KLEIN's
GUIDE TO
SCIENCE EDUCATION
PHOTO CREDIT: Nadene Klein at Tuolumne Meadows Yosemite National Park
In 2017 I arranged an all school viewing event of the eclipse that was 90%. So why not just hit "replay" for the 2024 eclipse? There are two reasons. First, I have a new principle who wanted us to have educational activities for the whole school while outside during the viewing. Second, I wasn't go to be there. I had plans to travel to Fort Worth, TX to view the 100% totality rather than the 65% in Colorado.
So what was the best solution, the best new plan? I empowered the students in my Astronomy to figure it out. We spent a few class periods with them researching activities to do during the eclipse and they picked the ones they liked and thought would engage their peers. Each Astronomy student then became the leader of that activity and were in charge of it during the eclipse day. They assigned me the task of putting together an educational video to be shown to the whole school while I was gone. I made that video using Loom and got feedback from my Astronomy class that it was acceptable. The Astronomy students did a great job leading the educational program. It was the right solution to this year's eclipse whether I was going to be there or not.
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This week I attended the NSTA national conference in Denver and also presented 3 sessions there. This coming together of science educators of all varieties from all levels throughout the country is an empowering experience. I wanted to share that with you in this post. Over the past few months, I was considering changing the format of this blog to a vlog, meaning that instead of text to read it would be a video. Then, I encountered a video blogger in Denver outside of the convention center who asked to interview me. I have that video below instead of typing up a post. Based on how this fortuitous entry goes, you may see more videos from me on ScienceKlein! I rarely miss school. It is a lot of work to properly and thoroughly prepare for a substitute teacher. It is so much easier and less work to be at school than it is to prepare to be gone and then recover from being gone. As a science teacher, I know that it is unlikely that the guest teacher will be qualified and capable of teaching most of my science classes, particularly physics. I don't want my students missing a day of instruction. When I do miss school it is for a good reason...like, say, traveling to Texas in April to witness the full solar eclipse. I'm already thinking about the sub plans I'll be writing. So here's some advice from this veteran teacher to you: What kinds of lessons will work for a sub and meet these guidelines? Think about those skills that need continuous development. You could have students find current science news articles related to what you are learning in class from reliable sources, document the sources, write a summary, and explain the connections to your class content. You could have students graph data from a data set related to your current content. Any other science literacy lessons including vocabulary development also are easier for substitute teachers to manage. Then don't forget to have a little something for the guest teacher to use for those students who finish early. The more you plan the less likely students are going to cause discipline issues. I always leave a crossword puzzle or word search for students to complete for fun. I usually give candy prizes when I return to those who get them right.
I can't wait for my trip in April knowing that I can have solid plans for the substitute. Then I will return to school able to share my experience with all of my classes and really nerd out with my astronomy class. Well before Covid called for online teaching, I had been using simulators to teach some lessons in my science classes. PhET are my favorite and not just because they come from my home state of Colorado! A few years ago, most of the PhET simulations were taken off line because Adobe FlashPlayer was no longer supported. Great News! In case you didn't know, over the past couple of years, PhET has been restoring their simulators on a different platform and they are all available: https://phet.colorado.edu/
Simulators are a fantastic way to have interactive learning experiences when it is not feasible to do them in person. This could be because classes are online, lab equipment is beyond budget, or the lab would be dangerous if done hands-on. Simulators are also great for students to test various variables and complete multiple trials of an experiment in a much more time efficient way. Students don't have to worry about failing because they can quickly reset the trial. Students don't have to worry about breaking sensitive equipment (other than their device). Students engage with simulators as if they were video games. There are many benefits to this format of learning. This week my physics classes used the electrical circuit simulator and there were lots of exclamations. It's great hearing formerly disengaged students yelling "WHOA" as they see the results of something they virtually tested. I encourage you to try out some simulators yourself and then see how you can integrate them into your teaching. Share your experiences in the comments below. Many teachers are facing a new battle--Artificial Intelligence (A.I.). They're concerns are two-fold. First they worry about students cheating. Second they worry about learning another piece of technology. We have a tendency to harken toward the worst case scenario and focus on the potential problems. Yes, students will use A.I. to cheat and sometimes we'll catch them and sometimes we won't. These are the same fears we teacher had when the TI-35 calculator came out or when computers were introduced to classrooms or when the internet became readily available. A.I. is an iteration of the same old thing. But, what if we didn't focus on the problems of A.I.? What if we teachers focused on positive possibilities? I already have. With a 1 hour information session and a 1 hour webinar under my belt, I've dived into using ChatGPT several times. I used it to write sub plans for another teacher who needed emergency plans for his geometry class. I have used it as a thought partner as a student. When I was required to write a paper for one of my doctoral classes, on a topic for which I didn't have enough background knowledge, I asked ChatGPT for ideas to fit the prompt. Then I did all of the research and completely wrote the paper myself. This is a strategy I want to teach my students so that they can us this tool to help them as learners. I can tell you that it was super easy to use...just like instant messaging with a friend. You do need to be very detailed and specific with your requests. It can save us teachers time, writing emails, summarizing reports, and so much more. While we teachers should have our eyes open to the pitfalls of students using A.I., we can also embrace the benefits it offers us as well.
