Hi All,
This has been an enjoyable, inspiring and wonderful week. It is difficult to believe that it is over already. Some of you will be joining us for the summer short course, next week. And, we hope to use the info we gain this summer to apply for and design new short courses for next year and beyond.
If you are taking this course for credit, we had indicated in the syllabus that there is a short paper due July 31st as part of those requirements. Here are some general guidelines for that 3-5 (no more than 5) page paper:
1) It should focus on a relationship between mathematics and its application to science.
2) How could you apply the idea of teaching math through science to your in-place curriculum and meet both the SD science AND math content standards at the same time? If you are taking this for credit and teach in Nebraska, use the Nebraska standards.
For example, how could you change what you already do to meet standards in a new way in light of 1 and 2, above?
Link to the SD science content standards http://doe.sd.gov/contentstandards/science/newstandards.asp
Link to the SD mathematics content standards
http://doe.sd.gov/contentstandards/math/standards.asp
If you are in the MNS program (or another graduate program) and want to take some of your graduate education hours during the academic year, SEED 513 - Secondary Science Methods is offered on Monday nights from 5-8 pm. Please contact me for more details
It has been wonderful getting to know you. Please keep in touch with your questions and comments. Let us know of the great things you are doing in the classroom so that we can be a part of that, too.
Good luck and stay well and happy and dodge those rain drops!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Day 3 (Wednesday) a day late
Better late than never? Sorry for not posting this yesterday. Wednesday's activities included a recap from circuits and light bulbs, radioactivity, and enzymes. I am becoming more knowledgeable on excel thanks to the expertise and patience of my partners. I used the older version of excel in college a few years ago but I havn't used it alot since then. Having knowledge of other programs will come in handy. With the radioactivity lab, we monitored cesium as it faded into its half-life, which turned out to be barium. With the enzyme lab we took enzyme from potatoes and monitored the reaction rate. Discussing enzymes, proteins, and amino acids was a good refresher as well as learning new information.
I look forward to learning more information tomorrow.
I look forward to learning more information tomorrow.
Thursday's Storm Activities
Well to update what Kevin said about the storms---it also took crops and damage north of Scotland. I live north of Kaylor and the crops are damaged along with holes in the siding of our house. A neighbor to the northeast lost a barn and another lost a grain bin that was blown against a semi. My husband is a carpenter contractor and he has been busy boarding up windows and the phone has been ringing with people wanting to get on his list to get their damage repaired. I feel bad for the farmers because some of them lost everything. The destruction is unbelievable and covers a very wide area involving several communities.
On the bright side of Thursday, I really enjoyed the predator/prey activity. I do something similar but like this one better because of the math and graphs that can be made. I would really relate this to our ecosystem that involves the mountain lions. I recently was at Custer State Park horseback riding and we came across a 20 herd of elk--there was not a single offspring in the herd. Also, we came across some elk bone remains that our guide said was probably done by a mountain lion. I think we will be hearing more about the population of mountain lions in our state and how it is affecting other wildlife.
The Crystal Violet lab was also interesting but is probably above the ability of my middle school kids. I still like making the graphs and getting more familiar with using excel and the graphing options.
On the bright side of Thursday, I really enjoyed the predator/prey activity. I do something similar but like this one better because of the math and graphs that can be made. I would really relate this to our ecosystem that involves the mountain lions. I recently was at Custer State Park horseback riding and we came across a 20 herd of elk--there was not a single offspring in the herd. Also, we came across some elk bone remains that our guide said was probably done by a mountain lion. I think we will be hearing more about the population of mountain lions in our state and how it is affecting other wildlife.
The Crystal Violet lab was also interesting but is probably above the ability of my middle school kids. I still like making the graphs and getting more familiar with using excel and the graphing options.
Thursday's Material
I liked the predator/prey activity. I thought another way this could be adapted was to actually have the students put the utensils into their mouths to pick up the "food". If nothing else, it may provide for a chuckle or two! :) Since I am on the math end and not the science, we do exponential decay and growth using M&Ms. The kids love the activity and it provides for great graphs.
The crystal violet lab was great also. I am getting a plethora of ideas to use when my students ask, "Why do we have to do this?". Another good example of exponential functions as well as well as linear. We won't actually do the natural logs of numbers, but I can tell them how they'll need it in the future.
The crystal violet lab was great also. I am getting a plethora of ideas to use when my students ask, "Why do we have to do this?". Another good example of exponential functions as well as well as linear. We won't actually do the natural logs of numbers, but I can tell them how they'll need it in the future.
