KLEIN's
GUIDE TO
SCIENCE EDUCATION
PHOTO CREDIT: Nadene Klein at Tuolumne Meadows Yosemite National Park
Recently I took a lesson plan from my days teaching middle school and upped the ante for my high school physics class. How did I increase the challenge of building a Rube Goldberg Machine? Well, I added the challenge of collaborating after working in isolation. Each student in the class had to design that which could become one component of a Rube Goldberg machine making sure it clearly demonstrated the transition between potential and kinetic energy. Then they had to communicate and problem solve with the rest of the class to figure out how to assemble these independent parts into one working machine. Success came in the form of a cohesive functioning machine.
Learning to collaborate became more important than the technical science. It became a real world working engineering experience. Gurus such as Dr Tony Wagner agree that this is more important than simple content mastery/memorization. I can have students memorize the formula for calculating kinetic energy (K.E. = 1/2 m v2). In the long run, what good will that serve? Siri can tell any kid the formula when they need it. The learning that happened will go much further and transcend science to any problem solving situation. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, right? RIGHT! In a small school with one other science teacher who does not teach the same content as I do, offers limited chances to collaborate. So I make my own. I often bring my collaborations back to the classroom, I mean directly back to the classroom. Here are 3 such examples: For my Zoology class, my students will be Skyping with a wildlife biologist to learn from her about doing animal studies and field work. Stuff I've only read about, she can discuss first hand. My Earth and Environmental Science classes get the double bonus. First, I collaborated with my husband (a real scientist) to guide my lesson about taking samples from the environment and then he came and actually took core samples from our school's pond and helped my students analyze them. For those same classes, I'm collaborating with a long time professional friend (and cofounder of Global GreenSTEM LLC) to bring a Green STEM project to them. They'll be working to improve the lives of poverty stricken people with environmentally friendly solutions. When I collaborate in innovative and inspiring professionals, great things happen for my students! Scientifically yours, Nadene
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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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