ebags coupons macys handbags Dillards handbags ebags promo buy accutane buy micardis vuitton handbags juicy couture replica hermes handbags replica bags juicy couture handbags high quality replica handbags hq replica Gucci Totes
Teacher Ashley C

Teacher Ashley C

June 25, 2010

Prezi

Filed under: Technology — ashley @ 2:39 pm

All week I have been thinking about ideas to blog about. Up until yesterday (Thursday) I could not come up with anything. During our last staff meeting one of our administrators presentations gave me an idea. The idea did not come to me because I was zoning out, but instead because I recognized what was on the screen ….. it was a Prezi!!! Before our administrator even started the presentation I asked one of the other teachers at the table if the presentation was made using Prezi, and to my surprise it was! Many of the other teachers at the table did not know what a Prezi was, which made me feel like I was up to data with one of the latest technologies, for once.

I found it very ironic that on the day of our group presentation for EDU 487 I was watching another Prezi. For the past seven days my group and I have immersed ourselves into the world of Prezi’s. We researched Prezi’s specifically trying to figure out how to make one and the advantages it has over powerpoint, we taught ourselves how to make a Prezi by watching the instructional video provided on the (Prezi) website as well as by trial and error, and we created, co-constructed and edited our Prezi by creating one account in which all of our emails were stored and the same password was used. Since the Prezi is saved through the website you can access it from any computer that has internet, at any time, and you do not have to worry about where to save it or how to send it to group members for feedback. Everyone can view your Prezi if you check the box that says make public. When you do this you are given a link to your Prezi, click here to check out our Prezi!

While working on our Prezi I discovered reasons for why I would and would not use it over powerpoint. The reasons I would use it over powerpoint include …

  • easily accessible to all group members
  • no need to attach a file to an email
  • saved online
  • one page in which all of your information is presented
  • easy to add pictures, text, and videos
  • easy to organize the order of your presentation
  • encourages creativity

The reasons why I would not use Prezi over powerpoint …

  • takes a while to load especially if your Prezi includes a lot of pictures and/or videos
  • depends on the internet (as we worked on our Prezi there were a few times when we could not get to the website which meant we could not login)
  • limited colors and fonts on the free version (once you pick a color and font you cannot modify it, the only way to get other colors is to pick a completely different color and font which means you have changed to a different theme)

June 18, 2010

A day off ???

Filed under: Reflection — ashley @ 7:51 am

Another school year is almost over and I have yet to take a sick day or personal day. I have been teaching for four years and so far have not missed a day of school yet. What is wrong with me? Does this make me a workaholic? Am I afraid to take a day off? I wish I knew.

There have been times when I have considered calling in sick but every time the thought crosses my mind I always find myself saying, “it is just easier to be their”. I know I cannot keep up this pace forever but how do I put my health before the education of my students, who mean so much to me? Part of me says that I should have practiced taking a sick day when I was student teaching. Maybe this would have taken away the anxiety that I have about being absent and letting my students down. This experience would have allowed me to; practice writing a lesson plan for a sub and plan a lesson for someone else to implement who might not be familiar with chemistry. In addition, I could have gotten feedback from my cooperating teacher, a veteran with many years of experience.

I know there are a couple of reasons why “it is just easier to be their” but what can I do to put myself at ease if and when I need to take a sick day or personal day. Three reasons that I can think of right now that explain why I say “it is just easier to be there” are, (1) being in school means I won’t fall behind according to my lesson plans (with so many units in regents chemistry there are barely enough school days as it is), (2) being in school means I can keep all of my classes on the same page so one class is not ahead of another (teaching 85 minute blocks means I do not see all my classes on the same day) and (3) being in school means I do not have to worry about coming up with sub plans, especially plans that would be different from what I would do if I were there. 

To prepare myself for unexpected sick days or planned personal days I have brainstormed some ideas and I am open to any and all suggestions ….

