Taking Flight OETC15

Taking Flight

Sometimes a unit takes flight and it's crazy the places  you can go with it. This was the case with my Amelia Earhart unit. It wasn't initially designed as a science unit, but soon became the Presentation at OETC15 this year to show others how to integrate Technology into the 5 E Learning Model. The 5 E learning model is based on the  constructivist theory.  The constructivist teacher sets up problems and monitors student exploration, guides student inquiry, and promotes new patterns of thinking. Working mostly with raw data, primary sources, and interactive material, constructivist teaching asks students to work with their own data and learn to direct their own explorations. Ultimately, students begin to think of learning as accumulated, evolving knowledge.

 The key goal focus of this unit is that students could locate evidence and artifacts to support one of the popular theories about Amelia's disappearance and death. It started with a google presentation that can be found here: http://goo.gl/s8dXZy

Students each chose a theory they wanted to find evidence for. Within the presentation texts were differentiated so students had access to multiple levels of text.  The Chrome Extension Read and Write for Google was installed so the documents could be read to the children. Within this extension, students could highlight key details, look up meanings of words, and listen to the text being read. It multiplied the teacher until I could meet with each group.

As part of this unit we also had different leveled nonfiction.  Factual information was also located in small groups to help support the theories each group chose.  I helped them locate details to support their theory, which aligns to our common core standards for third grade. They then used this information, artifacts found in their research and information learned from one of the lead researchers, Ric Gilespie, pictured below. 

We were fortunate enough to Skype with Mr. Gilespie the executive director of TIGHAR. The day we planned on skyping I used Google Earth to virtually take my class to the location Amelia's plane was last heard transmitting from. Here is a You Tube link to see how this looks:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruupKdqYCV0  This was an amazing experience with my class as he shared how they researched the island.  A quick view of this can be found in this Animoto video created by Rebecca Levine our instructional coach at Rice https://animoto.com/play/0mOTKFzt6QNhruON5Ka9og 

One of the highlights of this unit was using Nearpod to teach kids thinking, reasoning, and analyzing skills using the freckle cream jar that was found on Gardner island and believed to be Amelia Earharts. Students were given the following image.

 The glass jar you see was reconstructed from fragments found on Gardner Island.  It was well documented that Amelia used this product because she hated her freckles.  Students used Nearpod to analyze these jars, read information related to this discovery, and discern based on the facts if this jar was Amelia Earharts. The thinking process unfolded as students discussed with partners the informational text related to this jar. As they went through this process they were asked to compare/contrast the properties of the two jars. As we neared the end I asked them to determine if in fact this jar could have belonged to her.  Based on the evidence I had given them thus far, they all were very positive it had. That was until I through in a new twist

Even though the glass fit in the box and appeared to be a replica scientists have yet to find any clear glass freckle cream jars, they have only found milk glass jars.  The students took this new evidence and then were given an opportunity to change their initial conclusion.  

This summer Ric Gilespie and the crew from TIGHAR will return to Gardner Island using Sonar Imagery to attempt to locate her plane. There are so many mysteries stories about this brave pilot, you can't help but fall in love with the mystery behind her disappearance.

I hope this paints a picture of the 5 E learning model in my classroom. It's science, a lot of science, observing, researching, discovery, and analyzing data within the common core reading standards.  Many teachers forget that ELA can be a powerful tool to use nonfiction text, which is often of high interest to many kids.  I hope this integrated approach motivates others to look at their curriculum and foster a love of Science and Reading.

A special thank you to Lou Sangdahl and her husband that stayed for my presentation, I had one of the last time slots at OETC15, and a decent number attended, but it is the support and encouragement of others that I appreciate the most.

SECO 2015 Takeaways to Share

On January 26-27, 2015 I presented as well as attended the Science Educator Conference of Ohio. I think one of the best things was to be amongst so many educators that have the same passion as I do and love to teach Science.  I had some great learning opportunities and takeaways.

