Author: Kent

I've been happily teaching high school science for over 13 years. This website serves as a way for me to reflect on my practice, give back to the science educators' community, help other science teachers who may need a place to start, and build a strong community of science learners and educators.
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#20 – How we use Chocolate Milk and TV Snacking as CER practice examples (note: real science examples!)

Do you know about the Four Stages of Competence? One of its claims is that getting better at a skill (to go from “conscious” to “unconscious competence”) requires practice. Of course, this is nothing new. To get better at sports, reading, writing, or arithmetic requires practice to hone the craft. Using CER – Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning – to analyze science research is no different. How do students get better at writing claims and supporting those claims with clear evidence and reasoning? Students need practice. In Blog #9 (Does Aspartame help with weight loss? 3 CER practice activities from real science data), I provide some sample research from real science research for CER practice. Unfortunately, many educators find the articles to be too complex for their students. So, this time, I offer simpler CER practice examples.

 

This time, we selected our graphs and data from research articles based on a couple of big questions. (1) Can students read and understand the graphs without extra information or instructions? And, (2) will students find this topic fun or interesting? From those 2 questions, we sifted through countless research articles from the Public Library of Science website and found two articles that fit the criteria. We summarize the research question, experimental methods, and data below. You can also download our handouts (with all the CER practice examples below nicely formatted as a pdf) along with our sample key at the end of the post.

 

Instructions

Present the following CER practice examples (the research studies and accompanying data) to students and have them come up with a CER (Claim Evidence Reasoning) paragraph on their own or in groups. I usually ask this in 3 steps:

  1. [Claim] What is a conclusion you can make from the data?
  2. [Evidence] How does the data support your conclusion?
  3. [Reasoning] Drawing from scientific theories or other studies, why do you think this happens?

 

CER Practice Example 1: Banning Chocolate Milk

 

Research Question:

Chocolate milk can have up to two times more sugar than white milk and, as a result, removing chocolate milk from school cafeterias has been debated as a way to reduce childhood obesity. Researchers studied the effect of removing chocolate milk from cafeterias on milk selection and consumption.

 

Experimental Design:

Researchers recorded how much milk was sold at 11 elementary schools in September and October of 2011, when chocolate milk was available for purchase in the cafeteria (chocolate, 1%, and skim were the only milks available for sale). In September and October of 2012, chocolate milk was no longer available for purchase in the cafeteria, and researchers again recorded how much milk was sold for the same 11 schools.

 

Results:

 

Citation:

Hanks AS, Just DR, Wansink B (2014) Chocolate Milk Consequences: A Pilot Study Evaluating the Consequences of Banning Chocolate Milk in School Cafeterias. PLoS ONE9(4): e91022. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0091022

 

 

CER Practice Example 2: Snacking and Television Shows

Research Question:

Obesity rates have more than doubled since 1980. There are variety of lifestyle factors that have contributed to this increase. For example, in some studies, researchers have linked watching TV to increases in food intake and, as a result, weight gain.
In a study, researchers in Sweden studied the impact of television content has on food consumption.

 

Experimental Design:

Researchers had 18 female participants do three activities: read for 30 minutes of non-engaging text (ie. a text on insects living in Sweden); watch 30 minutes of television with boring, unengaging content (ie. an art lecture on public Swedish television), and watch 30 minutes of television with exciting, engaging content (ie. a popular Swedish comedy sitcom). Researchers also provided participants with food (grapes and chocolate). As participants were doing each activity, researchers measured how much food was consumed by each participant.

 

Results:

 

Citation:

Chapman CD, Nilsson VC, Thune HÅ, Cedernaes J, Le Grevès M, Hogenkamp PS, et al. (2014) Watching TV and Food Intake: The Role of Content. PLoS ONE9(7): e100602. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0100602

 

 

Wrap Up

Using CER is like any skill. It requires practice to get better at it. Unfortunately, CER practice comes from analyzing data sets, other research studies and science phenomena – all of which may not be that easy to find. But, when it’s done right (engaging and relevant to students), it’s pretty sweet. Click the link below to download our handout.

 

Until next time, keep it REAL.

 

Resources

Handout(s): 20 – More Fun CER Practice Examples

Our resources are free. We aren’t collecting emails for our resources. However, it would help us out if you liked us on our Facebook page and subscribed to our Youtube Channel. Thanks!