As the semester comes to a close, it becomes more difficult to keep my students engaged. In addition, there is a challenge in finding learning activities that transition between content topics in a meaningful way. Enter the cupcake!
We study the Earth in terms of geology, geologic timeline, and weather during the first half of my Earth and Environmental science class. Then we transition to the environmental side of things for the second half of the year. Stealing from my husband's line of work, I have students consider the importance of sediment as the bridge between to the two. Sediment is a part of the Earth that shows us Earth history, but is also a metric for the health of its ecosystem. We watch some videos and discuss sediment and how it is sampled and then analyzed. Then I bake special cupcakes for a special lab activity. Each student gets their own unique lake. The white frosting representing the water which just covers the surface. I use food coloring to create 6 different batters that I randomly layer in each cupcake tin. I give students a key that shows them which color is clay, silt, debris, algae, pollen, and sand. Students generate a hypothesis of the deposition of their sediment by just doing an external examination of their lake. Looking around the shoreline and looking at the side view through the wrapper. This is drawn in the first panel of their 4 panel lab worksheet. Next they use clear drinking straws to extract 3 core sediment samples from their lake. These observations are recorded in the second panel. Based on the observations, students revise their hypothesis to form a conclusion in the third panel. At this point, they cut the cupcake in half to see the actual deposition and draw this in the 4th panel. This last step is not possible in real life, but it gives them the idea that the samples get them closer to the actual sediment formation. There are two analysis questions for them to answer. The last step...they get to eat their model. I have done this activity with my classes for the last several years and it never loses its pizzazz. Over the years, I've updated the lab worksheet and changed from this being a partner lab to being an individual one. This year I made one small but significant change. In some random cupcakes, I added candy sprinkles. Students with these discovered that their lake was contaminated!!! I'm already brainstorming how to expand on that and make this go from a two day lesson to a week long mini-project for next year. Yes, it is a lot of prep on my part to make the cupcakes. The results are profound in the engagement and learning of my students. In the NGSS, the 7th of the Science and Engineering practices is engaging in argument from evidence. If your students are like mine, the most engaging way to approach developing this skill is with a debate. My Zoology students asked me if we were going to do a debate as we entered into the topic of evolution. In my mind, it seemed like a standard, controversial science topic to debate. I replied that it was possible if they wanted to do so. I like empowering my students. They surprised me. They were not at all interested in debating evolution. How could that be? These kids would argue about anything and be good at it. It turns out that the whole class was in agreement, yet another unusual occurrence. They were against doing this debate for two reasons. First, they had done it before and found the topic to be boring because of the second reason they didn't want to do it. They all already agree that evolution is the reason for the current state of all species on Earth. To debate that seemed like a waste of time to them. O.K., they won the debate with me to not debate evolution. The matter was not closed. The next day I posted their warm up question on the front board, "Would you like to debate a topic other than evolution in this class? If so, what topic?" The decision was unanimous, they did want to debate. The topic that was agreed upon by majority input became, "What is the best strategy for saving endangered species?" We used an online random name picker to divide the class into 2 groups. Once in their groups, they had to come to consensus on the strategy that the group would argue for. With little fuss, each group agreed amongst themselves on their stance. Team 1 argued for establishing animal sanctuaries and reserves while Team 2 argued for additional legislation and laws to protect endangered species. The class had 2 days to find their evidence that their strategy was the best, determine the order in which they would speak, and prepare themselves to be well versed on their strategy. At the start of those two classes, I posted warm up questions that would remind and guide students to recall the skills that would serve them well during the debate. While the teams prepared, I had one student who spoke with me privately about her anxiety of debating. While not shy and willing to present in class, something about the nature of debating triggered her anxiety. This student became the judge. She had to look into both strategies being debated and take notes. She had to prepare at least one question in advance that she would direct to each team. At the conclusion of the debate, she would be unbiased in determining the winning team. On debate day, I served as the moderator. I set up the room with two tables facing each other and a judge's table separate. I used a timer and we followed debate protocols. Students were well spoken and passionate. This was the first time I was not surprised in the process. I knew my students would thrive in this learning activity. Determining the winning team wasn't easy, but Team 1 won because they had a greater variety of evidence and were able to respond to questions a little bit stronger. To debate or not to debate? The answer is YES, DEBATE! Consider stepping outside of your teacher comfort zone and let the students pick their topic. You can't go wrong when you elicit that passion that the students already carry within themselves. REFERENCES: “A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas” at NAP.edu. (2012). In nap.nationalacademies.org. National Academy of Sciences. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/13165/chapter/7#42 Sustainability is an important topic in environmental education. Instead of lectures and worksheets, I had my students learn through an authentic project (PBL). The first logistical consideration I accounted for was the weather. When we had a forecast of clear sunny skies for several days, I knew it was time to launch the project. The first task without any introduction was to have students form 3 groups and assemble a Solar Oven. The kit came with instructions. Once the Solar Ovens were assembled, the next challenge was presented. I showed a short video that explained the value and manner of solar cooking. Each group had to learn how to use the oven. Next, they had to find a recipe that would work in the solar oven and for which they could provide the ingredients. Collaboration was key.
