Jasmyn 3-27

Tomorrow Ms. Coleman and I are going to do an epidemic simulation. The kids will each receive a test tube with a weak acid. One of these tubes will have a different acid and will be the infected person.  The students will trade fluid and we will record it in a Google doc.  After each student has traded three times, we will test the tubes. If they turn yellow, they are not infected. If they turned pink, they are infected.  The students will then have to analyze the results and see if they can determine who was the original infected person.  I hope it goes well. I will let you know next week. 

Ms. Maloney and Rebecca Troyer are creating an iMovie on student led investigations.  The students in Ms. Maloneys class are doing the research and finding the images for it.

The rest of the group is getting their individual projects done for the showcase in May.

Ross 3/27

My physical science classes recently did the inquiry I use for introducing chemistry- figuring out what causes universal indicator to change colors.  As usual, this didn't go quite as well for physical science as it does for chemistry- these students don't have the biology background to understand how to create extra carbon dioxide, since that's usually a test the students decide on doing.    It may be worthwhile in the future to extend the activity for a day for some guided background research once the class decides to look at CO2. 

Chemistry has been doing more mini-inquiries.  Tomorrow they get to choose an aspect of ionic compounds to investigate by making their own changes to a lab we start by doing together.  With a more linear inquiry like this, I hope to leverage the deeper content knowledge of the members of this class.

3/27 - Kluthe Blog

My environmental science class has been working on a collaborative biome research project. Each group chose a biome to research and present as a vacation package to the rest of the class. Each group member had a certain job (zoologist, botanist, geographer or meteorologist) and specialized in a certain aspect of the biome research. They'll present their projects tomorrow and we will vote on the best vacation package.

My biology class will be building models of DNA and using techniques to observe strands of their own DNA! On Friday, we'll be acting out the process of DNA replication and going through some online tutorials.

March 27th

This week our focus is on DNA, how it replicates and makes proteins.  On Monday we built a model of DNA to see the structure.  We watched a video to discuss the structure and how they replicate.  Our next step to use a critical thinking activity to find how DNA to RNA to Proteins happens inside of our cells.  The first days are to build background information to allow them use that knowledge to apply to a larger idea of translation. 

27 March 2013.  Steve Di Obilda

Started the Great Depression this week and have engaged students in audio-visual content. Played several songs from the Depression Era and utilized internet pictures of the era as well. Students are now working on interpreting primary resources and original documents.

Rosie and I are working on an iMovie about Student led investigation and active engaged learners.  Rosie is learning how to create an iMovie.  We discussed all the things we have done this week as far as actively engaging our students.

I had a student teach a class in my Computer Graphics.  He learned a lot of lessons.

Jasmyn 3-13-13

We were able to dissect frogs in my zoology class. I had the students complete a virtual frog dissection.  As they did the dissection, they completed a worksheet and then they were to use this worksheet to do the real dissection. I thought this worked out really well.  I was not in charge of telling them what to do, they had to watch tutorials online and take notes. I was there to walk around and observe and help out if necessary. I was also able to do this because we had already completed one dissection.  The kids behaved really well for the most part.  I also had the students gather their own supplies.  My class is extremely small, so there was not  a lot of chaos and I was able to have them work at different paces without problems.  I would try this again. 

In my environmental science class. I passed out laminated copies of different population charts and graphs. Then in groups of 2 or 3 they analyzed the information to share with the class. I projected the graphs on the screen as the kids talked about it. I did notice I had to prompt them quite a bit. They do not seem used to sharing and they are a little timid.  I think if I continue encouraging them to speak up this will get better. 

After spring break we are going to start in on human health. I am really looking forward to this chapter and I hope the kids find it exciting. Ms. Coleman will be coming back in also.

Ross 3/13

Both of my physical science classes recently finished their final projects of the semester.  In Chemistry, we've been doing a lot more writing and thinking as well.


All classes have shared an introduction to peer editing of individual work.  I've been hoping that, especially in the context of student-led assignments, peer editing will help students think more deeply about their own work.  It seems to have helped somewhat, though the first example for each class was noticeable for having students amazed that I graded more strictly than their peers did.  Part of the help seems to be that students care a little bit more about how their peers see them than they do about their grades.

My block physical science class was notable for producing the best thought-out experiments that I've yet seen in my classroom.  Our new brainstorming techniques seem to be helping, and the two stage deliverables (individual writing and group poster)  give a lot of time for reflection.

I'm still having a little trouble with group dynamics when my other physical science class designs experiments, but rearranging groups worked really well for another class, so I've rearranged and split up this class, and we'll see how this affects results.

13 March 2013, Steve Di Obilda

      Students completed the U.S. History Summative Test Quarter 2 and most did very well with several students scoring in the 90's and one student scoring 100%. Students were actively engaged, challenging some of the questions and arguing their point of view. It was stimulating.

Jasmyn 3-6-13

In my zoology class we are going to dissect a frog on Friday or Monday.  We are going to do a virtual dissection first and then the real dissection after. I hope the virtual one will be a good tutorial for the class. 

In our environmental class we watched the population video and answered the questions. I was a little disappointed in their answers. They did not think critically about the answers.  Then I tried to encourage more critical thinking through discussion. I think this helped, but I wish they could have taken more time to answer the questions.  Ms. Coleman came to our class on Monday and built on human populations.  I really enjoyed that the kids looked at population data and had to analyze and interpret it.  It also tied into geography.  I am still continuing this lesson hope that the students understand that human population is affected by more than just using or not using condoms. 

Ross 3/6

I've made some progress over the last two weeks in my depth of inquiry for student led activities.  In my year-long class, for each project I identified extra background research that would help understanding, and each group is going to use the results of that research to plan an extension of their project.  I began this because I identified that the groups were not thinking very deeply about WHY they were doing a given project. 

In my semester physical science class I'm hoping to increase depth of thought, along with writing and thinking skills, by having students edit and critique each other's project reports.  In our district meetings we've been discussing how to use writing to improve thinking skills, and multiple edits and peer-editing were mentioned as possible strategies.

Group Blog 3/6

Today we discussed the PLC Shindig.  We're looking at two different activities that will show others what sort of student-led activities we do in our classrooms.  The first is a demonstration of the isolation of DNA, for which we're preparing to order supplies.  This will be facilitated by the biology teachers and Troyer.  The second is an inquiry-based chemistry activity on the changing colors of indicators, facilitated by Ross.   DiObilda and Maloney are also going to be providing an informational presentation about the benefits of student-led learning.

Steve Di Obilda, 6 March 2013. Am History students have been working on photo identification and interpretation from the Roaring Twenties Era. The fascination was about how many Presidents were KKK members during their presidency and cultural changes in music and dance.