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#19 – One Awesome Way to Write a Unit Plan in one morning (note: no textbook needed)

After teaching for 13 years, this year, I finally need to write a unit plan (it’s been a while!). Of course, it is possible not to write a unit plan at all. Some may ask, “why don’t you just follow the textbook?” Or, “why don’t you just buy something off teachers-pay-teachers dot com instead of writing a unit plan?” Still others may ask, “why don’t you just bribe your colleagues with high-fructose corn syrup snacks into giving you what they have?”

 

Those are all great questions that lead me back to the same answer every time. That is, I need to teach to the needs of my students in my classroom in a way that reflects who I am and what I value. A textbook written by a publisher or a TPT worksheet won’t address those needs because they are tailored for a different teacher or student. Unfortunately, to write a unit plan can take a long time. That time often goes into researching and collating relevant information. So, how do I do write a unit plan quickly and thoroughly and still reflects my teaching philosophy? One way is to write your own textbook to the unit.

 

Best. Unit. Planning. Session. Ever.

The main benefit of writing your own textbook is that it helps to organize your thoughts. In my case, as I am writing my textbook on mendelian genetics, I am looking at the curriculum and thinking, “what do I need to teach before I can teach a certain concept, and what can I teach after?” Therefore, in my textbook, I start by reviewing what DNA is, the differences between mitosis and meiosis, and then tackle Mendel’s pea pod experiments. After, we talk about Punnett squares, dominance and codominance, and sex-linked inheritance.

 

Sure, I can find all this in a textbook, but I can also see – as I am writing the textbook, doing my research, and thinking about my students – where I can insert some fun videos, activities, and projects. I am also reviewing the material myself, actively thinking about what I’ll be teaching and assessing. And, as a side benefit, I will end up with a textbook I can give my students. It’s a surprisingly efficient and effective activity. It requires no more than a computer, internet connection, and a quiet morning to hash out your thoughts.

Of course, writing a textbook can be a time consuming and arduous task. And, if you’re doing this from scratch, it would be. That’s why I like to use ck12.org (note: I have no affiliation with them – I just like their platform). The website allows teachers to build their own textbooks (otherwise known as flexbooks) by providing reference, practice, simulation and assessment materials. Teachers can mix, match, and insert those materials into their flexbooks. Also, members of the community can also include materials that may come up during searches and may be added to flexbooks.

 

The Nuts & Bolts of Writing Your Own Textbook

The whole process of creating a flexbook is quite straightforward: sign up for an account, start a flex book, search for read, practice, simulation and assessment materials, and add materials to flexbook. This first step is great to help organize ideas. Also, it’s a great chance to review what is out there.

 

Once you create a flexbook and populate it with reference material, you can also edit the material. Essentially, you can cull what you don’t like and insert other materials – whether it be reference materials, videos or simulations – into the text. This next step is great to make the textbook (and unit plan) yours. At this stage, you can think about all that you want to put into the flexbook. In the end, you can hand out flexbooks to students or give access to them digitally.

 

Besides printing off flexbooks to give to students, share your flexbook with colleagues and have them share theirs with you. By comparing your flexbooks, you can start a conversation as to the content, activities, and assessment important to the unit. This makes for a good professional development opportunity – and a good way to discuss the strategies that work.

 

Wrap up

At its core, ck12.org is just a website, a platform, a tool. It is how we use the tool that informs our practice. By writing our own textbooks (aka flexbooks), not only do we gain something we can hand out to students, we also organize our ideas to write a unit plan. And, we also open up a conversation with our colleagues that can help further our own practice. To continue our conversation, please sign up for our weekly newsletter and join our Facebook Group (Super Science Teachers’ Co-Lab).

 

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Until next time, keep it REAL.

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#18 – How Redesigning a Face Mask can teach Biology (and student empathy too!)

Teaching arts and sciences together can make science more applicable and exciting. That is one of the suggestions in the article My Wish List for University Science Education published on Medium.com. At its core, the article suggests ways in which we can alter university science education to make it reach more learners, to show more student empathy. The same can be said and used at the high school level too.

 

So, how can we teach arts and sciences together and what does it look like? What are some things students will learn and do? And, is it going to be just another PowerPoint or poster presentation? Last year, my grade 8 science students redesigned objects that prevent students from getting sick (for example, face masks and kleenex packaging) to learn about the transmission of the common cold. In this case, I was teaching science and design together. In the process, my students also gained empathy for their user (ie. other students). I outline below what we did. A checklist is also available for download at the end of the post.

 

Learning through a product redesign

After teaching the properties of life and the differences between bacteria and viruses, we talk about disease prevention and treatment. There are lots of interesting questions to discuss in class: Why don’t all bugs need drugs? How does one contract HIV? Why don’t we have vaccine for the common cold? And, why do we need to get a new flu vaccine every year?

