Project Based Learning

PBLs or Project Based Learning experiences offer students an opportunity to do meaningful research.  Typically, the project starts with a driving question students answer through webquests, guided lab activities, models, or research.  The research concludes with a culminating activity, such as a presentation, poster display, working model, etc.  Our class will create wiki spaces with information, videos, graphics, etc.Buck Institute for Education has a complete guide and examples to follow.

WA: Earth Science Natural Disaster PBLs

Project Based Learning or PBL
The student are outlining material on weathering, erosion, mass movements, water resources, and groundwater resources in preparation for a series of projects using a PBL approach.  The class will start with Cacapon Institute's (www.cacaponinstitute.org) Stream Cleaner.  Cacapon has a number of resources, games, virtual stream assays, and documents on its eschool.  Our class will work through these activities both to gain experience with a robust PBL and to prepare for a stream assessment field trip in the spring.

Apologia: Physical Science Motion

Physical Science: Motion
Key Terms:
Acceleration
Average Speed
Distance
Motion
Position
Relative Motion
Reference Point
Speed
Velocity

Key Concepts:
1.  An object's motion can be predicted.
2.  Motion is a change of position.
3.  Acceleration measures changes in velocity.
4.  Speed and velocity are a function of distance and time.
5.  Velocity is speed in a given direction.
6. Acceleration is a function of velocity and time.

Objectives:
1.  Perform a series of labs, activities and demonstrations to understand the basic principles of motion.
2.  Calculate speed, average speed, and acceleration problems.
3.  Interpret time-distance and velocity-time graphs.
Questions:
1.  What is motion as opposed to relative motion?
2.  Differentiate between speed and velocity?
3. How are speed and velocity calculated?  What is the formula?
4.  What information does a distance-time graph display?
5.  How does velocity change?  How is it calculated?
6.  What is the acceleration formula?
7.  Describe a velocity-time graph.

WA: Physical Science Motion

Physical Science: Motion
Key Terms:
Acceleration
Average Speed
Distance
Motion
Position
Relative Motion
Reference Point
Speed
Velocity

Key Concepts:
1.  An object's motion can be predicted.
2.  Motion is a change of position.
3.  Acceleration measures changes in velocity.
4.  Speed and velocity are a function of distance and time.
5.  Velocity is speed in a given direction.
6. Acceleration is a function of velocity and time.

Objectives:
1.  Perform a series of labs, activities and demonstrations to understand the basic principles of motion.
2.  Calculate speed, average speed, and acceleration problems.
3.  Interpret time-distance and velocity-time graphs.
Questions:
1.  What is motion as opposed to relative motion?
2.  Differentiate between speed and velocity?
3. How are speed and velocity calculated?  What is the formula?
4.  What information does a distance-time graph display?
5.  How does velocity change?  How is it calculated?
6.  What is the acceleration formula?
7.  Describe a velocity-time graph.

WA: Life Science Genetics

Overview:

Life Science: Genetics
1. Students should define terms and outline Chapters Four and Five from their textbooks.
2. The class has a brief survey of traits.  Each student should interview his or her family and graph the results for Tuesday.
3. Here is a brief overview of the material: questions, objectives, key terms.
Genetics
Terms:
Allele
Co dominance
Crossing Over
Diploid
Dominant
Fertilization
Gamete
Genetics
Genotype
Haploid
Heredity
Heterozygous
Homologous chromosome
Homozygous
Hybrid
Law of independent assortment
Law of segregation
Meosis
Phenotype
Recessive
Sexual reproduction (asexual reproduction)
Trait
X-linked traits
Zygote

Objectives:
1. Explain the basis of heredity in terms of genes and transmission.
2.  Understand the role of meiosis and fertilization in maintenance of chromosomes between generations.
3.  Learn how the rules of probability predict patterns of inheritance.
4.  Manipulate Punnett Squares and describe the resulting genotypes and phenotypes.
5. Describe Gregor Mendal's work and contributions to the Genetics' field.
6. Explain how DNA is the template for RNA, specifies amino acid sequences into proteins, which govern biochemical reactions.
7. Perform a variety of hands-on activities, labs, and simulations.

Questions:
1. What is the role of genes in heredity?
2.  How does probability predict gene inheritance?
3.  Explain the contributions of Gregor Mendal's
4.  Compare dominant and recessive traits.
5.  Distinguish between genes and alleles.
6.  Compare phenotypes and genotypes.
7.  Identify gene symbols.
8.  How do homozygous and heterozygous alleles differ?
9.  How are pedigrees used?
10. What is the role of Punnett's Squares?
11.  Explain how genes are transcribed and translated through DNA transcription and translation.
12.  Identify evidence of dominance.
13.  What are common traits?
14.  What are types of genetic disorders?
15.  What are some practical applications of DNA technology?

