ELEMENTARY SCIENCE METHODS January 27, 2015 Class #3
Agenda HoM focus today Biomimicry Investigation HoM focus today What Does a Good Science Class Look Like? Question of the Week Info on FA#1 and Field Teacher Letter
HoM Focus: Persisting Fill in the Boxes in the web diagram [Mind Map] Center Circle -- “What to do when I get stuck.’
HoM Focus: Thinking Interdependently In your Science notebook, write what you think are behaviors of individuals working together as a group. Share your ideas with a partner. Add to your list. Here are other ideas about thinking interdependently. Add to your list.
Focus: Thinking Interdependently Monitors the equality of group participation Shows concern for other members of the group Focuses on analysis, synthesis & evaluation Displays a desire to understand how others are thinking Offers interpretations to the group Willingness to accept feedback from others Listens to what others are saying Contributes to group interaction Seeks consensus Learns from the group
WHAT DOES A GOOD SCIENCE CLASS LOOK LIKE? At your tables, share your concept map with your table group. Discuss your choices of the components of a good science class. Come to a consensus on the important components. Working together as a table, create a graphic on your chart paper that illustrates your table’s under- standing of the components of What Makes a Good Science Class.
SHARE-A-THON One person will remain at each table to explain the graphic that the table created. Everyone else will travel from table to table and listen to the explanation of that table’s picture.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK What is the message of the video: We’ve got to be the light? Dr. Jeff Goldstein, Center Director National Center for Earth and Space Science Education ayer_embedded# ayer_embedded#
FA#1 & Field Teacher Letter Please give your Field Teacher the letter from Dr. O’Brien on your first visit. FA#1 consists of 5 parts: Part A: School info Part B: Questions to find out information about the school, classroom, etc. Part C: Discuss FAs with field teacher; confirm his/her willingness to work with you. Part D: Locate the school and surrounding areas; identify open spaces and areas suitable for outdoor learning or field studies using Google Earth. Part E: Reflection
NATURE AS A MODEL & TEACHER SYSTEMS THINKING INTERDEPENDENCE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL PLACE GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP INTERGNERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDHIP SUSTAINABILITY RESPECT FOR LIMITS SOCIAL JUSTICE ECONOMIC RESTUCTURING
SUSTAINABILITY: meeting current needs without limiting the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
The Nine Themes of Sustainability Nolet (2009) has identified nine common themes of sustainability in the literature. – Nature as a model – Systems Thinking and Interdependence – Importance of Local Place – Environmental Stewardship – Respect for limits – Social Justice and fair distribution – Economic restructuring – Global Citizenship – Intergenerational Perspective
NATURE AS A MODEL & TEACHER SYSTEMS THINKING INTERDEPENDENCE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL PLACE GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP INTERGNERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDHIP SUSTAINABILITY RESPECT FOR LIMITS SOCIAL JUSTICE ECONOMIC RESTUCTURING
Nature as a Model & Teacher Biomimicry 1.Nature as a model. Biomimicry is a new science that studies nature’s models and then imitates or takes inspiration from these designs and processes to solve human problems, e.g., solar cell inspired by a leaf. 2.Nature as measure. Biomimicry uses an ecological standard to judge the “rightness” or our innovations. After 3.8 billion years of evolution, nature has learned: What works. What is appropriate. What lasts. 3.Nature as mentor. Biomimicry is a new way of viewing and valuing nature. It introduces an era based not on what we can extract from the natural world, but on what we can learn from it. (From BIOMIMICRY Innovation Inspired by Nature, by Janine M. Benyus,1997)
Nature as a Model & Teacher Biomimicry Abalone shell Spider Silk Flower
BIOMIMICRY Research Assignment We’ve come to realize that all our inventions have already appeared in nature in a more elegant form and at a lot less cost to the planet. (Biomimicry Innovation Inspired by Nature, J.M. Benyus, 1997, 2002) Research Question: What are some strategies have we learned from nature that humans use in their daily lives? See BIOMIMICRY EXPLORATION handout for instructions.
NATURE AS A MODEL & TEACHER SYSTEMS THINKING INTERDEPENDENCE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL PLACE GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP INTERGNERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDHIP SUSTAINABILITY RESPECT FOR LIMITS SOCIAL JUSTICE ECONOMIC RESTUCTURING
Systems Thinking and Interdependence System: a set of individual objects that interact and influence each other to perform a task or function. Examples: – The cell as a system – A sports team – The water cycle – Miami-Dade County Schools – Weather & climate
Systems Thinking and Interdependence Systems Thinking takes a comprehensive approach to problem solving. It is a field of study that looks carefully at all the important components of a system and how they interrelate. PLD60006E149C2DFE6
#1 Reaction Paper January 27, 2013 Copy question at top of your paper. You did several tasks in a group today. How would you evaluate your role of working interdependently in your group: Identify your strengths in your group work today. Discuss some areas that you need to work to be a more productive group member.
Reflections Write your Reflections for today January 27, 2015, 2 pages double-spaced typed minimum. This is not a summary of what happened in class. Describe how you felt about what you did in class, any new learning or new insights, or any new ideas that you came up with. It doesn’t need to be too long—it needs to be thoughtful.