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An interesting example of 21st century technology

By Martin Horejsi

Posted on 2011-03-21

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFV9FDLrV0g[/youtube]

In the video above, a third grader gets to use a rather striking example of 21st century technology to talk about some common topics in science, namely earthquakes and volcanoes.


I didn’t get the feeling that Duncan thinks we should not teach about dinosaurs and volcanoes, but instead teach about them and then beyond them. Frankly, if kids could grasp the actual science behind dinosaurs and volcanoes, they would be far ahead given all of the amazing science associated with volcanoes and dinosaurs. Sadly, most lessons in these areas usually focus on lower level (knowledge, comprehension, etc.) “facts” which are easy to assess with multiple choice instruments, yet allow little knowledge power beyond pointing and naming.

“..a pile of stones is not a house and a collection of facts is not necessarily science.”

– Henri Poincar

As I watched the video, I was encouraged by the pauses as the student studied the imagery on the globe. He is not reciting anything, but interpreting what he sees which in my book is at the highest levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. In other words, complex scientific images are presented in a spherical (authentic) representation of the earth which in turn are then cognitively analyzed (separated into pieces) by the student, then reassembled (synthesis) into a reasonably coherent explanation of the relationship between the pieces (remember, this student is only 9 years old) .

A few things to keep in mind: 1) the sea floor is visible here, but in real life it is not; 2) the images are in false color; 3) his sister is selecting and moving different images of which the student does not always know what is next; 4) the globe is bigger (60-inch diameter) than the student so he cannot even see half the globe from his perspective; 5) the colors change and the oceans and continents switch between positive and negative space projections; and 6) the student is able to adapt to the images “on the fly” meaning he understands not only the individual concepts but their relationship to each other.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFV9FDLrV0g[/youtube]
 

Science for all

By Mary Bigelow

Posted on 2011-03-19

Click here for the Table of Contents


For the past few years, the March issue of The Science Teacher has been devoted to this theme. As our classrooms become more diverse, we need ideas and research to help us share our passion for science with all of our students.
In this issue, as I read Teaching Science to ELLs, Part 1 and Part II, I had to stop several times to think how many of the strategies would apply to students who do not have a strong background in science vocabulary. The articles have rubrics and suggestions for differentiating instruction and assessment activities to help students use their skills and develop new ones. Science Vocabulary for All reports on a study on how “Collaborative Strategic Reading” can help students in an inclusion science class learn vocabulary.  The results were positive for all students, including those with disabilities. And the authors of A Learning Cycle for All Students describe some enhancements to the 5E model, adding an “Express” phase. This phase includes formative assessment that guides opportunities for differentiated instructions in the Elaborate phase.  [SciLinks: Eukaryotic Cells,Water Cycle, Carbon Cycle]

Technology can be adapted to meet students’ needs, as described in Personalizing the PC for Accessibility Selecting Software for Students with Learning and Other Disabilities recommends PhET Interactive Simulatons. Many of these simulations are individually included in SciLinks, and the entire site is a source for ideas.
After reading about the benefits of School Gardens, share an interview with a Horticulturist as a Career of the Month [SciLinks: Sustainable Agriculture]
Many elementary and middle schools have family science events, but the author of Creating a College-Going Culture describes such an event (actually a series of events) at a rural high school. High school students demonstrated their projects to parents and younger children. The event also provided the opportunity for high schools students and their families to talk with college students, motiviating more to think about the possibility of attending college. [Note: Rural students are also the focus of Finding Fairness for Rural Students in the March issue of the Phi Delta Kappan]
If this is a new topic of interest for you, you can check out previous issues, too:

Click here for the Table of Contents

Project Earth Science: Geology, Revised 2nd Edition

How well can your students …
• Explain the distribution of earthquakes?
• Model volcanic eruptions?
• Demonstrate plate motions and interactions?
• Describe seafloor changes?
• Think in terms of geologic time?

How well can your students …
• Explain the distribution of earthquakes?
• Model volcanic eruptions?
• Demonstrate plate motions and interactions?
• Describe seafloor changes?
• Think in terms of geologic time?

