Digestive System Experiment Reflection

Digestive System Experiment Reflection

The Cheeto’s experiment kept students engaged while learning about the route food takes through the digestive track and processing through organs. Allowing students to participate and not just stand by to watch assisted in engaging them in the activity. They became enthusiastic and willing to participate in the open discussion about the experiment. It enticed them to discuss prior knowledge, and infer new possibilities raising the energy level in the room. The discussion provided inquiry about other organs and systems within the body as Dr. Robert Yager indicates students need to do the inquiring (Laureate, 2009). The open discussion created an opening for me to assess understanding and address misconceptions. Most all middle school students like or enjoy seeing, touching, and smelling gross things. This experiment used three sensory elements for student motivation as indicated by Scott Houston to enhance student engagement (Laureate, 2009). I found that the one time experiment assisted in memory transfer for most students during the online digestive process quiz. The website for students also assisted in correcting any misunderstanding of the organs or their functions as it provided an opportunity to visualize the information in a different mode. Students enjoyed using technology, drawing diagrams, and organizing information with this lab. The second insert is a diagram by Jordan Allen.

Although the experiment was engaging, it has room for improvement. I found that some students had a tough time staying in their seats. I setup seating so everyone could see; however, one student with preferential seating had to be redirected on four different occasions. I adjusted the lesson by stopping more often for students to write. When students were instructed to discuss with partners about how nutrients could get to cells in your fingertips, some groups still wanted to talk about the actual experiment. One other problem became apparent upon entering the computer lab, the amount of letters and numbers needed for students to sign in on the web page created a barrier for students to get started quickly. I will extend the time for writing in journals, since several students seemed to be rushed or did not finish.
As I consider the designing of this experiment, I gathered state and national standards as well as benchmark data needed to provide frameworks as a guide, not just mandates for the lesson (Pratt, 2001). Developing an instructional inquiry was fun and interesting. I designed the digestive system quiet easily with the help of a health teacher from another school. The next step was to create questions I wanted my students to be able to answer by using the standards. Then I worked with the science collaboration group at school to narrow and reword several questions to better focus on the standards. It took several hours to prepare this lesson. I was the first of the group to use the lesson, and I am eager to find out what my colleagues decide on the outcome.
In addition to designing the experiment, the implementation took a bit of preparation. There was the computer lab to check out, instructions to type, design the graphic organizer, make copies, and gather the materials to have a lab. I gathered safety equipment complete with a list of possible safety issues (Buxton and Provenzo, 2007, (p. 146). As I looked over the structured inquiry by Banchi and Bell (2008), I realized I had covered the basics with this experiment by using observation while collecting data during the process of the flow of food through the digestive track (p. 27). Then with guided questions, I elicited student responses and pair sharing to assist with inferences to the next level. I also provided another level of inquiry when we went to the computer lab for students to gain knowledge individually. I used open ended questions to get students to connect information from prior knowledge and new information to infer where and how nutrients travels as well as what other systems are involved. These types of questions are considered higher order thinking questions according to Blooms taxonomy (Bloom, 1956). This embedded work is from Jordan Allens’ second page questions.

In conclusion, I will continue to build on this experiment. I believe the interest it gained from students assisted with inquiry and lit a fire for some students to understand how these processes work. The students were engaged and enthusiastic. It was enjoyable for me as well. I have begun designing other opportunities for inquiry for my students. Sometimes the students complain it is too hard, but I am using their interest to get them involved. When they had to describe how to throw a baseball, dribble a basketball, kick a soccer ball, or dance step using muscles and bones they were much more willing to try to find the actual parts of the body that moved. Inquiry has assisted me in finding new ways to reach my students using their interest. One process I will continue to use is the five E’s lesson plan discussed by Hammerman, (2006) as it provides an in depth outline to create and develop high quality lessons (p.82).




