Action Research Projects by Teachers

Step 2:

1. What is the title of the project?

Chemistry in Art: Crossing the Curriculum

 

2. What is the Question?

Can teaching chemistry be paired with art instruction to boost student performance in chemistry?

 

3. What strategy is being used to address the question?

It is almost like a Thematic Unit in that it is integrating Art into Chemistry. However, it failed miserably because the practicioner did not know how to implement it.

 

4. What evidence is presented that the strategy will work?

The creator of the AR states, "Teachers may need new connections with their students regarding the curriculum."  This seems to match up with the idea of a Thematic Unit in which themes are a way of understanding new concepts and provide mental organizing schemes.

 

5. How will data be collected to determine if the strategy will work?

Attendance was compared with the year before.  I have an issue with this data collection because classes tend to be unique in their attendance as well as their grades.  Some years classrooms will witness record breaking absences but it boils down to the type of students it contains.  How can this be a valid way to collect data?

 

6. How was the data analyzed?

The teacher developed four points for future teachers attempting an integrated curriculum soley based on his own experience.

 

7. What were the results?

The teacher saw a continued motivation in the students.  This could be significant since the subject Chemistry does not hold a lot of student motivation.

 

8. How do the results inform teacher practice?

His experience and his failures in carrying out theme units does give an insight in what direction may be  taken or avoided in such a project.  Sharing experience in the education community is what completes scientific research.

 

Step 3:  Rhyme, Word Family Recognition, and Reading in Kindergarten

1. What is the problem?

Kindergarten students at the Professional Development School (PDS) struggle with recognizing rhyme and word families in text.

 

2. What is the rational for the project?

Improving this basic literacy skill has been identified by the primary teachers as a goal in the school’s Strategic Plan and research shows that implementing a rangeof rhyming games can help students improve their recognition of rhyme and word families in text.

 

3. What strategy will be use to address the problem?

A variety of rhyming games will be introduced during readinginstruction in the kindergarten classroom. The selected games will require students to use basic elements of phonetic analysis, one of the CSOs for Kindergarten.

 

4. What is the question?

“How can I use a variety of rhyming games to help my students recognize rhyme and word families in text?” A supporting question is, “Will the rhyming strategies change student attitudes

about reading instruction?”

 

5. What evidence is presented that the strategy will work?

The teacher used literary resources to determine:

Nearly 30 years ago, Wylie and Durrell (1970) reported that their studies of early literacy
development revealed that children learn words more easily by the use of “rhyming phonograms” as
opposed to learning complicated decoding rules that have many exceptions.

 

6. How will data be collected?

The teacher will begin with a pre-assessment before the project begins for all students on decoding strategies. The same assessment is administered at the end of a four weeks project implementation.  The pre- and post-test results were compared to document the overall impact of the project

 

Ecological WebQuest using Google Earth

I finished my PBL for my 75 hour clinical and it seems to have been a success.  The URL to access my WebQuest if you are interested in using it in your classroom is:
https://sites.google.com/site/ecologicaldisasters/

The students really like using Google Earth to look at an environmental disaster.  The response was that 1st - it made it easier to view the disaster than reading about it in a textbook.  2nd - a textbook wouldn't be up-to-date with a current view of the Aral Sea.  I think there was an overwhelming response that Google Earth made this lesson exciting.  The students could explore the areas; see the posts the public has made; look at ship wrecks and the town; see the Biological Weapons Base...  This lesson plan worked. 

The lesson below is only an outline; the URL for the WebQuest that contains current links is:  https://w.taskstream.com/Lesson/View/D6BF73F4C99496D0A60AF17F41EB696B

Ecological Disasters WebQuest

Author:Jaime Ford
Based on lesson by: Jaime Ford
Date created: 03/05/2012 8:21 AM EDT ; Date modified: 03/22/2012 5:52 AM EDT

