Alsasha Gangloff
UMBC
MD

Tried and True: Solar System in the Hallway

Tue, Apr 26, 2011 8:07 PM
Great resource

This is a great activity to do with your class. Students will really enjoy being able engaged with the lesson. I have not done this exact activity, but I did participate in one that was very similar. The interactive aspects really help the concepts stick in your memory. Scale models are important to demonstrate what we can’t really conceive without them. It is also helpful that the lesson includes pre- and post-activity questions. While these questions can certainly help teachers prepare and assess, they should definitely be adapted to meet the class’s specific needs.

Scope on the Skies: And then there were eight

Tue, Apr 26, 2011 8:07 PM
Great resource

I really enjoyed this resource. I think that it is important for students to understand the re-classification process and why Pluto is no longer considered a planet. The article is relatively short and easy to comprehend, so I think that it is a very appropriate explanation. While the suggested questions are good guidelines, I think that teachers could improve upon them by adding more interacting components instead of just simple, straight-forward comprehension questions. Perhaps teachers could ask students their thoughts/ opinions/ predictions for the future. Overall, I think that this is a great resource to use as long as it is paired with other resources and adapted slightly for your particular class.