Ask a Scientist, but will they answer? (6662 week 3)

I was disappointed to not get a response from Ask a Scientist. I submitted several questions hoping one of them would be answered, so that I can share it with my class as well as my colleagues. In my classroom, we were beginning the unit on Life Science and I would like to explain to them how scientists know the function of each organelle. What type of microscope did they use to track organelle movement? What magnification?

Since my experience was not successful at this point, I’m not sure if I would use it in the classroom, because I always explain to my students the purpose of every assignment. I guess we could hope for the best and submit questions in the beginning of the year and hope some get answered. If I found that scientists did respond to at least half of the questions I would continue to use it when I cannot answer a science question.

Website:
http://www.askascientist.org

6662 week1: Evaluating Web 2.0 Presentation Tools

During my exploration of Web 2.o Presentation Tools, I could not help comparing to PowerPoint because it is what I have used for over ten years. However, I do experience trouble when trying to share my presentation, which is when these new tools came handy. I decided to look into Prezi, 280 Slides, and Glogster.

One of my primary concerns was the ease of use. I cannot imagine using a software that is difficult to maneuver while I am trying to produce a quality presentation for a grade. In addition, if I would need to present it to a crowd of people I would need to feel comfortable about the software because public speaking is stressful enough. Prezi required some getting use to; especially the way slides moved from one to another, it made me dizzy. It was defiantly a different and innovative approach to a presentation. The special features included zooming in and out along with the transition between slides in form of a web. Prezi did offer tutorial videos and templates, which made the process easier to adjust to. Furthermore, there was a free version, available which like the other tools I looked at allowed me to share the presentation online. Therefore, if I put all of my presentation there I can access them anytime, anywhere.


280 Slides is very similar to Powerpoint, which was a plus compares to Prezi. However, it did not have many theme choices, but since powerpoint presentation can be converted to 280 Slides the themes can be imported. This tool is basically powerpoint online, the online component being the special feature. Once completed the presentation can be published online through SlideShare.

Glogster is an online interactive poster, where the creator can easily show of their creativity by displaying information in form of font, movie clips, pictures, links and clipart. Glogster is a main menu to other destinations. Even though the software is totally different than Powerpoint it was much easier to use than Prezi. The glog can be viewed online without the view logging in and creating accounts. In addition, as an educator I found the feature of being able to create student accounts that I would have access to their pages to be very beneficial. When trying out this web tool, I created a page, which provided students with instructions and resources for a project. Our school website does not allow me to just place links anywhere on the page and as easily.

In conclusion, all three web tools are free for basic use, and they are great means of sharing presentations with multi-media capabilities. Both Prezi and Glogster are different than Powerpoint, therefore, they give a bit of spice to a presentation. In my opinion Glogster is more user friendly. When using presentation tools in the classroom, because most of my students are not familiar with powerpoint basics I can easily introduce different tools to them and they can decide what they prefer.

References:
Cool Tools for School (2011). Web 2.0 Tools. Retrieved from
http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/Presentation+Tools

Week 3 (6664): Effecting Change at School and District Levels

During one of our faculty meetings, I stated that we need to hold each grade level accountable for their science curriculum even though they are not assessed during standardized tests. The reason for this request was because from hearing from students, staff children and teachers; science was not being taught everyday. In addition, according to Dr. Harris “telling is not teaching”(Laureate Education Inc., 2008). Therefore, when students reach the fifth grade and they are held accountable for what they learn in each topic they are surprised on how much information they have to memorize, and that they cannot use the textbook. Otherwise, students sit in a classroom and nod without comprehending the content. At this point, administration has changed the curriculum, where science is taught during reading time in grades one to four, but they are still not using hands-on lessons. Luckily, there are a few teachers that feel comfortable with science and do include a few inquiry lessons into the curriculum. Furthermore, more science materials are available in the library to check out than every before. In addition, I have shared with colleagues that applying for a grant through donorschoose.org was not a difficult process and the discovery box resources have been very helpful to students of all grave levels.