SURPRISE...I announced to the class that this was going to be a "cook-off." I had gathered judges from our administration and counseling department. The students handled this challenge with enthusiasm. They embraced the challenge and worked hard to make good food using the Solar Ovens, something they'd never done before. Every single student was fully engaged. When one student forgot an ingredient the next day, the group problem solved how to adjust the recipe. The skill of critical thinking came into play with this incident. Everyone enjoyed sampling the foods created by each group. The next day, students wrote reflections on the experience of this project. Bringing closure through metacognition is super important in the learning process. Students wrote about what went well, what they would improve, how they could use solar cooking in their personal lives and how they could share or teach others about solar cooking. Lastly, I announced the winners based on the judges votes. Everyone got a prize and celebrated the success of this project. P.S. While each group collaborated amongst their members, they did not collaborate between groups. As it happened, it turned into a cohesive meal. Group 1 chose to make garlic bread with an alfredo dipping sauce (appetizer). Group 2 chose to make a pizza that turned into focaccia bread (main course). Group 3 won with their dessert of pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips. Did you know that a toy car can go down a ramp at a speed of 136 cm/s?
Here's how I know... Though more of a basic skill in physical science, my physics students are filling in gaps in their education including how to calculate speed. It is a very simple formula: S = D/T. It gets a little trickier when you have to use the metric system in our science class. I could check for understanding with a worksheet or quiz with various story problems requiring speed calculations...or...I could engage students in a performance assessment. Students worked in partners to set up a ramp. They measured its length in cm. Then they timed a toy car going down the ramp in seconds. Lastly, they used these metric measurements to calculate the speed. I was able to observe students making tangible, hands-on connections as they conceptualizing speeds in metric measurements. As students used their calculators to divide, we discussed significant figures and how to round to the nearest 100th. I also discovered that two of my students were unsure of how to use the meter stick to measure length. This is something I wouldn't have know to address if they just completed a worksheet. By the way, racing toy cars is so much more fun than doing word problems, even for teenagers. This formative assessment not only showed me how well students can calculate speed, but also informed me of other skills that will be necessary during our first full experiment (to be done next week). Students learn by doing so we need to let them demonstrate their understanding by doing. In a science class, performance assessments are the best way that I know of to accomplish this. Bonus: not one kid had test anxiety!!! I love having the opportunity to rekindle my passion for science over the summer. I kicked off my summer reading with Neil DeGrasse Tyson's new book. I have a few issues of Science News and Physics Today to read as well.
I'm especially excited to start learning about mushrooms! Due to the unusual amount of rain we've had in Colorado, there is an equally unusual amount and variety of mushrooms growing in my yard. It sparked an interest in me to learn which are edible and which are not; something I've never learned before. I have two books on hold at the library that will guide me through my personal independent study. It's this type of curiosity that I hope to spark in my students. If I don't live it myself, if I don't experience this sense of wonder myself, how could I hope to foster it in my students. Summer "vacation" affords me the time to accomplish my learning so that I can pay it forward to my students in the next school year. Non-educators think that summer is free time for teachers. While I hope all of my fellow teachers take some down time to recharge during the summer, the truth is that we are most likely doing one or more of these options: working another job, continuing education to maintain our licensure, refreshing lessons/planning for the upcoming school year, catching up on professional/content reading, or even doing household projects that were neglected for the past 10 months. Taking care of these things isn't really a "vacation." However, if we use this time strategically, we educators can bring some magic back into the classroom. I learned about the Frayer Model early in my teaching career. It was one of the first graphic organizers that became popular, usually for vocabulary development. It is still on of those tried and true teaching tools (gotta love my alliteration). The problem is that using the Frayer Model for an entire vocab list is time intensive. Science teachers like me and reluctant learners like my students, don't want to devote that much time to a vocab list.
So, what is a science teacher to do when she has a professional development training on the Frayer Model in 2023 and is expected by admin to use it at some point during 4th quarter? Option 1, do not meet admin's expectations (trust me I thought long and hard about this option). Option 2, meet the requirement in the traditional way and be a good minion. Option 3, make the usage of the Frayer Model relevant and meaningful to the work we are already doing to do what's best for students and their learning (and maybe impress admin). If you know me, you know I went for Option 3. The Frayer Model asks that the learner put a vocab word in the center box of the organizer. The student then defines the term, applies the term (usually in a sentence), gives an example, and then gives a non-example to complete each of the four quadrants of the organizer. Some variations to the plan include finding synonyms and antonyms, illustrations, citing characteristics or facts, etc. This allows the teacher to make the purpose of the Frayer Model applicable to the content regardless of subject area or grade level. Here's what I did in my physics classes. We were learning the Laws of Thermodynamics. I divided the class into 4 groups, one for each law. Each group collaborated to create one poster sized Frayer Model about their law. Then each group presented their poster to the class. This made the process interactive for my at-risk students, less time intensive because the work was divided amongst the groups, and helped them process difficult content by also having to talk about it in their groups. Below are some of the posters they created. This was a great way to spend two class periods toward the end of the school year. I could definitely see comprehension of the Laws of Thermodynamics improve among most students who participated. And...I was able to dust off an old tool from the teacher tool box and make it relevant again. How will you use the Frayer Model in your classroom? Often growing as a teacher comes from reflection on your practice. Some times reflecting on your practice comes from a heartfelt conversation with a former student.
