, but there were snippets I understood. I think this would be a good starting point for some topics of conversation in the class. Based on the slow response time to my question, I would not rely on it for immediate answers for my students.
I do like the website. There are a lot of interesting links. One that leads to health areas has a link called "BAM! Body and Mind" that targets 9 - 13 year olds. It's a bit corny, but appropriate for that age. There is also a link for teachers with activities to use in the classroom. There are also interesting links about science career choices specifically for kids.
I did like reading the top 10 questions in each of the science categories. Some were similar to questions my students have asked me. Some were waaaaaay over my head, but there were snippets I understood. I think this would be a good starting point for some topics of conversation in the class. Based on the slow response time to my question, I would not rely on it for immediate answers for my students.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
multimedia tools
I am NOT technologically savvy, so each time I have to explore a new venue I get a bit panicky. This task was no exception. I was particularly looking for ease of use and support services as I explored some of the sites. One note: some sites worked better through regular Google and others worked better with GoogleChrome. I'm not sure if that's just because of my browser and older Microsoft version.
Prezi
My first introduction to Prezi was actually through my boyfriend's daughter. She was very excited about using it because of the way she could manipulate all of the components. I had to agree with her. I found this tool to be a combination of PowerPoint and a webbing program, Inspiration. The tutorial was extremely useful and I liked the ease of using this tool. I think the big picture layout gives a better opportunity for editing and rearranging material. Because you set up an account, access can be from any computer. That is a bonus because I can work from home, school, or any location without having to worrying about having an external storage device. This is a definite front runner in my choices.
ZohoShow and 280Slides
These two sites offered similar features. An interesting difference was Zoho worked better on regular Google and 280Slides on GoogleChrome. Both sites were able to use a collection of clipart, upload photos and videos, or import from other sites. Each site could also be accessed from any computer. Your presentation can be downloaded to PowerPoint or presented directly from the browser. There were tutorials for each. The ZohoShow was easier to follow and offered more follow up support. Of the two, I would be more inclined to use ZohoShow.
Finally, I looked at Ahead presentations. This layout of the slides and high resolution were very nice features. The tutorial went very quickly and there was no sound, so I got lost very quickly. It also seemed to be more geared toward business presentations than ones for school. I'm sure there were other positive features, but the complexity made my brain shut down and I knew it was not the program for me.
I am still feeling slightly queasy over creating this type of presentation. I have two experts in my daughter and son to help me make my way through this process this first time.
Prezi
My first introduction to Prezi was actually through my boyfriend's daughter. She was very excited about using it because of the way she could manipulate all of the components. I had to agree with her. I found this tool to be a combination of PowerPoint and a webbing program, Inspiration. The tutorial was extremely useful and I liked the ease of using this tool. I think the big picture layout gives a better opportunity for editing and rearranging material. Because you set up an account, access can be from any computer. That is a bonus because I can work from home, school, or any location without having to worrying about having an external storage device. This is a definite front runner in my choices.
ZohoShow and 280Slides
These two sites offered similar features. An interesting difference was Zoho worked better on regular Google and 280Slides on GoogleChrome. Both sites were able to use a collection of clipart, upload photos and videos, or import from other sites. Each site could also be accessed from any computer. Your presentation can be downloaded to PowerPoint or presented directly from the browser. There were tutorials for each. The ZohoShow was easier to follow and offered more follow up support. Of the two, I would be more inclined to use ZohoShow.
Finally, I looked at Ahead presentations. This layout of the slides and high resolution were very nice features. The tutorial went very quickly and there was no sound, so I got lost very quickly. It also seemed to be more geared toward business presentations than ones for school. I'm sure there were other positive features, but the complexity made my brain shut down and I knew it was not the program for me.
I am still feeling slightly queasy over creating this type of presentation. I have two experts in my daughter and son to help me make my way through this process this first time.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Nuclear Decay: 21st Century Topics and Tools
I began my search for a 21st century topic by looking through our text from the last class Teaching Science in Elementary & Middle School by Buxton and Provenzo (2007). I was intrigued by Experiment #86 titled "Modeling Nuclear Half-Life". There is a lot of discussion in the news about radioactive materials, especially in a way of eliminating bacteria in some fresh food. I knew nothing about the topic, but found the topic intriguing. The activity involves food, which my seventh grade students would like and I thought it might tie in with a chemistry unit I teach.
First, I needed to understand what nuclear deacy and radioactive half-life mean. It deals iwth the time it takes for one-half the amount of a radioactive element to decay. It does not decay in a biological sense, but the element transforms itself into a different, more stable element. One of the websites that I found useful in helping me understand the concept was http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/elements-and-compounds.cfm. This site had the same basic activity as the one in the book. This, however, also had definitions for what the model in the activity are meant to represent. It also had extensions that tied to everyday compounds and the work of Marie Curie. Links at this site included a link to an iteractive tourof the fundamentals of matter and force http://particleadventure.org/index.html. I could see using this link for further information about the atom.
