Chemical/Motion Natural Selection Week 5

 Description:           

In the science class I am writing about, there are 17 students in 6th grade, with ages ranging from 11-13. Two students have been retained in elementary school. The class includes 2 MLL (Multilingual Learners) whose native language is Swahili, as well as 3 MLL learners whose native language is Spanish. There are 7 students in the Mild/Moderate needs center-based program, and 1 student in the CSD (Communication Skills Development) program. 68% of the students are considered economically disadvantaged. During the two observed class periods, there are two co-teachers and two paraprofessionals who monitor behavior and maintain personal boundaries.

Lab

Key Vocabulary

Unit/Topic 1:
The two teachers were teaching the interactions of force and motion, as well as introducing chemical changes that can occur over a specific period of time and why. Kopp (2014) states, “When students can summarize, they recognize the main ideas and can eliminate unimportant information. They are required to think deeply about the information they read and use skills of analysis. They refine their vocabularies, and when they put the main ideas into their own words, they also better remember the content.” While I believe summarizing is helpful, I also think many students retain information better when they engage in hands-on activities, such as the spinner observation lab observed in another class. In that lab, students connected the forces of motion by comparing and contrasting types of spinning tops, inferring which top they believed would spin faster. This type of hands-on activity encourages students to work in small groups and apply their background knowledge. Kopp (2014) also suggests, “Students should identify word clues that help make accurate inferences as well as discuss words that contribute to their inferences. In science, teachers can provide experiences where students must use their observational skills to draw inferences.” 

Unit/Topic 2: 

Natural Selection
 review

the students learned about natural selection. In table groups (of four), they developed a hypothesis regarding how natural selection works. They used sentence stems and visuals of expected behaviors to guide their thinking while working in self-chosen groups. Their task was to “develop a hypothesis about adaptive traits and the role these traits play in impacting species survival rates.”

In their groups, each student selected a species to research. They then provided an example of an adaptive trait and hypothesized how they believed the trait helped the species survive in its current environment.

Expectations and Objectives

The teacher displayed expectations on the wall as visuals to help guide the students’ thinking and keep them focused on the topic. These visuals included the students' objectives, expected voice levels, and guiding questions to ensure that the students stayed on track. After introducing the topic and providing an example hypothesis (the teacher’s example was a moth), the students were given 10 minutes to discuss their ideas in small groups. For the next 15 minutes, they shared their hypotheses about how survival could be linked to adaptive traits.

Science expectations

Many of the species chosen by the small groups (there were four in total) were quite unusual, such as humans adapting from monkeys, the idea of flesh-eating necrosis (likely inspired by zombies), a giraffe’s neck length adapting to its environment to find more food, and one group exploring how bears' fur color helps them blend into their environment (for example, polar bears have white fur while grizzly bears have brown fur to adapt to mountain living). The teacher did not react strongly to the more hypothetical species, such as zombies, but instead asked how the students could prove that zombies adapted over time.

Modified notes

Though the students occasionally got off track with their questioning and peer discussions, most remained actively engaged, as they "enjoyed arguing" with one another. At the end of the lesson, the teacher added new vocabulary words to the science word wall.

What Was Learned

Important points

The students enjoyed the lesson, remaining actively engaged throughout the hypothetical questioning and peer feedback. The teacher effectively kept them focused on the objective, even with the more whimsical ideas, like zombies. She skillfully questioned their reasoning about the adaptive traits that would help zombies survive. Allowing students to choose their own partners, as long as they adhered to the expectations, seemed to work well. It was interesting to see that many of the groups displayed different skill sets, each with distinct strengths and weaknesses.