 

On top of discussing some of the questions above, I also have my students redesign an object that helps to prevent illness. Some students redesign a face mask. Others redesign herbal remedies. And, others redesign waterless wash (ie. Purell). However, the challenge is not just to redesign the object, but it is also to redesign it in a way that students will be more likely to use. That means my students must interview the students they are designing for. They must understand why students don’t currently use the object being redesigned. My students must develop empathy for their user (ie. student empathy). And, after all the interviews, students need to build a working prototype.

 

For example, if a student wants to redesign a face mask, then changing the colour from the standard pale blue to red will not count as a redesign. First, the student needs to research why students currently are not wearing face masks. This could be for a variety of reasons: it’s ugly, it’s inconvenient to carry around, it’s awkward to wear. Then, the student needs to redesign the face mask so that it addresses the reason why they’re not being worn as much. If the reason is because face masks are inconvenient to carry, then how can we change the face mask so that they are more convenient? If the reason is because face masks are awkward to wear, then how can we redesign them so that they are easier to wear? A redesign is not just changing something for the sake of change. The student needs to develop student empathy – to understand their obstacles and apprehensions – and design with that in mind.

 

The Results

  • One student made a pen/pencil that also had Purell on the other end (where the eraser head should be). This student found that other students did not use Purell because it was inconvenient to carry around. Plus, students also tend to pack less to school. Thus, this student made a 2-in-1 object: a pen with a healthy benefit.
  • Another student found that students enjoyed juice concentrates that mix with water. Thus, this student sought to redesign herbal therapy in a juice concentrate mix that students would use.

 

Wrap Up

Science education is changing to being more interdisciplinary. It’s easy to blend math and science together (like in STEM), but not all learners are into STEM, math, or science. By merging science education with arts, it allows students to explore a new range of problems in a scientific way. And, sometimes, it also helps to develop some other interdisciplinary skills too like student empathy. That’s pretty good thing too. If you want a quick step-by-step guide to our product redesign project, please click the link below and download the guide.

 

Until next time, keep it REAL.

 

Resources

Handout(s): 18 – Face Mask Redesign Project Guide

Our resources are free. We aren’t collecting emails for our resources. However, it would help us out if you liked us on our Facebook page and subscribed to our Youtube Channel. Thanks!

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#17 – How We Use Gift Cards for an engaging KMT activity (and teach Sustainability too!)

How can I make an abstract concept – one where I may not be able to look at close up – engaging and applicable? For example, the kinetic molecular theory (KMT) is one of the most important concepts for high school students to learn. Demos like adding food colouring to hot and cold water or attaching a balloon to the opening of a flask and then heating the flask can show how particles move faster or further apart when it gets hotter. However, what’s something applicable that a student can do, make, and tinker with when learning about KMT? How can we make an engaging KMT activity and/or lesson?

 

One way we can make an engaging KMT activity or lesson is to actually make something useful and link it to KMT. We propose making gift card cell phone holders and wine bottle planters. Last year, I made both objects with students in two separate makerspace workshops I led. And, they loved it. We also had parents make gift card cell phone stands at an open house. And, they loved it too. Both gift card cell phone stands and wine bottle planters are useful. Both link to KMT. And, as a bonus, both also link to the idea of sustainability (ie. taking something we normally throw out and reusing it in a useful way). We outline how to make both objects and how it links to KMT. You can also download a template and instructions on how to make the gift card cell phone stands so that you can make some in your classroom too.

 

 

KMT and Used Gift cards

What can we do with a used gift card? Make a cell phone stand for it! Students enjoy this activity because it’s simple and quick to do and it produces something useful. Also, if you get a variety of cards, students can make unique stand for themselves.

 

From a science teacher’s point of view, this activity demonstrates the concept of adding energy to melt an object and removing energy to solidify it again. By applying heat to the gift card, the heat allows the plastic to become more fluid and malleable – so that we can bend it into shape. Then, after removing the heat and allowing it to cool, the card becomes more rigid and holds it’s shape. A video on how to make this cell phone stand is found below:

 

 

Although the video shows the use of a butane lighter, our students used regular tea candles and got the same effect (it tool a little longer, but it works).

 

 

KMT and Wine Bottles

What happens when extremely extremely hot glass is placed in ice water (or, vice versa – boiling water is poured into extremely cold glass)? Easy, the glass cracks. The uneven expansion or contraction of glass while the glass is cooled or heated up causes the glass to crack. In this KMT activity, we don’t just crack glass – we look to apply this concept to cutting wine bottles in a precise manner.