Resources
Banchi, H., & Bell, R. (2008). The many levels of inquiry. Science and Children, 46(2), 26–29.
Bloom B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.
Buxton, C. A., & Provenzo, E. F., Jr. (2007). Teaching science in elementary & middle school: A cognitive and cultural approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Hammerman, E. L. (2006). Becoming a better science teacher: 8 steps to high quality instruction and student achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program Two. The Nature of Science. [Motion Picture]. Interview with the Experts. Baltimore, MD: Author
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program Five. The Nature of Science. [Motion Picture]. “Science Inquiry: Classroom Demonstration”
. Baltimore, MD: Author
Pratt, H. (2001). The Role of the Science Leader in Implementing Standards-Based Science Programs. Retrieved April 7, 2010, from http://learningcenter.nsta.org/my_learning_center/my_library.aspx?type=bc

As the polar ice caps melt, they provide fresh water in streams and rivers providing for people, animals, and crops. Looking into the near future as these glaciers continue to recede to the point of no return our world will change forever. The lack of this important resource continues to create problems in areas of the world already under great pressure for survival. India where the work is hard and producing enough crops to sale is essential for many to survive is one such area hit hard. Once the Ganges River dries up causing more drought and famine in this already improvised country, the world market will be more inclusively affected by food prices driven upward.
This environmental issue crosses curriculum in seventh grade in Science and Social Studies. I am a Science teacher teaching about global warming, and how it affects the coral reef and other animals in the ocean. I am also a Social Studies teacher teaching about the Ganges River, and the people who depend on it for survival. Another area I will be able to incorporate is the fact that China and India are both producing coal power plants to modernize their countries and keep up with their growing population, yet the use of these carbons are exactly part of the problem placing more fossil fuels in the air (PBS, 2009).

I learned a great deal from this lesson as I encountered many people who think this is not an important or relevant issue. These people include the multitude of American people as it came in last on the concerns list posted by the government, (PBS, 2009). At the current time I compost, recycle, and reuse. I teach my students the same context in my classroom. Another area I learned about is the Tundra ice contains enormous amounts of organic matter and as it thaws the decaying organic matter will accelerate, releasing stored carbon and methane (Pearce, Fred, 2007). This action will create acceleration in the global warming as I found that these carbons and methane’s release more warming power than CO2 by thousands. It is disconcerting the problems we create for ourselves. Can we really stop it, or is it too late?

Resources

PBS (2009). On thin ice. Retrieved October 16, 2009, from
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/516/index.html

Pearce, Fred, With Speed and Violence: Why Scientists Fear Tipping Points in Climate Change, Beacon Press, Boston, 2007, p.87