It was valuable to see the two different teaching styles. Both teachers taught the same topic and lesson, but one teacher focused more on lecture, summarizing, teaching new academic language, and meeting the academic language/objectives. The other teacher briefly reviewed pre-learned objectives and then allowed students to work in groups to complete the lab. Afterward, the teacher led a large-group discussion to review what they had learned, explaining their hypotheses, observations, and definitions. Observing both teachers engaging with their students was very valuable for me. On a daily basis, the teachers who relied on lecturing often have behavior issues with their students. In contrast, the teacher who used the hands-on activity experienced little to no behavioral issues. Students were aware of the rules and expectations going into the lab and understood that any type of horseplay would result in being removed from the lab group. While observing the students in both classes, I realized that the more hands-on teacher recognized that many students in his class were considered disadvantaged and struggled with the science content. Kopp (2014) notes, “Science teachers should remember that, in general, the reading levels in most science textbooks are usually one or two grade levels above the actual grade identified for the book (Barton and Jordan 2001, iii). Teachers can support students as they read to comprehend the informational text placed before them. (2014).  The teacher who focused more on the objectives and vocabulary had pre-planned modifications in place for students working on extended evidence outcomes. Both teachers used verbal positive reinforcement and taught their objectives, but I believe hands-on activities might be more beneficial for students' learning in science. While this observation did not include virtual or interactive elements, I reflected on our readings in Chapter 8, which state that “virtual field trips extend students’ experiences and provide a unique perspective on the world. Additionally, teachers can help build background knowledge for students who may not have advantages with science-related topics (Kopp, 2014).” To build a more engaging lesson plan, I would consider providing a more interactive approach, such as using the PHET interactive simulations, like the natural selection simulations from the University of Boulder. This interactive site allows students to engage with topics in mutation, genetics, and selection. Through this website, students can determine which mutations are favored due to predator attacks and mutual mutations, as well as compare and contrast dominant and recessive genes.

The hope for these types of interactive activities would be to incorporate Kopp’s belief that “our everyday experiences shape our future learning. They provide us with an anchor upon which to build our existing knowledge and understanding. The more science teachers can expose their students to the world outside the classroom, the more knowledge they can gain.” This approach would encourage students to use technology to reflect on real-life situations, motivating them not only to learn the content associated with their project but also to express themselves creatively while informing others.

References: Kopp, K. N. (2014). Teaching Science Today 2nd Edition. Teacher Created Materials.

Natural Selection. (2022). PhET. https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/natural-selection

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Natural Selection Science 5 (second observation)

 

Science expectations

Lesson plan and Topic 

This week in science, the students learned about natural selection. In table groups (of four), they developed a hypothesis regarding how natural selection works. They used sentence stems and visuals of expected behaviors to guide their thinking while working in self-chosen groups. Their task was to “develop a hypothesis about adaptive traits and the role these traits play in impacting species survival rates.”

In their groups, each student selected a species to research. They then provided an example of an adaptive trait and hypothesized how they believed the trait helped the species survive in its current environment.

Expectations and Objectives

The teacher displayed expectations on the wall as visuals to help guide the students’ thinking and keep them focused on the topic. These visuals included the students' objectives, expected voice levels, and guiding questions to ensure that the students stayed on track. After introducing the topic and providing an example hypothesis (the teacher’s example was a moth), the students were given 10 minutes to discuss their ideas in small groups. For the next 15 minutes, they shared their hypotheses about how survival could be linked to adaptive traits.

ACC Device

Many of the species chosen by the small groups (there were four in total) were quite unusual, such as humans adapting from monkeys, the idea of flesh-eating necrosis (likely inspired by zombies), a giraffe’s neck length adapting to its environment to find more food, and one group exploring how bears' fur color helps them blend into their environment (for example, polar bears have white fur while grizzly bears have brown fur to adapt to mountain living). The teacher did not react strongly to the more hypothetical species, such as zombies, but instead asked how the students could prove that zombies adapted over time.

objectives

Though the students occasionally got off track with their questioning and peer discussions, most remained actively engaged, as they "enjoyed arguing" with one another. At the end of the lesson, the teacher added new vocabulary words to the science word wall.