Project Earth Science: Astronomy, Revised 2nd Edition

How well can your students …
• Illustrate the reason for Earth’s seasons?
• Explain how far a light year is?
• Simulate the phases of the Moon?
• Describe the effects of greenhouse gases?
• Connect astronomy to other Earth system science?
How well can your students …
• Illustrate the reason for Earth’s seasons?
• Explain how far a light year is?
• Simulate the phases of the Moon?
• Describe the effects of greenhouse gases?
• Connect astronomy to other Earth system science?
 

Teaching resources for the Japanese earthquake and tsunami

By Eric Brunsell

Posted on 2011-03-14

The devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan is on the minds of all of us, including our students. The event and aftermath is tragic and the continuing nuclear emergency is a reminder of how fragile society can be. As educators, we can help our students make sense of these events and give them the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of their world.
In their book, Comprehension and Collaboration, Daniels and Harvey provide a comprehensive vision of what inquiry can look like in the classroom. They describe the following components that can easily be used to bring the Japanese earthquake into your classroom.

Immerse: Invite Curiosity and Wonder
Introduce the topic by asking your students what they already know about the disaster. Follow this by brainstorming a list of “wonderings” that students have. You may want to set the context for the discussion by reading a small excerpt from a news article or by showing a video.

Investigate: Develop Questions, Search for Information, and Discover Answers
Individuals or small groups select and refine a broad question that they find interesting. You should help students with their question so that it provides an opportunity for them to delve into a topic and consider multiple sources of information. Students can use the web, library resources, and other media to search for information.

Coalesce: Synthesize Information and Build Knowledge
Students should identify a small number of “knowledge claims” that they have learned from their research. These claims should be supported by evidence from multiple media sources.

Go Public: Demonstrate Understanding and Share Learning
Students can share their learning in a variety of ways. For example, they can create newspaper articles, videos, audio podcasts, posters, or infographics.

The resources below provide a variety of perspectives on the Japanese earthquake. Some of the resources may not be suitable for all children.

Talking with Kids about Catastrophes
SFGate: Talking to Kids about the Japanese Earthquake
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfmoms/detail?entry_id=84814
WFAA: Talking to Children about the Earthquake in Japan
http://www.wfaa.com/news/health/kids-doctor/117938214.html
Plate Tectonics
USGS: Earthquakes for Kids
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/
How Stuff Works: Tsunamis
http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/tsunami2.htm
Universe Today: Pacific Ring of Fire
http://www.universetoday.com/59341/pacific-ring-of-fire/
CBS News Online: Pacific Ring of Fire (video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpqUu0PLkmM
Yahoo Kids! Plate Tectonics Page
http://kids.yahoo.com/directory/Science-and-Nature/The-Earth/Geology/Plate-Tectonics
Infographics
Live Science
http://www.livescience.com/13189-japan-earthquake-tsunami-global-reach.html
BBC Infographic w/ Video
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12722187
Guardian: Japan’s Earthquake History
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/interactive/2011/mar/12/japan-earthquakes-new-scientist-map
The Moscow News
http://www.themoscownews.com/infographics/20110311/188486591.html
Earthquakes & Tsunamis
Scholastic: Reading the Richter Scale
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4892
CBS News: How Earthquakes are Measured
http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-202_162-10007016.html?tag=page
U.S. Department of State: U.S. Geologists Explain Science Behind Japanese Earthquakes
http://www.america.gov/st/scitech-english/2011/March/20110311150849nerual0.5314447.html
New York Times Interactive: How Shifting Plates Caused the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/11/world/asia/maps-of-earthquake-and-tsunami-damage-in-japan.html?ref=asia
BBC: Japan’s Earthqauke
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12711226
Yahoo! News: Japan Earthquake & Tsunami video collection
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theenvoy/20110311/ts_yblog_theenvoy/watch-raw-footage-of-the-japan-earthquake-and-tsunami
Scientific American: The Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
http://www.scientificamerican.com/report.cfm?id=japan-earthquake-tsunami
Scientific American: How Does an Earthquake Trigger Tsunamis Thousands of Miles Away?
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=japan-earthquake-tsunami-waves
BBC: Japan Earthquake – Footage of Moment Tsunami hit
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12725646
Australian Broadcast Corporation: Japan Earthquake Before and After (images)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/beforeafter.htm
National Geographic: Tsunami Facts in Wake of Japan Earthquake
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/110311-tsunami-facts-japan-earthquake-hawaii/
National Geographic: Tsunami Waves Hit U.S.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/110311-tsunami-us-nation-earthquake-japan-hawaii-science-california-waves/
CBS: Pacific Northwest at risk for quake like Japan’s
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/03/14/earlyshow/main20042811.shtml
NOAA: Tsunami Page
http://www.tsunami.noaa.gov/index.html
Earthquake and Tsunami Safety
Public Radio International: Japan’s Earthquake Resistant Buildings
http://www.pri.org/science/technology/japan-s-earthquake-resistant-buildings2898.html
Scientific American: Seconds Before the Big One – Progress in Earthquake Alarms
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=tsunami-seconds-before-the-big-one
MSNBC: How Quake Prediction Works (or not)
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/11/6247882-how-quake-prediction-works-or-not
Japan’s Earthquake Early Warning system
http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/en/Activities/eew.html
NOAA: How Does a Tsunami Warning System Work?
http://www.tsunami.noaa.gov/warning_system_works.html
Nuclear Reactors
How Stuff Works: How Nuclear Power Works
http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm
How a Nuclear Reactor Works (animation)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Q9O1vICWs&feature=related
New York Times: Radioactive Releases in Japan Could Last Months
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/14/world/asia/japan-fukushima-nuclear-reactor.html?_r=1
The Guardian’s Nuclear Power page
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/nuclearpower
U.S. Department of Energy: Impact of Radiation on Humans
http://www.hss.energy.gov/HealthSafety/ohre/roadmap/achre/intro_9_5.html
CNN Dr. Gupta: Radiation Fears in Sendai
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/03/14/exp.am.gupta.radiation.cnn?iref=allsearch

