Thursday, March 28, 2013



         I recently constructed and implemented a lesson that was designed to teach students about the formation of fossil fuels, how to use a digital microscope, and the nature of plancton. I tend to align my personal philosophy in education with inquiry based models that allow students to form their own personal understandings by exploring materials that I provide to them. This style of teaching is most affective in science lessons.

        Aside from the sixth grade content standards that suppose students will have an understanding of the formation of oil, be able to use technology to measure an observable aspect of the natural world, and to reflect upon how globalization of scientific understandings have affected culture I wanted students to construct their own theories as to how these scientific processes affect them on a daily basis. To do this I primed them with a few essential questions. Unfortunately it is very common for students to feel the need for specific guided instruction, perhaps this is due to the fact that most students in the nited States have received a very scripted education and have trouble constructing personal enduring understandings when given the freedom to experiment.

      The lesson consisted of four centers that could be approached in any order. This allowed me to optimize my time insured that every student was engaged continuously. Each station also incorporated some form of technology. At one station students watched this video which describes the life cycle of plancton:  http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-secret-life-of-plankton. Another station allowed students to work through an animation that demonstrated the process by which plancton are turned into fossil fuels over the span of millions of years. A station that implemented the use of a digital microscope and a smart board allowed students to attain view plancton that they prepared from a collection that I attained at a local pond. Photos and videos of them can be viewed later in this blog.

     As a means to access student understanding I discussed, saved their pictures, and requested that they write two short entries. One entry requested that students describe the physical makeup of their plancton. The other entry requested that students critically consider how fossil fuels are used in our society and how they use them on a daily basis. Most students were able to give very thoughtful responses. after applying a survey I received good feedback. Students responded by saying that they enjoyed working through centers and using the microscope. One criticism was that the lesson was kind of unclear and that they were unsure of what they were suppose to be learning. I deliberately abstained from announcing any learning goals to students in hopes that they would form their own. This can be confusing at first though people usually jump in and start to explore. I included two digital artifacts in this blog consisting of students videos and the TED - ED lesson they viewed.