Teaching to the nth Degree

May

2011

Getting warmer….

In my grade 7 science class, we are currently working on a unit on heat. The students have just finished learning about thermal expansion, and tomorrow they will be handing in an assignment that considers the role of thermal expansion with rising sea levels. I look forward to reading about the various efforts that are undertaken to protect coastlines and river edges from the dangers of the rising waters.

This week’s task will be for the students to assess how to make a home or building more energy efficient. They will explore the various ways that homes and other buildings are designed to maintain comfortable temperatures in various weather conditions. They will consider both the materials used for construction, as well as what goes on within the building. They will be encouraged to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of airtight buildings and how green roofs can be used to help with energy efficiency.

The following is the assignment they will be receiving tomorrow, and the links which will help them to begin their research:

Energy Conservation Inc Word Docx

Energy Conservation Inc PDF

Energy Efficient Homes from Natural Resources Canada – A good resource – this website discusses energy efficiency in all parts of the house.

US Department of Energy – A similar website as the one mentioned above, this time from the US government.

Energy Star – From the US Environmental Protection Agency, the website behind the Energy Star ratings for your home.

Green 3D Home – Look at the resources under “Go Green” and “Your House”.

Green-Energy-Efficient –Homes – Another website that provides ideas for making your home more energy efficient.

Green Building – This website goes through some of the science behind building green homes.

City of Toronto Green Roofs – Learn about green roofs and how they are being used in the city of Toronto

HGTV Goes Green – Home and Gardens Television tips and tricks for energy efficient and sustainable homes.

May

2011

Fun with Applets

This week I am beginning Pythagorean Theorem with my students. They will have the chance to explore some applets. Here are the ones that I will be using:

IES Applet This is one of a series of applets on Pythagorean Theorem on this website, but it is my favourite of the group. In this applet squares a and b get broken into pieces, and then all of the pieces from both squares must be rearranged to fit into square c. (Update – link to no longer active)

National Library of Virtual Manipulatives There are two different puzzles to solve in this applet. In the first puzzle, there is a shape that has an area of c² and another shape that has an area of a² + b². The same pieces are used to fill each of the two shapes, thus showing that the shapes have the same area. The second puzzle is similar in nature to the first, but the pieces are different and the two shapes are the same.

Nova Applet This applet allows the user to drag all of square a into square c, and then break apart square b so that the smaller squares fill the empty space in square c.

Davis Associates This demonstration moves pieces around to show that the area of square c is equal to the area of squares a + b.

After they explore some applets, they will choose their favourite one and attempt to use the concepts to create a hands-on interactive activity. Please feel free to use and modify the following assignment sheet:

Pondering Pythagoras

If you have other Pythagorean Theorem ideas that I could incorporate into my lesson, I would love to hear from you.

Have a great week.

May

2011

Cells Galore

I am just beginning my cells unit with my grade 8 students. This year, I want to cover a little of the basics, but then I want to dive into the hearty issues that will require my students to really think and to make judgments about where they stand on some controversial issues.

As my school is an IB world school, we will be exploring this unit with the following question in mind: How do we use biotechnology to meet our needs?

We well begin by covering some of the basics, such as:

Cell Theory
Plant and Animal Cells (for this I am planning on having the students do an analogy assignment where they compare the parts of the cell to parts of cities, factories, houses, schools, airports…you get the idea)
Use and Care of the Microscope
Osmosis and Diffusion

The following sites support learning in the topics listed above:

Camilla Senior Cells Page

Science Spot Microscope Links

Teachnology Cells Page

Intel Cell-to-Cell Page

CREATE for Mississippi Microscopes and Cells

Internet4Classrooms Cell Structure and Function

The following are some assignments that I have used in my unit which support the topics above:

Use and Care of the Microscope

Cells Lab

Plant and Animal Cell Scavenger Hunt

Cell Superheroes Assignment

Modelling and Observing Diffusion

Modelling and Observing Osmosis

And then we will move into an exploration of critical thinking issues, such as:

Cloning

Learn.Genetics Cloning Page

International Debate Education Association

How Stuff Works: Cloning

Genetically Modified Food

Health Canada

International Debate Education Association

CBC Digital Archives

World Health Organization

Stem Cells

Learn.Genetics Stem Cells Page

National Institutes of Health

Science Daily

How Stuff Works

The Donation, Selling and Harvesting of Human Organs

International Debate Education Association Page 1

International Debate Education Association Page 2

Santa Clara University: Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Prenatal Selection of Gender and Genetic Traits

Washington Post

New York Times

Legal Affairs

International Debate Education Association

I have developed a Cell Debate which incorporates the above critical thinking topics.

And finally, for some additional websites to support the study of cells, please check out my cells page.

I am always looking for new ideas to incorporate into my cells unit….would love to hear from you.

Apr

2011

Doodling in Math Class

I let my students doodle in class.

