Applauding Innovations - Graphic Analysis from Online Simulations

Did you really understand the concept in that Virtual Lab?

In Kathy Peng's 8th Grade Biology class, students get a rich experience in data analysis.

Students conducted virtual experiments online manipulating enzyme activity by changing variables in their simulation.  Online simulations such as this allow students to test multiple hypotheses and experiment with variables rapidly that would otherwise be too costly or time consuming to perform in a traditional classroom.  In addition, students recorded their data in a lab notebook just as they would in a real lab setting.  In this lab, students were encouraged to keep a paper lab notebook and to create graphs of their collected data.

One of the criteria for creating their own graphs was that they would need to present their completed graphs to the class with an explanation of the analysis they performed.  Students used a document camera to display their notebooks with their graphs and made brief presentations of their analysis as well as answered questions posed by students and Ms. Peng.

Graphical representation of data is a big challenge for students.  Many students have difficulty connecting the skill of graphing they learn in mathematics to then represent scientific processes from real data.  This activity made students really dig deep in their understanding of enzyme activity coupled with graphical representation of what they observed.  By having the students present to the class and answer questions, it solidified their understanding of the data they collected.

Applauding Innovations - Super Hero Physics

How would your Super Hero do in a world governed by the laws of Physics?  

Raji Swaminathan asked just this question to her 7th grade Physics students.  Use Newton's Laws of Motion and a superhero or character of your choice to create examples of how the laws work.  This project involved research into the 3 Laws of Motion and then additionally tasked students with analyzing how a character of their choice would be influenced by those laws.  

The students in Raji’s class dove right into this project.  This was the kind of learning they really wanted to do!  

They carefully researched the Laws of Motion, matched up the super powers of their chosen, or sometimes created, characters and were eager to show off what they had discovered.  This is the type of creative energy students yearn for in their learning.  Opportunities to demonstrate their understanding of new concepts coupled with the things they love outside the traditional classroom!  The students could really explain and understand the 3 Laws of Motion to greater depth than a simple passage in a textbook.  

This was a fantastic project!

Applauding Innovation - Student Songwriters

Student Songwriters use iPads and GarageBand to create their own hit singles!

Bringing music to life!  

Jennah Somers already had a great project where classes write their own songs from scratch practice and tweak the song, with a culminating experience of having a professional band come in and perform the song.  That in and of itself is an amazing learning experience for students.  We kicked that project up a notch by bringing in some iPads and the Garage Band application.  

Students were broken into teams of 2 to 3 students and each group was given an iPad to work with.  The goal was to use the features in Garage Band to create an original song that they could publish and share.  Students were given the tempo, major chords and lyrics; everything else was up to their creative imaginations!  Instead of a simple piano accompaniment, students were able to add percussion, bass line, guitar, orchestra and their own synthesizer touches!  

The engagement in the music creation process was palpable.  Students listened to combined tracks, found new harmonies, added their own artistic talents and really loved learning how to “make” a song.  

Jennah has also pushed the envelope in sharing student work by creating a class blog where students, teachers and parents can see what the students are creating.  The students are running to class to see what’s next and to show off what they have done outside the classroom.  

They are truly inspired.

http://harker6thgrademusic.blogspot.com/

Applauding Innovation - 3D Doodle the Metric System

3D-Doodling the Metric System

This year in both Ben Morgensen and Danny Sommer's 6th Grade Science classes, they decided to take the Metric System to the next level.  

Typically students would have a brief metric system review followed by some hands-on measurement labs.  While this method is an excellent way to get students in to the science of the metric system, Ben and Danny wanted to kick up the innovation a notch and have the students "make" the metric system.  With the use of 3D pens, a hand-held device that heats polymer rods which cools quickly for free-form designs, students created models of metric measurement.  

Starting with a centimeter and then moving into a cubic centimeter, students could physically touch and create a unit of length and volume in the metric system.  The activity continued with creations of metric cubic forms and students were free to represent each growing model however they decided within their small group.  Students could also take their designs with them, which goes beyond the walls of the classroom making the learning experience more meaningful and longer lasting.  Students could wear a cubic centimeter ring, necklace, make a keychain, anything really, that allows them to take the learning with them.

I know that Ben and Danny have more "maker" projects they are going to implement this year.  Looking forward to hearing about them!  Great innovation!