Statistics for Teaching Science: Part 1 Measuring and Reporting Uncertainty
(Th Aug 27, 2-3:30pm Eastern Daylight Time) 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. […]
Student-designed Experiments: Part 4 Drawing Conclusions
(Sa Aug 29, 2-3:30pm Eastern Daylight Time) This workshop will focus on the content and demands of the conclusion section of a lab report, with applications to data-based questions and internal assessments for IB students, and free response questions for AP students. The conclusions drawn from experimental data must be limited to the scope of […]
Math-infused Science: Describing Data in Written and Verbal Formats (for DBQs and FRQs)
(Sa Aug 29, 4-5:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time) 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 […]
Statistics for Teaching Science: Part 2 The Problem with Describing Data Using the Mean
(W Sept 2, 5-6:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time) Often by middle school and certainly by high school, students default to the mean as the best way to describe data without much consideration for how they might defend that choice. So, you might think, what’s the harm in that? Everyone knows what is meant by this […]
Claim, Evidence, Reasoning: Helping Students Discern Fact from Fiction
(W Sept 2, 7-8:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time) Information is available from an unlimited number of sources and accessible to anyone. And, anyone who desires can make information available to the masses regardless of its factual or fictitious nature. How are we able to determine what information is reliable and what is suspect? In this […]
Claim, Evidence, Reasoning: Helping Students Discern Fact from Fiction
(Th Sept 3, 2-3:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time) Information is available from an unlimited number of sources and accessible to anyone. And, anyone who desires can make information available to the masses regardless of its factual or fictitious nature. How are we able to determine what information is reliable and what is suspect? In this […]
Remote Teaching and Learning Series: Part 2 Holding Synchronous Video Classes
(Sa Sept 5, 11am-12:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time) In this 1.5-hour workshop, we will compare several online streaming platforms that you may find useful for class meetings. We will go over the pros and cons of several popular programs (Zoom, Google Meets, Microsoft Teams, and Webex) discussing why you may choose one over another. This […]
Standards-based Grading Series: Writing Easy-to-Use Rubrics
(Sa Sept 5, 1-2:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time) In this workshop, participants will practice writing rubrics with the intent of assessing the attainment of specific content and skills standards. We will explore how rubrics can be designed for ease of use and consistent interpretation. I will challenge the participants to make rubrics that are flexible […]
Statistics for Teaching Science: Part 3 Getting Comfortable with Variance, Standard Deviation, and Standard Error
(W Sept 9, 5-6:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time) The variance, standard deviation, and standard error of the mean are excellent methods for describing data because they convey the variability of the observed data around mean. Anyone teaching Pre-AP, Pre-IB, or college-bound students will likely want to know how to calculate these values, what they indicate, […]
Online Teaching Techniques: Using Competitions to Engage an Online Class
(W Sept 9, 7-8:30pm 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 differentiate […]