Transcript Slide 1

Life Science
•Pick a number from the
“hat”
•Grab a syllabus
•We will begin at 12:15
(to give people time to
find the room)
For Middle School
Educators
Assessment
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So I know how much depth to present in
lectures on the basic concepts in biology
This is NOT graded
This is for me to design this class
specifically to your needs
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In other words, do not fret about this, just do
your best
I Expect You to:
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Attend every class
Arrive on time
Turn off cell phones
Read the assigned text
Read the assigned papers or websites
Read the lab ahead of class
If you have to miss – talk to me as soon as
possible. I do understand that emergencies
happen.
Class Participation
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I encourage discussion
Engage fully in each laboratory exercise
Lab report in on time
Be prepared for your presentation
Support your classmates presentations with
positive comments and helpful suggestions
First Year Teaching
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Your first year of
teaching is going to
be very difficult
This class is designed
to provide the
conceptual framework
and tested labs that
augment and support
life science concepts
and scientific inquiry!
Wahoo!
You, your
first year
teaching
Edvard Munch The Scream
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Grading
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Lab participation and lab report
27%
Midterm
15%
Student Project
33%
Peer Evaluations
10%
Final (comprehensive)
15%
Graduate Credit: (Required)
Presentation to class on current science
education research
27% Lab and Write-up
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Give it a Title
Align to standards
What are the student
goals (what concepts
are you addressing)?
How much will it cost?
How much for
equipment and how
much for
consumables?
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How much time do
you need initially?
How much time will
your students work on
it, and how much time
time do you need to
clean up afterwards?
How will you assess
student learning?
Sample Lab Write-up
15% Midterm
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Questions will be generated from reading
and lecture
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Focus on what is science?
Focus on fundamental concepts in biology
Fous on how to translate those concepts into
project-based, place-based inquiry science in
the classroom
Benchmark Test
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Take it now
You have 15
minutes
If you need more
time, you can
complete it at home
Align Standards to Test
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You are not being graded
for the test answers, but
rather, go to
http://www.ode.state.or.us
/teachlearn/subjects/scie
nce/curriculum/sciencedr
aft2.pdf, and align 6th, 7th,
and 8th grade standards
to the test
Due Tuesday, January 12
How to Align Standards
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6.1.PS.1 means:
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Buoyancy:
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6=6th grade
1=1st goal – Structure and
Function (2 is the 2nd goal,
Interaction and Change, 3 is
Scientific Inquiry, and 4 is
Engineering Design)
PS=Physical Science
(LS=Life Science and
ES=Earth/Space Science)
Final number identifies the
specific standard
6.1.PS.2, 6.1.PS.3
7.2.PS.2, 7.2.PS.3
8.2.PS.2
Please write the entire
standard out for this exercise
Suggestion: Begin your Portfolio
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All of these materials
will help you that first
year. Begin a
portfolio of lessons.
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I am old school and
still print everything
You may want to start
a CD library of your
lessons instead
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How will you organize
them?
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33% Student Project
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You will each select one topic from the
following list, your turn is the number you
picked at the beginning of class
Prepare a lesson and hands-on, inquirybased lab to present to your classmates
You will have 45 minutes to present your
lesson
10% Peer Evaluation
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Positive, supportive
comments
Helpful suggestions
to improve lesson
plan
Share ideas
You have to be in
class to get credit
15% Final
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Essay format
General Biological concepts covered in
class, text, or assigned websites
Scientific Process
General Educational concepts covered in
class, text, or assigned websites
You will be just fine!
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Every non-science student I have taught panics
about half-way through the term that they are
failing, or doing poorly, or whatever. I base the
final 100% on you.
Highest grade in the class sets 100%.
All other students receive their grade based on
those points being 100%
Everyone in the class can receive an “A” if you
work hard!
Text
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Recommended: Biology: Science for Life 2nd
edition ©2007 (if you haven’t had biology before)
Colleen Belk and Virginia Borden
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Recommended: Science 101: Biology ©2007
George Ochoa and
Publisher: Harper Collins
Recommended: Science 101: Ecology ©2007
Jennifer Freeman
Publisher: Harper Collins
My Goal?
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I love science – all science
I want you to discover the wonders and
marvels of science
When you have a classroom, pass on this
this wonder to your students!
Questions?
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What is Scientific Process?
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Science explains what is seen in nature with
natural mechanisms
Science predicts outcome with hypotheses
Science is testable
Science is replicable
Different disciplines have different methods, but
the above are common to all branches –
whether chemistry, physics, life, earth, or space
What is pseudoscience?
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Pseudoscience is
any body of alleged
knowledge,
methodology, belief,
or practice that claims
to be scientific but
does not follow the
scientific method
http://www.alabe.com/cgi-bin/chart/astrobot.cgi?Y
Scientific Method
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Scientific researchers propose specific
hypotheses as explanations of natural
phenomena, and design experimental
studies that test these predictions for
accuracy. These steps are repeated in
order to make increasingly dependable
predictions of future results.
10 Steps (more or less)
1.
2.
3.
4.
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8.
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Observations
Questions
Read
Hypotheses
Design experiment
Collect data
Analyze data
Draw conclusions
Communicate
results
Questions
Hypothesis
QUESTIONS
Design
Modified from: http://yangdanni.blogspot.com/2007/09/confusion-shmusion.html
Scientific Method Isn’t Linear
http://undsci.berkeley.edu/flowchart_noninteractive.php
Scientific Law
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This is a statement of fact meant to explain, in
concise terms, an action or set of actions
It is generally accepted to be true and universal,
and
Can sometimes be expressed in terms of a
single mathematical equation.
Scientific laws are similar to mathematical
postulates. They don’t really need any complex
external proofs; they are accepted at face value
based upon the fact that they have always been
observed to be true.
Definitions of law, hypothesis, theory: http://wilstar.com/theories.htm
Hypothesis
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This is an educated guess based upon
observation
It is a rational explanation of a single event or
phenomenon based upon what is observed, but
which has not been supported
Testable hypotheses can be supported or
refuted by experimentation or continued
observation
Scientific Theory
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A theory is more like a scientific law than a
hypothesis
A theory is an explanation of a set of related
observations or events based upon proven
hypotheses and verified multiple times by
detached groups of researchers
One scientist cannot create a theory; he can
only create a hypothesis.
Theory vs Law
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In general, both a scientific theory and a
scientific law are accepted to be true by the
scientific community as a whole. Both are used
to make predictions of events. Both are used to
advance technology.
The biggest difference between a law and a
theory is that a theory is much more complex
and dynamic. A law governs a single action,
whereas a theory explains a whole series of
related phenomena.
Questions?
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