GENERAL COMMENT AREA
General Comments
Basic Information
Subject(s)	Biology, Science
Topic	Ecological Disasters
Time/Period	5 to 7, 50 minute class sessions
Grade/Level	Grade 10
Objective	Define ecology and man-made ecological disasters Find a coordinate of an ecological disaster using Google Earth Discover the reason the coordinate is defined as one of the world's worst disasters from an assigned scientific field Use the terms abiotic, biotic, limiting agent and carrying capacity while defining the location of the ecological disaster Use the technology Arc GIS to create a map
Assessment/Rubrics	Starter Question - 1 point/question (based on participation and paper record) Google Exploration/Observation - 10 points (based on content/completion and higher level thinking) Research - 10 points (based on content/completion and higher level thinking) Arc GIS - 10 points (based on content/completion and higher level thinking) PowerPoint Presentation - 20 points (see attachment called Presentation Rubric) Attachments: Presentation Rubric
Materials	Materials and resources: Observation and Research (Lab) Paper Technology resources: IE Explorer, Google Earth, Arc GIS Mapping Service, and PowerPoint Students will work in groups of 3 to 4
Content Specific Requirements	Students will become familiar with using Google Earth, Arc GIS, and PowerPoint
Standards and Key Concepts
Content Area Standards	Display: Collapse AllExpand All WV- West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives Subject: Science Grade or Course: Biology Standard: SC.S.B.2 Content of ScienceStudents will Objective: SC.O.B.2.18 evaluate environmental factors that affect succession, populations and communities. Objective: SC.O.B.2.19 propose ecosystem models that incorporate interactions of biotic and abiotic environmental variables (e.g., biogeochemical cycles). Objective: SC.O.B.2.22 analyze graphs, GIS data and traditional maps reflecting changes in population to predict limiting factors in ecosystems as they determine carrying capacity.
National Standards	A population consists of all individuals of a species that occur together at a given place and time. All populations living together and the physical factors with which they interact compose an ecosystem The number of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available and abiotic factors, such as quantity of light and water, range of temperatures, and soil composition. Given adequate biotic and abiotic resources and no disease or predators, populations (including humans) increase at rapid rates. Lack of resources and other factors, such as predation and climate, limit the growth of populations in specific niches in the ecosystem.
Essential Questions	Most ecological disasters are not a result of nature but instead are created by man's hands. What are ecological disasters? How extreme do humans have to go before it upsets the natural ecological balance? Are ecological disasters reversible?
Instructional Process
Introduction	Brief introduction to finding ecological disasters using Google Earth. Share a few family kayaking photos and brief synopsis of the view of Mallow's Bay from Google Earth. Mallow's Bay went from ecological disaster to success. (see attachment below: PowerPoint Intro) Exploration: exploration phase can be found as part of the WebQuest https://sites.google.com/site/ecologicaldisasters/Home/process 1. Type 45N 60E into the Search or “Fly to” box on Google Earth and click "Search". Wait for the Earth to quit spinning and come to a complete stop. 2. The picture may be zoomed in too far. Use the (+/-) slider bar to zoom out enough to see a good aerial view of 45N 60E. This should be a clear image. --> Observation #1 - What do you and your group believe you are viewing at this location (example: desert, forest, ocean, town, etc…)? 3. The tool bar across the top of Google Earth contains several different pictures or icons. Choose the icon that looks like a clock (see picture below). A time line bar will appear that has a date range from December 1973 to November 2011. 4. Slide the time line bar to December 1973. --> Observation #2 - What does this location look like? 5. Slide the time line bar to December 1986. --> Observation #3- Does the picture change? How does it change? 6. Continue this process sliding the time line bar to December 1999, September 2003, October 2006, and September 2009. --> Observations #4 - Is the picture still the same? If not, what changed? 7. Continue sliding the time line bar until you reach present day August 2011. --> Observation #5 - How does this Google image compare to December 1973? 8. Now that you are back to present day, close out the timeline bar and begin exploring the area around 45N 60E. You can do this by "grabbing" or left clicking the mouse to move the Google Earth image. 9. You and your group should see several information tags/icons that look like a blue “i” along with square picture tags. If the "i" tags do not appear this means that the correct layer has not been selected for optimum viewing of all information. Go over to the bottom left corner of the screen under the title "Layers" and scroll down until you see "Gallery" and click. Under "Gallery" scroll down until you find "Google Earth Community" and click to turn it on. At this point "i" tags or information tags should be visible on Google Earth. 10. Pass your mouse pointer over the "i" icons and phrases will appear such as, "Military Base?", “Ship waiting for water...”, "possible shipwreck", “Biological Weapons Base”, "Dead Ship Cemetary", "Landlocked Ships", etc... Click on these icons to see if there is information or pictures available to view. Take your time and tour the area to see what you and your group can find to help you on your quest. -->Observation #6 - Have you noticed that many of the information tags are in another language? See if you and your group can figure out what language this may be. **Note: It is okay to click on these tags. Although the tags are in a different language they may have pictures that are useful.** 11. If you have not found the information tag labeled "The dying Aral Sea" copy and past the location 46°10'0.92"N 61°11'41.02"E into the Google Earth search bar. This should bring you to the location. Does it look brown and blotchy? If so then you have arrived at the correct spot. Click on the "i" tag to find out more about this location. -->Observation #7 - Write in your own words what has happened in this particular spot. 12. Another good location to view is the "Dead Ship Cemetary". If you have not found it in your personal tour copy and past the location 46°10'0.92"N 61°11'41.02"E into your Google Earth search bar. Once Google Earth has found this location hover over the tags until you find it. Once you do, double click on the tag. A gallery of six photos should appear. View each photo and take notice of where the boats are placed. -->Observation #8 - Where does it look like the boats are sitting? Is this a natural setting for a boats? How did the boats get into this location? 13. Next locate the "Seaport on dry land". The location is 46°47'37.28"N 61°40'11.43"E if you need to copy and paste. In this vicinity are other "Dead Ports". Tour this area. -->Observation #9 - If this area at one point in time had ports and docks, what kind of economy would the people rely on? What do you think are the implications of having dry docks on this town's economy today? Attachments: PowerPoint Intro
Procedure	Concept Development (see attachments for lab papers which consist of each scientific role: Ecologist, Biologist, Economist, Agriculturalist, Conservationist, Historian I, and Historian II): Can be found in the Procedure section of the WebQuest https://sites.google.com/site/ecologicaldisasters/Home/process Phase III: Research *In this section students take the role of Ecologist, Biologist, Economist, Agriculturalist, Conservationist, and 2 different Historians Phase IV: Arc GIS Mapping *Students us Arc GIS Mapping to express their findings from the research section Concept Application: Can be found in the Procedure section of the WebQuest https://sites.google.com/site/ecologicaldisasters/Home/process Phase V: Creation You have now explored one of the world's largest ecological disaster using Google Earth; it is time to move on to the creation phase so that you can present your findings to the scientific community. 1. You and your group can now begin organizing the information you have collected on your lab sheet, making sure to use information that exemplifies or emphasizes what makes this location an environmental disaster from the view of your groups scientific field. 2. Once you have chosen several facts it’s time to choose pictures for your PowerPoint Presentation “poster”. **Note use your research questions as a guide for you important facts.** 3. *Remember* you have to include at least one snapshot from Arc GIS Map. 4. For your remaining pictures you can use the Google image search engine. This location has several images that can be used for your PowerPoint “posters”. As a group, use the image search engine to support the facts that you have decided to use. Once you have chosen an image you can save it to your desktop by placing your mouse cursor over your image and then right clicking. A menu will appear. Choose “save image as”. Your computer will then give you a choice as to where you want to save your image. Make sure you save it somewhere you can find it later. The best place would be to your desktop. Your group should choose at least 2 images from the Google image search engine. 5. Now that you have collected your facts and images, it is time to start your PowerPoint “poster”. Arrange your artifacts anyway you would like to best represent your location. Make sure to use all PowerPoint has to offer to your advantage. In PowerPoint you can create backgrounds, shapes, word art, etc... All this can be used to make a unique and colorful presentation “poster”. 6. On a second slide place a "Source Citation" for your 2 to 3 most important websites used during your research. If you need help citing a webpage use Son of a Citation Machine. This website is easy to use and with a few prompts your citation is done. Begin by double clicking "webpage" on the left hand side of the page. After this page appears follow the prompts to create your citation. 7. You will have 5-8 minutes to present your “poster” to the classroom. The goal is to make sure the class understands the devastation of the 45N 60E from your science field of study. Attachments: Agriculturalist Biologist Conservationist Ecologist Economist Historian I Historian II
Closure/Conclusion	Summarize human created ecological disasters. Discuss disrupting ecosystems and the biotic/abiotic factors, limiting agent, and carrying capacity. Discuss the technology used while researching the Aral Sea.
Responsive Strategies	Not needed in my classroom yet.
Resources
Text Book	N/A
Websites or other resources (if applicable)	Google Earth: http://www.google.com/earth/index.html ArcGIS: http://www.arcgis.com/home/ Son of a Citation Machine: http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?start=&reqstyleid=2&newstyle=2
21st Century Skills/ Technology	Student will learn to use Google Earth as a tool used to view the world in a scientific manner and as a beginning for research. Students will have hands-on experience with the ArcGIS mapping tool. Students will learn how to follow a WebQuest.
Daily Reflection (may be used for your Task Stream Journaling)
Daily Reflection	**Note: A Starter Question was given every day beginning the second day of instruction to activate knowledge from the prior day.** Day 1: Make sure to do a thorough initial run through for the Process section of the WebQuest. Students had many questions about the Observations. Day 2: Students seem to have trouble with the numbering of the Observations. Maybe they should correlate with the number in the Exploration. I should change this before I try this WebQuest again. Starter Question: What happens when a components in the ecosystem is gone? Possible Answers: Decomposers - Pile up of dead organisms, loss of nutrients in the soil; Predators - loss of key predator = take over from other harmful predators or too many prey; Prey - loss of food for predator; Plant - loss of food for herbivores. Day 3: Same as Day 2. The students are excelling at learning the content. In fact, they are teaching me things I did not know. *Note: I think in the future I am going to modify the application to be a Photostory instead of a PowerPoint poster. In this case we can upload the videos to a social media where their stories of the Aral Sea can be viewed by the world. This will make the students Ecologists for all intended purposes.* Starter Question: What are the effects of a human-made ecological disaster? Possible Answer: Breakdown in the ecosystem; endangered and extinct species Day 4: Students seem to enjoy GIS mapping. They are more creative than I am at figuring out how to implement it with the lesson. Starter Question: What two countries border the Aral Sea? Answer: Kazahstan & Uzbekistan Day 5: Students did not work on PowerPoint presentations over the weekend with the exception of a handful. No one was able to present a rough draft to me which set the presentation off another day. Starter Question: What are the causes behind man-made environmental disasters? Possible Answers: Laziness; Easy; War; Greed; Ignorance; Impatience Day 6: Worked on rough drafts of presentation Starter Question: Explain the Abiotic and Biotic factors in the Aral Sea. Day 7: Presentations. Many students did get the full meaning of the project. The ones that didn't, it was obvious that they did not put effort into the project. A few students surprised me; especially one that I thought would not gain anything from this project due to observations I made in the past. First he was able to show me things I had not see on Google such as the Biological Weapons Base on an island in the middle of the Aral Sea. Second, I saw him take the initiative to help his group with the premise behind the "poster". He put a lot of effort into this part. Third, his presentation with his group was perfect. Fourth, he had a lot of input into other people's projects. He asked questions and answered many other questions. When asked about this project, he seemed very receptive. I'm proud of that. I also urged that the students look at Google Earth in another 10, 20 years to see if the Aral Sea has changed at all. I'm not sure if they will but I hope that the way this lesson has gone that possibly it will stick and if they hear it in the News they will think back to what we did. In the future if I continue to do a "poster", it may be helpful to turn to pixton.com. This website seems to have a lot to offer when creating posters or comic strips. Starter Question: What is the primary limiting factor in the Aral Sea. Secondary?

Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum ~ Double Entry Journal #10

In a blog posting briefly describe why it is the responsibility of all teachers to provided writing instruction for their students.

Without reading the article I can state why reading and writing is important in the field of science. Being able to read scientific textbooks, journals, articles, and so forth are challenging on its own. Being able to interpret what is being read is even more difficult. Science is a rather abstract subject and making sense of scientific mumbo jumbo as I like to call it can only be approached by the science teacher. After all, the science teacher is really the only one qualified to teach students how to read science textbooks, journals, and articles. Recently during my clinicals I had to teach 10th graders how to take a science journal and skim the article for keywords. The article was too long to read and absorb on a 10th grade level, therefore breaking the article down was essential especially in a 50 minute time period. 

The next point I would like to make is that science teachers also have the duty of teaching students how to read scientific data tables and graphs. It is one things to create a graph but being able to read the graph and interpret is a higher level of thinking. Often this level is not reached, not even in college. I believe science teachers forget that this skill is a literary skill and that no one else is more qualified to teach it. 

Writing in science is another skill that is highly important. Getting students in the mode of being scientists in the science classroom is a skill I've been working on in my science classroom. As a scientist in the community, being able to communicate your findings is often done in written form. Without the proper skills and techniques of writing, communication fails. When communication fails, the scientist's findings might as well be null and void. You'd literally be laughed out of the scientific community. Your findings certainly aren't going to be published in a journal or article. Properly done, the science teachers should be able to begin showing proper techniques of writing in science which in turn will prepare the student for the university level and so forth and so forth. I can't express how many times students enter the university level and can't write a science report. The students who lack these skills have a lot of catching up to do before they can move to a higher level.  

This is purely my point of view and I can't see that this isn't the case all the way across the curriculum. 

Quote:
Students who can read with clear comprehension and write effectively about a given subject matter will learn the material much more thoroughly than those who do not. (NCTE, 2011)

Reaction: 
I completely agree with this quote. There are certain techniques required to make an subject easier to read and comprehend such as being able to skim and scan; summarize after a few paragraphs or a chapter; finding key words; looking for headings which will help summarizing techniques; and so forth. In science, in particular this is the best way to cut through the science mumbo jumbo to find the important parts. Without these skills it is easy to get hung up in the first few paragraphs of any science literature. Being able to relate the information back in written form shows a certain amount of comprehension. I honestly believe that this eliminates a lot of the need for memorization. 

Quote:
Yet, as research shows, reading and writing cannot be learned once and for all; these skills represent complex arrays of capacities that vary from one discipline to another. Reading and writing in science is not the same as reading and writing in social studies or a technical subject like drafting. (NCTE, 2011)

Reaction:
Exactly! This information supports my opinion above. Reading and writing varies from one subject to the next. I know that I am not qualified to teach literacy in English or History but I know and feel positive that I can in Science.

Name and describe four research-based strategies to support writing instruction for students.

1. Low stake writing assessments - Break down the assessments in to key words, summarize a topic, or outline a procedure. This process gets away from the tedious long assessments that can really weigh on the student. It instead gives them quick practice sessions in reading and writing.
2. Multiple forms of feedback - Switch gears from traditional grading to peer responses, class discussion of samples, and one-on-one conferences. This helps the student view their writings from a few different perspective and builds meta cognitive skills.
3. Employ a variety of levels of reading difficulty - This technique boils down to scaffolding. If the students are always bombarded with difficult texts, especially those above grade level (such as the textbook), then they are not given the chance to practice skills at their own level and build from there.
4. Employ variety in texts and their presentations - the science classroom in particular should give students a chance to read a variety of science magazines, digital text that can be found easily on the Internet, short journals that sources such as LiveScience puts out on a daily basis (last weeks article was "New Hominid Found" which was barely a page long). Even Sci-Fi may be interesting to some students in a science classroom. Anything that grabs the attention of the student will help them practice their skills. And may even provide an interesting discussion in the classroom.

Related Source:

(sarahblaz, 2008)

This video represents the fact that unless we teach students to understand science based literacy then they will not have the skills to make informed decisions on their health, to understand the changing world around them, to make informed decisions about the ever changing environment (aka many ecological disaster are the result of ignorance), or to even make knowledgeable arguments.
Sources Cited:
NCTE. (2011). Reading and writing across the cirriculum. National Council of Teachers of English, 15-18. Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/CC/0203-mar2011/CC0203Policy.pdf

sarahblaz. (Producer) (2008). Scientific literacy- science education for the 21st century [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-elygXbo7s
 

Technology Survey

I gave the students a quick technology survey in the classroom I'm observing to find the limitations of what the students can and cannot do at home when it comes to homework assignments.  It also gave me an idea as to their interests online.  It may come in handy when creating lessons.  My results are base on 38 students in all:

Have a computer: 35

Internet Access: 34; 1 has access through his/her phone

Computer Uses
    *Homework:  30
    *Social Networking:  29
    *Games:  24
    *Other:  music; videos; news; personal research; shopping; weather; fishing forecast; online books; "other media"; and check grades

WebQuest Evaluation

I have graded the following WebQuest for Marine Mammals as follows using a Rubric:

WebQuest Rubric

Introduction into Marine Animal Populations and Habitats ~ Original Lesson Plan

**The following is the original lesson plan I created in November that I plan to modify and tweak into a WebQuest which I feel will be more effectively utilized.  The following is a link to my lesson plan complete with updates and attachments**

Introduction into Marine Animal Populations and Habitats
Author: Jaime Ford
Based on lesson by: Jaime Ford
Date created: 11/23/2011 7:46 PM EST ; Date modified: 11/28/2011 8:58 AM EST

GENERAL COMMENT AREA
Subject(s) Ecology, Science
Topic Introduction into Marine Animal Populations and Habitats
Time/Period two 45 minute sessions
Grade/Level Grade 6

Objective
 •Define ecology and the community/ populations of species
•Determine "human behavior impact" on marine animal species
•Explain the importance of tracking marine animals in science fields

Materials
•Materials and resources:
Paper to Record Data from Exploration portion of lesson
Computer or Laptop
Printer (if available)

•Technology resources:
IE Explorer, Printer
•The number of computers required is 1 per student.

