1. Striving for good data JoAnn Mossman Grade 7 Life Science
Overlook Middle School, Ashburnham, MA

2. Routine! Start going outside as soon as you learn their names!
Student materials: clipboards/pencils/notebooks/stereoscopes
Your bag: class lists/data sheets/extra pencils and
rulers/ bandaids/epipens/phone/whistle/ flagging/ sharpie
Expectations for lining up
Expectations for walking in and out of the building
Observations/sketches/gathering/skills of a scientist
What to do if they are waiting for you
Don’t worry about footwear
Try to go out the same day each week
Outdoor Classroom Rubric (everything counts!)

3. Outdoor Classroom Rubric
Skill 4 3 2 1
Following Directions
I followed all of the directions for the observation or activity.
I followed most of the directions.
I needed a reminder from Mrs. M. about directions.
I needed many reminders from Mrs. M. about directions.
Safety
I followed all safety instructions.
I followed most safety instructions.
I needed a reminder from Mrs. M. to stay safe.
I needed many reminders from Mrs. M. about the safety behaviors.
Activity
I worked very hard on the observation or activity.
I did pretty well on the observation or activity.
I need to work harder on the observation or activity.
I had a lot of difficulty on the observation or activity because I just wasn’t trying.
Listening
I stopped and listened every time it was signaled.
I stopped and listened most times it was signaled.
Mrs. M. had to remind me to stop and listen when it was time.
I needed many reminders to stop and listen.

4. Practice skills inside first
Tape leaves to paper to measure and estimate % changed
Use the real data sheets to fill in
Rotate groups then compare answers
Discuss why the data did or did not correspond
Practice on branches indoors
Fill in the real data sheets
Rotate groups and compare answers

5. Now practice skills outside: Tree Observation Routine
FIRST DAY: Meet Their Trees
Always go over any instructions inside first
Have a starting and ending meeting area
Be sure to visit every group
They are working on sketches, observations and predictions
Gather in ending meeting area to share

6. Now practice skills outside: Tree Observation Routine
SECOND DAY: First Official Observation
Have both partners do the first obs. on their own data sheet so they both get practice
Visit every group 2-3 times
Always do weather and site notes on bottom of data sheet.
Gather in ending meeting area for the proofread
Proofread:
Stand in a circle next to your partner (when they are working on just one data sheet after the first day, both students are proofreading that one sheet)
Go through the whole data sheet line by line
Encourage them to make corrections/additions
Have a bin inside for completed data sheets

7. Think about verification
Can you get 2 groups observing the same branch? (Elementary=very hard if you only have one class. How can you verify in a non- threatening way?)
More than one class observing: assign at least 2 groups per study branch for verification
Put data sheets in order and go through the data sheets within a day or two while it is fresh in your memory
If you see a blatant error you can send a group back out or you can look yourself
Keep a master data sheet to make data input easier, but keep all of their individual sheets

8. What do I do now? When a group’s tree determines they are done:
Bring out a thermometer: laser thermometer, soil thermometer, gather data to graph later
Be helpers
Bring out hand lenses or stereoscopes
Photographers
Site clean-up (trash, gardens)
Sketch books

9. Other Ideas: Initial Spring Observation dates
April 12, 2010
April 15, 2011
March 22, 2012
April 11, 2013
April 18, 2014
April 30, 2015
April 29, 2016
Why?

10. Other Ideas: Final Fall observation dates
** looks like normal
Obs. Dates but
When you look at the
Graph they were short
Growing seasons
Nov. 11, 2009
Nov. 9, 2010
Nov. 21, 2011 **
Nov. 2, 2012
Nov. 15, 2013
Nov. 7, 2014 **
Nov. 13, 2015
Nov. 10, 2016
Why?

12. Oct. 29, 2011: Snowstorm
October 23, 2014 Nor’Easter

13. Final Fall observation dates
Nov. 11, 2009
Nov. 9, 2010
Nov. 21, 2011
Nov. 2, 2012 **
Nov. 15, 2013
Nov. 7, 2014
Nov. 13, 2015
Nov. 10, 2016
** looks like an early
Ending date but
When you look at the
Graph it was a long
Growing season
Why?

15. 2012 First spring observation was March 22, full weeks earlier than our typical spring observations So the Nov. 2 ending date didn’t have as big of an impact on the growing season

16. School Elevation (m) Other ideas Austin Prep.Reading 26 Bagnell Elem.
Groveland
Tewksbury HS 45
Overlook
Ashburnham 290
Gardner High

17. Other ideas

18. Other ideas