A young man graduated from my high school more than four years ago. At that time, he insisted that he would return to our school to be my colleague. He wanted to be a science teacher, still does. Well, his gap year turned into two gap years followed by a delay because of Covid. As a part time student, he is just now finishing up is prerequisite classes at a community college. His plan is to finish college with his degree within the next 3 years. This is a huge accomplishment for a guy who six years ago wasn't even projected to be able to graduate from high school. We had a deep conversation about the science classes he has taken in college. He loved chemistry because he had a wonderful professor. He likes physics, which he is taking now, but finds it difficult to learn from this professor. Ah, he is starting to develop his identity as a teacher. He also is going to have to choose a branch of science to in which to specialize to get his secondary teaching degree. This troubles him because he'd rather be informed in all branches of science because he sees their interconnectedness. He values that over being narrowly focused in one branch. He spoke of a desire to teach people how to think like a scientist, to be critical thinkers, and to see how everything fits together. He spoke of wanting to teach a philosophy of science class some day. I beamed with pride at his commentary. I became inspired to continue those types of lessons in my classes that look at more than just science fact and look more at thinking and the nature of science. Because of him, I want to start a philosophy of science class. This is something that does not exist in most public schools. Therefore, I need to brainstorm....if I cannot start such a class, how can I bring this to my students? Well, there goes part of my spring break! Time off for teachers includes some restorative and self-care time, but also time to do the professional thinking that we don't have time to do during the hectic school week. I'll keep you posted about my brainstorming on this topic. I'd also love to learn your thoughts and suggestions--just comment below! Last month I wrote about the Close Reading protocol that I was going to use with my Astronomy class. Today I'm pleased to share with you the outcomes.
First of all, it took much longer that I had thought it would. Instead of one class period, it took too full 50 minute class periods to complete the whole process. Second, I realized that I needed to clarify directions and expectations to students because this was a new concept to them. They wanted to look over the graphics and continue to the next thing. When I kept bringing back to the same graphic, they said things like, "I've already done this one." or "There isn't anymore that I can say about it." In most cases, there was more to say about it. The greatest outcome was that almost every student now understands the importance of titles, labels, and other cues of context when making their own graphs. Most students further understood how to look for bias in graphics, even in science articles. Many students could see the importance of slowing down and really looking at what a graphic is communicating. See the pictures below for samples of the students' work. It began with two rounds of sticky notes as students took in their first impressions of the graphics and questioned them and each other. This was followed by completing an organizer about one graphic by synthesizing the sticky notes. The process ended with a summary of the graphic. Last week, I engaged in a meaningful professional development at my school around literacy. I was grouped with two math teachers and an administrator who has never taught in a classroom. She acted as a sounding board and moderator while we three teachers grasped the ideas that literacy is not just reading. Our presenters shared with us a protocol called Closed Reading. To learn more, here's a link: https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/how-do-close-reading At first, I was turned off. I didn't see this strategy working in my classroom. Luckily my counterparts were great thought partners as we developed applications that would work in our math and science classes. The rest of this post dives into the on learning activity that I can't wait to try with my students! One area in which students at my school need to grow is in interpreting graphs/graphics/infographics. My plan (yet to be done as of this writing) is to set up a gallery walk. There will be many graphs (et.al.) set up around the classroom. Students will begin with sticky notes of a certain color to jot down their initial observations on 3 or more. Next, they will go through the gallery again with different colored sticky notes to write responses or questions to sticky notes that others wrote in the first round. Lastly, students will select one graph from the gallery to bring back to their seat with all sticky notes and dive deeply into understanding that graph. I will develop an organizer or thinking guide sheet to support this more robust analysis for students. Stay tuned as I report on the outcomes of this activity once my class(es) have completed it. Also, I'd love to learn your ideas of meaningful applications of Close Reading in a science classroom. Please post them in comments below. I was considering better ways to incorporate higher level thinking skills into non-math based science classes. I noticed on a shelf in my classroom a sadly unused resource about using analogies in education. This book is not specific to science. I pulled it off the shelf and immediately got inspired.