The activity to be done is to use 60 M&Ms to represent atoms of a radioactive element like polonium. After one minute, half of the atoms will decay and be transformed into a more stable element: in this case, polonium is transformed into lead. Students create a table showing how many M&Ms are left after one, two, three, five, and ten minutes. The web site that best described what was happening came from videos for middle school at http://www.globalshiksha.com/content/radioactive-decay-for-middle-school. I would use this resource after students do the activity. The video gives an in-depth explanation of parent and daughter elements. It shows a version of the activity already done and how it applies to nuclear decay. The video is also engaging because it gives history and explanation that is language understandable for middle school students. In addtion, it shows how scientists apply radioactive decay to carbon dating.
A final source came from http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/alpha-decay. This showed a simulation of how elements change from radiactive to non-radioactive elements. It also projected a timeline that showed how the halflife is not the same for all atoms in a given sample. Again, this site gave another link that described the application to carbon dating http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/radioactive-dating-game.
All of these tools will help prepare students to be scientifically literate for several reasons. First, it offers a model that students can manipulate and graph. The graph has very predictable behaviors that students can apply to any radioactive material. The resources do not teach the concept in isolation, but show history and application to other relevant scientific concepts. A challenge may be that this is such an abstract topic, students may have difficulty seeing how it is relevant to them. For me, it would also be a challenge to have enough computer time for students to explore the interactive sites. I hope that the activity and, history, and video would provide enough information for students to get a basic understanding.
First, I needed to understand what nuclear deacy and radioactive half-life mean. It deals iwth the time it takes for one-half the amount of a radioactive element to decay. It does not decay in a biological sense, but the element transforms itself into a different, more stable element. One of the websites that I found useful in helping me understand the concept was http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/elements-and-compounds.cfm. This site had the same basic activity as the one in the book. This, however, also had definitions for what the model in the activity are meant to represent. It also had extensions that tied to everyday compounds and the work of Marie Curie. Links at this site included a link to an iteractive tourof the fundamentals of matter and force http://particleadventure.org/index.html. I could see using this link for further information about the atom.
The activity to be done is to use 60 M&Ms to represent atoms of a radioactive element like polonium. After one minute, half of the atoms will decay and be transformed into a more stable element: in this case, polonium is transformed into lead. Students create a table showing how many M&Ms are left after one, two, three, five, and ten minutes. The web site that best described what was happening came from videos for middle school at http://www.globalshiksha.com/content/radioactive-decay-for-middle-school. I would use this resource after students do the activity. The video gives an in-depth explanation of parent and daughter elements. It shows a version of the activity already done and how it applies to nuclear decay. The video is also engaging because it gives history and explanation that is language understandable for middle school students. In addtion, it shows how scientists apply radioactive decay to carbon dating.
A final source came from http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/alpha-decay. This showed a simulation of how elements change from radiactive to non-radioactive elements. It also projected a timeline that showed how the halflife is not the same for all atoms in a given sample. Again, this site gave another link that described the application to carbon dating http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/radioactive-dating-game.
All of these tools will help prepare students to be scientifically literate for several reasons. First, it offers a model that students can manipulate and graph. The graph has very predictable behaviors that students can apply to any radioactive material. The resources do not teach the concept in isolation, but show history and application to other relevant scientific concepts. A challenge may be that this is such an abstract topic, students may have difficulty seeing how it is relevant to them. For me, it would also be a challenge to have enough computer time for students to explore the interactive sites. I hope that the activity and, history, and video would provide enough information for students to get a basic understanding.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Heat Transfer Just Right
I could definitely see how this lesson could be used in my middle school class. To get my students motivated I would start with the real world example of the McDonald's customer that sued over the temperature of the hot coffee that they spilled in their lap. Isn't that the reason there is now the warning on the cups that the contents may be hot. In my students' eyes it's a no brainer, but exploring the ridiculous is a great motivator for 7th graders.
To begin, I would start with the Goldilocks story and begin with the question "What is just right?" I would let my students offer answers that begin to develop a set of just right criteria. Then I would introduce the McDonald's lawsuit. I would have my students do research about the temperature of coffee after it has been brewed and what ideal temperatures are for drinking warm liquids. They could also investigate the different kinds of cups are used for serving hot takeout drinks. I hope this will lead my students to develop a scientific question like "Does the type of cup influence how long it takes for a hot beverage to cool enough to drink?" Instead of using coffee, we would test with hot chocolate.
Thirty minutes of wait time for measuring temperature is too long in a 50 minute science class. There will have to be modifications in the serving size or students will need to test the temperature more freuqently, at 3-5 minute intervals. Testing at time intervals will give the students data for analyzing. At the end of the total test time, students will use their data and knowledge of heat transfer to formulate a conclusion about which beverage container retains heat the best and what the wait time is before it is safely drinkable.