1. put together a box with all the materials a substitute would need

  • class lists for attendance purposes as well as knowing students names (preferably a class list that shows a picture of each student so the substitute can put names with faces, no one can pretend to be someone else and students who behave inappropriately can be written down for the teacher)
  • map of the school
  • pencils, pens and paper
  • important phones numbers (i.e. nurse, security, main office)
  • procedures for a fire drill
  • copy of my teaching schedule
  • student/classroom/school expectations

2. put together a box with folders for each unit, inside each folder would be a variety of materials in which students could complete without the help of or with minimal help from the substitute

the materials might be … 

  •  practice regents questions
  •  practice plotting data and interpreting graphs
  •  readings in which students must practice certain literacy strategies
  •  vocabulary practice
  • activities in which students create study tools (i.e. foldables, flashcards) for material they are currently learning about or have already learned about)

I was hoping that I would be able to come up with more ideas so I searched and found these websites very useful ….

Betty’s Blog (A lesson plan for the substitue folder, the idea is fantastic and could be modifed for use in a science classroom)

Planning for a substitute

Tips to consider when writing plans for a substitute teacher

June 11, 2010

Project FeederWatch

Filed under: Technology — ashley @ 8:37 pm

Do you have bird feeders in your backyard? Do you enjoy watching birds? Would you be interested in periodically counting the birds you see? If so, then I have a project for you!!!

Project FeederWatch enlists the help of volunteers, citizens across North America, to collect data about winter bird populations and migrations. The data collected is used to better understand birds and their habits. Volunteers count the birds that appear at their feeders from November through April and send their data to Project FeederWatch which is run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. To participate visit Project FeederWatch and sign up by clicking on the words Join or Renew which takes you to the sign up page.

Video 1: Count Birds for Science!

Video 2: What do you need to do to take part in Project FeederWatch?

Also check out …. Martha Stewart and David Bonter (Project Director of Project FeederWatch)

Project FeederWatch came about when the Long Point Bird Observatory in Ontario, Canada partnered with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in the United States. The reason behind the partnership was due in fact to the realization that accurately monitoring the large-scale movements of birds required a continental survey. As a result of this project the abundance and distribution of winter bird populations can be monitored.

Signing your class up for this project is a fantastic way for students to engage in a scientific investigation. One in which testable questions can be written, explored, analyzed and presented by your students. While participating in this project students practice making observations, taking notes, asking questions, sharing data, interacting with their community and exploring the the natural world. If you have more than 11 students participating the cost per student is $10.

Incorporating Project FeederWatch into your science classroom promotes meaningful learning that is both hands-on and minds-on. You can use Project FeederWatch in your classroom to integrate science, math, music, art, writing, literature, history and geography to name a few. For example, while investigating if different species have different food preferences (science) students can measure the amount of bird seed eaten to test and predict how often the bird feeders should be refilled (math), record the sounds of different birds to study different bird songs/calls (music), sketch the birds that are visiting the feeder (art) and in their journals record observations/write stories about the birds they see (writing).

June 4, 2010

Resources

Filed under: Teaching — ashley @ 5:18 pm

One of our texts for class is, Reading, Writing, & Inquiry in the Science Classroom Grades 6-12 by Kathleen Chamberlain and Christine Corby Crane (2009). There are so many great ideas mentioned throughout each chapter, some of which I have heard of and use, while others are new to me and very intriguing.

In particular I was introduced to a variety of books, all of which I could use in my classroom to support inquiry and increase my level of understanding with regards to science and chemistry more specifically. The following is a list of titles that I am looking forward to adding to my collection …

  • How to Dunk a Doughnut by Len Fisher (2002)
  • Integrating Literature in the Content Areas: Enhancing Adolescent Learning and Literacy by Sharon Kane (2007)
  • Teaching Science Fact with Science Fiction by Gary Raham (2004)
  • The Science of Sherlock Holmes by E.J. Wagner (2006)
  • The Forensic Casebook: The Science of Crime Scene Investigation by Ngaire E. Genge (2002)
  • Hiroshima No Pika by Toschi Maruki (1982)
  • Fallout by Jim Ottoviani (2001)
  • Dignifying Science: Stories About Women Scientists by Jim Ottoviani (2003)
  • Two Fisted Science: Stories About Scientists by Jim Ottoviani (2001)
  • Suspended in Language: Neils Bohr’s Life, Discoveries and the Century He Shaped by Jim Ottoviani (2004)
  • Chemistry Connections: The Chemical Basis of Everday Phenomena by Kerry Karukstis and Gerald Van Hecke (2003)
  • On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee (2004)
  • Chemistry and Science Fiction by Jack Stocker

If you would like to find a list of quality books related to science, Chamberlain and Corby (2009) suggest checking out …

National Science Teachers Association

While I was exploring the National Science Teachers Association website I came across another book that should be added to the list above. This book is titled …

  • Brain-Powered Science: Teaching and Learning with Discrepant Events by Thomas O’Brien

Books are not all I found this week, check out these science clips which you can subscribe to through iTunes or an RSS feed …

Science Videos

These resources are valuable tools that will not only help me grow as an educator, but help me help my students; develop their scientific language, make content connections, identify different perspectives, enhance their abstract thinking skills and connect science concepts to everyday life.