 

The craft is fairly simple. The video below shows 3 ways in which bottles can be cut. I will outline how we did it in our class.

 

 

First, we start by scoring the bottle with a glass cutting knife. We use a wine bottle cutting tool. Then, we pour boiling water evenly and quickly around the score line. Finally, we submerge the bottle (at least covering the score line) in ice water. The temperature shock will not just shatter the glass, it will actually shatter along the score line. If not, repeat pouring boiling water and submerging the line until it does.

 

The interesting thing about cutting bottles is not the fact that an even line can be cut on the bottle. Actually, I find the bottles that don’t cut so evenly to be far more interesting. One student of mine – who got really good at cutting bottles evenly – noticed that the boiling water should be poured quickly over the score line so that thermal expansion can occur evenly. If not, the bottle will crack unevenly. And, this happens a lot, which just shows how interesting and complicated thermal expansion can be.

 

Wrap up

We can illustrate abstract concepts – like KMT (Kinetic molecular theory) – in more concrete ways. And, those ways don’t need fancy, expensive equipment either. By using simple things students may normally throw out and turning them into things of value and usefulness, we can make an engaging KMT activity and show how KMT can be applied in the real world. Click on the link to get a copy of our gift card instructions and template for this KMT activity.

 

Until next time, keep it REAL.

 

Resources

Handout(s): 17 – Gift Card Phone Stand Template

Our resources are free. We aren’t collecting emails for our resources. However, it would help us out if you liked us on our Facebook page and subscribed to our Youtube Channel. Thanks!

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#16 – How to stay organized: Our paper organizer hack (no special tools needed)

The running joke regarding my classroom is that it’s a fire hazard. Sure, at the start of the year, the countertops are all clear and clean. But, by the end of term (and especially by the end of the year), assignments, test papers, extra handouts, and student projects lay all over the countertop and each other. Like sedimentary layers, the layers at the top represent the newest work and the layers at the bottom the oldest. I joke that there is a system present (besides using sedimentary layers) – that there’s a semblance of organization within the chaos. But, even I have to admit, I need a better organization system. At least for the assignments and tests. I at least need a system to better indicate what’s been handed in, if it’s been marked, and if it’s been recorded before giving it back to students.

 

Unfortunately, I don’t like to use file folders or letter trays to organize my work. I find file folders to be too restricting and bulky. And, I never seem to have enough during busy times (and then I have a whole bunch laying around when it’s quiet time). I dislike letter trays because it takes up space on my desk. Like constructing a multi-level parking lot on waterfront land, the land on my desk is valuable space. So, how DO I stay organized?

 

Paper Organizer to the Rescue

Some of the best solutions are sometimes the simplest. I like to use paper as my organization tool of choice. Taking a sheet of 8.5” x 11” white paper, I fold it “hamburger” style (ie. if holding it in “portrait” orientation, in half top-to-bottom). Then, I fold this innovative piece of technology around a stack of labs or assignments. Instant organization! This set of student work is now separate from the rest, and I can take this stack around with me easily.

 

Ok, so a folded piece of paper really isn’t that innovative. However, just recently – and out of nowhere – I decided to write a few things on the front of the folded paper organizer. Three things: a line on which the class name will appear, a checkbox with “Marked” beside it, a checkbox with “Recorded” beside it. This little twist changed everything. Now, when I have a stack of such paper organizers with assignments stuffed into them. I can tell which ones need to be marked and which can be handed back to students. Part of the reason my desk is a mess is from assignments that have been marked but not handed back yet. This small twist helps to resolve that issue.

 

I also love the act of checking off lists (I seem to get a good kick of endorphins every time I check a box off), this twist is also fun and gives me a sense of accomplishment. That I’m finally making a dent into the pile of marking that accrues on my desk. You can download the sample I use myself at the end of this post.

 

Field notes

There is a vast number of ways you can modify this to suit your needs.

  • Add the date on which you received the assignments.
  • If there are multiple parts of the assignment, perhaps have multiple “Marked” boxes to split up the work.
  • Perhaps have a few lines that allow you to indicate who hasn’t handed in an assignment or test so that you can better track them down.

These are just a things I plan to do in future versions.

 

Wrap up

Staying organized will help to stay sane in the teaching profession. Every hack that helps to shave some time off a task – or at least helps to conserve and rest a few more brain cells – can go a long way. Click on the link below and join our email list. You’ll get our sample paper organizer template delivered to your inbox and you’ll be on our list to get our weekly newsletter.