Some students just need to move their hands in some way or another, and so instead of them tapping a pencil or ruler on their desk, I tell them to doodle.

Then last week I was introduced to the queen of math doodles, Vi Hart… from one of my students, no less. If you read math blogs, then you have probably come across her work already. I, however, do not get to read as much as I would like, and so I am thankful that I have an aspiring doodler in one of my classes who is, apparently, more informed than me.

The first video of hers that I watched was ‘Infinity Elephants’. Yes, you will have to listen to her quips about boring math class, but it is worth it to see her doodle and hear her accompanying explanations. (And despite our best planning and intentions, I am sure that we, the collective math teachers, have managed to bore some of our students at one point or another.)

She has four doodling videos on her blog – Infinity Elephants, Binary Trees, Stars, and Snakes and Graphs. I have watched all four videos, and enjoyed all of them. One of the extra perks for me were the little snippets from the “The Little Prince“, which you would only notice if you have actually read the book.

When I googled Hart to find out more about her, I came across a video that she had created with references to the original Flatland story. This one, titled “Mӧbius Story – Wind and Mr. Ug”, takes place along a Mӧbius strip – a surface with only one side and one boundary component. Check out her blog and watch her doodle, then come back to see her story along a Mӧbius strip. It is worth a few moments of your time.

Apr

2011

Numbers, numbers, everywhere.

It’s a math day.

Every now and then I like to find new sites to help enrich my math program. Here are a few of my old time favourites and some new ones, as well.

Bridgeport Mathematics – This site has resources for pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Clicking on each topic brings you to an set of resources for each, complete with unit overviews (they call them pacing guides), online practice, worksheets, and additional links. There are also math cartoons and math magic games, as well as a direct link to the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives.

mathcentre – Another good resource site for math videos, worksheet booklets, games, and so much more.

Yummy Math – This sites brings in real world connections to various topics across the math curriculum. (I also like the mathalicious site for real world connections in math, but they are currently under construction – should be up and running soon.)

Mathwire – A great site for math enrichment activities.

nrich – This site provides Rich tasks for the math program. It is based in the UK, so look to the key stage/age equivalencies on the help page.

The last site I will highlight today is from the Utah Education Network, which provides math interactive activities across the curriculum.

And if you find yourself with a spare moment or two (or nine), you can always enlighten yourself with a bit of global population statistics from the educated mind of Hans Rosling.

Apr

2011

World Health Day 2011

April 7^th is World Health Day. Every year the World Health Organization creates a World Health Day with a different theme. This year’s theme is “antimicrobial resistance and its global spread”. What does this mean, exactly? It refers to a resistance to the various antibiotics medications that we use to fight infectious illnesses and diseases. At some point they become ineffective in our bodies, thus no longer achieving the goal for which they were created. This problem is becoming more widespread. The World Health Organization is using World Health Day 2011 to bring this issue to the forefront in the eyes of governments and stakeholders so that they can begin to combat this problem.

Who are the stakeholders? The people within the World Health Organization might have their own opinions, but I think that the stakeholders would be every living person in this world. The entire human population stands to gain, or lose, from the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of the various medications that we use to fight infection and disease.

It may be too late to plan a whole unit around this topic in time for World Health Day this year, but you can certainly begin the conversation by introducing some thought provoking activities. Here are some links to get you started in your planning:

World Health Organization – This is a direct link to the World Health Day page on their website. Go here for information about World Health Day for this year, and for past years. Here is their document which provides information about antimicrobial resistance: World Health Day 2011

Antimicrobial Resistance from Public Health Agency of Canada

Antibiotic Awareness

Evolution and Antibiotic Resistance from PBS

Unit Plan on the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance

Mar

2011

Don’t think better, think different.

At the beginning of each school year, parents pour into my science classroom on curriculum night, eager to hear what their child will be learning in the coming months. About three years ago my message to parents changed. I have begun telling them that I still teach content in my science class, but it is no longer the focus of our curriculum. Content is now everywhere, and in today’s world it is not something that a student must rely on the teacher to provide. Skills, however, still need to be learned. And so I tell parents that my job is to teach the students how to find the content, how to use the content, and when to believe the content.

This does not mean that I do not teach them scientific concepts. Biology, chemistry, and physics are still active parts of my classroom curriculum. However, my focus is on them learning how to carry out a lab and connect their results to the world around them. I teach them how to brainstorm, design, and build various items that will achieve a meaningful purpose. I let them explore various opinions on topics and then explain where they stand on these issues. I make them think about their every day actions with regard to the sustainability of our world, and I require them to consider the repercussions of their choices. I let them create with technology so that they are prepared to engage with a world that is changing by the moment. And I learn that new technology myself, because I believe that if I don’t attempt to keep up with my students, then they will leave me far behind.

And so for today’s post I thank Thomas Whitby for directing me to this TEDxNYED video of Will Richardson. Hearing his thoughts have validated my own. Despite our own personal ideas of what education should be, sometimes a little validation goes a long way.