May 28, 2010

Looking through the eyes of a student …

Filed under: Reflection — ashley @ 6:36 pm

Today my plan was to use my free period to grade papers and after school to write my blog. I did find the time to grade but the rest of the day did not go the way I had hoped.

Two students in my last block class took advantage of passes that were given to them and skipped over half of class. In addition to skipping, both students upon returning to class lied about their where a bouts. When it came time to sit down and blog there were so many thoughts racing through my head that I decided I needed to take a break and blog later. Realizing that I needed to take a break could not have come at a better time. I tend to keep on going like the energizer bunny rather than take a break to regroup. When I got home I went for a bike ride.

Even though I recognize that I need time to regroup there are days when taking a break is easier than others. Today happened to be one of those days since tomorrow is Saturday and I do not have to prepare for tomorrows lesson.

Aside from all of that, I wanted to blog about something I realized during Thursdays class. When we were asked to look at the What is Science document I experienced what some of my students feel when I ask them to complete an assignment. As I sat looking at this document I was afraid to put a check next to certain bullets for fear that I was going to check something that should not be checked. In my mind there were correct and incorrect answers. The way I interpreted this assignment and how I felt during it, put me in my students shoes and made me aware of how nervous students get and how conscious students are when they view an assignment as having right and wrong answers.

My personal experiences as a student have helped me recognize and relate to my students experiences. When I see a student with a blank piece of paper my first thought is not that they are lazy or that they do not know what they are doing. Instead my first thought is, are they too concerned about being correct that they are scared to try?

Before jumping to conclusions when working with my students I put myself in their shoes. This not only allows me to think about all possible scenarios but helps me understand why students might struggle. The question I ask myself most often is …. If I had to do this assignment what would I struggle with and why?

May 21, 2010

Giving Students a Voice

Filed under: Teaching — ashley @ 2:44 pm

Last nights class showed me how feedback from students is not limited to surveys, written responses or teaching style. Asking students what they would change about a recently completed assignment gives students a voice which in turn makes them feel valued. In addition, when students are given a voice and their voices are heard (for example: suggestions made by students are used) they are more likely to invest their time and energy. This form of feedback also provides teachers the opportunity to gather information about students learning styles and ways to modify the assignment so it meets the needs of a diverse group of learners.

This year, after every unit test, I have asked my students to analyze their results. First they are given a piece of paper with all of the question numbers (this paper is called test categories). Next to each number there is a letter or initial that corresponds to the main idea that question was addressing. With their test in hand students are asked to circle (on the test categories paper) only the numbers that corresponds to the questions they missed. The second to last step involves figuring out the number of questions missed per main idea. For example, on the matter and energy unit test, two main ideas were phase changes and heat calculations. Once the number of questions missed per section has been determined students compare this number to the total number of questions in that main idea and use this information to answer four questions. The first two questions (what main ideas do you consider to be your strengths and what main ideas do you consider areas of growth) never change. The second two questions change base on the unit.

At the beginning of this school year I thought having my students analyze their test results would not only provide me feedback in regards to their level of content knowledge but them as well. I never thought about asking my students what they would like to change about this assignment. My goal for next year is to incorporate this feedback technique because I realize now that feedback is not one dimensional, but rather multidimensional. Teachers gives students feedback and students give feedback to teachers but it is important to recognize that feedback can also be given by students to modify and or improve assignments.

August 5, 2009

Role of Technology in Science Education

Filed under: Technology — ashley @ 5:55 am

For quite a while I have thought of science and technology as two separate subjects. When I hear the word technology I cannot help but associate it with technology courses offered in schools. As I knew it growing up, technology referred to computers and software programs. It has taken me some time to realize that technology also refers to materials, media and devices that enhance a students learning experience.