 

To Get a copy of our Paper Organizer Sample, Click Here

 

Until next time, keep it REAL.

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#15 – An Awesome Density Lab Fresh from the Oven (hint: Baking is involved!)

Density is an awesome property of matter. Density can help identify unknown materials (circa Archimedes and the Gold crown). Differences in density determine the relative position of objects (ie. Which objects sink and which objects float). Unfortunately, students too often learn that density is just a formula. A calculation. That it’s not applicable to the real world. Sure, ships and boats are applications of density at work, but it’s hard for students to realize all the connections. Students may wonder, Yes, there are lots of air pockets and empty spaces in boats that make it less dense than water, but metal is also a very heavy dense object too.” So, what’s another way we can teach density so that students can see the connection between theory and real life? What density lab can we do?

 

Breaking Bread

When I first started teaching, I was told that students won’t remember what was taught, but they’ll remember what was done. Two years ago, I taught students about density by baking different types of bread in science class. And, today, my students still remember it (the bread making part of it, that is). The activity itself is meant to be a density lab with an inquiry twist, but it can be modified to be a single classroom activity – depending on class needs and time restraints. At the end of this post, I provide a checklist for my original bread density lab along with some modifications to make it go faster and easier.

 

Bread is a great medium to use to teach density because it is something everyone can relate to and there is a a lot of science behind baking. And, bread is also very easy to work with. Because bread can be cut into rectangular prisms or cubes, students can measure the volume and mass and calculate the density easily. And, because students get to see the air pockets in bread slices, students can easily see that less dense bread typically has more air pockets and more dense bread is more packed together. And, that’s the general idea behind density, isn’t it? Density is basically how much mass (or material) is packed into a given volume. Bread easily demonstrates this point.

 

Our own bake-off

In the original version of the bread density lab, students bake a regular loaf of white bread – for which I provide the recipe. Then, they cut into the bread, cutting out a nice rectangular prism for which they measure the volume and mass and calculate density. This is “control loaf”. Next, students need to take one ingredient used to bake bread and modify the amount used. Students need to make a hypothesis, for example, if more sugar is used, then the density of the bread will decrease. Then, students bake bread again using the same recipe as before with one exception. This time, they use a modified amount of whatever ingredient they decided to study. They find the density of this loaf of bread and compare to the control loaf. And, the cycle can repeat itself depending on how much time there is. In our case, the students made 3 loaves of bread (including the original). And, they loved every aspect of it (even the eating part when they took the bread outside science class).

 

Field Notes

  • Have students make qualitative observations and conclusions regarding the bread. How do you know this bread is less dense or more dense? What is causing this bread to be more or less dense? Explain using CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning).
  • Make this a cross curricular activity. I was lucky to work with one of our Home Economics teachers, who loved what I was doing and didn’t mind helping me out with the supplies and using the oven. This makes everything much, much easier. I can focus on the science component of things (ie. scientific method, observations, etc.) while the home economics teacher can focus on the hands-on piece. Also, administrators love it when departments work together to make learning more hands-on and applicable for students.
  • For a one day activity, I would buy various types of bread from the grocery store (rye, whole wheat, barley, white, etc) and have students find density and compare instead of baking my own bread.
  • To bake quicker and more efficiently, consider getting a bread maker. Some bread makers allow you to literally dump in ingredients, set, and forget. This is a great way to demo the bread making. Bake one loaf one day, then change one aspect and bake the next day again. It’s fast, and some bread makers can be quite inexpensive.
  • Another way of doing this lab is to have students bake muffins. A muffin tin has anywhere between 6 and 12 wells Thus, students can bake 6-12 different variations of the same recipe at the same time. And, their densities can be compared right after.

 

Wrap Up

Density can be an abstract idea. It doesn’t help that some students just memorize the definition and formula. But, when students see it in the ordinary, everyday things (like bread!), it makes it more concrete. More real. And, students remember if so much more. And, long after they’re graduated, hopefully, they’ll remember what a great time they had in science class too. Click on the link below to download a copy of our handouts.

 

Until next time, keep it REAL.

 

Resources

Handout(s): 15 – Bread Density Lab Checklist

Our resources are free. We aren’t collecting emails for our resources. However, it would help us out if you liked us on our Facebook page and subscribed to our Youtube Channel. Thanks!