What Was Learned

Important points

The students enjoyed the lesson, remaining actively engaged throughout the hypothetical questioning and peer feedback. The teacher effectively kept them focused on the objective, even with the more whimsical ideas, like zombies. She skillfully questioned their reasoning about the adaptive traits that would help zombies survive. Allowing students to choose their own partners, as long as they adhered to the expectations, seemed to work well. It was interesting to see that many of the groups displayed different skill sets, each with distinct strengths and weaknesses.

Natural Selection
 review

While this observation did not include virtual or interactive elements, I reflected on our readings in Chapter 8, which state that “virtual field trips extend students’ experiences and provide a unique perspective on the world. Additionally, teachers can help build background knowledge for students who may not have advantages with science-related topics (Kopp, 2014).” To build a more engaging lesson plan, I would consider providing a more interactive approach, such as using the PHET interactive simulations, like the natural selection simulations from the University of Boulder. This interactive site allows students to engage with topics in mutation, genetics, and selection. Through this website, students can determine which mutations are favored due to predator attacks and mutual mutations, as well as compare and contrast dominant and recessive genes.

The hope for these types of interactive activities would be to incorporate Kopp’s belief that “our everyday experiences shape our future learning. They provide us with an anchor upon which to build our existing knowledge and understanding. The more science teachers can expose their students to the world outside the classroom, the more knowledge they can gain.” This approach would encourage students to use technology to reflect on real-life situations, motivating them not only to learn the content associated with their project but also to express themselves creatively while informing others.

Works Cited

Kopp, K. N. (2014). Teaching Science Today 2nd Edition. Teacher Created Materials.

        Natural Selection. (2022). PhET. https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/natural-selection

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Week four Religion

This week, I observed the transition between cultures and how human ways of life and thoughts create different cultures and beliefs. I was particularly struck by how the instructor, who taught the topic of Ancient Greece, was able to smoothly transition between various cultures and explain how these cultures influenced daily life.

In addition to covering Ancient Greece, including its religious and governmental beliefs, the teacher also explored the impact of political systems, specifically focusing on the differences in government beliefs, such as democracy, particularly in Athens. The instruction highlighted the democratic lifestyle, the role of citizens, and the hierarchy that influenced them. 

Student Friendly book for myths

In our weekly reading, we learned about CAST and its differences in traditional and UDL classrooms. One of the most notable ideas behind CAST is that “the accommodations some students might receive in their IEPs and 504 plans are available to all students.” The idea is that all students may benefit from multiple formats, and some believe that providing accommodations to everyone can reduce the stigma that students might feel about using accommodations.

The teacher presented the material in a variety of ways. The lesson included a traditional lecture on the governments of ancient Greece and Rome, along with a hands-on activity where students created shields. For visual representation, students worked in small groups to complete a digital timeline. The teacher focused on lectures, visuals, and timelines, offering different templates as options for the students.

The teacher also delved into the different types of government, important vocabulary, religious practices, and significant beliefs in Greece, such as their polytheistic views on gods. Examples included the gods of Mesopotamia, Greek gods, Egyptian gods, and polytheistic governance. To engage the students, various myths were periodically included, encouraging them to compare and contrast these stories based on societal beliefs. One of the myths discussed was the Trojan War. The teacher emphasized how mythological stories helped explain natural events, cultural practices, human behavior, rituals, festivals, and the temples dedicated to the gods. This exploration allowed students to better understand polytheism and the Greek pantheon, including gods like Zeus, Athena, Apollo, and Hera.

Students created Greek Timelines

The instructor also encouraged students to break into small groups to discuss myths they had heard, which were later shared in a larger group discussion. Her point was that all the different myths have multiple meanings and versions depending on who is telling or recreating them. The teacher also encouraged students to break into groups and look through both primary and secondary resources to discuss why they interpreted the myth the way they did. At the end of the lesson, the teacher explained that our own culture and beliefs have been influenced by the principles of democracy, religion, and philosophy from Ancient Greece.