My experience with technology was limited throughout middle school and high school, it was not until college that I experienced a wider variety of technology such as SMARTBoards (picture of SMARTBoard) (link to interactive whiteboard technology) and Vernier Probeware. My knowledge of technology is still growing and now includes, to name a few; blogging, Google Earth, Google Docs, Google Reader, Wiki’s GPS, Voice Thread, Inspiration, Keynote, iFlip, Palm Pilots, Elmo Projectors and podcasting. Now that my bank of technology resources has expanded rather quickly over the last few years I constantly wonder; how will I ever keep up with all the technology that is available, how will I stay ahead of what my students know with regards to technology and how will I make sure I use these technologies effectively. To answer the first two questions I have to embrace technology and not shy away from it even though at times new technologies can be overwhelming. Taking advantage of professional development opportunities that focus on technology will help me address all three questions, but I will make sure to evaluate them with respect to their affordances and limitations so that I can incorporate them into my classroom in ways that supplement inquiry-based pedagogy. As our society advances so will technology which in turns also means science will advance. I think of these three things being connected in a circle and a new development in one causes advancements in the others. It is important to keep up with all these changes for the sake of our students. Not keeping up puts our students at a disadvantage.

Today I can say without question that science and technology are integrally linked. After reading about the five guidelines for using technology in the preparation of science teachers that were proposed by Flick and Bell (2000) it was clear to me that there is an important relationship between technology and science. Technology if used effectively has the ability to deepen students’ engagement in science content. With the use of technology difficult science concepts can be visualized and/or modeled. In addition, incorporating technology into the science classroom when appropriate provides students with the opportunity to learn science through ways that are comparable to the way science is done. For example, when scientists test the pH of a sample they would probably use a pH probe rather than litmus paper. If students do not experience some of the technologies that scientists use on a regular basis we are not fostering an environment that represents what science really is.

Even though technology can be frustrating and difficult to keep up with I prefer to embrace emerging resources not avoid them. I teach with the best interests of my students in mind and avoiding technology is not what is best for my students. Today’s students have grown up in a digital world. They are familiar with more technology than we sometimes give them credit for. If you do not believe it just ask them to help you troubleshoot your next glitch with technology. Using what students already know about technology in the science classroom engages them in science content while making it interactive and relevant.

When using technology in the classroom there are affordances and limitations especially with respect to inquiry-based pedagogy.

Affordances:

  • multi-modal approach to learning science
  • helps teachers meet the needs of a diverse group of students
  • connects learning to real-world situations
  • encourages creative understandings and deeper connections of scientific concepts
  • engages a visually minded generation
  • enhances discussion and reflection
  • has the potential to address issues of equity and social justice if used thoughtfully
  • brings an interactive component to the classroom
  • builds local and global communities where people can gather and share information

Limitations:

  • does not always work when you need it to, even if it has been tested before being use (always have a back-up plan when working with technology)
  • can be distracting (always give students time to play with new technology before using it for scientific/academic purposes)
  • students do not always have access to technology tools outside of school (do what you can with students during class)
  • technology tools may be limited, not enough for an entire class to use (write grants to get more technology)

My philosophy statement regarding the role of technology in science education:
One thing I am sure about is that I will not use technology in my classroom just for the sake of using it. Instead the technology I use in my classroom will have a purpose, it will enhance student learning not hinder, it will help me differentiate instruction to meet the needs of my students and it will be use in such a way that helps my students recognize, organize and represent their knowledge in creative multi-modal ways.

Resources to use ….
NSTA: Technology in the Secondary Science Classroom

REFERENCES
Flick, L. & Bell, R. (2000) Preparing tomorrow’s science teachers to use technology: Guidelines for Science educators. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 1(1), 39-60.

August 4, 2009

Overall Camp Reflection

Filed under: GETREAL! Science Camp — ashley @ 11:41 am

Going into camp I was not nervous about the experience because I knew I would be working with four other classmates. Having to do this by myself would have been intimidating. Especially since this would only be my second time designing and implementing an authentic inquiry-based science experience. Never having learned science through inquiry myself, I have no experiences of my own to refer back to which makes it very challenging to teach others in a way that is unfamiliar to me. Even though I questioned my ability to design and implement an authentic inquiry-based science experience I felt confident in our ability as a group. Together, I knew we would be able to use each others ideas, build off of what each of us had learned from our experience conducting concept interviews, and incorporate information from our course readings to create an authentic inquiry-based science experience that would be memorable while at the same time meaningful, not only for our students but for us as well.