Helping
The Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.1a019a978f421296e81ec89e43181aa0/?vgnextoid=f9efd2a1ac6ae210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD
PC Magazine: Japan Earthquake – How to Donate, Reach Out
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2381922,00.asp
Education Resources
DLESE: Living in Earthquake Country
http://www.teachingboxes.org/earthquakes/index.jsp
New York Times: Teaching Ideas – The Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/11/teaching-ideas-the-earthquake-and-tsunami-in-japan/
USGS Earthquake Science Explained (10 articles)
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/2006/21/
AAAS Science NetLinks: Earthquake Teaching Resources
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/earthquakes/
 
This is cross-posted to Edutopia.

The devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan is on the minds of all of us, including our students. The event and aftermath is tragic and the continuing nuclear emergency is a reminder of how fragile society can be. As educators, we can help our students make sense of these events and give them the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of their world.

 

Graphing in early childhood classrooms

By Peggy Ashbrook

Posted on 2011-03-14

The two comments on an earlier post on Collecting Data were about graphing in early childhood classrooms. My curiosity got the better of me so I investigated what some of the standards have to say about when it is appropriate to teach the concept of graphing.
I chose to list Virginia’s standards because that’s where I live, and Oklahoma because it has ranked first since 2003–2004 for serving the highest percentage of 4-year-olds in state-funded preschool.
It appears that most standards agree that preK is the time to introduce graphing—see the chart below.

This is not an exhaustive search—please chime in with any additions, corrections, or personal experiences!
Peggy
(Note that the standards are not quoted in full.)