Science Fair: Experimental Design

The science fair project hinges on the experiment.  One of the Middle School students, T., wants to compare the burn rate of different types of wood: oak, birch, pine, etc.  My suggestion is to use calorimetry for comparison.  T. will need to make some preliminary tests.  How long does a small piece of wood burn?  T. will need to perform at least three trials for each type of wood tested.  He needs to burn wood chips to practically be able to repeat the trials.

T. also must locate a practical means to compare the burn rate for wood.  A fire pit outside has some drawbacks.  One, T. has to weigh the wood piece before and after the burn or measure the time it burns.  T. identified several, potentially confounding variables, such as wind speed and the outdoor temperature.  Burning wood inside reduces these two confounding variables.  T. might do his experiment in a fireplace and repeat each trial in the same location to reduce the number of confounding variables, things which can skew an experiment.

If T. uses the protocol for the soda can calorimeter, the controlled variables include the volume of water, the type of soda can, the mass of wood, the distance of the soda can above the wood, the type of thermometer, and the room temperature.  Confounding variables may include the soda can ,which is uninsulated, and the fact the wood burns in the open air, rather than in a closed container.  The simpler the design, the better!  The goal is to isolate one independent variable to test and to produce one dependent variable.  In this case, the type of wood determines the number of calories of heat.  (Calories, like joules or BTUs measure the energy content or heat value.). Each trail must be carefully recorded. T. must use 50 mL of water each time and the same mass of wood.  He should record the temperature of the water in the soda can before and after the burn.  The number of calories is determined by Q= m x c x change of temperature or Q, heat equals the mass of the wood x the Spcific heat of water (1 calorie /g degree Celcius) x the overall change in temperature, or the final temperature mupinus the initial temperature, the number of degrees the temperature rises.

Careful design, a minimum of three trials, and attention to detail all craft a good experiment.

Science Fair: Even More Updates

Our school is closing in on Science Fair, set for mid-January.   Now is the time for students to finish the experiments and write research papers.  My kids create slideshow presentations (Keynote, PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc) to help them get organized.  Slideshows allow students to edit, save citations, and make creative changes.  Kids can use templates for the slides and then print them for their display boards.

The content in the research paper is key.  The student should have a complete understanding of the topic.  One of the Middle School students is comparing heat values of different woods.  T. must understand combustion, BTUs, calories, joules, cellulose, hard wood versus soft woods, and the principles of calorimetry.  Students should start by defining every unfamiliar term they encounter as they research.  Next, kids should look up all the formulas and have images or graphics for each molecule or compound.  In this case, wood is composed of cellulose; what is its molecular composition?  It is important to keep track of sources.  One way is to copy and paste links into the Bibliography page in the slideshow or book mark specific pages.  The science textbook may have information; kids tend to overlook this resource.

As students perform the experiment, keep track with photos, creating a photo journal, which includes the materials, observations, changes, etc. T. can assemble a simple calorimetry experiment with a soda can and platform to burn the wood. (Soda Can Calorimeter).   He should photograph every experiment and print a few images for his display.  T. can bring this equipment to the Science Fair as part of the display.  (Chemicals, liquids, and glass are prohibited.).   This brings up another aspect of the research paper.  The student must be able to name every part of the experiment, identify the independent, dependent, controlled and confounding variables, explain the process, discuss the outcomes, and draw conclusions.

With this level of detail and consideration it is time to get a move on!

Science Fair: Research Paper

Where to start?  First, ask the standard questions: who, what, when, where, and why.  Let's look at one project on cell phone radiation.  The student must be well versed on the topic.  What is cell phone radiation?  What is an EMF?  How is it measured?  Why do cell phones emit radiation?  Do land lines emit radiation?  Do cell phones cause cancer?  Is there any research?  Do studies indicate cell phones do or do not cause cancer?  This part of the process is called the literature review.  As the students gleans information relevant to the topic, he or she becomes familiar with issues or the science related to his or her project.

Once the student has some background, this constitutes the first part of the research paper and becomes part of the introduction.  The introduction should include information about the topic?  What is cell phone radiation?  Is it harmful?  What do studies indicate?  The research paper does not have to be lengthy.  The introduction should be at least one paragraph with three to five sentences.  Ask your child to tell you about his or her project and then type up these answers.  Once the student has the thoughts written, it is time for revisions.  Unlike this blog, the paper should be written in the third person, present tense, and active voice.  For example, 'Cell phones emit radiation and the amount of radiation varies.'