I knew that I would have to model some analogies first before assigning them to the students as an assessment. So, I created this document that I shared with students: ANALOGY DOCUMENT. As you can see, I set up this organizer so that students would be required to make their thinking and creativity visible. It also provides some structure for them to have a frame for their work. With the examples, only a few students caught on right away. Some student got the idea but struggled to create their own original analogy about our topic. Then there were some that just didn't get it. The students in the second category required some small group coaching with me. First, I let them struggle with it for a while. Then, I gathered them together and took them through a thought process. Here's a rough depiction of the coaching dialog. ME: "What topic do you feel you know a lot about from this unit?" STUDENTS: "Maybe X." ME: "What do know about X?" STUDENTS: "That it does Y." ME: "O.K. now what is the connection between X and Y?" STUDENTS: "X makes Y happen." ME: "Right, it's a cause and effect relationship. What else do you know that has a similar relationship?" STUDENTS: "A and B?" ME: "Are you asking me or do you know that?" STUDENTS: "A and B!....(pause) OH!" ***LIGHTBULB MOMENT*** ME: "Let's word smith this into the format of an analogy so that it flows __ is to __ as __ is to __.. Now, go write another one using this same type of thinking." Students in that third category needed a little more time with me and/or with peer mentors. We began with simpler non-science examples. Then came back to the original examples on the document to show the use of analogies in science. Eventually, we were able to have the same dialog as the one given above. This was a powerful lesson and assessment for my students. For most, the A-HA moment was a point of pride because they had been allowed to struggle at first. Then they realized how much more they knew about the topic than they initially realized. To finish the title analogy: Science is to Awesome as Analogies are to ____, I'd love your suggestions in the comments. Can't wait to hear from you. Scientifically yours, Nadene Autumn 2022 in Colorado has been absolutely spectacular. The colors and weather have been ideal, making me and my students year to be outside. To oblige their requests, I recently took all of my classes outside to do a Solo. A Solo is a protocol that I use a few times per year in all of my classes. The term Solo comes form the notion that students work in isolation, alone. This is an opportunity for students to make connections to self and the real world. It is also an opportunity to integrate mindfulness in the science classroom. This is a low risk, high reward, easy to plan, and easy to grade activity. The procedures goes as follows: 1. Go outside. Have students spread out to have their own space. This can be on the lawn or any outdoor area accessible to your school. 2. Students get comfortable sitting outside and remain silent for the entire activity. 3. Instruct students to be still and pay attention to all of their senses. At this point, they do not have a specific prompt--just notice. What do you see that you might normally not pay attention to? What do you smell? What do you hear? What do you feel? OPTIONS: At this point, you may choose to do a land acknowledgement to the native people of the place you are. You may also ask students to close their eyes to better focus on their weaker senses. 4. Students should continue to sit in silence. Determine a time frame that suits your students needs, age, attention span, and class schedule. I usually use 5 minutes. 5. Give students a prompt to which they can record their observations. This will depend on your content. Sample prompts are given below. Students may record their observations in words, drawings or a combination of both. PROMPTS: Zoology: Describe the macro and micro animals in this space. Then classify them. How doe the animals you observed interact with their environment/habitat? Earth and Environmental: Describe the landforms around you. Describe the weather . How have people changed the environment in this area from how it was naturally? Physics: How do you notice things moving in and around? What forces are working on the objects in your space? 6. Gather together in a circle and share observations as a group. 7. Debrief the experience with your students. Ask how they feel after spending the time in silence outside. See if they can express how they were able to notice things that they otherwise would not have noticed on a both a macro and micro level. The feedback I most frequent get from students is that they feel more calm. They can't believe how much they noticed. They enjoyed the experience and they would definitely like to do it again. So, plan on doing it again. Scientifically yours, Nadene P.S. Special acknowledgement to Laura Arndt for teaching the Solo to me many years ago. All teachers have heard of if not used station rotation in their classrooms. This is effective even at the secondary level. Students travel from one station to another every few minutes around the room engaging in various learning activities. Perhaps each station offers a different modality or a different subtopic. Students benefit from physical movement, time limits to accomplish tasks, and the opportunity to collaborate in their group. Teachers benefit from efficient use of time, having students productively multi-task, and only needing one set of supplies/equipment for the whole class rather than per group. When station rotation like this is being implemented you see a seemingly harmonious flow around the room.
