At first I wasn’t really sure what to think of this class. I thought it was just going to be another one of those classes that required you to just search for “stuff.”  I was wrong.  This class was so much more than that.  I have learned so many things, particularly the importantance of using technology to teach our students.  I have also learned that it is so very important for all teachers, regardless of subject matter, to participate in some sort of vocabulary instruction.  I loved the fact that we had to establish a blog, which I plan to keep going.  I also liked the loads of sites which contained materials, lessons, and instruction.  I have learned many valuable skills from this class that will stick with me forever.  I feel sad and happy at the same time about this class being over; happy that it’s one more class completed and I’m that much closer to my goal, and sad because it’s actually over.  I was just starting to get into it!!  Thanks to everyone who contributed such great information and ideas!  I hope that you all continue to use your blogs so we can share ideas and information.  Good luck to you all!  Dr. Trathen, thanks for such a great and wonderful learning experience!  I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Heather Connolly

 

Here’s the rap I would use for lesson 2!!

 

 

 

 

 

Heather Connolly

Another good lesson plan!

Name:  Heather Connolly

Name of Lesson Plan:   Make a Model Cell

Grade:  8 Science

Link to Lesson:  http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/uploads/2543.pdf

Description of lesson & how it will be implemented:

In this lesson, students will develop an understanding of cells and cell processes.  They will make a substance similar to cytoplasm, create a model of a cell with all its parts, and simulate osmosis and diffusion of materials in the cell.  By eighth grade, students should have already been introduced to the concept of cells and their parts. Some prior knowledge will be necessary to complete the activities.  This lesson will take 1-3 class periods to complete, depending upon the length of class periods.  Some vocabulary terms students should know or will know by the end of this lesson are: Cell, Organelles, Cell membrane, Cytoplasm, Nucleus, Endoplasmic reticulum, Ribosomes, Golgi bodies, Mitochondria, Lysosomes, Vacuoles, Cell wall, Chloroplasts, Cell Theory, Diffusion, and Osmosis.

Materials/Equipment:

Activity One:

100 mL of water per group

1 packet of unflavored gelatin

large, clear plastic cup or beaker

Activity Two:

Cell Parts Information Sheets

Poster paper, chart paper

Blank cell model sheet

Colors, markers, or color pencils

Construction paper

Glue

Activity three-

1 can of air freshener

 

For Activity one: (5 min)

Each group of students will mix 1 packet of unflavored gelatin to 100 mL of water and stir. Students will be given time to observe the mixture.  The students will record their observations in their journals.  Students will define the key terms at the beginning of the period so they will have already seen them when activity two starts.

Activity two: (25-30 min) the Cells Game

The students will study objects that have the consistency and appearance of the mixture they just observed. These objects are called cells, which are too small to be observed with the naked eye.  There are also a number of even smaller structures floating around within these cells called organelles.  Because cells are so small, and their organelles are even smaller, models are a good way for us to simulate what they look like.  Each student will need a blank cell model sheet, and colors, markers, or color pencils. Students will label the cell membrane, nucleus, and cytoplasm on the blank sheet. Students will explain the function of each of these cell parts.  The students will be divided into six small groups or pairs. Each group or pair of students will explain the  information about the endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, Golgi bodies, mitochondria, lysosomes, and vacuoles. Students will use their Cell information sheets to differentiate between plant and animal cells.  Each group will have 3-5 minutes per sheet to read and discuss the cell parts, its structure and function, and then add it to their model.  When time is called, the students will pass the sheets to the next group.  When all groups are finished making their models, each group will have one cell part information sheet at their table. That is the cell part that the group is responsible for adding to the class model on the poster board or chart paper.  Construction paper and glue can be used for this class model, and the parts can be cut out prior to class to save time. Each group has to come to the class model, add the cell part, and explain its function to the class.  Students listening to each group will be responsible to take notes on the information presented.  Students will be responsible for explaining that in plant cells, there are a few different parts that are not found in animal cells. Students will have to explain the structure and function of these two organelles, and label the differences on their model.

