Claim, Evidence, Reasoning: Using Debates in an Online Class
(Tu June 30, 12-1:30pm EDT) An exciting way to engage your students in their online class is to use a topic that sparks discussion, research, and the desire to sleuth out additional information. In this workshop, teachers will participate in a debate in an asynchronous platform (such as Google Classroom) and in a synchronous video […]
Remote Teaching and Learning Series: Part 1 Setting Up Your Asynchronous Classes
(Tu June 30, 2-3:30pm EDT) The purpose of this 1.5-hour workshop is to organize your teaching load into discrete groups that you can access so contact is continuous throughout the time school is closed. I will guide you through the process of creating virtual classrooms using a program called Google Classroom.* This program allows you […]
Math-infused Science: Describing Data in Written and Verbal Formats FRQs & DBQs
(Tu June 30, 4-5:30pm EDT) How do we talk about data? How do we write about data? In this workshop you will discover ways to help your student be specific, using the correct terms, in context, as they identify and describe trends in a set of numbers. We will play two games useful for building […]
Statistics for General Level Science: Part 4 Expressing Error on a Graph
(W July 1, 2-3:30 pm EDT) Error bars are placed on a graph to give a more detailed account of what was observed. Although there are many descriptors that can be used to draw error bars, in each case the value is used to express the uncertainty or variability of the data. Error bars created […]
In Case I Am Teaching Biology Online in 2020-21: Part 4 Evolution Unit Topics
(M July 1, 4-5:30 pm EDT) In this series, we will rework one unit of the biology curriculum each session with a goal of stripping down the content and skills to create a list of priorities in case students are working online when this unit is taught. As a group of peers, general level, Pre-AP, […]
Online Teaching Techniques: Using Competitions in an Online Class
(W July 1, 6-7:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time) Competitions are assignments that guide students through a preliminary exploration, data collection, analysis, reflection, and revision in a repeating cycle. This process leans on the scientific method and helps students practice character skills such as persistence, curiosity, critical thinking, and self-direction. For my own purposes, I will […]
Student-designed Experiments: Part 1 Developing Curiosity
(M July 6, 12-1:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time) In this workshop we will practice a repeatable structure for introducing a topic that will be studied through scientific exploration using a remote teaching and learning platform. We will help our students conduct a preliminary investigation at home developing interest in a particular phenomenon by generating data […]
Math-infused Science: Choosing the Most Appropriate Graph
(M July 6, 2-3:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time) Students aren’t the only ones who struggle to determine the best way to display data in graphic form. Because there are usually many representations that can be used, and each may encourage the reader to make slightly different conclusions, deciding on the most appropriate graph can be […]
In Case I Am Teaching Biology Online in 2020-21: Part 5 Anatomy and Physiology Unit Topics
(M July 6, 4-5:30 pm EDT) In this series, we will rework one unit of the biology curriculum each session with a goal of stripping down the content and skills to create a list of priorities in case students are working online when this unit is taught. As a group of peers, general level, Pre-AP, […]
Statistics for General Level Science: Part 1 Measuring and Reporting Uncertainty
(M July 6, 6-7:30 pm EDT) All measurements include some degree of uncertainty or error, but how it is reported is decided by the person collecting the data. Because analysis is dependent on the data collected, the method used to report error can substantially impact the strength of the claims made and conclusions drawn. In […]