 

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#14 – Does Water Immersion improve exercise recovery? (Our quiz to practice some science skills)

What are some science skills students need to know how to do? I can sum it up in one statement: we want students to be able to think (and do) like a scientist. Therefore, science students need to know how to design and run experiments, collect and analyze data, draw conclusions and defend them. (Refer to curricular standards here) All the content we teach – KMT, cell division, continental drift, Newton’s laws – they are just avenues through which students practice science skills.

 

One problem I run into is not knowing what skills students need help with. Do they know what an independent or dependent variable is? How about the concept of a control with them? Do they know how to read a graph (and draw conclusions from it)? Typically, teachers analyze student lab reports for clues. Or, we can collect notebooks or assignments. But, students can plagiarize lab reports (or assignments). Or, students don’t hand them in. And, lab reports take time to mark – even if you are just marking one or two questions. Is there a way students can quickly demonstrate and practice science skills?

 

Not your ordinary quiz or test

We believe so. In fact, multiple choice tests like the science component of the ACT (American College Test) already test for science skills like analyzing graphs and drawing conclusions. However, the ACT is meant for Grade 12 students who are graduating and applying for college. What about students in Grade 8 and 9, who may need more help developing the science skills that will help them for the rest of their high school career? We developed a quick 10 minute activity that has students read a summary of a real lab experiment and then answer a set of multiple choice questions that require students to apply and practice science skills. It is inspired by ACT and MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test), which measure how students apply science skills. Our activity is meant to help students and teachers identify and practice science skills that may need attention. We outline how we did it below, but you can also download our activity (ie. an actual research study that studies whether water immersion after high-intensity exercise improves recovery) at the end of the post.

 

How we do it

1. Go online to find interesting science research articles.

Our two favourite websites right now are the Public Library of Science and Research Gate, both of which provide free full length research articles for the public to use and redistribute. Both sites allow you to search their database for articles too. EBSCO is great as well, but articles may require purchasing or licensing if you decide to distribute or post on a website. Newsela and other student news sites I avoid because of the lack of experimental design and results detail I am looking for. For our activity, we found our article on the Public Library of Science.

 

2. Filter for articles with simple graphs. Summarize those articles.

After I find an interesting research, I look for one thing: simple graphs and tables for students to analyze. Do the results of the article have bar graphs, line graphs, or regression curves? If so, then I tend to use the article. Does the research include data tables with easily understandable variables and measurements? If so, I tend to use those too.

 

3. Create questions with a focus on science skills.

For me, the most simple questions to come up with focus on data analysis and experimental design. For example…

  • What is the independent variable and dependent variable in this experiment?
  • By looking at a graph, what is the value of y if given a value of x? Or, what is the value of x given a value of y?
  • What possible change could we see in the graph if we changed another variable?
  • How can we increase/decrease a certain x or y value on the graph?

There are no limits to the way we ask questions. But, to make things easier, I try to stay focused on measuring the science skills I value.

 

Field notes

  • I like to use online bubble sheet programs (like Zipgrade). Besides being a quick and easy method to marking multiple choice questions, most of these programs including Zipgrade are able to track which which choices students selected for each question and also tally what percentage of students got certain questions right or wrong. This way, I get to know which questions and concepts were particularly challenging for the class so I can address those issues. I also potentially get to know which roadblocks an individual student is encountering by referring to the answers they selected.

 

Wrap up

Long after a student forgets the content we teach them (ie. the names of each stage of mitosis, Bohr and Lewis diagrams, evidence for continental drift), we hope students remember how to problem solve and think like a scientist. If science skills are what we value as educators, and I do, then I need to find a way to measure it and for students to practice it. Although a multiple choice assignment/quiz may have some drawbacks, I believe it’s quicker than reading lab reports when trying to assess a student’s science competencies.

If you want more of our samples, our REAL Science Challenge contests also have similar questions and passages. And, we also host the REAL Science Challenge contest series which feature passages and questions that measure and practice science skills and is written by students from around the world.

To download our sample quiz, click the link below.

 

Until next time, keep it REAL.

 

Resources

Handout(s): 14 – Science Skills Quiz

Our resources are free. We aren’t collecting emails for our resources. However, it would help us out if you liked us on our Facebook page and subscribed to our Youtube Channel. Thanks!

 

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#13 – How we use a 30cm ruler to check student understanding (in unit conversions)

As a teacher, it’s important for me to check student understanding, to know how a student is getting an answer to a question. For a student to just get an answer to a question is not enough. What if the answer is wrong? How, then, can I help the student if I don’t even know where the problem is?

 

We can teach students how to solve a particular problem, how to set up a question, but unless students are actually using the scaffolds we provide for them, they aren’t really using what we are giving them. So, how do we check student understanding?