Instruction that Works Blending the goals of NGSS, CCSS, and STEM Using the Research from Cognitive Science

 "If it's your job to develop the mind, shouldn't you know how the brain works?"         Kenneth Wesson

One of my favorite Sessions was from Kenneth Wesson (www.sciencemaster.com).  He was fascinating and I thought I would  share one of the biggest takeaways related to technology.  Blended learning is a new initiative that has taken education by storm.  I embrace this method within my classroom, and I have always tried to maintain a balance. One thing he said that has stuck with me is that when kids just type on a computer they are like a court stenographer just "hearing" what is being said, however, when they listen to the speaker, think/process/discuss, then write notes deeper learning occurs because they have processed the information in order to create meaning. There is research to support it and I felt it important to share because we have shifted learning to technology driven so quickly we often don't have time to reflect and analyze why kids aren't performing as we expected them to. This was one of my favorite take aways because my gut new the writing was integral, not just where technology is concerned but with how kids learn and are able to communicate. He was also a master at optical illusions and shared that when you combing stress with multitasking no learning takes place.  Could be why I am so forgetful these days,, queen of multitasking isn't always a good thing.

Wolves and WEBCAMS using the 5 E Learning Cycle

This was presented from a teacher who just graduated from Kent State University and I was highly impressed with the depth of learning and integration within this unit from a teacher who just graduated.  The 5 Es were explored using live webcams that were left on all day. Activities were designed to be aligned to the third grade content standards in Science as well as in ELA and Math. One of the key points she made was how important it is to ask yourself and your learners if they completed the task or activity for each of the 5 E's, before moving to the next part of this learning cycle. It was imperative to look for any confusion and correct it before moving forward, and to check for understanding as the inquiry progressed.  During this inquiry students went on a habitat walk in their own building, writing down observations as part of  their explore section and then  making inferences regarding their findings in relationship to the wolf observations they had observed on the live wolf webcams(for example they always drank from the same stream on the cam, in school drinking fountain centrally located, why is that important? what can we learn about this behavior?).  In the explain section they explained how the wolves  physical traits enabled them to survive in their environment. This inquiry was extensive, differentiated and covered all the E's flawlessly. I hope to share her google presentation so stay tuned!

NEAR POD ON THE ISLAND

In this session I had the pleasure of learning about Ohio State University's Stone Lab on Gibraltar Island in Put in Bay. The presenters used Nearpod to gather assessment data on the island. They have different locations on the island to gather data to understand the difference between climate and weather. One of my favorite instruments that they used with the Near pod App are the solar panels and the energy they generate on the island. These are maintained by Dovetail Solar and Wind. Talk about analyzing data here is the link to see the solar energy generated throughout the year at the Stone Lab https://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/pv/public_systems/nEqu88321When you visit the link click on the icon on energy being used by different items, what a great way to show kids the difference the seasons make in producing solar energy.

KEY NOTE SAM KEAN

I also got to hear the Key Note Speaker Sam Kean who never in a million years would I have thought I would understand his content.  He ended up being a fascinating story teller. I found a video of one of his stories on You Tube: http://youtu.be/KkaXNvzE4pk.  He has written three books: The Disappearing Spoon, The Violinist's Thumb, and The Dueling Neurosurgeons. My dear friend Amy Roediger would love the Violinist's Thumb because it's a story book format but deep in science, facts and stories that are so fascinating, you can't believe they are scientifically true, it's crazy but super interesting. If you click on the next You Tube video you will get a glimpse as to what his stories are all about! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEqwLYF2Yfw 

In the Violinist's Thumb he even refers to Darth Vader,, I guess the force is with all of us!!

It was a fabulous conference and when I wasn't attending I was presenting and volunteering, as well as, attending my Regional Network Leader Meeting to be updated on all the Science Testing Changes. I met several teachers and was able to share the Science I Love the Best! Great Conference with Great Takeaways. Keep it in mind for next year. 

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