Content Specific Requirements
Students ability to use the Internet and the scientific resources it can provide. Student will learn how to use the website http://whale.wheelock.edu/Welcome.html, including specific links to reach required goals. Students will be introduced to scientific data and how it can be read, as well as translated.

Standards and Key Concepts
Content Area Standards Display: Collapse All Expand All
WV- West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives Subject: Science Grade or Course: Sixth Grade Science Standard: SC.S.6.2 Content of ScienceStudents willObjective: SC.O.6.2.8 predict changes in populations of organisms due to limiting environmental factors (e.g., food supply, predators, disease, or habitat).

National Standards Biology: Ecology

Essential Questions In order to make more knowledgeable decisions about our uses of our environment, we must better understand it and the organisms which use this environment. To better understand animals we need to obtain information about their life histories including their long and short-term movements, as well as how their movements may be affected by changing environmental conditions. Therefore, what are the factors relating to marine animal migrations?

Instructional Process

Introduction
Exploration (See Attachment for Lab Paper):
1. Ask the class what causes marine mammals to migrate? Is there a pattern to their migrations? Discuss idea and address misconceptions.

2. If there are enough computer/ laptops available each student should be assigned to a station individually. Lab partners are not required.

3. Have students access http://whale.wheelock.edu/Welcome.html. This is an excellent resource website; inform students that we will be utilizing the Satellite Tracking Program for this particular activity or use the shortcut http://whale.wheelock.edu/whalenet-stuff/stop_cover.html.

4. For consistency, have students select "Stef" the Harp Seal as their marine animal of study.
•Have students note on their lab paper the type of marine animal they'll be researching and what her name is.
•Have students record who is involved in the research and tagging of Stef.
•Have students note on their lab paper what date Stef was tagged for research.
•Have students record Stef's data tagging number on their lab paper: 67593
•Have students find on this webpage the dates in which Stef's locations were recorded and note this on their lab paper as well.

5. Have students select Data Sheet from the Data and Maps directory.

6. At this point, the students should see a listing of Satellite Tagging Observation Data. At the top the students will see where Stef was released: Fortune's Rocks Beach, Biddeford, ME. Locate Maine on a map so that the students can visualize the starting point.

7. The data sheet may be overwhelming. Therefore review one set of data with the students before setting them free to explore. Explain the numbers on the data sheet and what it all means for example:
•Have students locate May 29, 2011 which is the 15th line of data on the observation sheet. Explain that the first number seen on the data sheet 067593 is the marine animal's tagging number as discovered earlier in step 4.
•The next piece of data contains the Date which is recorded in a possibly unfamiliar format : 29.05.11.
•Next explain that 02:43:20 represents military time meaning that this was recorded at 2:43 AM (and 20 seconds). At this point you may have to quickly explain military time to the classroom since further data is giving all around the clock.
•The next set of important data is giving in latitude and longitude and looks like: Lat1 : 43.372N Lon1 : 66.694W. At this point discuss with the class the difference between latitude and longitude lines using a map or globe and how together these 2 points can "pinpoint" a specific location on the grid.

8. After this tutorial, have students select 10 more random lines of data (between May 29th and July 21, 2011) and record the date, time (convert to civilian time if it is easier), and latitude & longitude on their lab paper.

9. After all 10 lines of data have been recorded have students go to the bottom of the Satellite Tagging Observation Data and select the link called Tracking Maps - "Seal Stef" (http://whale.wheelock.edu/whalenet-stuff/StopHarps-11/trackmap_Stef.html). This will automatically link students to a map in which the data from the satellite tagging observations have been transferred to show how the seal, Stef, has migrated from the beginning date to July 21, 2011.

10. If possible have students print out Stef's map.

11. Have students locate approximately where the beginning point, Biddeford, ME is according to this map. Mark the map with a star.

12. The path in which Stef moved is marked by date and a line connects each date showing her movement from Maine to Canada. Have students find their 10 points of data collected from the observation data and approximately mark each point on the map with a symbol. Out from the symbol write the latitude and longitude numbers in parenthesis.

13.  Have students report their results.

14. Did the students expect Stef to end up in Canada?

15. Is there a pattern to Stef's route?

16. Does Stef follow a pattern consistent with ocean temperature or any other enviornmental factors?

17. If time allows us this website to track another marine animal listed and follow the same procedure.

Attachments:
1.Lab Paper


Procedure
Concept Development: See Attachment (Marine Animal Populations) for PowerPoint Presentation

•Watch a sort video (~3 minutes) on the importance of tracking marine animals and the impact of marine ecology. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha8aBKlxSPc
•Discuss with the class the importance of tracking marine animals. What sort of things would scientists and researchers want to know about the animals they are tracking?
•Discuss that many types of marine animals are tagged such as dolphins and turtles. Discuss the particular history of the marine animal the class researched during the exploration phase of the lesson.
•Discuss the ecology of an area and how humans impact the communities or populations within the area.
•Discuss the importance of protecting the ecology of an area and its inhabitants. If an animal is forced into extinction does it affect the other population of species in the same area?
•Discuss what sort of ecological disasters could disrupt communities and populations of species.
•Have students watch how seals are tagged and discuss how humane the procedure is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SOh6roc3Rk

Application: See Attachment (Ecology of Marine Animals)

Attachments:
1.Ecology of Marine Animals
2.Marine Animal Populations

Closure/Conclusion Using the knowledge that you gained today summarize how humans can impact the ecology of marine life and why scientists tag marine animals.

Responsive Strategies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha8aBKlxSPc Include a video of why scientists use tagging technology to monitor and track ocean life which ulitmately helps us understand ocean ecology and manage fisheries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SOh6roc3Rk Include a video of satellite tagging as a visual aid. This may help students visualize the humane portion of tagging.

Resources

Websites or other resources (if applicable)
http://whale.wheelock.edu/Welcome.html (Whale Net)
http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/ecosys/ecology/ProtectedSpecies/Pinnipeds/ (NOAA)

21st Century Skills/ Technology
Use of Internet Explorer, Scientific Data Readings, and Map Coordinates

WebQuest Link

The following WebQuest is probably as close to my idea that I am going to find.  I want to focus on Marine Ecology because ecology is one of my favorite biology topics.  The basics of my idea however is a study on marine animal tagging.  My exploration will look at the migration of seals in particular as well as whales.  The animals in question are live samples that are being tracked via satellite.  The students will become scientists as they learn how and why tracking is essential to saving marine life.  The students will also learn how to read scientific data and most importantly how to translate that data into something valuable.  