Today--Partners, Populations, and Kinetics
Predator-prey simulation...interesting that we could change the variety of factors in the online simulation and see immediate results that could be easily interpreted in the graphs----great for visual learners. What really triggered brain response today was the manipulatives in the predator-prey lab. That's the best interaction we've had as a group. Great learning and population-decay-concept-illustrating lab for a great range of student ages. I loved hearing classmates suggestions for improvement, variety in approach, or avoidance of problems. This lab is good for strengthening thinking skills for discussion. Both labs were great for engaging lab partners. I think it was good to wait for Friday am to get deeper into the math of the chemsitry kinetics lab.
Thursday (Day 4)
The biology activity that we participated in this morning reminded me of several activities that are in the Project Wild and Project Flying Wild's curriculums. There are several ways to adapt these activities to meet your needs and the areas/subjects you are teaching. One of my favorites is the Bird Beaks activity where you get several different utensils to simulate 6 different types of bird beaks. Tweezers, a spoon, chop sticks and other things are used to pick up rice, beads and other things. I love Project Wild, Project Learning Tree, Project Aquatic Wild and Project Flying Wild's curriculums because all the activities are hands on activities. These curriculums have activities for all grade levels and can be used to meet some of the South Dakota standards. Here is one link for the activities that could be used to meet the middle school standards from Project Wild:
http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/Education/Projwild/WILD6-8correlations.pdf If you want the high school or elementary list for the activities that match the standards, I am sure I can find them, just let me know.
Our afternoon's activity consisted of observing the reaction between crystal violet and sodium hydroxide. We used a machine that monitored the absorbance. Although this machine was useful for this experiment, it is hard for me to think of purchasing something that is only useful in one setting or situation.
I am enjoying learning the mathamatical components to our labs. I taught basic math equations such as gas laws and solving chemical equations. I didn't go real in depth at Woodfield Center. I felt that my job was to grab the at risk students' attention and get them excited about science and school again. Getting more in depth in math has me excited for new adventures as I begin teaching in a new location.
http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/Education/Projwild/WILD6-8correlations.pdf If you want the high school or elementary list for the activities that match the standards, I am sure I can find them, just let me know.
Our afternoon's activity consisted of observing the reaction between crystal violet and sodium hydroxide. We used a machine that monitored the absorbance. Although this machine was useful for this experiment, it is hard for me to think of purchasing something that is only useful in one setting or situation.
I am enjoying learning the mathamatical components to our labs. I taught basic math equations such as gas laws and solving chemical equations. I didn't go real in depth at Woodfield Center. I felt that my job was to grab the at risk students' attention and get them excited about science and school again. Getting more in depth in math has me excited for new adventures as I begin teaching in a new location.
Nice Distraction
Today's labs were a nice distraction from what we had to leave and come back to in Scotland. Just a quick update. It is being said that almost every house in town was damaged by the storm. Either by the wind or the hail. It would probably also be accurate to say that about 70% of the crops between Scotland and Lesterville have effectively been wiped out. On the upside, nobody seemed to be hurt. Crops and property can be replaced and repaired, lives cannont.
I thought the predator prey lab and model program were excellent this morning. The computer model was an excellent way of showing how prey numbers can be effected by predator numbers and efficiency. Playing with efficiency of the predator is an excellent method of showing what happens when a predator is introduced into an ecosystem where the prey have no natural defenses against them. This can be seen with the elk herds in west river South Dakota and the mountain lions as well as predators like pythons being introduced into the Everglades down in Florida. The lab was a great way of introducing simple math that students can understand and interpret, showing how predator and prey numbers effect each other. Instead of using beans, you could use beads, or just different objects of varying size like paper clips or rice. You could also use pieces of paper that the dropper could maybe pick up but the others could not. You can also extend this activity and talk about Hardy Weinberg and niches.
The Beer's law lab is one that I remember doing in college, I have also done a version of it with my students when I have been able to get ahold of some Spec 20's. Typically when the Science on the Move truck has been at our school. It is an excellent lab for discussing concentrations and reaction rates. A simple lab in concept, but very useful in understanding some complex topics.
I thought the predator prey lab and model program were excellent this morning. The computer model was an excellent way of showing how prey numbers can be effected by predator numbers and efficiency. Playing with efficiency of the predator is an excellent method of showing what happens when a predator is introduced into an ecosystem where the prey have no natural defenses against them. This can be seen with the elk herds in west river South Dakota and the mountain lions as well as predators like pythons being introduced into the Everglades down in Florida. The lab was a great way of introducing simple math that students can understand and interpret, showing how predator and prey numbers effect each other. Instead of using beans, you could use beads, or just different objects of varying size like paper clips or rice. You could also use pieces of paper that the dropper could maybe pick up but the others could not. You can also extend this activity and talk about Hardy Weinberg and niches.
The Beer's law lab is one that I remember doing in college, I have also done a version of it with my students when I have been able to get ahold of some Spec 20's. Typically when the Science on the Move truck has been at our school. It is an excellent lab for discussing concentrations and reaction rates. A simple lab in concept, but very useful in understanding some complex topics.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
