Group 4 Project

What is the Group 4 Project? Group 4 subjects (the sciences) base understanding on experiment – emphasis of this project is on the process of a scientific investigation Emphasis is on interdisciplinary cooperation and collaboration – each discipline brings a special perspective and expertise to the group

IB Group 4 Requirements (the “why” you are doing this) Demonstrate ICT (Information and Communication and Technology) skills Address moral, ethical, social, economic, and environmental implications of using science and technology Show how the different disciplines all relate to a single scientific issue Show you can use the processes of the scientific method

Time Line – 10 hour project Planning Stage – 2 hrs After selecting a focused topic, the activities to be carried out must be clearly defined before moving to action phase Action Stage – 6 hrs Evaluation Stage – 2 hr POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TURNED IN

Planning Stage

Teachers divide students into groups Students choose focused topic (define the problem) and develop action plan –Background Data base research (ICT) Contact People & Organizations (ICT) –Experiment or scale model (ICT)

Planning Stage – Action Plan Second Meeting Choose meeting leader and recorder Brainstorm on possible factors and approaches What are the issues for biology, chemistry, physics? Narrow this down to specific issue(s) to be investigated Who will do what? By when? With what help?

Example Main Topic: A Greener HS? Subtopics: Growing plants on HS roof tops Cooling by waterfalls down the sides of buildings Composting at HS (leaves/grounds waste/food) Solar cells on HS roof tops

Example Main Topic: Food Supply? Subtopics: Organic vs Inorganic GMO vs nonGMO Farm Raised/Free Range Fast Food Properties Nutrient Density

Teams of 5-6students With a Physics student consultant Your group MUST address a biological, chemical and physical aspect of the topic you choose Teams

Action Stage Carry out action plan Make contacts Collect Data Build model Consider costs and impacts

Evaluation Put together power-point presentation Include digital pictures, videos Load power-point

Story Board for Presentation We thought it would be helpful to give you a “story board” template to help you organize your project and presentation. This way, you will know what is expected of you and as you fill in the “blanks”.

Define the Project What are you doing?

Why are you doing it? See slide on IB requirements. What interests you about your choice of project (Anyone who says they are doing this just because it is an assignment will lose credit)

Why should people care about your project? What is the significance of your investigation?

What did you do? Outline or diagram the process in 1-6 slides Show how your investigative process fit into the scientific method: –identify problem –brainstorm ideas –focus problem –research background info –gather data (either by contacts or designing and conducting a scale model expt.) –present data –make conclusions –make recommendations

Who was on the team and what did each person do? 1-2 slides

How did your team specifically address issues from biology, chemistry, and physics Describe in 1-3 slides

What experts or outside data sources did you access? 1-3 slides

What model or experiment did you conduct? 1-3 slides with pictures

How did you specifically use ICT (information, communication, technology)? Data bases Communication with experts Data logging Spreadsheets Graphs and graphing software Digital images or video Presentation software

What did you discover? 3-5 slides Facts are friendly Show graphs, charts, data or quotes to support the outcome of your investigation.

Conclusions Bullet point summary of results

Why is this important? Bullet point explanation

Recommendatons Bullet points –Feasibility for HS –Costs –Environmental impacts –Safety issues –Social implications –Moral and ethical concerns (?)

Personal Skills

Approach a project with self- motivation and follow it through to completion Ability to work with others in a group situation and integrate the views of others Show awareness of your own strengths and weaknesses and learn about yourself from this experience

Self-motivation and follow- through to completion You are expected to get your assigned tasks done “yesterday” Non-completion reflects poorly on the entire group One person or a subset of the group doing most, if not all, of the work reflects poorly on the entire group

Work with others in a group situation and integrate the views of others You MUST demonstrate that you can work in a team situation Collaboration with input from all disciplines is a key success factor You MUST show consideration from all disciplines

Self-reflection of your own strengths and weaknesses and how you put yourself outside your comfort zone This project is designed to be a learning experience You are expected to tackle some personal weakness

Personal Skills - Documentation Each participant is required to hand in a confidential paper with documentation of specific examples on how you personally met or did not meet these personal skills goals