Mr. Train
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Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
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This is a big question in education right now: are we assessing skills, effort, or both? Ultimately, I believe that they are intermingling components, and it is important to cultivate the enjoyment and effort so that the final product is as strong as can be. When such enthusiasm is nurtured, and when the teacher contributes to supporting the students in the middle of the process, I consistently see projects that are completed in a high level.
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Certainly it is a challenge to provide students with enough time to engage in the entire process of an investigation. However, I find that by taking time to provide them with plenty of class time to work and meet with me twice or three times as "check-ins," the process truly takes shape. Students are able to make mistakes and learn from them, and as they make changes in the middle of things, their final work is generally much better and more comprehensive. Of course, taking more class time to generate these projects may mean less time for something else, but the entire process is so valuable that it is worth it.
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I took some time to explore The Billion Oyster Project. The goal of this project is to return 1 billion oysters to the Hudson River by 2030. The Harbor School on Governor’s Island is running the program, and it is a great way to encourage citizen science in the metropolitan area. The database and data is available to anyone with an account, and, if you are in the area and would like to participate with your class, you can train as a citizen scientist and begin monitoring a station. Scientists continue to do work with the data, and they are publishing their results for people to examine and explore. I think the the most inviting piece of this project is that students will feel empowered by seeing high school students initiating such a bold goal and process. Students may become enthusiastic about participating in the program, and they may also begin considering an element of an eco-system near their own communities that might need to be replenished. The story of the oyster is fascinating. How can an organism whose function it is to clean and filter water be replaced after so many years, and how does it positively impact the environment surround it?
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I have used the app Seek, which was taught to us in one of the workshops. The biggest challenge was simply taking the time to explore and use the app. Each time I made an ID I learned something new about how to look for interesting things in the woods. It is a wonderful feature that they also include the kingdom and family names alongside the species names. I ended up focusing on fungi. I began asking questions: why are these species in this part of the forest? What makes some mushrooms grow together while others grow alone. How doe multiple species seem to cluster or congregate in some areas but not in others? I expect that my students will love the process that opens up from putting a name to a mystery. Once they see and identify one mushroom or slug or plant, the questions will begin and the transition to “I wonder” will be underway. Enabling students to utilize this technology together in small groups is a challenge I foresee, but it is surmountable. I find that when providing students with an opportunity to focus their attention with a piece of technology, they rise to the occasion and use their devices respectfully. Thanks for introducing me to this program.
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I love the idea of "positioning youth as people who do science." I think this is empowering to learners, and it really puts the students in the driver's seat. THEY will be doing the work, and they are provided with an opportunity to learn, grow, fail, make mistakes, and succeed. I also think it is crucial to "Frame the work globally and locally." Seeing the big and the little picture will help them to make connections. It is always valuable to provide students with a chance to invest in their own communities, and they can take what they learn and apply those skills to the larger world as a whole.
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I have a question about West Nile: earlier in the fall I came across a red-tailed hawk in the woods, which appeared to have a broken leg. I rescued the bird and brought it to a local hospital. They determined that the bird had contracted West Nile. They administered drugs, but it was too late and the bird died. A few weeks later I was speaking to a rehabber, and he wanted to know if they took a blood sample to determine the state of the bird, because, he said, lead in the water can have the same impacts as West Nile. Is this true? Also, does your research group test birds that have died in order to determine if the birds do succumb to West Nile? Could some of the crows be dying from lead in the water?
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Just curious: After finishing this first lesson, should I know how to id a crow's nest? I did not see any material on that yet, but I am hopeful to learn about it. If my neighbor were badmouthing the crow I would tell him what I told my son this afternoon: Crows don't really eat baby birds. You mine as well hate dear, because they ate pretty much the same amount of baby birds as deer did. I would also point out that if he does want to blame a creature for the destruction of those nests, he should look to the squirrels and chipmunks that he thinks are so "cute." I live nee NYC, and I though in my small city we don't see a ton of crows, I have noticed fish crows nearby more and more. I am wondering, what is the link between the American and fish crow? Are some of their behaviors similar? Is the only way to distinguish them by the sound of their call? I noticed that I do not see any fish crows on the ID with the ravens. Is it possible to tell them apart?
Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)