Mega Mining Mart
Authors
Michelle Daniel
Bartley Richardson
Subject
Physical Science
Grade Level
9th
Duration
70 minutes (one class block)
Rationale (How this relates to engineering)
This activity will provide students with an introduction to Data Mining and Software Engineering and their relation to the design of grocery store layouts.
Activity Summary
General Description
This introductory lesson to Chapter 2 (The Periodic Table) of the Active Chemistry text gives students a hands-on practical experience with organizing; identify trends and understanding correlations, in reference to a grocery store. Student will then relate the arrangement of items in their “mega mining mart” to the arrangement of elements in the periodic table. Student’s prior learning includes knowledge about elements, compounds, states of matter, chemical and physical changes and density. This lesson will be made relevant to student’s lives not only by revolving around a grocery store, a place most of them are familiar with, but also with a new industry called Data Mining. Data Mining is performed by software engineers, who use such things as the “Kroger Plus” card to track what people are buying in grocery stores in order to determine how to increase sales.
Teaching Philosophy
This lesson was designed as a replacement for the introductory lesson to Chapter 2 (The Periodic Table) of the Active Chemistry textbook. To that end, we used the main ideas and concepts from the lesson as a starting point and sought to add in engineering applications. The basic teaching philosophy for this lesson is to give students introductory information on Software Engineering and data mining, explain the activity to them, and then have them apply the principles mentioned to their store layout. The teacher needs to supervise the design phase of the activity to ensure students have an adequate grasp of the required information. This information will prove essential when students are asked to answer the Chemistry To Go questions at the end of the activity.
Objectives
1. Students will explore a state-of-the-art data storage technology known as Data Mining.
2. Students will understand how Data Mining impacts society.
3. Students will apply the methods of inventive problem solving to plan the arrangement of a store using their personal knowledge of grocery stores and the data mining relationships provided to them.
4. Students will analyze trends in the arrangement of their “Mega Mining Mart.”
5. Students will relate the arrangement of the items in the store to the arrangement of elements in the periodic table.
6. Students will recognize that the periodic table was formed as a result of the repeating pattern of electron configurations and similar chemical and physical properties.
Standards
Science
· Standard: Physical Sciences
o Benchmark A: Describe that matter is made of minute particles called atoms and atoms are comprised of even smaller components. Explain the structure and properties of atoms.
o Indicator 4 (Grade 9): Show that when elements are listed in order according to the number of protons (called the atomic number), the repeating patterns of physical and chemical properties identifying families of elements. Recognize that the periodic table was formed as a result of the repeating pattern of electron configurations.
· Standard: Science and Technology
o Benchmark B: Explain that science and technology are interdependent; each drives the other.
o Indicator 2 (Grade 10): Describe examples of scientific advances and emerging technologies and how they impact society.
Technology
· Standard: Technology and Society Integration
o Benchmark A: Interpret and practice responsible citizenship relative to technology.
o Indicator 5 (Grade 9): Provide examples of technology transfer from a government agency to private industry, and discuss the benefits.
o Indicator 1 (Grade 10): Understand that the development of technology may be influenced by societal opinions and demands, in addition to corporate cultures.
· Standard: Technology for Productivity Application
o Benchmark A: Integrate conceptual knowledge of technology systems in determining practical applications for learning and technical problem-solving.
o Indicator 1 (Grade 9): Explore state-of-the-art devices to store data that will be used for researching projects.
· Standard: Design
o Benchmark A: Identify and produce a product or system using a design process, evaluate the final solution and communicate the findings.
o Indicator 1 (Grade 9): Explain and apply the methods and tools of inventive problem-solving to develop and produce a product or system.
· Standard: Designed World
o Benchmark E: Classify, demonstrate, examine and appraise information and communication technologies.
o Indicator 1 (Grade 9): Describe the careers available in information and communication technological systems and the training needed to pursue them.
o Indicator 6 (Grade 9): Investigate emerging (state-of-the-art) and innovative applications of information and communication technology.
Background Knowledge
· Basic knowledge about food items and grocery store layout
Materials Required
· Mega Mining Mart Packet
o Step-by-step instructions
o Worksheets
o Career sheet
o Feedback survey
· Store Layout
· Envelope with cut-out store items
· Clear tape
Activities
When the students enter the room they will be grouped into teams of 2-3. It is best to only have groups of 2 if resources are available to ensure that all students participate.