I've utilized this method many times in my science classes. Recently I decided to try a twist to it. My physics students were struggling to complete their most recent lab reports. For some it was an issue of time management and for others it was uncertainty in what or how they should be writing. On day one, students worked in their chosen (rather than assigned) seats. I circulated through the room checking in on all students and offering support as needed. Oddly, little progress was made. On day two, I put a simple tent sign on each of the three table groups in the room. Once students settled in, I explained the new signage to the. The could select to move to the table marked Teacher Time where I would be seated the whole class time if they wanted my direct help. If they felt that they needed to collaborate with the members of their lab group, they could move to the table labeled Grouping. Their third option was to put in their earbuds and work silently and independently at the table with the sign, Ssh...Solo. Before I let students relocate, I gave them this last bit of instruction...Once you fulfill your needs at the station you chose, you can fluidly move to one of the other stations without asking. For example, if a student started in Grouping and no longer needed the group's help, they could move to Ssh...Solo. If a student started working with me at Teacher time but now need to confirm data to make their graph, they could shift over to the Grouping table...and so on. Some students sat in the same place all class period while others hopped around from table to table. Almost everyone finished their lab reports. Those that didn't finish made significant progress and indicated more confidence in finishing on their own. On day three, I asked for feedback. I wanted to know if students found this set up helpful. I wanted to know what they liked and what they didn't like. I was genuinely shocked when there was not one piece of constructive criticism. This group of students doesn't hold back. They stated that they like having choice; they liked knowing where I was and not having to wait for me to get to them; they liked being able to move as their needs changed rather then based on a time limit; and they unanimously want me to use this strategy again in the future. Student scientists need to develop skills. However, they get bored with lecture, rote practice, worksheets and the like. To engage my students, I use a skill progression that is part gradual release, a dash of the 5 Es, and a bunch of hands-on/authentic/inquiry based learning experiences. I begin with a discussion or demonstration as an introduction and to elicit background knowledge. Teacher led practice comes next. This is followed by small group guided practice. The last step is for students to engage in the application of their new skill independently. Here are a couple of examples straight from my classroom this month. ZOOLOGY EXAMPLE: (1) We had a discussion on the difference between observation and inference and why knowing the difference is important when doing an animal behavior study. (2) I read a variety of statements and students identified if they were observations or inferences by moving to two different sides of the room. (3) The next day, students worked in small groups through a station rotation whey they practiced taking observations of animal behavior using various techniques. They completed this Animal Behavior Stations record sheet (see preview image below). They recorded tally marks to document swim patterns of a fish in our aquarium, made a bullet pointed list of monkeys interacting with enrichment from this video, drew a sketch or diagram of the movement of a giant grasshopper that a student caught on our campus, and wrote a journal type description of the behavior of our class gecko. (4) After the previous practice, students were ready to do their own animal behavior study by selecting an animal to observe in person and then choosing the technique from the four they had practiced OR selecting an online citizen scientist project. Either way, this culminated with the writing of a summary/conclusion in which they used their observations as evidence to draw inferences about the behaviors they witnessed. PHYSICS EXAMPLE: This example has two layers. Students had to learn the 6 different simple machines and the be able to calculate mechanical advantage. (1) We began by discussing what students already know about simple machines, why humans make and use them, and what the definition of mechanical advantage is. (2) Teacher led practice consisted of looking at pictures and identifying the simple machine being used and doing sample mechanical advantage calculations using real life examples. (3) Next, students enjoyed running around the school doing a simple machine scavenger hunt. They used this handout (see preview image below) to record their findings and also took photos on their phones and emailed them to me for extra credit. In their table groups they took measurements with a force scale while using a simple machine of their choice to calculate the mechanical advantage. (4) Students designed and executed their own experiment of the mechanical advantage of simple machine(s) and wrote a full lab report. Students were able to make real world connections in both cases. They were fully engaged and could easily see the purpose in what they were learning. The big secret...this was way more fun for me too!!!
Don't rescue your students. Let them struggle so that they learn perseverance, resilience, critical thinking and problem solving. This is great advice, but is there a limit to the amount of struggle a student should endure. I think there is. A student should never get to a level of frustration where they completely shutdown. A student should never struggle so much that they lose their love of learning nor their love of science. That being said, I won't swoop in like Wonder Woman and give a student the answer they need. I still maintain my stance as the guide on the side for those struggling students. Here's a great example from my Physics class earlier this month. I asked students to work alone or with a partner to design and conduct an experiment to prove one of Newton's Laws. Student A chose to work alone. The first step in this process was for the students to write their experimental question and have it approved by me. I checked for safety, feasibility, and appropriate experimental level for the student. This was followed by writing hypotheses, conducting the experiment, and writing a complete lab report. Most students had their experimental question and hypothesis done on day one and were ready to conduct their experiments on day 2 or at least day 3. By the end of day 2, student A still did not have an experimental question. I had checked in with her several times. I asked probing questions to help her generate a question that was of interest to her. She is into body building/weight lifting and wanted to do her experiment at the gym. Everything she thought of was more of a personal test rather than a true experiment of any of Newton's Laws OR was a good question for which she had no way to measure her results. At this point, I could have given Student A an experimental question as a directive. I could have forced her to join another student who had their experiment set. However, I knew this would not engage Student A. I was now nervous because she was "behind schedule." So, I made this offer--"Would you like to look at my toy box and see if you find inspiration in there." Luckily she agreed. Slinky saved the day. Student A played with the Slinky for just a few moments and smiled her first smile that week. She designed her experiment on Day 3 and got her first trials done with the help of our principal as her lab assistant!!! The next day, a student was ahead in his experiment, took over as Student A's lab assistant helping take measurements. In the end, Student A proved Newton's 3rd Law of Motion and earned a B+ on her lab report. Without a doubt, letting Student A struggle and then find her own solution was the best learning experience for her. Aside from the science learning, Student A gained more confidence as a young scientist, realized working with others was helpful, and learned perseverance and resiliency. Thank you, Slinky. What do these songs have in common: "The Batman TV Show Theme Song," "September" by Earth Wind and Fire, "I Like to Move It" by Will-I-Am, and "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" by Daft Phunk?