Concept Map of Student's Work Throughout Camp

The hardest thing for me all week was the unknown. By this I mean not knowing what ideas our students would come up with or how our students would respond to our questions. For example, the very first day of camp we had our students write a list of questions they wanted to investigate after they observed Charlotte Beach. Not having any idea what the students would come up with or how difficult it would be for them to come up with questions left us unsure about our plan for the rest of the day. Even thought this was the first time I witnessed the unknown it was not the only time. Throughout the week when our students developed a model, determined how they wanted to collect data, brainstormed ways to visually represent their data using graphs and analyzed their graphs to draw conclusions I again experienced the unknown. As the week went on I started to get used to the unknown and develop ways to approach it. One way we did this was by making sure we provided time for our students to write down their thoughts before sharing them with the group. This way not only did our students have an opportunity to think before they were put on the spot but we were able to prepare ourselves. While the students were writing each one of us would check out what the students were writing or if a student seemed to be struggling one of us would sit down with them and find out what they were thinking. Doing this helped us preview what our group discussion might look like. This took away a little bit of the unknown and gave us a minute to compile our thoughts. I learned very quickly that putting ourselves on the spot caused us to ask more leading questions. However, recognizing that we asked more leading questions when we put ourselves on the spot did not always help us avoid these situations. Later on in the week we realized that we could adjust this habit if we paused for a moment after a student shared their idea(s). Pausing allowed us to think about what was just said and phrase a question in our heads that would push the student for a scientific explanation rather than try to have them guess what we were thinking. For example, some of the questions we would ask included, “what do you mean by that”, “can you say more about that”, and “can you explain why.” After this week I realized that the unknown is scary but if you can roll with it it leads to valuable and deeper outcomes.

Everyday involved something different than the day before. I am used to being able to run through a lesson with one class and make immediate changes before I run through the same lesson with another class. This was not the case at camp. Each day we needed to accomplish something different and never had an opportunity to try the same lesson again. We did however have the opportunity to make changes to the way we structured the lessons. For example, we realized that we needed to assign roles to each teacher. During each activity there was at least one leader, one observer, one person in charge of taking pictures/videos, one organizer and sometimes one or two co-leaders. Not assigning roles left us with too many chefs in the kitchen. Our students did not know who to talk to or which question to answer first. We overwhelmed them when roles were not predetermined. Another way we changed the structure of our lessons was by taking advantage of our one to one student to teacher ratio. Recognizing that we had a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time while trying to meet the needs of each individual student presented problems for us at times mainly because we were trying to do everything as a large group. As soon as we started to identify activities that would best be accomplished if we took advantage of our one to one ratio we noticed that our students were taking more away from each experience.

This week long experience would have been drastically different had I not have four other amazing individuals to work with directly and many others to learn from. The five of us learned a great deal from each other along the way and approached each day with a purpose that related to our overall camp goals. At times I did not feel that we were as creative as other groups nor did we take advantage of all the technology that was available to us. Some examples of the other groups creativity included; wearing the same color shirts throughout the week not just on Monday and Tuesday, decorating signs for each individual student rather than one big sign for all students, making a video of their groups experience throughout the week, recording student reflections on the iFlip, creating a concept map using inspiration then having students add ideas to their concept map by writing directly on the SMARTBoard that was showing the concept map, and using a jeopardy game to get to know their students on the first day. Each day we tried to introduce our students to certain technologies that they may not have used before but thought would be useful for them to learn at that point in time. Students had experience with pH probes, labquests, Excel, cameras, iFlip, Google Earth, Keynote and SMARTBoards. We would have liked the students to do more with all of these but we struggled due to time restrictions. One of the things we did well when we incorporated technology was provide short focused sections of time in which the students could play with the tools. This way when it was time for them to use it   in conjunction with their investigation they were ready to use it purposefully.

