Check out my Glog depicting my interpretation of a scientifically literate graduate of high school:
http://tuckerm1.glogster.com/scientific-literate-citizen/
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Milky Way Mayhem: Using a Model for Divergent and Convergent Boundaries
Upon implementing my Modeling Earth Science lesson plan, I found that it was extremely successful. In my lesson, we were exploring the definition and difference between divergent and convergent boundaries. I exposed my students to two short video clips to engage them and pique their curiosity. Then I gave them each a snack size Milky Way and a data collection form. I asked them to create a model of the Earth using the Milky Way bar and to show how a divergent boundary forms as well as a convergent boundary. I also assigned them the title of geologist and made sure to mention that an imagination was necessary for the activity.
The students really seemed to enjoy the activity, especially since food was involved. They quickly figured out that the key to forming a divergent boundary was to pull the bar apart slowly and steadily, much like the plates in the Earth move. They also identified that a valley was created as a result of the movement. This was done by self-guided discovery in pairs. I was very impressed with the conversations that I was overhearing and the questions that I asked the students as I rotated around the groups. Every child was on task and focused.
When creating the convergent boundary, the students had to figure out that you needed to slowly and steadily push the candy bar together in order to see the ridge form in the model. Again, this illustrates a connection to the real world in that changes happen over a long period of time on the Earth's surface. The students also noticed that if they push harder and longer, a larger ridge would form and that sometimes it would buckle. The fact that they decided to extend the lesson by testing this out really showed me that they were thinking as scientists and using the model in the proper manner.
The main challenge that I faced was the fact that using the chocolate bar got messy towards the end of the lesson. This is partly due to the fact that the lesson was conducted on a very hot day in Florida and the air conditioner was not up to par. Also, the students had just come from PE, so their body temperature was elevated and touching the bars made it melt faster. I could have helped the situation by providing them with more napkins initially. I only gave them one to place the model on to conduct the activity. In order to fix this issue, I could do the activity earlier in the day and also during my actual Earth Science unit that is in the winter.
Overall, the students really enjoyed using a model and truly benefited from seeing the movement of the Earth's plates in action. At the conclusion of the activity, we took an interactive Brain Pop quiz and the students did very well. The model helped them to internalize the concept of divergent and convergent boundaries by having the opportunity to manipulate these changes. Modeling is a necessity when teaching for true understanding of complex science concepts.
The students really seemed to enjoy the activity, especially since food was involved. They quickly figured out that the key to forming a divergent boundary was to pull the bar apart slowly and steadily, much like the plates in the Earth move. They also identified that a valley was created as a result of the movement. This was done by self-guided discovery in pairs. I was very impressed with the conversations that I was overhearing and the questions that I asked the students as I rotated around the groups. Every child was on task and focused.
When creating the convergent boundary, the students had to figure out that you needed to slowly and steadily push the candy bar together in order to see the ridge form in the model. Again, this illustrates a connection to the real world in that changes happen over a long period of time on the Earth's surface. The students also noticed that if they push harder and longer, a larger ridge would form and that sometimes it would buckle. The fact that they decided to extend the lesson by testing this out really showed me that they were thinking as scientists and using the model in the proper manner.
The main challenge that I faced was the fact that using the chocolate bar got messy towards the end of the lesson. This is partly due to the fact that the lesson was conducted on a very hot day in Florida and the air conditioner was not up to par. Also, the students had just come from PE, so their body temperature was elevated and touching the bars made it melt faster. I could have helped the situation by providing them with more napkins initially. I only gave them one to place the model on to conduct the activity. In order to fix this issue, I could do the activity earlier in the day and also during my actual Earth Science unit that is in the winter.
Overall, the students really enjoyed using a model and truly benefited from seeing the movement of the Earth's plates in action. At the conclusion of the activity, we took an interactive Brain Pop quiz and the students did very well. The model helped them to internalize the concept of divergent and convergent boundaries by having the opportunity to manipulate these changes. Modeling is a necessity when teaching for true understanding of complex science concepts.
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