Exploring the Elaborate

Today in class we looked at the Elaborate Phase of the 5E Learning Cycle. We looked at examples of lessons, sorted them out into the 5Es and saw different strategies that can be used in the Elaborate Phase to extend student learning.

The Future of Science Ed. Right Here...

To see the photos, click on the post below and on the photos, or follow this link for the slideshow.

Labs: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

In class we have been exploring the EXPLORE phase of the 5E learning cycle. After reading the article "Modifying Cookbook Labs" by Clark, Clough and Berg, answer the following prompts as a reply below.

• What has been your personal experience with science lab activities in general? 
• How are lab activities in college different or similar than those in high school? 
• What do Clark, Clough and Berg identify as one key aspect of successfully modified lab activities? (try to give a different one than the person before you)
• After reading the article, what is the one muddiest point that still remains about modifying lab activities?

NB. When writing your answers to these prompts, make sure you add them as a comment (not as a reply to the person before you (unless they make a good point and you mean to do so)). Take care so we can keep a clean thread of comments in terms of differentiating between what are replies to the original post and what are replies to your classmates comments.

New blog section: "From the Field"

The "From the Field" section, which can be accessed from the tab/ Navigation menu above, will include anecdotes and words of wisdom from Middle and High School Science student teachers currently out "on the field" during their student teaching.

If you come across this page and you are a student teacher, please feel free to Comment on the Page and share your experience so far.

"Muddiest Points" About Inquiry

After reading Chapter 10 in the Chiappetta & Koballa textbook, students summarized the information following the 3-2-1 strategy. The prompts were:  

3 Key Statements made in the chapter
2 Practical Inquiry-based Strategies you can try in your classroom
1 Question you still have about the topics covered in the chapter

We discussed responses to the first two prompts in class. The "Muddiest Points" from the third prompt were shared on a jumbo pad (see photo right) so we can refer back to them and integrate them into future class discussions. Click on image to view larger.

Aligning Lessons with Standards

In class we looked at a sample lesson involving the science of "Bouncing Balls". The original lesson plan by Jeff Goodman can be found here.

Our goal as a class is to update the last page currently containing the old NC Science Standards. We have divided the different sets of standards (NCESS, NGSS, NC Tech, Common Core in Technical Subjects and p21). Please tell us in the comments what standards you reviewed and whether there was any alignment with them. If there was no alignment between your standards and the lesson, suggest how they could be incorporated.

Formative Assessment Prove Review: Habitat Change

I like the scenario and the things it was promoting for discussion but I do not like the worksheet format. I would use the scenario for a class discussion or maybe short answer on a test but I doubt I would print these off to have students fill out. I may give different groups the different scenario "options" and have them discuss them and debate with the class. As for the standards it would connect diversity of life and heredity.