A second relevant WebQuest that I might be able to incorporate I found while browsing the Google Search Engine.  I particularly like the layout of the Marine Mammal Webquest.

All I really need to know (About Creative Thinking) I learned (By Studying How Children Learn) In Kindergarten ~ Double Entry Journal #9

In a blog posting, copy and paste three quotes that have moved you in some way (i.e. surprised, confused, disagree, strongly agree). Then in a paragraph state why you have selected each quote and include a hyperlink to an online article, blog posting, video or podcast related to what you have read.

Quote #1:
Unfortunately, most schools are out-of-step with today’s needs: they were not designed to help students develop as creative thinkers (Resnick).

Quote #2
"At a workshop in Hong Kong, a 12-year-old boy created a wearable jukebox that played different songs when you inserted different coins, and an 11-year-old girl added lights to her boots and programmed them to turn different colors based on the pace of her walk, as measured by sensors that she attached to her boots." (Resnick)



Quote #3
"Friedrich Froebel understood this idea when he opened the world’s first kindergarten in 1837. Froebel filled his kindergarten with physical objects (such as blocks, beads, and tiles) that children could use for building, designing, and creating. These objects became known as Froebel’s Gifts. Froebel carefully designed his Gifts so that children, as they played and constructed with the Gifts, would learn about common patterns and forms in nature." (Resnick)



Reaction - First of all I would like to state that it was hard to pick just three quotes.  I was surprised and awed by the whole article.  I had no idea the article was going to progress from Kindergarten like mentality in school to digital technologies.  I didn't see that one coming.  I don't know if it was an abrupt segway or what happened.  Second, I've never heard or have seen a Cricket.  I would like my child to experience this tool as well.  I can only imagine how far it would stretch their imagination.  I always tend to underestimate children and thier abilities, especially when it comes to technology which is part of my reasoning for choosing Quote #2.  I was taken off guard by all the examples the author stated, in which the children took this simple robotic tool and made fascinating and innovative works of art as well as uses.  An 11-year-old girl can added lights to her boots and programmed them to turn different colors based on the pace of her walk (Resnick)?  I have to shrug my shoulders because if someone randomly would have walked up to me and told me this, I would have simply shook my head and looked at them like they had lips on their forehead.  I am impressed beyond words.  Which is why I'd like to see my own kids get their hands on a Cricket.

The first quote, I agree wholeheartedly on.  Our schools are lacking personality.  That's why are students are bored and that's why many are falling behind.  It's logical to me.  When I'm bored I tune out or turn off the offending source.  If it is a teacher, then it is a teacher.  The human mind is more complicated than a recorder.  It wonders first of all when it is not challenged and short term memory is just that.  If there is no incentive to flip what is learned over into long term memory then the short term memory (or register) is cleared where the next topic is entered, especially if it is more intriguing.  It's no wonder, students turn to more enticing devices during classes such as a Smartphone.  Which brings me to my next point.  I had no idea was the premise was for Kindergarten, I thought it was a social event.  Or at least an attempt to put kids into a routine of rules.  I did not know the origins of Kindergarten or the original attempt to invoke imagination.  I am truly intrigued by this idea and wondering at the same time where the original ideas vanished.  I can only assume that it is our cultures failed attempts to speed ahead of other cultures and in the meantime forgetting what should be valued.  Creativity is most certainly a valued characteristic that is resurrecting itself as we are seeing our failures.  I shake my head at this.  Why do we find out that eventually returning to basics is what helps us leap forward?

Related Source:

(University of Phoenix, 2011)

This is a rather abstract video.  I believe what Nicholas Negroponte is trying to get at is that our traditional ways of learning is outdated.  We did not have a chance to experiment when it came to learning.  We were told facts in a concrete manner that didn't allow us to be creative.  However todays child needs to learn to learn by doing.  By tweaking their methods of what they know by how they are learning it.

Sources:
University of Phoenix. (Producer) (2011). There is a way to learn to learn [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usaEGaczfQg


Resnick, M. (n.d.). All i really need to know (about creative thinking) i learned (by studying how children learn) in kindergarten. Retrieved from http://web.media.mit.edu/~mres/papers/kindergarten-learning-approach.pdf

Struggling Student

There is a struggling student in the Innovation Zone (Algebra I and Physical Science combined) that I observe often. By the word often - I literally mean I have to stand by him to keep him from distracting the rest of the classroom, particular the three other table-mates that sit with him. Common occurrences are talking quite loudly with fellow classmates during instructional time. What I find odd is that he will continue to talk to classmates that show no interest in reciprocating the conversation. He either doesn't notice this fact or he thinks at some point he will be able to get through to the person he feels should be listening to him. I'm not sure.


Another destructive mode I've watched him cycle through is complete refusal to take part in classroom assignments. He will either hide his head inside his hoodie or he will sit at the table with nothing in front of him. This is frustrating to me because the Algebra and Science teacher often go over assigned work, asking students which examples they need help with before it is handed in for a grade. It would be a simple exercise to copy what the teacher has written on the board onto the homework sheet and at least receive partial credit but he refuses to do it.

The first week of my observation the algebra teacher was going over new material with the students. He had made several attempts to bring the noise down at the table of the struggling student. The science teacher and I circled around the table several times to make it known that we were close by. The teacher tried prompting him to pay attention as well but neither one of these strategies worked. Instead I overheard the struggling student say, "What the hell is with all the teachers?" This was my threshold for what I could handle with the blatant disrespect. I asked him, "How do you expect to learn new material if you talk all the way through the lesson?" He sat straight up and smartly replied, "I won't." I knew at this point I was being challenged. I asked, "Why don't you want to learn?" The reply came quickly, "I don't care." I said, "Fine but maybe the people at your table would like to learn." He said, "I don't care." I can work with a lot of different personalities; I honestly love being in a secondary setting. I fully expect to hear volumes of opinions and slants as the students move into adulthood. It is part of growing up. But disrespect that infringes on the rights of others is a little more than I can tolerate. I replied, "Ok, so you don't want to learn? That's all you; you are only cheating yourself. But the disrespect you show your classmates is unacceptable.” He shrugged his shoulders and I have to admit I replied, “So why are you here? What’s the point?" He immediately pulled his hood over his head and laid it on the desk. At that moment, I knew what I had just witnessed – the first challenge to my authority in a high school setting. I did not back down but I probably did not handle it the best possible way since my emotions had stepped in. I will note, I never raised my voice and I never called him out in front of the class. But I should have implemented a discipline plan that was in accordance with the infraction, instead of allowing emotions to take control. I took in a deep breath and released the emotion. Later I helped him find a homework assignment and he replied with a “Thank you.” Not what I expected. Maybe he wasn’t used to someone taking on his challenge?