Source Curriculum area Specific standard or skill
A Framework for Science Education Preliminary Public Draft National Research Council of the National AcademiesPublic Comment Draft – July 12-August 2, 2010 Ch. 5: Dimension 3: Scientific and Engineering Practices 5-17, Pages 93-94 Table 10: Collecting, Analyzing, and Interpreting Evidence: What patterns are there in the data? (Identifying Relationships) [Table 10 presents how this practice might develop with time.]Emerging–Tabulates and represents evidence in a graphical form and looks for patterns. Can interpret simple data presented graphically (pie charts, simple graphs)patterns.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science Project 2061, Benchmarks for Science Literacy 9. The Mathematical World Numbers, Kindergarten through Grade 2. By the end of the 2nd grade, students should know that simple graphs can help to tell about observations. 9A/P4
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Data Analysis and Probability Standard for Grades Pre-K-2, Expectations Instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students to— Formulate questions that can be addressed with data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them In prekindergarten through grade 2 all students should— pose questions and gather data about themselves and their surroundings; sort and classify objects according to their attributes and organize data about the objects; represent data using concrete objects, pictures, and graphs.
NAEYC Accreditation Criteria for Curriculum, Standard 2. “These aspects of quality should be seen in any programs or classrooms serving birth through kindergarten, though they may look somewhat different in practice depending on the children’s age.” 2.G. Curriculum Content Area for Cognitive Development: Science 2.G.05 PreK-KChildren are provided varied opportunities and materials to collect data and to represent and document their findings (e.g., through drawing or graphing).
Highscope Preschool Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs)(Note: no specific reference to graphing.) Science and Technology Classification
♦  Exploring and describing similarities, differences, and the attributes of things
♦  Sorting and matching
♦  Describing characteristics something does not possess or what class it does not belong to.
Mathematics Seriation
♦  Comparing attributes (longer/shorter, bigger/smaller)
Number
♦  Comparing the numbers of things in two sets to determine “more,” “fewer,” “same number”
♦  Counting objects
The Head Start Child Development And Early Learning Framework, December 2010 Scientific skills & Method The skills to observe and collect information and use it to ask questions, predict, explain, and draw conclusions.• Observes and discusses common properties, differences, and comparisons among objects.• Collects, describes, and records information through discussions, drawings, maps, and charts.
Mathematics Knowledge & skills Number relationships & operationsThe use of numbers to describe relationships and solve problems.• Uses a range of strategies, such as counting, subitizing, or matching, to compare quantity in two sets of objects and describes the comparison with terms, such as more, less, greater than, fewer, or equal to.Patterns• Sorts, classifies, and serializes (puts in a pattern) objects using attributes, such as color, shape, or size.Measurement & comparisonThe understanding of attributes and relative properties of objects as related to size, capacity, and area. 
• Compares objects using attributes of length, weight and size (bigger, longer, taller, heavier).
• Orders objects by size or length.
Oklahoma Early Learning Guidelines for Children Ages Three Through Five (November 2006) Concept Area: Math, Standard 5: Data Analysis—The child will collect and analyze data in a group setting. Indicators of Child’s Progress– B. Develops growing abilities to collect, describe, and record information through a variety of means, including discussion, drawings, maps, charts, and graphs.
Virginia Standards of Learning, (2010) Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic. COMMUNICATING: To gather, record, and transmit qualitative or quantitative information, including defining operationally; using expert, print, and electronic resources; gathering, charting, recording, and graphing data; and presenting information in standard written narrative, oral, audiovisual, and electronic formats Grade K: The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science.i)picture graphs are constructed;Grade 1: 1.1                 The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations in which 
i)observations and data are recorded, analyzed, and communicated orally and with simple graphs, pictures, written statements, and numbers; and,
Grade 2: 2.1
h)data are collected and recorded, and bar graphs are constructed using numbered axes;

The two comments on an earlier post on Collecting Data were about graphing in early childhood classrooms. My curiosity got the better of me so I investigated what some of the standards have to say about when it is appropriate to teach the concept of graphing.

 

Chemistry Now, week 8: cheeseburger chemistry: tomato

By admin

Posted on 2011-03-13

Close up of green and red tomatoes

Tomatoes…fiery color and cool completeness

How does a tomato go from green, marble-like sphere to juicy red brilliance? Chemistry, that’s how. In the case of tomatoes, the plant bathes the fruit in ethylene molecules when the fruit reaches an edible size, and this hormone triggers the fruit to ripen.

We are into week eight of the weekly, online, video series “Chemistry Now,” and the chemistry of food moves into the garden as a source of interesting video and lessons. As we’ve written before, please view the video, try the lessons, and let us know what you think.

By the way, Pablo Neruda penned an “Ode to Tomatoes,” the source of our caption for the picture above:

“…the tomato offers
its gift
of fiery color
and cool completeness.”

I can’t think of anybody who better represented both fiery and cool personas than Neruda. Props to whoever knows why Neruda’s tomatoes showed up juicy and ripe in December; add your comment below.

Photo: Manjith Kainickara

Through the Chemistry Now series, NSTA and NBC Learn have teamed up with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create lessons related to common, physical objects in our world and the changes they undergo every day. The series also looks at the lives and work of scientists on the frontiers of 21st century chemistry.


Video: “The Chemistry of Tomatoes” (one in a 6-part Cheeseburger Chemistry series) outlines the role ethylene plays in ripening tomatoes (and other fruits); the role of lycopene in color change; and diffusion of gas.