Each section of the research paper should be written as paragraphs.  Students may title each paragraph.  See this example.
Materials:
The materials for this experiments include the following: an EMF detector, thirty different cell phones, a field notebook, and a pencil.

Procedures:
The first step in this experiment is to remove any case and to place the cell phone face down on a solid surface.  The next step is to measure EMFs from each cell phone with the detector both 'on' and 'off'.

These sections need not be long-just complete.  Often the entire paper is only two pages.  Judges do want to see the research paper.

Science Fair: Update

All Science Classes

So far, most of the kids have their hypotheses and are researching their projects.  Now is the time to gear up and get moving on the experiments!  The first step is to see if your child is using an idea from a web site, such as sciencebuddies.com; if so, check there for materials and procedures.  If the child has a more original idea, try a web search for materials and procedures.  Often, there are two or three common methods; encourage your child to do some preliminary experiments to see which method produces the best results.  Be sure to take photos as documentation!  Keep a log or field notebook.  However, photos with time and date stamps or videos can comprise an electronic notebook.  In fact, the student may want to create an electronic folder for science fair files.  I encourage kids to use their cell phones to text themselves reminders, notes, and photos.  My kids create slideshow presentations and add slides with references and photos to keep the information together.  It makes things much easier to edit and print for their displays.  The kids can bring laptops and tablets to the Science Fair should they need to consult their notes.  One last tip is to download reference material as pdf files on their computers or tablets.  This way the child will have that reference to work with off line, especially when Internet access is an issue or the wifi is spotty.  The student can consult the references in their electronic file at the Science Fair, too.

Science Fair: More on Hypotheses

Let's use the cell phone radiation experiment to help hone the null and alternative hypotheses.  P. And M. are using an inexpensive cell phone EMF meter to measure cell phone radiation.  Their null hypothesis for this experiment is "All cell phones emit the same amount of radiation." Their alternative hypothesis is "Apple cell phone or iPhones emit more radiation than Android cell phones."

Their alternative hypothesis could just as well have been that Android devices emit more radiation than Apple phones.  What happens if all of the cell phones do emit the same amount of data, is their experiment a failure?  No!  Their results may support either the null hypothesis or the alternative hypothesis.  The data may in fact, refute both!  The important thing is to have an idea to test which becomes the hypothesis!

Science Fair Experimentation

One of the biggest misconceptions kids have about their projects is that unless everything goes perfectly, it has failed.  This morning, some of the kids started to collect data for their experiments.  L. and D. had the idea to build batteries, a fine exoeriement for middle school aged students.  They had an experiment from Apologia's Middle School Chemistry and Physics textbook. L. had also performed several electrical experiments in stations last summer at Science Camp, including Squishy Circuits.  L. and D. spent several hours mixing the playdough, sanding pennies, and building circuits with LED bulbs.  They used lemon juice, coffee, potatoes, battery packs, etc.  After an entire morning experimenting, they cheerfully abandoned the project and changed direction altogether because they could not get the experiment to perform according to their expectations, after doing some great science!

Students have trouble seeing that the trial and error, redesign, and frustrations are at the heart of the scientific method. In fact, it makes for good discussion during the child's presentation. I am partially to blame; I select experiments which deliver good results to avoid some of this frustration and angst associated when an experiment does not work well.

L. and D. switched to testing the pH of saliva.  They spent the rest of the morning saturating pieces of water color paper in universal indicator, and drying the paper with a hair dryer.  The two calibrated the paper with lemon juice using the pH color scale in the Apologia textbook.  They will compare their strips with commercial strips.  The two left armed to collect data.  L. and D. Took five minutes, decided how long to leave the strip in a person's mouth, and which questions to ask their participants.

Another pair of students, P. and M. are using an inexpensive cell phone radiation meter to collect data.  They spent the morning doing preliminary testing: type of cell phone, with or without the case, upside down or face up, on or off, texting, playing music, sending or receiving a call, etc.  they were getting mixed data and retested using different sensitivities on the meter.  M. was a little frustrated because the project was open-ended.  The pair tested everyone's cell phones, the land line, the TV, and three old iPods.  I sent them home frustrated with instructions to research EMFs and cell phone radiation.  Do different devices emit varying amount of radiation?  Is the radiation dangerous?  If so, how is it dangerous?  Even if the data from the meter varies, they have a tremendous amount of information to consider as they conduct their project, continue to research the topic and collect more data.