 

Using Simple Tools, Complex tasks to Check Student Understanding

The answer is simple: we ask students to document their process when they are solving an open-ended, complex problem. Yes, this solution appears obvious. However, my ah-ha moment only came recently, when I changed a small Measuring activity I normally do when teaching students to use unit conversions in real life. To check student understanding, students had to not just give me their answer but explain how they got their answer in the extra space provided. The explanation can be in words and can also include sketches and calculations. In fact, some of the best explanations tend to include all three. This change – providing some extra space to write down an explanation – allowed me to see who was thinking about the problem and who was struggling (or just being lazy about their explanations). And the results were awesome. If you want a copy of the of this activity, you can download it at the end of this post.

 

Measuring without touching

In our measuring lab, students need to find the lengths of different distances using just a regular, 30-cm ruler. For example, using only a 30cm ruler, students find the distance down a hallway (or around our wing of the school) and the height of the school building (by observing the building from a distance).

 

Finding the length of a hallway is usually pretty easy for students. They normally measure the length of a single tile and then count how many tiles stretch down the hallway. This is meant as a primer for students. They learn to break down a length into smaller parts that can then be counted and summed up to find the total length. My stronger students not only know to count tiles but also document their conversions from tiles to cm in the space provided. That’s exactly what this exercise is meant to practice: the use of unit conversions in real life. Those who did not write down their conversions I was able to speak with.

 

Finding the height of the school is a little more difficult since students are only allowed to view the side of the building from my windows (ie. They are not allowed to go up to the building and touch it). However, the previous method of breaking down the side of the building into measurable parts and then adding up those parts can be used in this question. Since windows in a building are usually the same, students can measure the height of the window they are peering through. Then, they can use it as a reference to find other lengths and heights. Again, students who understood this concept were able to document it while those who struggled I was able to connect with.

 

Field Notes

  • Students in our class do this activity in groups of 3 or less.
  • Stress that students can only use a 30cm ruler. No metre sticks. No protractors. Just a ruler.
  • Re-emphasize to students that they must document their process. It is not good enough to just provide the answer. One group of students in my class wrote “By visual inspection” for their documentation. I had them clarify and show their reasoning in greater detail.

 

Wrap Up

How do you check student understanding? How do you know students are using the tools you are teaching them? We need to ask them to explain themselves, to tell us not just what they know, but how they know it. Our unit conversion lab is an activity that uses simple tools to solve a seemingly difficult problem. Having students document their process will show which students need help and which students have a firm grasp. Because, at the end of the day, we want students to learn how to problem solve – not just learn formulas. If you want a copy of our unit conversion activity, please click the link below to download a copy.

 

Until next time, keep it REAL.

 

Resources

Handout(s): 13 – Small tool, great distances

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#12 – Red Jellybeans are the best ones (and 10 other intro CER examples)

CER (Claim Evidence Reasoning) is an effective way for students to structure their conclusions by wrapping together their lab evidence and science reasoning. However, do you need a simple, low-barrier-to-entry example to intro CER (Claim Evidence Reasoning)? I do. Even though I have CER infographics from Blog 4 to show my students fun science CER examples, I still need something to intro CER. Something we can discuss and create as a class. And, preferably, something that all students can relate to.

 

That’s what I was thinking as I stood in front of my class one day as I was just about to show the infographics. I thought, “these examples are fun but still a little too scientific. I need something students can talk about now” So, I came up with this intro CER claim: “Red Jellybeans are the best ones.”

 

Keeping Intro CER examples simple

It’s a claim that students can at least can discuss (because most students know what jellybeans are) even if they don’t agree with the statement. It’s an example with a low barrier of entry. When we discuss the claim in class, I tell the students to assume the claim to be true. Then, I ask, “what quantitative evidence and scientific reasoning can we use to support this claim?” And, instead of getting blank looks onto students’ faces, I get back some thoughtful responses. If you want a copy of our Jellybean discussion notes, you can download it at the end of the post.

 

Back in Blog 10, I wrote about teaching with examples that students from all over the world can connect with (in that activity, it was gas prices). I am saying the same when coming up with simple intro CER examples. Here are 11 intro CER statements you can use for class discussions.

 

  1. Red Jellybeans are the best ones..
  2. Television is the most important invention of the 20th Century.
  3. Gas prices are lower in developing (ie third world) nations
  4. Seafood-based diets are healthier for you.
  5. Tea is the most popular drink in the world
  6. Students studying math online do better than those studying math in the traditional classroom.
  7. More young adults under the age of 30 are living with their parents today.
  8. People are saving more money for retirement today.
  9. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world
  10. Taylor Swift is the greatest performer of all time.
  11. Chicken soup is a good remedy for a cold.