Activity Three (5 minutes)

I will explain to students the idea that materials must move around within the cell and into and out of the cell. Cells move materials through a process called diffusion. Diffusion occurs when molecules move from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. Cells need to maintain a constant amount of water to perform their functions. A special type of diffusion is called osmosis. It is the movement of water across cell membranes.  Students will stand in the corner of the room with the can of air freshener.  Students will raise their hand as soon as they are able to smell the air freshener. Students will be able to see that the molecules of the air freshener spread from the can (high concentration) throughout the room (low concentration).

 

Closure: (5 minutes)

I would explain to students that each cell in their bodies is like a factory in many ways.  I would ask students to brainstorm and come up with connections as to how the different parts of the cell are like the different parts of a factory. I would have them record their responses and reflections in their journal.

What part of SCOS does this address:

Competency Goal 6:  The learner will conduct investigations, use models, simulations, and appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of cell theory.

Explain why lesson will work & how it will help students learn:

I feel that students will be actively engaged during this lesson thus improving and reinforcing the material presented.  I think this lesson will be fun and students will be motivated to learn. 

Extensions:  In addition to the following activities, I would also incorporate a song called “Cell Theory Rap” to reinforce learning.

Link to rap:  http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=2d7d9e2c25b71476ec25

 

Heather Connolly

 

 

I thought this lesson plan was good and wanted to share it!!

Name:  Heather Connolly

Name of Lesson Plan:  “Older Than Dirt Web quest”

Author:  Paul Elliot

Link: http://www.scsc.k12.in.us/SMS/Teachers/Elliot/Older%20than%20Dirt%20WebQuest/Older%20than%20Dirt%20Webquest.htm

Grade:  8^th grade Science

Introduction: 

Have you ever heard the expression, “It’s Older than Dirt?”  It’s a funny way of saying something is very old but you really don’t know the exact age.  Some people use it as a way of saying that something is nearly as old as the Earth itself. How old is the earth?  At one time scientists thought it was only a few thousand years old.  Is it possible for today’s scientists to accurately determine the age?  What evidence leads them to believe that the Earth is a certain age?  What discoveries have been made that have helped scientists to estimate the age of the Earth?  If the Earth is very old, how does the interior stay hot?  People have asked questions like these for a long time.  Students will discover how scientists have answered these questions as they complete this Web Quest. 

Description of lesson & how it will be implemented:

Students will imagine that they are writers for a well known science magazine in which their editor has assigned them to research the facts and details about the age of the earth.  When they have completed their research, they will write articles to be published in the magazine.  Students will have the option to work with a partner or as an individual.

Part 1:  Research

Students will be given 5 writing prompts.  These prompts will be the topic for 5 articles that they will publish in the magazine.  Students will research the facts related to each prompt by using the websites listed.  Students should find the, who, what, where, when, why and how  for their topics.

Part 2:  Write

After students have finished their research, they will write their articles.  For each article, students are required to have 3 to 5 paragraphs in length including as much detail as possible.  Students may include mock interviews with important scientists or include other “reporting” techniques as long as it adds to the historical content of the article.  (Example: Pretend you are traveling back in time to investigate an event.)

Part 3:  Publish

Students will use Microsoft Publisher to create a magazine of their own design and special style.  Students may add graphics, pictures or any other visual aids to give your magazine Pizzazz!  It is important for students to include the scientific discoveries and technological advances that have helped us to understand the age of the earth.   Below are the writing prompts along with questions and statements that may help students conduct their research.  Students are to use the websites listed below each writing prompt for their research.  The student’s five articles should address the writing prompts and be written in the order listed below. Students may create their own title or headline for each article.

 

1.  Lord Kelvin (William Thomson Kelvin) estimates the age of the
     Earth  (What did Kelvin say about the age of the Earth?  How did
    he do it?  Was he right?)

       Understanding Science:  Lord Kelvin
       Engines of our Ingenuity
       StarrySkies:  Age of the Earth
       Today in Science History:  Lord Kelvin
       Geologic Time

2.  Geologist Charles Lyell studies geologic processes.  (What
     is “Uniformitarianism”?  What does this process tell us about the
     age of the Earth?)

        History:  Uniformitarianism
        How Old is that Rock?
        Sir Charles Lyell
        Strange Science:  Charles Lyell
        Uniformitarianism

3.  Discovery!  Radioactivity!  (Write about the who, what, where,
     when and how of the discovery of radioactivity.)

        How Does Radioactive Decay Work?