In the future, I plan to join both the County Council of Math and Science Teachers (CCMST) and the math and science professional learning community (PLC). During the CCMST discussion members can make suggestions or changes to the curriculum and assessments. Furthermore, I continue to share resources with my PLC (grade level) colleagues (Heirdsfield, Lamb, & Spry, 2010). Including books, foldable, project ideas, experiment supplies, as well as offer to collaborate teachers in other grade levels, where my students can teach another class a skill or concept.

Time, money, and lack of enthusiasm from some of my colleagues have been a challenge. Being the teachers with the least experience I look forward to working and learning from my co-workers, but they look at as “another thing they have to do.” Therefore, unfortunately we all teach science in a different order. Hopefully, with the new textbook adoption; the curriculum will be more regulated. Furthermore, providing opportunities for students to join after school activities like a science club or problem solvers would allow those students that have an interest in science to develop further curiosities. Possibly opening up such activities to parents, where they could come in and have their children explain what they have been working on in any given STEM project (Somers, 2010).


Lastly, during professional development I raised the issue of using “EQ walls” during assessments. Many teachers agree with that Essential Question bulletin boards are a great tool for both teacher and students for all subject areas. It is a designated wall space where information (vocabulary, formulas, main ideas, diagrams) is displayed. However, some teachers leave the information up during assessment, which prevents students from choosing to study. Moreover, I always go back to the setting of the classroom during standardized tests where everything “educational” has to be removed from the classroom. When this issue was discussed no conclusion was reached. Does anyone else use Learning-Focused, what do you do with your EQ wall?

References:

Heirdsfield, A., Lamb, J., & Spry, G. (2010). Leading Learning within a PLC: Implementing new Mathematics content. Montana Mathematics Enthusiast, 7(1), 93-111. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008). Establishing Procedures to Support Classroom Management [Educational video]. Baltimore: Author.

Somers, B. (2010, April 2). Despite gains, obstacles still exist for diversity in STEM education, says AAAS’s Shirley Malcom. AAAS News Archive. Retrieved from http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2010/0402malcom_testify.shtml

6664 Week 2 Blog: Keeping up With Global Competition

I agree with Thomas E. Friedman’s statements about what America needs to do to be number ONE (Freidman, 2010). Infrastructure being one of the three suggestions on what our country needs to focus on. “A governance infrastructure is the collection of technologies and systems, people, policies, practices, and relationships that interact to support governing activities” (Johnston, 2010). At this point, America needs to realize that reducing the education budgets cannot end in a positive increase of students’ gains. Every year less and less money is given to education, when the rest of the world is creating more innovative ways to increase technological advancements. I believe taxes should not be cut, and those funds need to be contributed to students. Another way to promote STEM in schools would be raise sales taxes by two percent and those funds would go to education. The reason for this suggestion is because in our county there are many renters that move to our county for the education, but they do not contribute by paying property taxes, therefore, there are more and more students, but not funds from the county (not taking into consideration the funds given for each child from the state). In addition, our county does not have public transportation and having it would allow more people to have jobs.

Lastly, Thomas E. Freidman states that our country needs to focus on governance to make laws, protect social security, change investment laws, and energize our society (The New York Times Company, 2006). Banks, appraisers, credit card companies, and realtors brought this country down by inflating values of properties (at least in Florida). Laws need to put into place to ensure a crash like this one will never happen again (Davis, 2009). In addition, they should support American rejuvenation. Furthermore, from personal experience no other country allows for money advancements like America. Maybe the proper security is not in place. Car loans, home loans, college loans (which I am very thankful for), credit cards, personal loans, and equity lines of credit to purchase other luxuries need to be better controlled. Such opportunities are very expensive in other countries, so pricy that a family most families use public transportation until they save enough money for a car because getting a loan would mean 15% interest and gas at $7.00 per gallon.

