Melting Icebergs: Science Inquiry

The presented melting iceberg experiment is a great activity to present students with an inquiry of the effects of such events.  This task is structured and contains the necessary guidance as to permit students construct and formulate their own questions as to understand the reality and seriousness of this melting of icebergs and polar ice caps. 

The experiment demonstrates that as the floating ice melts the volume of water increases.  What would happen if the polar ice caps melted?  There will be a combination of events: 1) rising of sea levels, 2) accelerate global warming, 3) changes ecosystems, 4) threatens human culture and economics, and 5) increases seawater freshwater contamination, which can affect coastal erosion.  All these in one way or the other are interconnected.

One of the most talked about concerns is that of the rising of the sea levels.  It has been documented that the melting itself of icebergs doesn’t affect sea levels.  On the other end, the melting of the polar ice caps will because as the ice melts, the temperature of the seawater increases.  It is important to mention that the polar ice caps help reflect sunlight back into the atmosphere, if the ice is melted the sunlight will be absorbed by the ocean thus increasing its temperature, which will cause the water to expand and rise.  This rising of the temperature will accelerate global warming.

Global warming has been a topic of national and global importance among communities of scientists and political officials.  This itself can bring other questions (inquires) from this activity:

1. How does global warming affect the polar ice caps?
2. Have governmental agencies develop a realistic plan to slow down global warming?  * in the last 100 years global warming has increase ½ degree.
3. Currently, are the 2 mayor polar ice caps in danger (Artic & Antarctica)?
4. How will it directly affect populations of humans and other species?

All these questions can have its instructional value during this task.  The great part of these types of activities is that it invites students to formulate their own inquiries and look for the answers.  Definitely, this is a good inquiry based instruction sample in which active learning is in place.  Students will engage in the activity by formulating questions and collecting data, which they will use to present and reflect.  Students will conduct the experiment and apply their learning to their lives, society, and technology (Hammerman, 2006).

References:

Hammerman, E. L. (2006). Becoming a better science teacher: 8 steps to high quality instruction and student achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Personal Reflection on STEM designed Lesson Plan

Personal Reflection on STEM designed Lesson Plan

From the POEM lesson plan format I have been using during the past years to the one presented during this weeks resources, I can see some common trends and at the same time an entire new outlook on science reforms, student engagement, and differentiated instruction.  I have created a lesson plan that integrates STEM strategies through the use of integrating technology (science and technology go hand in hand) and providing a real life scenario (simulation) that definitely will lead to increase science literacy among my ELL students.

We know that just learning facts and concepts is not sufficient anymore for our students.  I designed a lesson plan based on a context scenario (simulated) in which students can have on-hands activity, and at the same time they can learn how to apply evidence and observation.  Using the 5 E’s Strategy developed by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study group, I was able to mold my lesson plan based on problem solving and scientific designing. 

To engage the students, they were presented with a context scenario in which they could envision themselves participating in.  Not that it was completely a realistic everyday situation, but one I understood they can get excited about.  At the same time, become ‘active characters’ in the case scenario.  I believe that as teachers we should have strategies that can be used to increase student engagement and interests on science topics, but at the same time we should also dare to be creative.

During the lesson, students have the opportunity to explore (exploration) and feel challenged.  With the use of technology (laptops & Internet), students then can collect and investigate data.  As they collect their data based on observation and hands-on activity, they can start formulating an explanation for their task.  During the lesson plan students have to integrate with their group and share data.  Then they will have the opportunity to share out with the rest of the class.  As they share out, they can make the connections with real life events.

Still, I believe the differentiation I set upon the lesson plan may have its flaws with respect to providing other that linguistic diversity.  I believe to have provided an instructional reality for the different linguistic challenges of my bilingual students.  Having a wide range of different English and Spanish speakers, at one end those that understand English and at the other end those that can’t neither read nor understand any English.  Having this wide range is really a challenge.  During the designing of the curriculum and instruction, it calls for the instructional strategies that are effective.  To make things accommodating, I provide all handouts and performance task explanation in both language.  The websites I provide for the lesson are English only.  Understanding this, I include during the designing of the lesson plan the opportunity to intervene and provide my non-English speaking students the necessary time and support to complete their task.  As their teacher I should have an additive practice of valuing their diversity, and not trying to change it Laureate Education, Inc. 2011).  Also, always keeping high expectations for each one of them.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). (Producer). ELLs in today’s schools. [Video web cast]. Retrieved July 11. 2012 from http://www.courseurl.com

'STEM' is the word!

Just want to say hello to all my classmates / colleagues at Walden University.  Excited about the beginning of course Science 6660.