SciLinks Blog

How do you use SciLinks?

Tyson Brown — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:10:00 GMT

At the NSTA conference in Minneapolis, last week, I asked a number of teachers how they use SciLinks. Here's Fran Weber's response via Teacher Tube.

How do you use SciLinks? What could we do to make it better? Please let us know via comment to this post, or zip me a note -- tbrown@nsta.org.

--Tyson Brown

SciLinks and Cooperative Learning

Mary Bigelow — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Earlier this month, I was asked to search for and upload resources on cooperative learning for SciLinks (use the keyword "community collaborations"). There were many good sites, although some were published in the 1990s (interesting but a bit outdated) and were therefore not added to SciLinks. However, I found some newer sites that would be useful as a refresher, to find some new ideas, or to get started with this effective instructional strategy

Powerful Learning: Studies Show Deep Understanding Derives from Collaborative Methods was recently published on the Edutopia website. The authors (Brigid Barron and Linda Darling-Hammond) summarize research findings and provide examples of student collaborative projects. Download their expanded article Teaching for Meaningful Learning for more information (including links to video resources) and for a list of research studies and other professional writing on the topic.

The Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College has an excellent resource "Teaching Entry Level Geoscience." Although it's designed for teachers of undergraduate courses, the teaching strategies are applicable to younger students as well (and include descriptions of gallery walks, field labs, role-playing, teaching with Google Earth, and others). The section on Cooperative Learning has lots of suggestions on this topic.

Cooperative and Collaborative Learning is a resource from WNET Thirteen Ed Online in its Concept to Classroom project. The four parts of the site guide the user through background information and suggestions for implementation: Explanation, Demonstration, Exploration, Implementation. Throughout this site, the emphasis is on real classrooms and includes ideas for assessment and a discussion of some challenges that might be encountered. There are video clips of actual classrooms (including science classes) using cooperative learning, too.

Science in Society

Mary Bigelow — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:19:00 GMT

The editor makes a good point - helping students connect science to real issues can help to dispel the "why are we doing this" question.

For example, every part of the country has its real challenges from storms and other disasters (both natural and human-enhanced). Use "severe weather" as a keyword in SciLinks for some additional information and teaching suggestions. The author of Hurricane Katrina: A Teachable Moment suggests Bernoulli's Principle and Storms and Storm Surge: A "Rising" Concern Among Coastal Residents.

Students who watch a lot of "reality" television may not see many examples of constructive conversations. The authors of Socratic Seminars in Science Class show how students can discuss open-ended questions about a text--not as a free-for-all shouting match, but with a structured format for higher-level thinking and sharing of points of view. (I wonder if this could work at a faculty workshop or school board meeting?) They suggest resources such as National Paideia Center and the Ethics Primer.

Most students see the relevance of learning about the environment. Since languages other than English is the reality in many schools, look for resources such as EcoTipping Points that have a Spanish version Los Puntos de Inflexión Ecológica.

Using Issues-Based Science in the Classroom has an "inquiry continuum." Also consider the article EQUIPping Teachers in the April 2009 edition of TST for another discussion of an inquiry continuum (pre-inquiry, developing, proficient, and exemplary.

Check out the Connections for this issue. Even if the article does not quite fit with your lesson agenda, this resource has ideas for handouts, background information sheets, data sheets, rubrics, and other teaching suggestions.

Asking Questions and Solving Problems

Mary Bigelow — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:33:00 GMT

In the article CSI for Trees there a quote that sums up the theme of this issue: "An ordinary activity can be transformed into a lesson that includes nature of science themes simply by adding a few key statements and questions throughout a lesson." But the word simply is a little misleading. Asking the right questions (and encouraging students to ask questions) can be challenging. And the authors of the articles in this issue share many insights into how to accomplish this in elementary science.

The article How Do You Ask Effective Questions? has some suggestions. The author mentions "wait time" as a component of questioning and discussion. This strategy is often overlooked or dismissed in a quest to "cover" material, but the published research (and my own action research), indicates that it is a powerful way to increase participation and higher-level thinking. If you need a review of wait time, refer to Using Think-Time and Wait-Time Skillfully in the Classroom. (I love how the cover of this issue illustrates what happens during wait time!) More problem-finding prompts are featured in the article Problem Solving by Design

Dioramas often get a bad reputation as a project, but look at how the teacher in the article Deer Tracks in the City uses them to get young students to act out their predictions. This article also shows the value of asking questions but not necessarily following a lockstep investigation.

Check out the Connections for each issue. Even if the article does not quite fit with your lesson agenda, this resource has ideas for handouts, background information sheets, data sheets, rubrics, etc.

And remember that SciLinks can provide more ideas and background information on the topics in this issue. For example, the keyword "dendrochronology" as mentioned in CSI for Trees has several sites targeted for grades 9-12. These sites may be OK for more advanced or interested students - or for your own information.

Use the keyword "wind" for grades 5-8 for other lessons and information related to the topics in Wind Solvers. Even traditional classroom distractions such as paper airplanes can turn into opportunities for questioning, as noted in Use the keyword "wind" for grades 5-8 for other lessons and information related to the topics in Secrets of Flight.