Giving aid to China and India in the amount of ten billion dollars to cut down their emissions is another extreme (Alingod, 2009). We owe money to countries like China and Japan, but yet we are giving away money and they are getting more advanced in technology. There are over 650,000 homeless in the United States, where is their aid (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2010)? Not to mention all the children without a family.



Science education requires funding, I agree, but there are ways to provide quality education without heavy sums of money. Allowing students to solve local problems would encourage leadership skills as well as confidence in making a difference in their own community. In conclusion, in my opinion we need to focus on our future, our students, first. According to C. Bonk, we need to complete, innovate, connect, and collaborate (Bonk, 2010). In addition, setting a purpose to create a “sputnik” like world event would bring out country together for a common goal.



References:
Alingod, K. (2009, November 30). All Headline News: Obama, Australian PM To Meet About Copenhagen; India Pledges No Emissions Cuts. Retrieved on March 10, 2011 from http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7017131240?Obama,%20Australian%20PM%20To%20Meet%20About%20Copenhagen;%20India%20Pledges%20No%20Emissions%20Cuts

Bonk, C.J. (2010, Januray 21). The world is open: Now, we all learn with web technology [Video file]. Retrieved from http://educase.mediasite.com/mediasite/SilverlightPlayer/Default.aspx?peid=b718b052224357b32a96d07d591720

Davis, K. (2009). Where has all the money gone? Economic Papers. 28(3), 217-225.

Johnston, E. (2010). Governance Infrastructure in 2020. Public Administration Review (PAR). 70(1), 122-128.

Friedman, T. L. (2010, January 17). What’s our sputnik? [Op-Ed]. The New York Times [Late Edition (East Coast)], p. WK.8.

National Alliance to End Homelessness (2010). Annual Report. Retried on March 9, 2011 from http://www.endhomelessness.org/section/about_homelessness/faqs#people

The New York Times Company. (2006, April 24). Intro: What is the flat world? [Video file]. Retrieved from http://video.nytimes.com/video/2006/04/24/opinion/1194817106242/intro-what-is-the-flat-world-.html

6663: Natural Disasters Using Models Lesson (week 5)

In our Natural Disasters unit, students learned about the different types of natural disasters, what causes them, and what affects they have on earth as well as humans. The lesson I chose to conduct for this week explored volcanoes and earthquakes. Furthermore, students learned about plate tectonics through a model and enjoyed a reader's theater about Alfred Wegner. In addition, my students made a pop-up of a volcano, which identified all the parts and process. Next, my students created two cubes to replicate two faults, and made the motions to show how an earthquake takes place (when rocks snap). Students identified the difference between a focus and an epicenter. My students at first struggled with the "How Plates Create" activity because it involved a lot of vocabulary parts that are affected by the creation of a plate, movement of, and addition of a volcano to the situation.

6663: Natural Disasters (week 3)

I introduce natural disasters to my students by providing a name of a disaster to each group of students along with a few prompts they need to research and create a power point presentation for the rest of the class. The presentation includes pictures, graphs, charts to allow visual representations to form meanings. Secondly, students see videos or interactive simulations of the natural disasters. Lastly, the group writes a preparedness plan for their given natural disaster. At home students ask their family members if they remember a natural disaster that has affected them or someone they know and how. After reading or listening to their stories we can involve the community by inviting those family or friends that have experience natural disaster.