Students were then given the option to choose between different projects to showcase their knowledge on the topic, allowing them to express their understanding in a creative way that best suited their learning styles.

Anchor chart for learned vocabulary 

Kopp & Reilly (2017) stated, “Students are reading firsthand accounts of events, they are using primary sources. Charts, maps, timelines, and so forth also come into play with the reading for information standards, in which students are to use graphical representations to help them analyze and comprehend text. The more varieties of reading materials students are exposed to, including primary source documents, the more they can analyze instructional content and apply critical-reading skills.”

These resources lead to interesting discussions about how people change over time. In other photographs, young children can examine changes in clothing, housing, transportation, schooling, work, and leisure activities. Young children delight in comparing their lives with the lives of people from long ago. Notable in the lecture was the teacher's use of visual aids with different colors to encourage picture studies. The template for describing the people, objects, and actions was similar to Figure 5.3 that was noted in our readings.

The DBQ (Document-Based Question) approach that Kopp referred to when he said, “Strategy supports reading skills and has added benefits for student learning. Since the texts, passages, and resources are generally shorter in length, they work well for modeling critical reading and thinking skills within the time constraints of a typical class period. When students work with such texts, they can put their mental energies into the analysis of the text rather than into the actual reading of the text.” This approach uses historical inquiry and document analysis. Students read and analyze a series of historical documents to respond in writing to a specific question or to devise and compose a thoughtful thesis and/or argument, all based on historical evidence (Kopp & Reilly, 2017).

Greek myths 

By incorporating Kopp’s strategy and the use of primary sources, the instructor created a dynamic and engaging lesson that not only introduced the foundations of Greek culture but also fostered critical thinking and analytical skills among the students.

Roman Shields project

An interesting observation was how the teacher was able to capture the students' attention while explaining the differences between primary and secondary sources. She used this to show how myths were changed over time to fit modern-day scenarios and how easily myths could be adapted to fit different audiences.

Works Cited: 

         Kopp, K., & Reilly, A. L. (2017). Teaching social studies today. Shell Education. 

Ingri D'aulaire, & Edgar Parin D'aulaire. (1962). D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths. Doubleday, An Imprint Of Random House Children’s Books, A Division Of Penguin Random House Llc.

                Mary Pope Osborne, & Howell, T. (1995). Favorite Greek myths. Scholastic.

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Week 3 Types of economy and push pull factors

Economic Systems:
The way people spend and make money.

While observing the teacher introducing the lesson, it was interesting to see how she presented the subject of economies and the factors that help shape them. The teacher ensured that the students would gain an understanding of how humans focus on how capital and natural resources are utilized. In Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History: C3 Framework (2013), it states, “This economic reasoning process involves the consideration of costs and benefits with the ultimate goal of making decisions that will enable individuals and societies to be as well-off as possible. The study of economics provides students with the concepts and tools necessary for an economic way of thinking and helps students understand the interaction of buyers and sellers in markets, the workings of the national economy, and interactions within the global marketplace.”

Definitions:

• Economies: The way people spend their money and make money.

• Push/Pull Factors: Reasons people choose to migrate from one location to another.

• The economic concepts of push/pull factors may have been centered around economic hardships like low wages, unemployment, poor living conditions, as well as no room for job advancements compelled people to leave in search of better living conditions, higher wages, and stability that attracted people to live in new places. 

The Four Types of Economies:

Snack Economy

1. Traditional Economy

2. Market Economy

3. Command Economy

4. Mixed Economy

Practice and Activities

1. Introduction (Review & Theory):

• Teacher's Overview:
  The teacher began by reviewing the four types of economies and the concepts of push/pull factors. Which encouraged students to understand how economic decisions impacted people's lives and migration choices. 