Another aspect of problem solving is collecting and Making Sense of Data. Guiding students through this process is (to me) one of the most interesting parts of problem solving. One of my favorite websites is Create a Graph. There is also a tutorial to help you and your students match your data with an appropriate type of graph. The graphs can be saved and printed to attach into a science notebook, too.

Chemistry

Mary Bigelow — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:09:00 GMT

What a bonanza for chemistry/physical science teachers this fall--first, the September issue of The Science Teacher (with the theme of Chemistry for a Changing World), and now the October issue of Science Scope (with the theme of Chemistry). No matter which grade level you teach, there will be ideas in both issues for advanced students and those who are novices at learning about chemistry.

Physical and chemical changes are difficult concepts for younger or less-experienced students. Check out activities with real-world applications: No More Leaks in which students explore super-absorbent polymers through an inquiry-based investigation, Korean Kimchi Chemistry which looks a chemical reactions such as fermentation, Watching the Pot to Improve Inquiry Skills (who knew that watching water boil could be so interesting!), Chemistry in Action: Triple Delight which looks at the chemistry concepts in making ice cream (but not in the lab - try the FCS kitchens), and Enhancing and Student Understanding of Physical and Chemical Changes with lots of examples for demonstrations. And if you ever wondered what inquiry-based science looks like in a classroom, the authors of Inquiry-Based Dissolving give you a peek into their classroom investigation, complete with a step-by-step description of the activity, questions, student discussions, photos and examples of student work.

How many of our students have been assigned the traditional "element report"? In the BI times (Before Internet), the main goal of this activity was to get students to find information about a particular element. This was usually accomplished in the library, using text resources. But today, with a few clicks in a browser (or better yet, a search in SciLinks with the keyword "periodic table") students can get pictures and lots of information about the characteristics and properties of any element. So finding the information is not the exercise it used to be. Why would we ask students to copy facts about an element when the information is already and readily available? Consider the activities in That Is Not Where That Element Goes or The Element Walk as alternatives. If you go to SciLinks and search for "Periodic Table," you'll get many versions of the periodic table with information on each element (which could be used to make the cards for the above activity. Some of them are downright fun. The Poetic Table of the Elements has a traditional-looking periodic table, and for each element there are poems about it But it's really fun to see what people came up with. In the Periodic Table Printmaking Project, artists created blocks for each of the elements. The descriptions of each element include some of its physical properties, but the interesting part is how and why the artists chose their designs. And I really enjoy the Periodic Table of Videos with a short video segment for each element.

Go to SciLinks for more resources to Explore Chemistry. Two of my favorites are Metals in Aqueous Solutions - a simulation that would be great if you have an interactive white board or other projection device and Biochemistry - Carbohydrates, which is part of a larger site on biochemistry with descriptions of other compounds, such as lipids, nucleic acids, proteins, and enzymes, in simple language.

As a former chemistry major, I'm really excited by these two issues!

Bits and Pieces for September

Mary Bigelow — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:39:00 GMT

Rather than competing with the commercial hoopla around Halloween, perhaps we science teachers could do our own special celebrations that relate to science concepts. For example, it's not too early to plan events for Mole Day, celebrated on October 23 (10/23) from 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m. The timing of this event celebrates Avogadro’s number -- 6.02 * 10^23 For more information on the concept of a “mole," enter Avogadro into the SciLinks keyword search. You’ll get a list of websites related to moles and to the work of this scientist.

This day is also used to celebrate the science of chemistry and its applications. The National Mole Day Foundation’s website has background information, themes, and some suggested activities. The American Chemical Society has embedded Mole Day in its National Chemistry Week events. The ACS site has many resources for students and teachers of all grade levels.

The September issue of Learning and Leading with Technology has a product review of handheld digital field recorders to create high quality sound files.

I've read of some websites that are worth a look: Biovisions from Harvard University has video clips and animations related to biology. Learn Bird Songs includes recordings to help you identify common bird by their songs. And Tech How-To: Podcasts has suggestions for creating and hosting original podcasts.

An online conference sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution focuses on the evidence, impact, and response to climate change. It features Smithsonian scientists, curators, and collections examining the issues surrounding climate change from a variety of perspectives. The conference is scheduled for 9/29/2009-10/1/2009 and it will be archived for later use.

Exploring Habitats

Mary Bigelow — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:59:00 GMT

What an appropriate theme for the September issue! I've often wondered why field trips are usually scheduled in the spring when the fall is such a great time to be outdoors. And activities involving plants and animals are good ways to introduce students to scientific investigation and observation at the beginning of the year. These activities range from growing plants in the classroom or the schoolyard to studying bird habitats.

If you're tired of the same old "scavenger hunt" activity, the article Forest or Field? has some good suggestions for how to make your field trip more meaningful by formulating questions to investigate, using activities prior to the trip to build background knowledge and experiences, conducting actual investigations during the trip, and analyzing data back in the classroom. I can imagine that this takes a lot of work, but I'm sure the experience is much more of a learning process than simply giving students a checklist. And your field trip can be part of your instruction, not just a social event!