21st Century Technology Tools week 6 (6661)

Our week 6 Application required us to pick a topic and research the web for some useful tools. I chose energy as my topic. I found many great website, but below (and on the right side under favorite) you will find my favorites. Discovery Education and Utah Education Network have hundreds of lesson ideas on any topic in science including energy. Both of those website I use very often because I find the activities in the textbooks not to be very engaging. http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/sci-tech/scigs.html

Utah Education Network is a treasure box for all teachers.
http://www.uen.org/cc/uen/core/pub/displayCoreCourse.action?ccId=3640

Where as BBC provides an interactive experience for my students. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/ On the other hand, the Jefferson Lab provides a Powerpoint on the different types of energy. http://education.jlab.org/jsat/powerpoint/0708_types_of_energy.ppt

Science spot offers an energy scavenger hunt
www.sciencespot.net/Media/enrrescav.pdf

National Geographic provides a video describing the different sources of energy. For example, solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, generators, and biofuels.
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/energy/?source=NavEnvEnergy

Graphing collected date can be done at the following website http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/

References:

Baker, S. (2000). Sciencespot: Energy Scavenger hunt. Retrieved on June 10, 2010 from www.sciencespot.net/Media/enrrescav.pdf

Bentley, M. (2006). Eudcation.com: Activities retrieved on June 10, 2010 from
http://www.education.com/activity/fifth-grade/science/

Utah Education Network (2006). Interactive Retrieved on June 10, 2010 from
http://www.uen.org/3-6interactives/index.shtml

Nye, B. (2010). Bill Nye the Science Guy. Retrieved on June 10, 2010 from
http://www.billnye.com/

Online Resources Week6 (6660)

Websites are a wonderful resource for students, but it is the skill of choosing a reliable source that at times may become difficult. In the beginning of the school year I teach my students about resources, and which websites are reliable, as I found many of my students using Wikianswers to complete their first research project. I explain to them that anyone can post a questions or an answer, therefore it was not a source the could use. As a result, I decided to start compiling my own list of websites for my students to use which appear under my “projects” tab (http://res.flaglerschools.com/user/lisowskia). So far Natural Disasters, Body Systems, and Motion have been a big hit. My students love the research project as well as a chance to collaborate with their peers. Student examples 1 and 2, my students prepared during a 40 minute activity where students were asked to research questions about their planet, each group was assigned a planet and the next day students presented their findings to the class. Student example 3, a group took notes on a united streaming video and presented to the class. While other groups researched another aspect of weather. Student example 4, shows students creating an emergency plan for a flood, and answered questions based on a rubric provide by me. Each group was assigned a different natural disaster. Students example 5, is a year long project my 5th graders have been working on; roadrunner which is our school mascot(see top of post). This was both a math and science lesson in the beginning of the year because my students needed to find and make the best paper Mache paste to attach the newspaper. In addition, during my math class we measured newspaper pieces 9 in. x 11in. (measurement), and students calculated area and perimeter (geometry). I will be posting an updated picture on Monday.

6661 Heat Transfer

This week’s experiment involved “Heat Insulators.” We had a choice of four materials. Therefore, I chose newspaper, cotton cloth, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap. I setup my experiment in the following manner:
1. Boil water; take out a measuring cup, four mugs, and the four materials along with four rubber bands.
2. Measure the water the same amount for each cup; I used ¼ of a cup. Pour water in each cup.
3. Cover each cup with the testing material and hold it down with the rubber band. Wait 30 in.
4. Then place the thermometer in the water in each cup and record the data. Before dipping into the next cup place the thermometer in a cup with cold water to get the temperature down.
My prediction was somewhat correct; the aluminum reached 92°F (but so did the plastic wrap), then newspaper, and cloth followed. I would integrate this experiment with coffee. Students will be posed with the problem, “what makes the best insulator for Mrs. Lisowski’s coffee?” My students would be exploring by testing different materials to find out which is the best container (insulator). They would derive at their answer when the hot or ice-cold temperature decreases the least therefore does not allow for it escape easily.

I would like my students to be able to compare how water compares in a form of a liquid, solid, and gas. Would the temperature be the same after 30 minutes? Does the temperature drop more with one state of matter than the other? How can my students use this information to help me find the best coffee cup? Will I need one for my cold latte and another for my hot?

20/20 Global Warming- Money Making Machine???