EET Workshops Implementation
Use this template to share the results of how you have incorporated the techniques of an EET chapter into your teaching. Let us know how you used the EET in the classroom by describing the projects and activities that you carried out with your students. In addition to this template, post a PowerPoint presentation or a text file with screen shots to document your results.
Name:
Joann Hudak
Position and school:
5TH through 8th grade science teacher, St. Aloysius School
Title of the EET Chapter on which you based your Project or Activity:
Using GLOBE Data to Study the Earth System
Dataset Used:
Reynolds Jr. Sr. High School, Greenville, PA
Tool Used:
GLOBE graphs
Project/Activity Question(s):
· Students were guided to complete a set of questions as we progressed through the activities analyzing Maximum Air Temperature, Soil Moisture, and Rainfall data.
· Students also explored the Windows to the Universe website to gain an understanding of weather and climate and factors that influence each.
Project/Activity Goal(s):
· Aligning with the fifth grade content standards of Ohio, our goal was to “analyze weather and changes that occur over a period of time.”
Brief Description of the Project/Activity (What did students do?):
· I introduced weather and climate to the students, defining each and led the class on a discussion of weather variability throughout the year and between different areas of the country and the world.
· We completed the activity in the computer lab.
· Using a LCD projector, I guided the students through the GLOBE site to retrieve the data and produce each graph.
· As we produced and analyzed each graph students were asked the questions on their worksheet, after filling out their answers we discussed them as a class. The students made corrections as needed.
· As a follow-up, I introduced the students to the Windows to the Universe website, showing them the resources available there. We also discussed the web pages on the site that focused on weather and climate.
Number of Students (With how many students did you carry out the project/activity?):
11 fifth grade students
Time Spent on the Project/Activity (How many hours or class periods did the project/activity take?):
About one and a half hours
Your Reflections on the Project/Activity:
· How do you feel the project/activity went with students?
o I had not anticipated that the GLOBE site would move so slowly. Eventually, we were able to get everyone on the right page and the graphs generated. At times, the pages would not load fast enough to keep pace with the activity.
o This being said, I was able to get my computer which was hooked up to the LCD to load the site and generate the graphs. Those who did not have the graphs available on their computers were able to look at the projected page.
o The students seemed to get a little bored part way through the soil moisture questions and graphs. I then had to skip ahead in order to maintain interest.
o Some students were much more curious and aggressive with the data. Other students were a bit overwhelmed.
· What sorts of questions did student ask? What insights did they have? How proficient are students in using the dataset and/or tool of the EET chapter?
o The students asked most of their questions about the patterns in the data. For example, the rising and falling temperatures versus the rainfall which did not have an obvious pattern.
o They independently figured out how to enlarge the graph and even figured out the different ways to retrieve the Reynolds data.
o They did not seem to have any insights other than to answer the questions.
o After one go with the activity, the students were not comfortable with the site. The following day I reviewed what we had covered, and I was pleasantly surprised that they seemed much more comfortable with the procedures. In fact, as I tried to load the soil moisture data, one student had to remind me to press control so I did not lose the air temperature data.
o It seems that as the familiarity with the site increases so did their willingness to explore and focus on the data versus the procedures.
o Using the Greenville, PA data was great because the students had recently spent 3 days at a camp not too far from that location. Because of their experience, they felt a connection with the data.
· How will you carry out this project/activity differently in the future?
o I will definitely break the lesson into smaller parts. For example, one day might be an introduction to the site and retrieving data from multiple schools. The next day I might focus on the air temperature data from Reynolds and how to manipulate the graph by changing settings, dates, etc. Only after they are familiar with procedures would I then dive into the data analysis. Their focus on the procedures was a distraction to the learning goals.
o I would want to combine it with a study of ecosystems (also in the fifth grade standards) and compare different schools’ data around the world and relate this to the ecosystems and the organisms that live in that area.
o I would also look closely at the questions and add some that the students can relate to from personal experience.
o I am GLOBE trained but have not had a chance to set up our site yet. Once it is up and running, the students’ interest and understanding will likely increase dramatically.
In addition to this template, please post a PowerPoint presentation or a text document with screen shots to document your results. Include examples of representative student work (without names) and any handouts or introductory materials you may have provided to accompany the project/activity.
If the materials you used come from other sources and are copy written, please cite where they come from. If you developed the materials you used, then please cite them with Your Name, Copyright Year. For example, Susan Smith, Copyright 2006.