1. Data Mining Introduction
a. To begin class the teacher will begin class by reading the Mega Mining Mart activity Introduction. This introduction will be read using “skip reading.” Skip reading is when the teacher reads the introduction and stops at words in which the students are to say that word. This way all students are forced to follow along and actively read the intro.
b. Then the teacher will discuss Data Mining and its relation to the Mega Mining Mart activity.
2. Software Engineering Career Sheet
a. The teacher will then direct the students’ attention to the software engineer career sheet and relate this career to Data Mining and the Mega Mining Mart activity.
3. Mega Mining Mart Design
a. After the discussion about software engineering and data mining, the students will be directed to the Mega Mining Mart handout in which they will begin their store design by spending three minutes coming up with categories for the food items provided to them. It is important that the students only spend three minutes or else they will not have enough time to complete the activity. Remind students about freezer sections and refrigerator sections.
b. The students will then complete the activity by organizing their store. Students should keep in mind their store categories as well as the data mining associations when organizing their stores.
c. The teacher will circulate the room to ensure that all students are on task and to make sure they are following the directions of the activity.
d. Check Point: Students must show their final store design to the teacher to ensure that they take into account their store categories and the data mining associations before they are permitted to tape down the food items on their store layout.
4. Mega Mining Mart Questions
a. After students have completed their store design they should complete the Chemistry to Go questions.
5. Compare Mega Mining Mart to the Periodic Table
a. After the students have completed the Chemistry to Go questions, the teacher will hold a discussion about comparisons between their store layout and the periodic table.
b. The main point to be discussed will be the idea of trends and correlations.
Assessment of Student Learning
Student assessment will be based upon class participation, class discussion, student Mega Mining Mart designs and their Mega Mining Mart handouts
1. Student exploration of the state-of-the-art data storage technology known as Data Mining will be evaluated through their use of the data mining relationships in their store design.
2. Student understanding of the impact of Data Mining on society will be assessed through a class discussion about Data Mining.
3. Student application of the methods of inventive problem solving to plan the arrangement of a store using their personal knowledge of grocery stores and the data mining relationships provided to them will be assessed by their Mega Mining Mart design.
4. Student analyzing of trends in the arrangement of their Mega Mining Mart will be assessed through their completion of the Mega Mining Mart handout.
5. Student understanding of the relationship of the arrangement of items in their store to the arrangement of the elements in the periodic table will be assessed through class discussion and the students Mega Mining Mart handout.
6. Student recognition that the periodic table was formed as a result of the repeating pattern of electron configurations and similar chemical and physical properties will be assessed through class discussion and the students Mega Mining Mart handout.
Assessment of the Activity
A student feedback form is provided with the activity. Students complete the form at the end of the lab and give it back to the teacher. The results are compiled and used to determine the effectiveness of the activity. In addition, the teacher will be watching the students while they complete the activity in order to gauge their interest.
Reflection
This week, I helped Michelle with the Mega Mining Mart activity (a lesson on the periodic table). We presented the lesson on Monday (02/29/05) to Debra Hutchinson’s 9th grade Physical Science classes.
Block 3
Michelle said that this group was much more quiet than normal. While they were much quieter than the last time I was in their class, I don’t typically see these students (so I have very little data to use for behavior comparison). I thought Michelle did a great job explaining the lesson. I was able to add a few points about software engineering and data mining, and then the students were set loose with the activity. As is typical for a hands-on activity at Hughes (in any classroom), the students spent way too much time on small issues of the activity (such as what to name the store). They also spent way to much time brainstorming categories for the products. However, once they started the real body of the activity, they worked very consistently. Michelle and I circulated to the various groups and assisted as needed. Since the students took too long with the initial portions of the activity, they didn’t get finished in one day. Debra let them finish the next day, and Michelle collected the packets later in the week.
Block 4
Block 4 was much more animated than the previous block. While I presented essentially the same information to this class as the previous class, I was able to cut a few minutes out in order to give them more time to spend on the activity. We decided to give them a time limit (three minutes) to brainstorm categories for their store items. However, this had little to no effect on their final progress. This class worked much slower than Block 3, and they ended-up completed just as much work as the previous block (even though they should have been able to get further into the activity). With the exception of one or two groups, neither class started the Chemistry to Go questions on Monday. It seemed like the groups in Block 4 needed more individual guidance than Block 3. I’m not sure if this is typical or not.