I think the real world application will be the motivator for my students to see how this affects them. It may also lead to conversation and questions about design. The ability to drink all of their test samples will also be a motivating factor...seventh graders like free food.
To begin, I would start with the Goldilocks story and begin with the question "What is just right?" I would let my students offer answers that begin to develop a set of just right criteria. Then I would introduce the McDonald's lawsuit. I would have my students do research about the temperature of coffee after it has been brewed and what ideal temperatures are for drinking warm liquids. They could also investigate the different kinds of cups are used for serving hot takeout drinks. I hope this will lead my students to develop a scientific question like "Does the type of cup influence how long it takes for a hot beverage to cool enough to drink?" Instead of using coffee, we would test with hot chocolate.
Thirty minutes of wait time for measuring temperature is too long in a 50 minute science class. There will have to be modifications in the serving size or students will need to test the temperature more freuqently, at 3-5 minute intervals. Testing at time intervals will give the students data for analyzing. At the end of the total test time, students will use their data and knowledge of heat transfer to formulate a conclusion about which beverage container retains heat the best and what the wait time is before it is safely drinkable.
I think the real world application will be the motivator for my students to see how this affects them. It may also lead to conversation and questions about design. The ability to drink all of their test samples will also be a motivating factor...seventh graders like free food.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Marble Momentum
When first reading the question choices, I thought the answers seemed very obvious and did not know how I would be able to think about how inquiry would be at work. I was very wrong and probably ended up with more complexity than was necessary. I chose the question "How do different surfaces affect the momentum of marbles."
The first problem I encountered was how to apply the same amount of force on the marble to propel it across the surface. I started by flicking my finger against it, but realized there was no way to know for certain how much force was exerted each time. This meant I had to come up with some kind of launcher. I started looking through some of my kids old toys, like Hot Wheels race track, but none of them was an ideal fit. This meant I had to design my own marble shooter.
Designing the shooter fit in with the engineer design process because I had to plan, design, construct and test. I used a rubber band stretched across two nails in a board. I had to adjust how far apart the nails were and find an optimal point for stretching back the marble. It was actually kind of fun and my teenage kids got into helping me with it. Once construction was complete, I tested momentum on a hard floor, carpet, and bed. The results were what I expected, but I realized a lot more thought had to go into setting up the test.
I also learned more about impulse, the amount of time the force applied to an object. This was how long the marble was in contact with the rubber band the more it was pulled back. The more contact time between the two equalled great force and momentum. This was a bit of an "Aha" moment for me because I had a hands-on example of what had been explained in our text.
Through this inquiry experience, I saw how something I thought was very simple can actully turn into a more in-depth learning experience. For my seventh graders, I could have a bunch of materials for marble shooter building. This would incorporate EDP with inquiry. Even though I didn't go any further than momentum and impulse, the question could include further study of Newton's Laws. The possibilities are endless, but that can also be a problem. I would need to set limits on the number of concepts included in answering the question so it does not become too overwhelming or time consuming. However, students would definitely be encouraged to study further on their own.
Any time toys are used in the classrom, students see the relevance to their lives. It also makes learning more fun. From this activity I would like them to learn to ask questions that are testable, design a possible solution and draw conclusions based on their results. This turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected.
The first problem I encountered was how to apply the same amount of force on the marble to propel it across the surface. I started by flicking my finger against it, but realized there was no way to know for certain how much force was exerted each time. This meant I had to come up with some kind of launcher. I started looking through some of my kids old toys, like Hot Wheels race track, but none of them was an ideal fit. This meant I had to design my own marble shooter.
Designing the shooter fit in with the engineer design process because I had to plan, design, construct and test. I used a rubber band stretched across two nails in a board. I had to adjust how far apart the nails were and find an optimal point for stretching back the marble. It was actually kind of fun and my teenage kids got into helping me with it. Once construction was complete, I tested momentum on a hard floor, carpet, and bed. The results were what I expected, but I realized a lot more thought had to go into setting up the test.
I also learned more about impulse, the amount of time the force applied to an object. This was how long the marble was in contact with the rubber band the more it was pulled back. The more contact time between the two equalled great force and momentum. This was a bit of an "Aha" moment for me because I had a hands-on example of what had been explained in our text.
Through this inquiry experience, I saw how something I thought was very simple can actully turn into a more in-depth learning experience. For my seventh graders, I could have a bunch of materials for marble shooter building. This would incorporate EDP with inquiry. Even though I didn't go any further than momentum and impulse, the question could include further study of Newton's Laws. The possibilities are endless, but that can also be a problem. I would need to set limits on the number of concepts included in answering the question so it does not become too overwhelming or time consuming. However, students would definitely be encouraged to study further on their own.
Any time toys are used in the classrom, students see the relevance to their lives. It also makes learning more fun. From this activity I would like them to learn to ask questions that are testable, design a possible solution and draw conclusions based on their results. This turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected.
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