        Radioactivity:  The Unstable Nucleus and it’s Uses
        Access Excellence: The Discovery of Radioactivity
        Cruising Chemistry: The Discovery of Radioactivity

 

 

4.  How do radioactive elements produce their own energy?
     (What ability do radioactive elements have that other elements
    do not?  How do radioactive elements help us to estimate the age
    of the Earth?)

        Clocks in the Rocks

        ABC’s of Nuclear Science
        USGS:  The Age of the Earth
        Uranium and Other Radioactive Elements
        Wikipedia:  Radioactive Decay

 

 

5.  Scientists explain the Earth is several billion years old
     and is still hot!  (What evidence do we have that the Earth has
    an internal source of heat?  What keeps it hot after
    all of this time?)

     The Age of the Earth
     What Definitive Proof is there for the Age of the Earth
     Online Minerals:  Age of the Earth
     Restless Earth:  A Geologic Planner
     The Earth’s Internal Heat Energy
     Earth Interior
     Earth Interior (Chapter Summary)

Evaluation:

Student’s grades will be based on a grading rubric which will be reviewed before they begin.  Students will then understand what criteria will be used to determine their grade.

What part of SCOS does this address:

Competency Goal 5:  The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of evidence of evolution in organisms and landforms.

Explain why lesson will work & how it will help students learn:

This lesson is fun and it actively engages students.  Students are given lots of room to be as creative as they want.  Being actively engaged and given some freedom within this lesson allows for greater retention of the material learned.

Heather Connolly

 

 

http://www.lessonplanspage.com

When looking for lesson plans, I found the lesson plans page very useful in the area of science.  This site was actually one of my favorites.  This site provided an abundance of lesson plans which had interesting, fun, and engaging activities for teaching science.  Within this site you can choose your subject area and grade level.  This site contains a list of science experiments, projects, and even a list of weekly science experiments.  The subject of science was broken down into subcategories in which to choose lessons from.  One feature that I liked was that you were able to add your own lessons to this site for specific subjects.

 

http://sciencespot.net/Pages/classearthlsn.html

Another site that I found some good lessons for science was at the science spot site.  This site has a variety of lessons, experiments, science trivia, activities, and teacher guides.  It also has links to a puzzle corner, idea factory, reference desk, science classroom, and a kid zone for students.  This site was another favorite of mine. This site has so much “stuff.”  I feel that both of these sites were especially beneficial to me. 

Heather Connolly

After reading articles one and two, I started to search through the general teaching resources links.  I found a few links that I thought were good.  For me, the best links were the examples in science link for the “I am poem” and the poetry and science education link.  I also thought the link for a poem for two voices and the what am I link was especially beneficial to me.  I really liked the write a feature story and the wanted poster example link.  I could foresee using some of these ideas and examples in my own classroom in the future.  Overall, I thought these resources were good but maybe not as good as some of the other links we have looked at.

Heather Connolly

A Professional Development Initiative for Developing Approaches to Vocabulary Instruction With Secondary Mathematics, Art, Science, and English Teachers

This article discusses different instructional strategies and activities that would help develop a student’s vocabulary.  Two main aspects of effective vocabulary instruction were: developing rich representations of word meanings and learning about how words work.  This article gave specific activities that teachers could use in their classrooms regardless of their content area.  I especially like the activity with the acronym DASER.  This article suggest that the most effective methods for instruction emphasized multimedia aspects of learning, richness of context in which words are to be learned, active student participation, and the number of exposures to words that learners will receive. 

I feel this article gave great insight into an aspect of teaching we should all be concerned with. What I really liked about this article was the examples of specific activities that these teachers used to help develop vocabulary skills.  After reading this article, I felt excited and empowered to use some of these instructional strategies within my own classroom. 

 Heather Connolly

The first article, The Multigenre Paperby Margret R. Moulton, talks about the benefits to using a multigenre paper instead of a traditional research paper.  This type of a paper encourages teachers to teach student’s to think about what they’ve learned and to make use of prior knowledge about different genres of writing.  The multigenre papers are taught in ways that were more meaningful and enjoyable for the students and teachers. 