Overall, this week left me more exhausted than any other week I have experienced during the three years I have been teaching. However, it was a rewarding learning experience that I would regret not having been a part of. As the summer is coming to an end I am starting to think about ways I can use what I have learned from camp in my classroom. Seeing the excitement and pride on our students faces throughout the week, has refueled me with energy to start another year with a new bunch of students, helping them discover the joy of science through experiences that go beyond textbooks and worksheets while fostering an environment in which they learn how to “think like scientists.”

August 1, 2009

Camp Reflection – Day 6

Filed under: GETREAL! Science Camp — ashley @ 2:24 pm

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING does not being to describe what I experienced today. It was not like a science fair but more like a conference where scholars shared their work. Check out the article and video of this experience provided by RNews.

Today was the day our group has been preparing for all week, the symposium. Even though at the beginning of the day we could not say for sure which of our group members were going to be attending, we were impressed by the turn out, three out of five students attended (Shania, RaeShawn, and Hadaree). When it was time for our students to share their work with the other groups, their parents, and other visitors, all their hard work throughout the week as well as the practice runs completed yesterday paid off. Our students showed grace under pressure and adjusted very well to the fact that two group members were missing. They eagerly agreed to present additional information and if they were nervous they did not show it one bit. Agreeing to present more information than they originally practiced showed that each student had taken ownership of the material and felt comfortable sharing what they had learned. As we sat in the auditorium waiting for the presentations to start we asked Shania, RaeShawn, and Hadaree if they wanted us next to them as they presented, they all said yes but as soon as their presentation began it seemed like they did not need us, all three of them stood up at the podium, together, hunched around the computer and with ease presented their work. They were all smiling and beaming with pride, it was incredible to watch them up there.

Not only was this an incredible opportunity for our students to showcase their work but it was also an opportunity for more learning. Our poster had two double line graphs to show how graphs can be misleading because scales can be changed. These graphs brought up some very interesting conversations centered around pH and what constitutes a significant change in pH. For example, two questions were specifically asked by a visitor to our groups poster, (1) if we were talking about the human body would the change we saw in pH be significant? and (2) is the change in pH we saw, significant in terms of bacteria? These questions pushed the students thinking further by requiring them to think about their study and what they could do to address questions like this. It was science at its best, presenting findings and discussing future studies.

Adjustments we would make if we could do this symposium over again …

  • To improve our interactive poster we should have had more probes and provided a targeted experience with these probes. For example, we should have brought materials such as Windex and orange juice that would have shown a change in the pH. This way the pH probe would have been used in a meaningful way, one that demonstrated what the students did during their experiment.
  • Set up our table in a way that is conducive to an interactive environment. Today we had the poster in the center of the table with the whirlpacks, bucket of water, probes and labquest in front of the poster. This set up made it very difficult for our students to show others how to use these tools and also view the information on their poster at the same time. Instead of putting the poster in the center of the table we would move the poster to one side and set up the tools on the other. If space was not a factor we would make sure the table we set our stuff up at was not against a wall. Being able to use all sides of the table would encourage movement around the table and eliminate congestion.
  • Explicitly address future implications by including them on poster and discussing them with those who visit poster.

July 31, 2009

Camp Reflection – Day 5

Filed under: GETREAL! Science Camp — ashley @ 7:54 pm

Where did the time go? How did it get to be Friday already? Would our students be able to draw conclusions from their graphs? Would there be enough time for our students to make a poster and power point presentation? What happens if our students do not get to practice their presentation, will be there time to practice tomorrow? At this point I sound crazy but these were all of the questions that were on my mind as I drove to camp today. After reminding myself to breathe, I took a minute and thought about all that we had accomplished so far. Doing this reassured me that we would be able to get through what we intended to get through. All week we have been able to recognize what if anything needs to be modified on the spot to make sure we get to the most important parts of the lesson plan.

I was most concerned about the time it would take our students to draw conclusions from their graphs because this was something we had planned on finishing yesterday after they analyzed their graphs. It was our intention to get through drawing conclusions yesterday so today we could focus on their presentation and poster. Even though we did not get to drawing conclusions yesterday like we had planned we were all hoping that the reflective piece each students had worked on yesterday, with one of us, would pay off today and make drawing conclusions do able in a reasonable amount of time. The reflective piece certainly helped but more time was needed to draw conclusions than we had originally planned. We decided it was important to take this extra time because we wanted our students to wrestle with their ideas and have to work through their thoughts rather than try to remember what we told them. The way we had our students draw conclusions was a team effort.