2. Small Group Activity (Poster Creation):

• Student Activity:
  In small groups, students will pull a popsicle stick to reveal the type of economy they will focus on. Each group will create a poster or anchor chart illustrating their assigned economy's characteristics. This will include examples and a clear explanation of how the economy operates and its influence on people’s lives.

• Teacher's Role:
  As students work on their posters, the teacher circulated the room, offering guidance and ensuring that the concepts are being accurately represented.

• Supplies Needed:

• Mini easel pad sheets (or butcher paper if needed)

• Markers (large supply)

• Prewritten popsicle sticks/plastic cup

• Crayons/colored pencils (if needed)

3. Push/Pull Factors in Migration:

• Theory Teacher focused on ideals of Migration and how it was driven by both push and pull factors that influence people's decision to move. Push factors, such as economic hardship or political instability, "push" people away from a location, while pull factors, like job opportunities or political stability, "pull" people to a new location (Kopp, 2017).

• Big 5 Important Concepts:

• Push Factors

• Pull Factors

• The Relationship between Push and Pull Factors

• Demographic Factors

• The Importance of Push/Pull Factors in Migration

• Practice:
  Students worked in small groups to create anchor charts explaining push and pull factors, using real-world examples. They focused on pictures that show factors such as economic opportunities, political stability, and environmental challenges, discussing how migration is influenced by these factors. 

Inquiry-Based Activity

1. Entry Ticket:

• Upon entering the classroom, students reflected on the question: "What type of economy would you prefer to live in?" They then selected an economy they would live in on their index card which they placed on the table as a way of tracking their initial thoughts.

2. Main Activity (Group Poster Creation):

• After the initial review, students broke into small groups based on the popsicle sticks they drew. Each group was assigned an economy to analyze, and they created a poster to demonstrate the key features of their economy, including how it impacted people's daily lives.

• Interactive Component:
  The teacher spent time reviewing the difference of economic systems and push/pull factors. The teacher explained that students will pull popsicle sticks with topics, form small groups, and work on a poster/anchor chart. Afterward, each group will share their poster with a brief explanation of why they included the illustrations they did. This discussion had to be completed in 15 minutes. 

•   Afterward, each group was called on to present their poster to the class and explain why they selected their illustrations and how the economy type influenced migration patterns.

3. Exit Ticket students then reflected on their learning by answering the question: "Do you still want to live in the economy you selected at the start? Why or why not?" Their reflection was written on an index card and submitted as an exit ticket.

Teacher Evidence:

• Reflection and Critical Thinking:
  The poster activity, group discussions, and exit ticket served as evidence of students’ ability to analyze and apply their understanding of economic systems and migration factors.

Global Interdependence & Economic Growth:

• Connection to Global Trends:
  The teacher will highlight how different economies interact globally and how migration patterns—both voluntary and forced—are shaped by these economic factors. Students will explore how labor migration affects economic development in different regions (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020).

Conclusion:

• Students will have demonstrated their understanding of the four types of economies and how push/pull factors impact migration patterns. They will have had the opportunity to do and engage with the practices and processes themselves through the creation of posters, anchor charts, and a reflection activity, all while understanding the global context of migration and economic systems (National Museum of American History, 2018). This allows the students the chance to find out answers for themselves through meaningful opportunities to explore, learn, explain, and collaborate between cause and effect, patterns and stability and change (Lange Alyssa 2021). 

Works Cited

1. Kopp, M. (2017). Exploring Migration Patterns and Economic Systems: A Classroom Approach. Journal of Social Studies Education, 42(3), 214-223.

2. 1. Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History C3 FRAMEWORK. (2013). https://www.socialstudies.org/system/files/2022/c3-framework-for-social-studies-rev0617.2.pdf

3. Lange, Alissa A.; Robertson, Laura; Price, Jamie; and Perry (Craven), Amie. 2021. Teaching Early and Elementary STEM. Johnson City: East Tennessee State University. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-oer/8 

4. National Museum of American History. (2018). The Economics of Migration: Stories from American History.

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