Middle school lesson: The Ripening Tomatoes lesson gives students an understanding of how tomatoes ripen and what conditions allow them to ripen the best and allows students to observe a chemical change that happens in nature.

High school lesson: In this Ethylene Gas Investigation, students design and conduct an experiment  to observe the ripening of tomatoes under different conditions, evaluating the effectiveness of various strategies for ripening tomatoes including the role of ethylene gas.

You can use the following form to e-mail us edited versions of the lesson plans:

[contact-form 2 “ChemNow]

Close up of green and red tomatoes

Tomatoes…fiery color and cool completeness

How does a tomato go from green, marble-like sphere to juicy red brilliance? Chemistry, that’s how. In the case of tomatoes, the plant bathes the fruit in ethylene molecules when the fruit reaches an edible size, and this hormone triggers the fruit to ripen.

 

High tech highlights: NSTA 2011

By Martin Horejsi

Posted on 2011-03-13

Here’s a taste of NSTA San Fran. More on this later, but many of the tech tools are open-ended allowing for student/teacher defined uses. Overall, the future looks like a fun place to teach!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_mT8D0eKjk[/youtube]

Here’s a taste of NSTA San Fran. More on this later, but many of the tech tools are open-ended allowing for student/teacher defined uses. Overall, the future looks like a fun place to teach!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_mT8D0eKjk[/youtube]

 

Sunday AM

By Mary Bigelow

Posted on 2011-03-13

Imagine—you submit a proposal for a session at the NSTA conference, and you’re ecstatic when it’s accepted. And then you learn that you have an 8:00 AM Sunday morning time slot, in competition with early departures, church services, hotel brunches, and losing an hour to daylight savings time. Will anyone come to my session?
Steve Bane from Phoenix didn’t need to worry! The nice crowd who attended his presentation on science vocabulary learned some new strategies to help students learn and use key terms. (Last minute funding issues prevented his colleague Jodi Sanchez from attending.)
After the 8:00 session, I was talking with Kristen Shelly from the Hollis Public Schools in Oklahoma. Her school sent 5 teachers to the conference, and they had to take photos of themselves with the presenters as documentation. More importantly, they are expected to share what they’ve learned in workshops and meetings. So the impact of the conference is magnified by all of the sharing of experiences and resources that will happen over the next few months.
I’m sitting in the NSTA bookstore right now, and it’s crowded with attendees making last minute purchases. I hope they left room in their suitcases!

Imagine—you submit a proposal for a session at the NSTA conference, and you’re ecstatic when it’s accepted. And then you learn that you have an 8:00 AM Sunday morning time slot, in competition with early departures, church services, hotel brunches, and losing an hour to daylight savings time. Will anyone come to my session?

 

Putting the "teacher" in NSTA

By Mary Bigelow

Posted on 2011-03-12

Congratulations to all of the teacher-presenters at NSTA—to those who were willing to share their ideas and experiences. It’s a quantum leap from the classroom to the national stage, but in the sessions I attended, my colleagues rose to the occasion.
For example, Greg Benedis-Grab from The School at Columbia University (NY) shared ideas he uses for sharing digital data in the elementary science classroom. (Greg does more than presentations—look for more of his ideas in an upcoming issue of Science & Children.)
I was blown away by the work of chemistry teacher Tanya Katovich (from Shaumberg IL). She is working with Northwestern University to create remote online laboratories. These are different from simulations, in that students manipulate actual devices. She demonstrated (live) an investigation that uses a Geiger counter located in Australia. The students get real data in tables and graphs. Check out the iLabCentral site for more information about this free resource.
Who would think that a session on Friday afternoon at 5:00 would be packed? Those who managed to squeeze into Using Interactive Notebooks for Inquiry-Based Science were treated to a dynamic presentation by LaTonya Walker, Helena Easter, and Leslie Hayes from Richmond VA. They showed the audience how to help middle school students organize and use notebooks. They also showed how to scaffold activities through several levels of inquiry.
The deadline for proposals for next year’s conference in Indianapolis is April 15, 2011.

Congratulations to all of the teacher-presenters at NSTA—to those who were willing to share their ideas and experiences. It’s a quantum leap from the classroom to the national stage, but in the sessions I attended, my colleagues rose to the occasion.

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