Jake started the conversation by showing each students blog post on the SMARTBoard and asked each of them to share what they wrote. As each student shared their thoughts Carli wrote them on the white board and kept track of how many students mentioned the same idea. Next we had them transfer the information on the white board into their notebooks. When everyone had finished we asked our students to use the information they had just written in their notebooks and make connections between them and their question. We wanted the connections (in other words their conclusions) to be written down in their notebooks so they could see their thinking and be able to contribute to our discussion. Knowing that we have students at different levels we again took advantage of the one student to one teacher ratio. After several minutes of working individually with students we transitioned back to our large group and discussed the conclusions that could be drawn. To start this discussion I had the students tell us which of the stories written on the left side of the white board they used when writing their conclusion. The ones the students used were circled, the ones that the students did not use had a dash drawn through the number and the ones that some of the students used but some of the students did not use were left alone for the moment but revisited later. What came next involved looking at the three important key words the students had previously identified in their question (pH, bacteria and algae). When students were asked if the pH affected the bacteria four of the five students said no, the pH did not affect the bacteria. Instead of agreeing with Shania, Juan, RaeShawn, and Josh I asked Hadaree if he could explain why he thought the pH affected the bacteria. This way we could all figure out what was making Hadaree say there was a relationship between the two. When Hadaree shared his thoughts we realized that he thought the pH values changed because the numbers after the decimal were different (i.e. 8.05, 8.66, 8.40). With the help of two different graphs (see Jake’s GRS Camp Day 5 post) and discussions with Shania, Juna, RaeShawn, and Josh, Hadaree realized that all of the pH values were essentially the same. Students were also asked if pH affects algae and if algae affects bacteria. After the discussion about pH and bacteria all of our students were able to agree that their research did not show a relationship between pH and algae. In order to draw a conclusion about algae and bacteria our students added color to their model, green was used to represent algae. Making their model reflect what they saw at the beach helped them picture the relationship between algae and bacteria. Without this visual it was difficult for the students to determine the relationship between algae and bacteria. This portion of the day, although it took longer than we had planned, would not have gone smoothly had we not used each other as resources and allowed each student to process their thoughts in their notebook before sharing. Way to go team!!!

Throughout the day we all struggled to keep one student in particular motivated and focused on the task at hand. Since this particular student was pretty set on the fact that he was not coming to the presentation tomorrow because his family was having a birthday party for his younger brother his interest and focus drastically changed. It never occurred to me to ask what time the birthday party was or point out that the presentations are in the morning and most likely the birthday party is in the afternoon so it is possible to do both. Addressing these things with this student might have helped us plant the idea that coming to the presentations was not out of the picture. Conversations like these might have helped us avoid the lack of focus on the students part because the possibility that he could come would have held this student accountable for his actions. Finding out more about the birthday part could also have helped us figure out if the birthday party was being used to cover some thing up such as not having a way to get here tomorrow or not wanting to come. Another way that we could have handled the fact that this student was pretty sure he was not going to come tomorrow would have been to take advantage of the iFlip. Using the iFlip we could have recorded the entire group presenting their work and inserted this clip into the presentation or we could have recorded each student doing one part of the presentation. Doing this would have moved the presentation up a day, in a sense, and made sure that all our group members were represented. I wish I had thought of this sooner.

Not only did the idea of not coming to the presentation keep this student from being productive, food also presented an issue. The other day this student had mentioned that he did not eat breakfast because he did not like the cereal that was offered. Today he made the same comment but food presented a bigger issue today. All this student talked about was going to get snacks and how other groups got to eat at the cafeteria. He kept on asking if we would take everyone to the cafeteria and buy them lunch. As the day went on I was having a difficult time figuring out if he was really hungry or if he had gotten used to the idea of going to get a snack part way through the day or if he was board and had nothing else to think about other than food. For all we know it could have been a combination of all these reasons. However, it did make me think about the importance behind making sure students basic needs are met before learning can occur. If students are hungry or tired it makes it very difficult for them to learn. This leaves me wondering what can I do to make sure my students basic needs are met?

Older Posts »

Powered by WordPress