They are the theme songs to my science classes. They were chosen respectively by my Zoology, Earth and Environmental Science, and Physics classes during the second day of school. The guidelines that I put in place are 1) the song must be school appropriate and 2) it must relate in some way to the content of our class. Table groups collaborate in this low stakes activity to nominate a song. This also serves as a get-to-know-you activity between students without feeling like one. Then the whole class votes on the nominated songs to select our official theme song. Many secondary science teachers are not prepared, comfortable, nor apt to integrate SEL in their classrooms. Yet, somehow we must bring social emotional learning into the lab because it is required because it is what's best for our students. But how???? This SEL strategy works well for me and my students. Each time I need to call the class to order, I don't raise my voice nor sound a buzzer. I simply play their theme song. We also use it for celebrations and transitions. Since I began the 2022-2023 school year in early July while most of my colleagues are still on summer break, I thought that July would be the perfect time to share this so that you can use it when you are reunited with your students. If you and your class(es) choose theme songs, write a comment below and let us know how it went. I'd also love to hear your class theme songs! Pictured above is one of my favorite science teacher t-shirts; at least it was until last week.
I have students, and sometimes other staff members, come to me asking all kinds of science questions. What is this animal in my yard? What kind of plant is this? What should I do about this pest getting in my house? What should I do about _____ (fill in the blank with any medical condition/injury)? It is assumed that because I am a science teacher I know everything about everything that even remotely has to do with science. That being said, I do know a lot or can problem solve like a scientist. I love helping people. I also am humble enough to admit when I don't know something. So what happened on the last full day of school that makes me question my favorite shirt? A student of mine, let's call them Jo, made a most remarkable statement to me. It began when I made some sort of sarcastic retort to a student who intentionally asked a question to be ridiculous. When Jo blurted out: "What? Really?" Before I could respond, a different student said, "No, she's being sarcastic, duh!" Here's the clincher: Jo responded "Oh good, because Klein, I'd believe anything you say just because YOU said it. I'm not joking, you're like the smartest person I've ever met. You could literally say anything to me and I'd believe it." NO, NO, NO!!!! While this was intended as a most flattering compliment AND demonstrated the highest level of trust that a student can have for a teacher, it is ABSOLUTELY NOT the point of view that I want any of my students to have. Science is about questioning EVERYTHING. I want my students to not believe what they hear from a single source. I want them to question it, verify it, test it, research it with multiple sources, and then KNOW it--not believe it. There's a big difference between knowing and believing. So I wear the shirt with a grain of salt and a big sense of humor. But, now I realize I have my work cut out for me to convince students that they have the authority to question everyone and everything, even me. The way to demonstrate the highest level of understanding is to teach it.
Yesterday I had a super proud teacher moment as 8 of my physics students became 4th grade teachers. For the past several weeks, my students worked on collaboratively creating a science lesson for 4th graders. It began with them choosing a physics concept that we had learned during the school year followed by simplifying it down to an age appropriate level. Next they selected a short and safe demonstration that they could explain and perform to engage their 9-10 year olds. In this process, they wrote a complete lesson plan according to a template I provided and then conducted a dress rehearsal with their peers. Ultimately they went to a local elementary school where they taught their lesson and demonstration four times as the the four 4th grade classes rotated between the high school groups every 10 minutes. The logistics for me as the high school teacher: (a) approve lesson/demos for safety and feasibility (b) provide the lesson template (c) provide some of the necessary materials and equipment (d) coordinate date/time with 4th grade teachers (e) manage permission slips for this field trip (f) transport all materials and supplies to the elementary school (g) float between 4th grade classrooms giving support/encouragement/help as needed, take pictures, and beam with pride. The benefits: (a) community connection between high school and elementary school (b) an authentic assessment of high school student learning (c) an engaging project for high school students at the end of the school year when they otherwise might check-out (d) 4th graders were inspired and engaged in learning with high school students (e) 4th graders learned science concepts they wouldn't have learned otherwise and built anticipation for learning science in the future. (f) high school students have a greater appreciation for what we teachers have to do to prepare for teaching them every day! This experience was a win win win win for every one involved. My high school students were glowing after this experience, the 4th grade teachers were full of gratitude, the 4th graders were in awe, and did I mention that I was beaming with pride? Field trips are a great learning experience for students bringing them out of the classroom and into the real world. When most teachers think of field trips, behind the benefits, we see the incredible work that goes into the planning. We plan the learning outcomes for the field trip. We plan the logistics. We plan the pre and post lessons. And...let's not forget...we have to plan what to do for the students who don't go on the field trip. This includes where they will physically be and what they will be doing. It is my opinion that those not on the trip should engage in a learning activity with the same outcomes as the trip and with as close to an approximation as the being on the trip. Here are two examples... Zoology--Zoo Field Trip Learning outcomes: While at the zoo students will explore the purpose of the zoo in terms of entertainment, education, and conservation/saving endangered species. In addition, students will observe and make connections to a variety of animal behaviors including