After that session, I spoke with my host teacher and I asked her about the struggling student’s background. She stated that he has been in the Alternative Learning Center (ALC) and that he indeed had a problem with authority figures. I believe he has a School Assistance Team (SAT) meeting pending within the next few weeks to address his grades in math and science. I was beginning to get some answers. I firmly believe that when he challenged me and stated he basically didn’t want to learn the material that is was merely a bluff. He wants to learn but his defenses are clearly up and somewhere along the line someone has forced him to resort to defensive measures. The last thing I want to do is turn my back on this struggling student or let him slip between the cracks. Instead, I want to focus on what does interest him. I truly wonder if anyone has ever asked him this simple question but I will get back to this point later. In the meantime, I honestly didn’t know how I was going to breech the wall he had built.

As a clinical student I have been putting in more time than I probably should (currently having 45 minutes in my first two and a half weeks) but it is important to me to receive as much exposure as I can in a high school setting. I want to be ready when I am set loose in my own classroom, especially when it comes to students who are more nontraditional and will quite possibly be my biggest challenge. I observe the student in question three days a week for a little over an hour at a time. I have observed the difference between his fellow table mates when he is attending class, as well as when he is absent. His table-mates are able to focus during his absence but from time to time follow his lead when he is present. I have also observed him during quizzes when he is cheating. I have seen the attempts to rearrange his seating in hopes of finding a situation that may bring down some of the noise level. So far this has not worked. I am not sure what other measures have been taken before I entered the class but I am positive this has been a year-long attempt.

I, myself, have brainstormed ideas as to how I might be able to get through to him without infringing in his space. I’ve dabbled over the possibility of suggesting extracurricular activities; somewhere he can release anger issues or extra energy. I wanted to ask him what he was interested in just to get an idea of where he was coming from or at least understand him on another level. But I could not find the proper moment in which to do this, until today. The class was working on balancing chemical equations when I noticed that the struggling student was already done with his paper. I was impressed. I asked him, “So the shortcut Mrs. Teacher showed you must have helped.” He sat straight up (challenging me) and replied with as much attitude as usual, “Nope. I just copied his (pointing to the student next to him).” I thought to myself for a moment and replied, “I understand you are not interested in science or math. So tell me, what are you interested in?” He softened for a moment and sat straight up again but not in a challenging mode. This time he sat straight up with a more confident mode and replied, “Social Studies and English.” My jaw dropped to the floor. I literally did not expect this response. I applauded this answer and replied, “Wow! I had no idea and I commend you for this because both of those subjects I have always had trouble with myself.” He smiled and then continued, “It is not that I don’t like science because I do. I like environmental science but I can’t do anything with math in it. I just don’t understand it.” The conversation continued with his trouble in math and not being able to find the right math teacher who could make a connection with him. A simple question – “What are you interested in?” and all the sudden I opened up a whole new direction to take with the struggling student. It allowed me to see his weakness and his amazing strengths and for once he wasn’t challenging me, he was having an intellectual conversation with me.

Later, I reflected with the science teacher during her planning period. She related to me how far behind in math he currently is and how much work it would require to catch him up with the rest of the students. She stated the moment he didn’t understand a mathematical function he shut down completely, which ultimately meant more help than could be given in a classroom setting where the teacher needed to focus on all the students. This made sense with what I had observed up to this point which was him shutting down and hiding is head.  It wasn't because he didn't want to learn, like he had told me.  Maybe it was another defensive mode to hide emotional distress.  He's a brilliant mind.  The conversation I held with him today proved that.  He knows he does not understand the math.  He also know the public stigma that goes along with his math deficit.  So it is easier to hide his head or blatantly talk over his instructor to shut the sound out.  We finally concluded that a plan for his improvement would be one-on-one help for an extended period of time and possibly an inclusive instructor to help him during classroom instruction. At this point, I feel I am moving in a more positive direction than before. I look forward to where this step takes me next with the struggling student.

Interest Survey/ Wordel

I asked the Biology students, who I am currently observing, to answer an "Interest Survey" for me so that I could format the answers into a Wordel.  The question was as follows:

With one word below (if possible) tell me what you are interested in most?  Do you have a hobby or a sport?  Or is it gaming?  Do you like to go camping, kayaking, hiking?  The possibilities are endless....

 

The overwhelming responses were hunting, sports, and gaming; followed by football, kayaking, and camping.  There were a few original ideas like "preventing abuse", soccer, crochet, and muddin'.  This gave me a little insight into what my students are thinking and doing outside of school.   

Physics Illusion

While observing a high school physics class two days ago, a student asked if he could perform a physics experiment.  The teacher said sure and he then went about gathering a 12" ruler, a string, and a hammer.  Before I knew it the hammer was dangling from a ruler.  The tricky part was only an inch of the ruler was touching the table.  This is hard to explain, so I went home and decided to do the experiment myself and it worked!

 

This experiment is kind of hard to picture in a photograph.  Check out this video.





Teaching for Meaningful Learning ~ Double Entry Journal #8

1.  What are some challenges to inquiry approaches to learning?
The challenge boils down to how well the teacher can implement this type of learning.  If the teacher does not comprehend Problem Based Learning, Project Based Learning, or Learning by Design the learning projects may collapse in the process (Good & Brophy, 1986).  Failure can occur at any point in time whether it is in the beginning because the teacher sees this type of learning as unstructured; in the middle because there is no scaffolding processes taking place; or in the end when the teacher cannot determine how to evaluate the projects.  All-in-all it looks to me as if the project becomes a jumbled mess.  While it is okay for a teacher to learn as they are walking through the steps of inquiry projects, there should be a general idea as to the direction that projects need to be mentored.  Afterall, students need guidance to make their learning meaningful.  Many students do not know have the background or maturity to "make sense of an inquiry" (Krajcik et al., 1998).  This is where the mentorship of a teacher needs to be implemented.  Students also need aid in time management; help in working with others; and motivation, especially when a project fails or is taking too long to accomplish (Achillies & Hoover, 1996; Edelson et al., 1999).   

In the end, what is needed for successful implementation is the ability to juggle new responsibilities such as classroom management, the lesson should reflect key concepts the students need to learn, scaffolding through modeling, and proper assessment and support feedback. 


2.  Make connections between project-based learning and three research based strategies (Choose strategies you have not already been assigned to read about). Give a brief explanation of the connections.
 
Cooperative Learning - A research based strategy that fits well with project-based learning is cooperative grouping.  During a PBL students often have to work together to successfully complete the project.  Currently in the Biology class I am observing, students have to present their topic such as Human Origins, The Human Genome Project, Genetic Modification, etc...  Work required consists of researching the topic, understanding the terms, presenting the materials to the class and creating a product or game that will engage the class in learning the group's topic.  The group delegates parts of the assignment to its members.  The end product or goal is that the groups become the teacher and it is their responsiblity to teach the class about their topic in an engaging way.  Students are graded on their participation and each member is aware that failing to participate could get them expelled from the group.  In this instance, cooperative learning is required since the group is interdependent on its members to succeed (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2005).
 