Below is Will Richardson’s TEDxNYED speech. Check out his blog at weblogg-ed.

Mar

2011

Let the Lights Go Out.

There are several times a year when we are specifically asked to think of the world that we live in and the effect of our actions on our world. Earth Hour is one of those times.

Earth Hour is from 8:30 to 9:30 pm on March 26th. It began in Australia in 2007, when over 2 million individuals and businesses turned off their lights for one hour to “take a stand against climate change”. Over the next few years it captured global attention, and last year over 126 countries took part.

As it occurs over the weekend, some schools have incorporated it into their curriculum by designating time on the Friday beforehand to turn off as much electricity as possible. They are also teaching lessons on environmental responsibility and sustainability leading up to the event. You could spend hours upon hours searching the web for ideas, and not even make a dent in what is available. Here are but a few resources to help you incorporate Earth Hour into your curriculum:

Earth Hour Main Page

Earth Hour Primary Education Pack 2011 from the Earth Hour website

Earth Hour Secondary Education Pack 2011 from the Earth Hour website

Earth Hour Canada Page

Earth Hour 2011 Official Video

Vote Earth Sand Painting (Even if you don’t use it in the class, watch it – pretty neat.)

The Story of Stuff This is a twenty minute video that highlights the waste in our society. Go to the original vide0 “The Story of Stuff”, or to the videos on electronics or bottled water. They are suitable for older grades.

Environmental Jeopardy – Various versions of this game are available, each with a different focus. This is actually a printable game – use it in Jeopardy style or simply as a trivia challenge. It is suitable for older students.

United States Environmental Protection Agency Lesson Plans

Check out the Smart Exchange for Smartboard Notebook Activities with an environmental theme.

It is important to have our students take part in global actions for preserving our environment, and thus I feel that teaching them about Earth Hour is the right way to go. However, we need to ensure that our lessons go beyond them thinking that environmental sustainability can be solved in one hour. For it is only through our day-to-day choices and related actions that any true change will take place.

Mar

2011

Teaching about tragedy.

On Friday morning, as my students walked into the building, the Japan earthquake and tsunami was all that was on their minds. We spent the next 30-40 minutes reading news stories and looking at the footage of the devastation across the Pacific Ocean.

As I went through the various events of my weekend, my thoughts were on the tragedy in Japan, and I have been watching CNN rather religiously. I am currently thinking about what sort of discussion to have during homeroom tomorrow morning, and how to best engage my students in meaningful conversations around this topic. There are so many people who have already compiled lists of teaching resources for this event, and so for today’s post I will defer to the expertise of others.

Larry Ferlazzo compiles wonderful lists of teaching resources. Here are the links to his pages on Japan:

The Best Sites For Learning About The Japan Earthquake & Tsunami

Useful Updates on Japan Earthquake – Part Two

Richard Byrne writes a blog about teaching with technology. Here is his post about teaching resources on Japan:

Interactive Maps and Images About Earthquake in Japan

Jerry Blumengarten maintains an internet catalogue for students, teachers, administrators and parents. His Japan information can be found on his Earth Science page.

For up to date reports and a resource of videos, look to the CNN website. Watching on an iPad? Then be sure to install the CNN app which allows you to watch the videos without flash.

I am a full believer of teaching both my students and my children of how the world works, in an age appropriate manner. If they ask a question, I answer. These are important moments in the education of our students. Let’s use them well.

Mar

2011

Plant a SEED, watch it grow.

Have you heard about SEED?

SEED stands for ‘Schlumberger Excellence in Educational Development’. It is a “non-profit education program that focuses on underserved communities”, in its own words. The overall goal is to enable educators in all parts of the world to ignite a passion in students for the learning of science. It encourages an understanding of various global issues, and it strives to have students make these issues a focus in their lives.

The online Laboratory is what I like to explore, and more importantly, what I like my students to explore. Some of the labs are activities for you to carry out with your own students, while others are online explorations that are perfect for at home trials or presentation on an interactive whiteboard.

I have used the Buoyancy Explorer with my students. This online exploration allows the user to test various solids to see how they will float in various fluids. On the same page there are links to Archimedes principle and other teaching facts related to buoyancy. The students have also enjoyed using the Viscosity Explorer. Again, many links are provided for other activities and labs that are related to the topic.

There are many teaching ideas and lessons, with the topic labels being air and space, earth science, electricity and magnetism, properties of liquids, and energy. There are many worthwhile activities to explore in each of these areas.

But don’t stop there. Below the Laboratory links are a series of Math links as well. Click on Math and it opens into the various curriculum strands, each highlighting a series of activities and puzzles to support learning in that area.

And yet one more area in the Science section of the SEED website is the Articles section. These appear to be small fact based articles in various areas of the science curriculum.

These are but a few sections of the SEED website. I was content to stop there, but you may want to explore more.

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