When studying habitats, it's easy to focus on the plants and animals, but we can't forget the nonliving (abiotic) factors that influence the kinds of organisms that live there: elevation, types of soil, climate, rock formations, water sources, the terrain. Use SciLinks to find information on these abiotic factors to complement what students learn about the living things in a habitat.

How many of your schools are decorated with real pumpkins for the fall? The article Gourd-ous Decomposition shows you how to turn these decorations into a learning experience on plant life cycles, especially the process of decomposition.

I was excited to see so many references to SciLinks in the articles. As a summary, here are the links directly to the topics:

I always learn from each issue. For example, I had never heard of the term "thigmotropism" before reading the article How Plants Move. It's a cool-sounding word that I'll think of when I plant my tomatoes and beans next spring!

Critical Thinking

Mary Bigelow — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:00:00 GMT

Two items titled "Critical Thinking" are on my desktop right now: the September issue of Science Scope and an op-ed piece in the Boston Globe Critical thinking? You need knowledge. In this article, the author Diane Ravitch discusses "21st century skills" such as critical thinking and cooperative learning and suggests these are being emphasized to the exclusion of "knowledge." It's an interesting article, and the comments that have been submitted are diverse and thought-provoking, too.

One thing I looked for in the article was a definition of "critical thinking." It seems like a phrase we all use but may have different interpretations. Does the term refer to questioning, synthesizing, problem-solving, creating, reflecting, judging, evaluating? Something else? We also should consider what we mean by "knowledge" Is knowledge information from the outside that gets absorbed (memorized?) or does it also involve a deeper level of understanding that comes from making internal connections? How do we determine what information and experiences should be internalized as knowledge? Just some rambling thoughts.

I'm sure we've all had experiences in classrooms where the teacher emphasized the acquisition of facts and definitions, with few opportunities to use the information in any context. On the other hand, there are classrooms that focus on projects and activities but the students don't really understand why they are doing them. We often hear "They are having so much fun, they don't know they're learning." Maybe we should help students know that they are learning, how the activity is helping them learn, what content is important, and that learning can be enjoyable (and challenging).

But as I read the articles in Science Scope, I have the impression that these teachers use critical thinking and cooperative learning, not as isolated skills, but as ways of helping students learn science through investigations, discussion, readings, and writing. The activities they describe integrate essential content with experiences that help the students internalize and apply what they are learning in creative ways

The Internet is changing the way we locate and share information, so I'll put in a plug for SciLinks as a tool for finding relevant science content!

Chemistry for a Changing World

Mary Bigelow — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:20:00 GMT

Welcome to the 2009-2010 school year! I was excited by the theme of this kick-off issue. I loved chemistry as a high school student (Thank you, Sister Maureen!), majored in the subject in college, and taught it as part of a physical science course. Even today the smell of a chemistry lab gets me psyched up.

Some students do not take chemistry in high school; those in a traditional course may never realize how what they are learning applies to the real world. And some of my students would have the misconception that chemistry is about blowing things up and is the domain of nerds in stereotypical white coats and plastic pocket protectors! The outside world is not the only thing that is changing. The authors of these articles describe how the teaching and learning of chemistry is changing in their own classrooms.

The activities in Shrinking Our Footprints are built around a real-world problem and use an interesting online calculator, the Ecological Footprint Quiz. The online nature of the quiz enables students to test their ideas about reducing carbon consumption.

Project-based learning was the focus of in What Happens to Cemetery Headstones? Students applied their learning of acids and bases to a study of a local environment. Wouldn't it be interesting to incorporate this into an interdisciplinary project involving social studies? Check out How to Read a Graveyard or History Comes Alive in the Graveyard from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Not all learning in the classroom is done by students! The authors of Teacher Research: Challenging Our Assumptions describe their own inquiry into what student do or do not understand about the gas laws. (Their findings are interesting. Would they apply to your students?) If you're logged into SciLinks, you can search for websites that may help your students understand the laws conceptually, in addition to doing the algebra to solve problems!

On a smaller scale, check out articles on Investigating Membranes, The Science Behind Nanosunscreens, and Teaching with Crystal Structures. And use SciLinks to search for resources on membranes, nanotechnology, and crystalline solids.

More Resources from PBS

Mary Bigelow — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:31:00 GMT

I've just heard of a few new resources from PBS. They've recently redesigned the PBS Teachers page (it seems to be the month for redesigning sites -- have you seen the new SciLinks site?). PBS provides many free resources in science and technology, including lessons derived from programs such as NOVA and Nature, "interactives" (which are online animations and simulations), and projects from member stations, searchable by grade level and topic.

I'm especially fascinated by the Activity Packs, which are "widgets" you can add to a webpage or social media site such as FaceBook, making them available to students and parents. (I've included a short cut link - from the main PBS Teachers page, scroll down the right to find it). These widgets look like sidebars and have links to video clips and other resources on science-related topics such as medical research, weather, inventions, and forensics.

Another new feature from PBS is the PBS Digital Learning Library, a repository of digital resources that will be made available through local stations beginning this fall. According to the press release, the project is being piloted at this time by a number of public television stations. (The press release has the list.)