Patricia Rourke
Vernier Software & Technology Consultant
VA

Ecosystem Journalism

Sun, May 04, 2014 2:07 PM
A New Look At EcoNews in Elementary School

Writing across the curriculum is not a new topic but it is one that is emphasized again within core standards, STEM approaches to the study of science, and NGSS. This article, although written in 2005, continues to offer pertinent information to a teacher guiding students through the process of creating an eco-newspaper as a means to communicate their understanding of their observation while in the field. One of the most useful artifacts within the article is the Assessment Rubric. The suggested time-line for the various tasks is also useful. Although the ecological core for this article is the prairie, the methods discussed easily may be adapted to any ecosystem available to the elementary school, even a backyard habitat.

Lively Science: Living Organisms and More

Sun, May 04, 2014 1:58 PM
Become More 'savvy' About Living Organisma

Asking questions about living things that are observable often is the core of life science for middle school students, as well as many high school students. Given our new sensitivities to student health and moral issues concerning live organisms within classrooms, this chapter charges us to consider classroom menageries and plant corners carefully but not to reject them. The text offers a useful chart on the type of organism, level of care, and potential problems. The text then proceeds to caution and to inform educators on using bacteria and growing other cultures within the classroom in addition to thoughtful words on integrating safety into all investigations that deal with live specimens. As a new teacher, I would file this chapter in the front of my lab preparation book and as a veteran teacher; I would carefully reexamine my classroom practices. STEM and NGSS standards urge us to design environments for students to explore and to extend their understanding of systems by firsthand knowledge and investigation and this chapter lays a foundation for teachers to craft safe learning environments to encourage students to ask questions and to seek answers. Other chapters within the book are worth consideration, too. Be a ‘savvy science teacher’ and take a moment to read this chapter.

Tue, Apr 08, 2014 3:05 PM
Using Physical Science Gadgets & Gizmos

Phenomenon-Based Learning opens with side-by-side notes on pedagogy to both the teacher and the student. The authors describe PBL as K-W-L learning, a modality that has been an effective teaching tool for decades as well as a probe for rooting out student understanding through their presentations of their ideas through their journal/lab writings and their experimental design processes. Application of concepts underpins the authors’ presentation of goals for both the student and the teacher. Regurgitation is not ‘de rigueur!” Fortified with this learning platform, the authors offer gizmos for investigations into the nature of Wave Motion and Sound, Visible Light and Color, Thermodynamics, Air Pressure, Density and Buoyancy, Force, Motion and Energy, and It’s Science Not Magic. The experiences of the authors as presenters of wonderful physical science demonstrations allow them to select gizmos that are readily available in toy or science stores. These gizmos entice the students and offer real-world opportunities to explore the nature of science concepts through PBL learning. This book serves as a ready albeit a short encyclopedia of toys available for teaching science. Each chapter presents specific ways to explore concepts and allows the teacher to take the ideas and fashion lessons to reflect the learning styles of the students. The teacher easily may incorporate safety and various levels of learning into lessons from the material. Constructive learning encompasses this PBL approach quite effectively. This is a worthy purchase for any teacher’s library.