Reinforcing Effort - According to this research, students' beliefs and attitudes are directly corrilated to how well they do in school.  This makes sense if you take in account the student who is doing poorly in school because they cannot learn from traditional methods and how they feel about themselves.  At some point, they will believe they are "dumb" or "stupid", afterall their classmates get the material.  Traditional methods fail the student, in more than one way, who needs to learn by doing.  If that student is able to get out from behind his/her textbook and out of their seat to participate in a project that engages their learning, makes connections between their "funds of knowledge" and the real world, then the student's achievement raises.  With the rise in achievement, the attitude and feelings the student possesses begins to rise.  The student may not realize their attitude is correlated to their achievement (since this is an abstract concept) but research indicates otherwise.  It all boils down to "believing you can often makes it so" (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2005).


Simulations and Games - This strategy allows the students to act out any given situation that relates to the learning material.  For instance, a science teacher is trying to teach the Nature of Science content - an area that is darn near hard to describe and definitely abstract.  The definition is as follows:  The historical aspects of science and idea that science is an ongoing, changing process.  So how is this concept taught?  Easily - it is simulated.  An example would be discovering fossils.  Each student become a geologist in this lesson.  The teacher gives each group of students an envelope that is full of paper fossils.  The teacher tell the students they are going on a 3 day journey to discover fossils that have never been seen before.  The teacher then asks the students to write in their journal Day 1 and then randomly pull out 3 fossils.  The students then try to recognize the pieces from knowledge they already have such as "Does it look like a vertibrae... a hip bone... jaw... etc?"  The students write down their findings and then move on to Day 2.  On Day 2 and Day 3 they are alotted so many fossils and repeat the process.  The students then make a conclusion as to what they think their animal is and compare their answers with the other groups.  Science is a community based subject, thus ideas are shared.  Note: The students are never given the answer to what animal or dinosaur the fossils belong too.  Why?  Nothing in science is ever proven (another Nature of Science tenet) and it takes geologist more than 3 days to figure out what a fossil is.  
 
What do I like about this activity?  The student becomes the scientist.  Creating a PBL to teach Nature of Science is just about the only way to allow students to understand the concept.  Furthermore, teachers are just now beginning to understand the connection between NOS and connecting it to a simulation.  In the past NOS has been overlooked (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2005).


Related Source:

(Newell, 2010)

"90% of what we typically teach is a waste of time.  90% of what we teach probably constitutes particular skills and particular nuggets of knowledge that those kids will never encounter again in a significant way in their lives.  It just doesn't matter."  I found this to be very true and it actually reflects the stand up comedy of Father Guido and the 5 minute University.  In the traditional teaching students have to shift through the bits and pieces that are going to actually be needed in a real life situation.  How many kids do we know that are going to be able to scaffold an education just by what they find important enough to carry on into adult life.  They can't!  They simply do not know how to do it.  So what is the result?  Bored kids in a classroom, that don't bother to lift a pencil to record any points during a lecture. 
This supports Project Based Learning.  This is why students should be learning by doing activities that will reflect real life, whether the project simulates a scientist's job or Shakespeare.

Resources:
Barron, D. B., & Darling-Hammond, D. L. (2008). Teaching for meaningful learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley imprint. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teaching-for-meaningful-learning.pdf


Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. (2005). Integrating technology into research-based strategies. Retrieved from http://www.netc.org/focus/


Newell, P. (Director) (2010). Interview with david perkins, professor, harvard graduate school of education [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7UnupF-uJk



"What does a Scientist look like?" Lesson Plan

This lesson plan is geared towards high school Biology but can be used in most any science classroom.  I designed this particular lesson plan around my Queen Bee Rearing research but it can be modified to fit other field work.

On a side note, I am hoping to fix the drivers for my Kodak 5-in-1 printer so that I can scan and upload picture samples of my students' scientist drawings. 

An overall conclusion of my lesson would be that it went extremely well.  The students were actively engaged in the learning.  I would conclude that my thoughts of bringing my own fieldwork into the classroom is an excellent way to teach students.  They do want to hear about your experiences and your knowledge first hand. 

Included is a URL for my lesson plan. 
https://w.taskstream.com/Lesson/View/ACF36A49191D1DA90A5A0DD5AE6708D1
**The URL should be used if you would like to access the lesson plan which will include all updates and attachments.  Below is only provided to give an idea as to what this particular lesson plan looks like.**
 
What does a scientist look like?

Author: Jaime Ford
Based on lesson by: Jaime Ford
Date created: 02/21/2012 4:35 PM EST ; Date modified: 02/24/2012 9:57 PM EST

GENERAL COMMENT AREA
General Comments
Basic Information
Subject(s):  Biology, Science
Topic:  What does a scientist look like?
Time/Period:  50 minutes
Grade/Level:  Grade 10

Objectives:
 •Describe the appearance of a scientist
•Discuss queen bee rearing research
•Describe varroa and tracheal mites and how it relates to queen bee rearing
•Discuss careers in research

Assessment/Rubrics Exploration:
Exploration Assessment:
The scientist the students create from the "What does a scientist look like?" is the student's own creativity and is rather abstract. There is no specified requirements for this activity. If the student refuses to participate in this section subtract a 1/3 of the points from the overall total.

Application Assessment:
Included in the PowerPoint Presentation are questions for the students to answer at the end. The questions are open-ended, therefore grading should be appropriate to the thoughfulness the student displays in their answer. If the student refuses to participate subtract 2/3 of the points from the overall total.

Materials:
     •Materials and resources:
      queen bee rearing equipment (Cupularvae Kit and grafting tools)
      frames, queen bee catcher, queen bee marker
      research notebook
     bee rearing magazine
     paper

Content Specific Requirements:
 Explain that grafting tools need to be handled carefully - the tools are sharp (safety) and do belong to FSU (respect).

Standards and Key Concepts

Content Area Standards Display: Collapse All Expand All
WV- West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives Subject: Science Grade or Course: Tenth Grade Science Standard: SC.S.10.1 Nature of ScienceStudents willDetail: # demonstrate an understanding of history and nature of science as a human endeavor encompassing the contributions of diverse cultures and scientists.

National Standards: Life Science/Biology Content Standard C

Essential Questions: What does a scientist look like? What is involved in research? What kind of careers are in the research field?

Instructional Process

Introduction:
Exploration (see attachment below for the "DAST" assessment test) :

On a sheet of paper have students draw what they believe a scientist looks like. After 4-5 minutes (or less) depending on how quickly the students finish, assess drawings with the Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST). Allow students to tally their own drawing to see how close they came to drawing a stereotypical scientist. This is not to be graded unless the student refuses to take part in lesson; see rubric if this is the case.

Attachments:
1.DAST

Procedure:
Concept Development: (See attachment below for PowerPoint presentation "What does a scientist look like?")