 

Wrap Up

Again, during discussion, tell students to assume the claims to be true and then to ask for quantitative evidence and scientific reasoning to support the claims. Note: the statements are not for debate. If you want the Jellybean discussion notes, click the link below to download a copy.

 

Until next time, keep it REAL.

 

Resources

Handout(s): 12 – Red Jellybean Discussion Notes

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#11 – How We do Science Curriculum & Team Building by playing “Telephone”

Team building is an important part of running a class. And, it requires constant upkeep. If I want my car to run smoothly throughout the year, I can’t change the oil once a year and expect it to last. Similarly, I can’t just do a science team building activity at the beginning of the year in class and expect that classroom spirit to continue throughout the year. Classroom culture needs to be continuously supported by regular team building.

 

Unfortunately, team building activities are often difficult to do. This is mainly due to curricular constraints. That is, there’s simply no time to do team building because the curriculum comes first. Or, teachers need to justify how the team building activity they’re doing links to the science curriculum. In our science team building activities, we overcome these hurdles by having students solve a physical science problem creatively. We also place an element of friendly competition along with it. Below is one science team building activity I’ve used for the past few years, and kids have always enjoyed it. Handouts are available at the end of this post.

 

Using Past “Technology” to Teach

The activity I use as a science team building activity is basically a mashup of the children’s games “Telephone” and “Charades”. The activity is kind of like semaphore – where seamen use flag patterns to send messages between naval ships. Similarly, in our activity, a message is sent from one person to another using body actions – no talking is allowed. And, students cannot run towards each other either (or use a mobile device). I first did this activity back in 1996, when I was in high school myself, at a science competition. I didn’t know it back then, but the activity taught computational (ie. coding principles), critical, and creative thinking. The activity also forced me to work closely with my team members. Twenty-one years later, I use this activity typically between grading terms or units – to give students a bit of a mental break.

 

The goal of this activity is to send a message (a randomly generated pattern of 16 X’s on a 8×8 grid) to another person holding a blank 8×8 grid. Since the person holding the original message (ie. the sender) is must not yell or physically pass the message to the person holding the blank grid (ie. the receiver), the sender must use body gestures to pass the message to the receiver. The sender and receiver must work together beforehand to determine a “code” they will use to send and translate the message.

 

For example, one code could have the sender read the grid from left to right, one box and one row at a time, and indicate an X by putting a right hand up and the absence of an X by putting a right hand to the right hand up. The receiver would watch the sender and starting place an X in the box or leave the box blank, going left to right, one box and one row at the time. That’s one sample code, but is it the fastest? In order to win the science team building activity, the winning team must send and receive the message in the shortest amount of time.

 

One more twist

The sender and receiver must send the message around a corner (ie. around the corner of a hallway or a building). Sender and receiver cannot see each other. For example, if the sender is standing at the southwest corner of the building, then the receiver should be standing at the northeast corner.

 

So, how can the message from the sender get to the receiver if they cannot see each other? Well, there’s a 3rd person on the team – a middleman. In the above example, there would be a middleman standing at the northwest corner of the building. The role of the middleman is to relay the message between sender and receiver. The middleman watches the sender and copies the sender’s exact actions, while the receiver watches the middleman and translates the message. This is where the “Telephone” aspect of the activity comes into play.

 

Field Notes

  • Each team has 3 members.
  • Give teams 1 day to prepare. One day is more than enough time to come up with and practice a code.
  • Make it clear to students that they will receive a randomly generated pattern of X’s on a 8×8 grid on competition day. It is randomly-generated. One year, I had a group of students practice a sample message for only 15 minutes. Then, they sat down for the rest of the class. They said they were finished. At the end of the class, I told them they would get a different message to send next day. They were surprised!
  • Each error adds 15 seconds to team’s final time.

 

Putting it all together

Science team building activities are great not just to build or maintain an awesome classroom culture but also to give students a break sometimes. Giving students an active, open ended challenge with an element of friendly competition does the trick for me. And, the fact that these challenges tie in aspects of the curriculum (ie. building and prototyping, working with others, solving problems using critical and creative thinking) make them easier to justify. If you want the notes and illustrations to how I set up our REAL Science Semaphore Coding challenge, click the link below and download the handout.

 

Until next time, keep it REAL.

 

Resources

Handout(s): 11 – Sample Challenge – Semaphore

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