interactions with humans, other animals (same and different species), and environmental stimuli. Students not on the zoo will use the links within the document to access Zoocams/Animalcams and the zoo website to complete the questions about the same outcomes listed above. See document linked HERE. Physics--IFly Indoor Skydiving Field Trip Learning outcomes: Students will apply classroom learning of terminal velocity and how to calculate it to the experience of flying in the wind tunnel. They will compare and contrast the different terminal velocities of different shaped objects. Students will also learn the mechanics of how the indoor vertical wind tunnel works to simulate the sensation of skydiving. Students not on the field trip will use selected YouTube videos to answer questions and label free body diagrams to meet the same learning objectives as those on the field trip. See document linked HERE. I have had great success with plans like these. Students staying behind don't feel like they have a punitive assignment. While they know they are missing out on some of the fun that comes with going to a destination to learn, they know they aren't missing out on the learning. This is especially true for those who miss the trip for circumstances beyond their control. The teachers/admin/staff who supervise the students staying behind appreciate that the students have an actual learning experience to follow through with while in their care. Yes, it is a lot of work. The benefits make it worth while. I'd love to know how you plan for the students not going on a field trip. Share your ideas in the comments below. Then, enjoy your next field trip!!! Perhaps you've heard of culturally responsive teaching or teaching with cultural sensitivity. There are many layers to this practice in the classroom. I want to take it step further and actually integrate the culture of my students in our science lessons. Connecting to the real world, is a common prompt in my classroom.
At a recent conference that I attended, a presenter shared strategies and the importance of teaching from culture. He contended that the teacher should enact the role of an elder of the community when teaching students. The other clever twist to his presentation was the notion that culture can come from the community, heritage, history, or even the school itself. I clicked into that last idea. My school has a strong culture of its own that all students and staff are a part of. While still in this conference session I began lesson planning. I was returning to school after the conference to start 4th quarter. I developed an opening activity for each of my classes inspired by this presenter. The cairn (a trail marker formed by stacking rocks), is the emblem of our school. It tells students that they are in the right place; that they are on track. I put two cairns, the ones pictured above, on each table before class began. On the first day of the quarter we welcome back veteran students as well as students new to our school. This is a half day of school with 25 minute classes. Immediately students were curious about the "rocks on the table." For my Astronomy class, I asked them to choose a rock from the pile to examine and share what they can determine about that rock and where it may have come from. From there we discussed how we do this is same process with samples from the moon and Mars. Luckily moon rocks were in the headlines of science news sources and we discussed this article: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-studies-new-50-year-old-lunar-sample-to-prep-for-return-to-moon. This served as our introduction to the space exploration unit. For my Earth and Environmental Science class, I asked them to identify which rocks in the cairn were igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. This served as a review of the rock cycle which we studied earlier in the school year. For my Physics class, I asked students to work in small groups of 2-3 to rearrange the order of the rocks in their cairn getting to balance in a different formation. Then I asked them to identify which forces were at work during the process sharing specific examples/details. This also was a review of topics we studied earlier in the school year. Although not a natural science, I also teach Psychology, In this class, I asked the table groups (teams of 4-5) to merge the two cairns into one larger cairn. Then we identified behaviors and the process of collaboration and cooperation. With each class, the cairn served as an ice breaker. I was able to share the story of the cairn to make sure all students know the culture of the school they have joined and how it became our emblem. From comments made by students, I learned that this was a more interesting way to start the quarter for each of my classes than what I have done in the past. Even old teachers like me can learn new tricks! Some teachers show movies to as a passive lesson. Used strategically, a Hollywood feature film can really connect students to content. My experience has shown that students become more engaged with feature films rather than an educational film or documentary. Here's how I use one of my all time favorites: OCTOBER SKY. I teach a one semester Astronomy class. The first quarter focuses on the solar system, astronomical scale, various celestial bodies, and how scientists work to discover and understand the universe from Earth. We then move to the second quarter investigating space exploration and travel. To help us transition between these two units of study, I show my class October Sky. This film depicts the impact of the launch of Sputnik on a young Homer Hickam who grows up to work for NASA. I created a worksheet to guide student learning. It was from this historic event that the Space Race began. After processing this movie we look at what NASA is doing today and what the future of privatized space travel might look like. Please note that we don't simply watch the movie non-stop. We pause the movie and discuss it. The worksheet questions also generate discussions as a class in pairs. Then we refer back to the movie as we advance through our studies of Astronomy. Choose movies wisely with intention. Generate a guide to help students focus on their learning and not just entertainment. Use that guide to engage students in scientific dialogues and discussions. Maybe a little popcorn can add to the fun of learning with a movie. |
AuthorNadene Klein, M.Ed. has been an educator for over 25 years. She brings a passion and love for science to the classroom and through this blog to you. Archives
March 2024
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