Slide 1 begins with "What does a scientist look like". Ask students if their drawing looks like the stereotypical cartoon drawing of a scientist. Proceed by showing pictures of myself and colleagues as a true scientist. Up until slide 12 provide students with an idea of how research works, which includes producing a question, writing grants, and performing research (specifically bee research as an example), as well as following and continuation of research. I also explore why I was interested in bee research which includes eliminating varroa and tracheal parasitic mites (relate terms to biology content such as "parasite", "mite", "trachea"); slides 7 and 10 have pictures for the students to view and discuss. Explain that eliminating mites is a biology or biological research topic. Show manipulatives from my own research experiment (i.e. Cupularvae kit, grafting tools, queen bee net, etc...). Pass the manipulatives around the classroom for students to view.

Concept Applicaton:
Introduction in the concept application begins by talking about slide 13 "Research Careers". Engage students in various careers in research providing specific examples such as forensic, car design, spybot, etc... Probe students with additional research careers (noting that there are many and that I know I did not cover them all) that they may add to the available list and write on board for the classroom to view. With this discussion, I hope this will open the minds of students who did not previously see research as a career option.

Lastly, slide 14 contains some application questions for the students to individually answer on the back of their "What does a scientist look like?" drawing. See rubric for assessing the open-ended questions in this section.

Attachments:
1.What does a Scientist Look Like PowerPoint Presentation

Closure/Conclusion: Conclude that a scientist is an every day person. Summarize that researching queen bee rearing and resistance to mites is a Biological Research field; however research is a large field and has many career opportunities.

Daily Reflection: The students loved the interactiveness of this activity. I had the attention of every (EVERY) student in the classroom. I believe it is due to the fact that it involves real world research. I believe what will make me a good science teacher is my participation in field work that I can later relate to my students. After this activity the students were still asking probing questions about honey bees up to 3 days later. This may partly be because I brought in a real live queen bee that had recently died but allowed the students to view one up close. Students are asking to see an observation hive in late spring. I hope to reassess the students on the next test as a bonus question to see if they remember what a real scientist looks like.

At this point, I cannot think of any improvements that may make this 50 minute lesson better. My own improvements include better control of the classroom when the students first enter. My intro skills are still weak.

Teaching for Meaningful Learning ~ Double Entry Journal #7

1. Read the Introduction. What "dominant paradigm" is showing signs of wear?

Theories in education is innovative but the way it is being taught such as the classroom being teacher centered with lectures, textbook reading, and discussions remain persistent; mostly because this system, although outdated, is easy.  In other words it doesn't pose a challenge on an already burnt out teacher.

2. According to the research, how does Project-Based Learning support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies.

In project based learning the student is completing a task that is more real world than standard learning which usually involves a teacher, a textbook, a chalkboard, and a worksheet. Instead, the student has to investigate a concept which involves inquiry and investigation (Thomas 2000). For instance, in the classroom I am observing which is a Physical Science class combined with Algebra I, the students have to investigate their "First Car" which involves comparing 2 cars and determining which would benefit them more. The benefit is seen by graphing the cost vs. the gas mileage by determining the y-slope intercept. After the students determine which car would be the best for their buck, their car goes through some physical and chemical changes in a few accidents. It is quite interesting and there is more to the project than I've stated. In the end they know the importance of Algebra and Science in everyday life and will not question: "Why do I need to know this?" In other words, "learning is taken one step further" the students have learned how to take their knowledge to the next level and how it will be applied in the real world (Thomas 2000). 

Some benefits include increased scores on critical thinking test which is followed closely by increased confidence in self (Shepard 1998).  Another benefit cited by the reading included students not having to rely on memorized facts but instead using "flexible" thought that included the students being able to use a kind of math which used "exploration and thought" (Boaler, 1997, p. 63).  A third benefit for the student is being able to recognize and define problems followed by reasoning and support for their arguments
(Stepien, Gallagher, & Workman, 1993).

3. According to the research, how does Problem-Based Learning support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies.

Another approach is problem-based learning as compared to project based learning.  In this learning activity, students work together in small groups to address and solve a problem.  The problem does not have a set solution but engages imagination which could result in several or various solutions; as would any problem in a corporate or medical world career where a small group would be solving a problem.  In this situation the teacher is merely a mentor or advicer the keep students on track. 

In the long run, students who take part in problem based learning DO score better in the medical field on clinical problem solving (Vernon & Blake, 1993; Albanese & Mitchell, 1993).  Doctors and other medical personnel are handed problems on a regular basis that included unconventional problem solving since the human body is complicated and for the most part - unconventional.  Likewise, teachers excel better when they understand problem-solving strategies.  Students do not have the same type of learning skills, which require the teacher to understand and pin point what kind of learner each student is if they want their success rate to be high as compared to teacher who grew up with traditional learning and then pass that traditional learning onto their own students (see, e.g. Lundeberg, Levin, & Harrington, 1999; Savery & Duffy, 1996; Williams, 1992).


4. According to the research, how does Learning by Design support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies.

Learning by design requires the student to produce an artifact based on their understanding and use of knowledge.  The more complicated the project, the more collaboration that needs to take place.  This approach is asking the students to take a specific role in production of their product.  For instance, if it were a science based design the students would need to literally become scientist to complete the project.  The project most definitely requires many prototypes before a final design is finished.

One benefit in the article included students learning about a body system, the lungs, on a higher level.  The students actually understood the biological functions of all the different parts.  The benefit of building systems such as the lungs gives the students a better understanding of the function by giving the student a more hand-on approach (Kolodner, 2000).  Another benefit includes "strong, evidence of progress" in science-related concepts in both higher and lower scoring students (Fortus, 2000).  I believe the more beneficall and important aspect of this research was finding that students were more motivated (Fortus, 2000).  I find it the most important aspect because motivation is what changes scores.  All students are capable on one level or another; finding the motivation to catch that level is another challenge all together.

5. What are the differences between the three approaches?
 
Project based learning is long term student investigation.  I was able to participate in project based learning at Barrackville Elementary as a substitute teacher.  Students learned about recycling throughout the entire year.  Which meant learning in the classroom, creating a toy using recycled materials from home, visiting the Beckly recycling center, and finally taking the knowledge and applying recycling in many facets.

Poblem based learning divides students into small groups in which they are given a problem to solve.  The problem is not systematic in which the teacher already knows the solution.  Students are able to use their imagination to create endless solutions as long as they can logically support their answers.

Learning by Design has the students engineering a product that allows the student to go one step futher into learning.  It literally turns the student into an engineer which allows the students hands on knowledge into every facet of their project.

6. In your opinion, what is the most important benefit to learning that is common across the three types of inquiry-based learning approaches?

I cannot empathsize the fact that motivation is the most important benefit.  As stated before - students want to learn and are capable.  Capturing motivation and giving students the drive to learn is the challenge.  If one of these strategies can do that, then half of the challenge is won. 
Related Source:

(The Texas Education Agency, 2011)

This project was developed in a university physics class but I can also see it implemented in a high school.  I like the fact that on top of PBL, there is also a use of iPads; which also helps non-English learners.

Cited Sources:

Barron, D. B., & Darling-Hammond, D. L. (2008). Teaching for meaningful learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley imprint. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teaching-for-meaningful-learning.pdf
The Texas Education Agency. (Producer) (2011). Project based learning & ipad integration [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm64SiTjwPA