In a multigenre paper, the students would research their topic with the same traditional tools, but were encouraged greatly to use creativity.  In order to help monitor a student’s work and progress, they were expected to use end notes and learning logs which not only helped identify the genres for the readers, but it also provided insight to the student’s thought process.  Within the learning logs, students added their interpretations, questioned conflicting information, and included connections to their own lives. This type of paper allows for great creativity by using a variety of different forms of writing such as poetry, art, music, or short stories.  This type of blending research and creativity is especially beneficial for adolescents who have a need to express themselves.  Students who engage in this type of research paper incorporate practical skills and creative thinking allowing students to enjoy this process of research and to take pride in and ownership of the work they created. 

 

3 Questions

 

1.       Using this type of research paper seems to present questions of grading fairly because the material is subjective.  How can I say that one student’s work deserves a “better” grade than another’s?  What would be the criteria for grading, maybe a rubric of some kind?

 

2.       How much time would be needed for such a project and what is an effective way to keep students on track with their research?

 

3.       This article states that this would be a great way to teach, but do the students who use this type of research paper do better overall in their class than students who do not use this type of research?

 

 

Response:

      I feel that this was a good article that raised awareness of how we as teachers can increase a student’s interest, motivation, and functionality in research.  I liked the fact that creativity was a big part of this project.  I feel that the more a student is in engaged and involved in their own learning/work, along with the opportunities of choices, allows the student to learn more.   

 

Heather Connolly

Name:  Heather Connolly

 

 Name of Strategy:  Word Splash

 

 Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

 

 Link:http://www.pde.state.pa.us/reading_writing/lib/reading_writing/BEFORE-DURING-AFTER_READING_STRATEGIES.doc

 

 Description of strategy:

The Word Splash activity requires students to write a story using familiar and unfamiliar words that are found within the text.  Some stories would be shared aloud and any misunderstood or unknown words would then be defined. I would use this type of activity in my Science class before we discussed the cell theory.  I would first select 7-10 key words or phrases from the given text using words that are both familiar and unfamiliar to the students. I would then dictate the words to the students and have them try to spell the words.  Next, I would have the students write a short story of at least seven lines using all the words.  I would give the students a chance to share their stories with a partner and then possibly select several students to read their story aloud.  Finally, I would have the students read the given text to see if any of their stories was close to the text.

 

 Addresses standard course of study:  Science- Grade 8

Competency Goal 6: The learner will conduct investigations, use models, simulations, and appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of cell theory.

 

 Why this strategy will work & how this strategy helps student learning: 

The Word Splash strategy is a fun activity used before reading which engages students in writing while providing motivation for reading by setting a clear purpose for reading.  Using this type of activity is important because it involves prior knowledge about key vocabulary and concepts.

 

 Heather Connolly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:  Heather Connolly

 

Name of Strategy:  3-2-1

 

Source:  Reading Quest Strategies

 

Link:  http://www.readingquest.org/strat/321.html

 

 

Description of strategy:

Students would have to fill out a 3-2-1 chart with something like this:

3 Things You Found Out
2 Interesting Things
1 Question You Still Have

 

This type of strategy is good for summarizing and questioning which would be done mostly after reading.  This is just the suggested version. However, depending upon what you’re teaching, you can modify the 3-2-1 anyway you want. I would use this when discussing cell theory.  I would modify this strategy a bit by having the students write down 3 differences between plant and animal cells, 2 similarities, and 1 question they still have.

 

Addresses standard course of study:  Science – Grade 8

 

Competency Goal 6: The learner will conduct investigations, use models, simulations, and appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of cell theory.

 

 

Why this strategy will work & how strategy helps student learning: 

This type of strategy gives students a chance to summarize some key ideas, rethink them in order to focus on those that they are most intrigued by, and then pose a question that can reveal where their understanding is still uncertain. Teachers who use this type of strategy instead of the usual worksheet questions on a chapter reading will be able to use the student’s responses to construct an organized outline, to plot on a Venn diagram, to identify sequence, or isolate cause-and-effect. The students can really get into it because the discussion is based on the ideas that they found, that they addressed, that they brought to class.

   

Heather Connolly