LOVE this! "This infographic includes a great activity for students of any age. Hand out Oreos to each student, and have them create each moon phase as depicted at the top of the infographic, assigning one phase per student. Then create a sun (a lamp), facing the Earth, and have students place themselves at each phase, as they believe theirs lays between the Earth and sun (as explained at the bottom of the diagram). Have students think about why they believe they belong where they belong, and ask a few to explain."
Description: A cross-curriculum unit of work was developed for Year 8 students, combining elements of the Mathematics and Science Australian Curriculum. The eight-week unit used a Project-Based Learning approach, in which students investigated a fictitious "cold case". The unit was divided into three phases. In the initial phase, students were introduced to skills and understandings which would assist them in completing the learning tasks. However, these were not explicitly linked to the upcoming tasks, requiring that students made connections themselves through a guided discovery process.
In the second phase students were presented with a bare bones case file, from which some broad conclusions could be drawn and leads discussed. As students worked through the case, additional packets of evidence were released, as required. The design allowed for students to work at different paces, and in a non-linear manner. Students needed to combine their science understandings with mathematical skills and reasoning to analyze the evidence. For example, previous experiments on rusting were quantified to determine a rate equation, which, by analysis of physical evidence at the crime scene, could be used to determine approximate time of death. During this phase, students kept an ongoing series of Case File Notes, to record their predictions, calculations, analyses and conclusions.
In the final phase, students completed their Case File Notes with a briefing for the prosecution lawyer, outlining the case they had built against their chosen suspect. Stepping outside the role play, they also wrote a Research Investigation on the role of science in the criminal justice system and a Reflection, evaluating what they had learned throughout the unit.
Lionfish infestation in Atlantic escalates
"Lionfish are not native to the Atlantic Ocean. The venomous, fast reproducing fish are aggressive eaters and will consume anything and everything, gorging so much they are actually getting liver disease. With no known predators -- except human beings -- they can wipe out 90% of a reef.
"The lionfish invasion is probably the worst environmental disaster the Atlantic will ever face," said Graham Maddocks, president and founder of Ocean Support Foundation, which works with the government and research agencies to help reduce the lionfish population in Bermuda."
This is a PDF that has several formative assessment activities, but the last few pages (beginning with p.24 of the PDF) it has a neat tool for getting higher level questions/tasks (using Bloom's) embedded within a lesson. This might be good to use/introduce with teams, departments, etc.
This is a PDF that has several formative assessment activities, but the last few pages (beginning with p.24 of the PDF) it has a neat tool for getting higher level questions/tasks (using Bloom's) embedded within a lesson. This might be good to use/introduce with teams, departments, etc.
Cool video by science class...
DOK L3 Discussion Question: If your class was to make a similar video (hypothetical unless you want to actually do it), what different examples could they use?
Science Middle School Teacher thinks of herself more as a coach to lead students to inquiry and high level thinking ... increasing rigor...
This post gives an example of what that looks like in the classroom