A Reflection on STEM Lesson Plans
In considering the lesson plan used this week, I used national and state standards, benchmarks, and several strategies from the Five E’s to accommodate my diverse group of students. I used activities that reached across curriculums and tied them to a unified theme with systems. I incorporated an opportunity to introduce STEM careers.
Initially I collaborated with a team of teachers that teach seventh grade science about the national and state standards to be addressed for this year’s focus. The national standard I addressed is diversity and adaptation of organisms in life science (AAAS, 2009). The state standard of Georgia addressed S7L5. Students will examine the evolution of living organism through inherited characteristics that promote survival of organisms and the successive generations (Ga.DOE, 2006). I used a lesson on natural selection with a lab on bird beaks and an investigation on the internet about the Galapagos Island animals and adaptations. The next stage is putting a project together that would include levels of difficulty and different interest to prove knowledge of natural selection. I created a rubric for grading and feedback purposes. This set of activities links to the benchmarks where individual organisms with certain traits are more likely to survive and have offspring; and changes in the environmental conditions can affect the survival of individual organisms (AAAS, 2009). The unifying theme has to do with how every part relates to other parts within a system. The second unifying theme any system is usually connected to other systems, both internally and externally; therefore has and is built of subsystems (AAAS, 2009).
In addition to analyzing the standards to plan this set of lessons, I had my students in mind. I have a diverse group of students with Individual Education Plans, multicultural, hearing impaired, and an English language learner. I have more females than males in my classes this year. According to Buxton and Provenzo (2007) experts, the following activities using collaboration, graphing, and non-linguistic expression are key for assisting underrepresented students and English language learners (p.110) Another area I used multiply representation in the forms of written, oral and charts; therefore, providing concrete data to write about (Buxton and Provenzo, 2007 p. 111) . As I considered student achievement levels, I have several that are quick to finish and need more challenging material often; therefore, I differentiated the project and research to include their level and I use a variety of grouping to accommodate the higher functioning with some of my struggling students as indicated by Buxton and Provenzo, (2007, p.113). I incorporated posters to include diverse scientist to accommodate my diverse students with Hispanic, African American and females (Buxton and Provenzo, 2007, p. 91). Two other tools I used were preferential seating and spatial arrangement for my hearing-impaired student. According to Dr. Yager personal curiosity causes students to want to learn more about the natural world, so I had skulls brought in from a local University (Laureate, 2009). As an extension to my lesson, advanced students can research different types of careers related to Darwin’s voyage and the exploration of adaptations in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The journal entry asks students to reflect on the types of careers they could have using their research in order to stimulate interest in the STEM careers of underrepresented population in the field (Traurig and Feller, 2009, p.2)
Another area I considered while planning this lesson is the space available to my students in my classroom and the technology lab. The space in my classroom is setup for labs with two person teams at long tables, two sections in the rear for a center for reading and individual study, two computers for internet exploration, and an area for creativity of varying degrees. I will also incorporate the technology lab that will hold thirty students with individual computers. According to Dr. Yager technology impacts science understanding and speed to great extents (Laureate, 2009).
Finally, I used the Five E’s to complete my lesson plan to assure the best development used for student success. I used a K-W-L and a variety of skulls to hook my students’ attention and ensure engagement (Hammerman, 2006 p. 82). Then I used a bird beak lab for a discovery phase. I created a graphic organizer with a place to collect data, graph data, and write a summary as indicated by Hammerman, (2006 p. 82). The next step in this lesson includes evaluation of the lab. The students answer posed questions using student-generated data in journals. After this is complete, there is a class discussion of questions to use for understanding and dispel of misconceptions (Hammerman, 2006 p. 83). They brainstorm ideas about natural and manmade items that have evolved to survive. Then there are topics of Global warming and others from students such as ice age. There is an extension to the lesson in the computer lab involving discovering who Darwin was, what he explored, his voyage, and the outcomes or theories developed. This is an opportunity for extension used to enhance, relearn, and clarify natural selection. The last component to the lesson is the evaluation of learning. I will use two tools for this data; a written exam required by current school, and a project. I will provide opportunity for students learning to be relevant broadened by creativity in their interest. The student can create a song, poem, rap, U tube video, or a power point. Their project presentation shows evidence of how natural selection supports survival for a species from generation to successive generation. I will provide differentiated rubrics and instructions for such project. Students are provided opportunity to choose type of project incorporating their interest for proof of knowledge.
In conclusion, there are more steps to this format than I have used when creating lesson plans in the past. I thought the format was disjointed in many areas. However, I found it lends to assure best setup for diversity in student population. It assists in developing a plan where teachers consider all populations, useful tools, and strategies that are appropriate for students. The five E’s were a strategy that assisted in the knowledge to keep all students’ involved, interested, and accounted for during the lesson, and seemed to fit nicely with this lesson. When I set up this activity, I will need to evaluate the rubric and project instructions carefully to differentiate at the correct levels for a variety of students to ensure all students succeed and mastery of the standards.









Resources
American Association for the Advancement of Science. (2009). Benchmarks online, Chapter 10. In Benchmarks for scientific literacy project 2061. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://www.project2061.org/publications/bsl/online/index.php?chapter=10
Buxton, C. A., & Provenzo, E. F., Jr. (2007). Teaching science in elementary & middle school: A cognitive and cultural approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Georgia Department of Education, Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools 8/29/2006 2:52 PM Page 1 of 8 All Rights Reserved Retrieved on 3/12/2010. https://www.georgiastandards.org/Standards
Hammerman, E. L. (2006). Becoming a better science teacher: 8 steps to high quality instruction and student achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). The nature of science. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Traurig, A., & Feller, R. (2009). Preparing students for STEM careers. National Career Development Association. Used by permission of Knight Communications, Inc.

Another week

Saturday and all is well. It was a beautiful day here in Georgia. Sunny and about 58 degrees. I had to go for a walk. I finally got my laptop back after 38 days sent off for a new mother board. Reload software and I'll be ready to go. I hope all of you have had a great week.

I really enjoyed the NSTA website. I have been a member for four years and never taken advantage of near enough of what is offered. I am glad I finally took time to find out more about it.

Donna's Science Education Blog

I am excited to be in contact with others in the world of Science. I love Science as I hope many of you. I found a renewed excitement today after reading the first chapter of our textbook. It reminded me the reason I started teaching Science in the first place; getting students excited about the world around them. I know that teaching with questions and enthusiasm is the best way to get students excited. I have lost some of the excitement. I hope to spread it again in my school. What about you? Are you excited? How will you prove your love for science to the world?

I am ready for an exciting journey!