ZOEEHRENBERG<zoeehren@gse.upenn.edu>
ScienceLessonNotes
1message
MRSSSUPERFINE<annsuperfine@msn.com> Sun,Dec3,2017at4:15PM
To:JaedenChatham<jaedenchatham@gmail.com>,ZOEEHRENBERG<zoeehren@gse.upenn.edu>
Thelessonwaswellconstructedandexecutedandthestudentswerecompletelyengaged.
Ihavesomereactionstospecificsectionsoftheplan.
ThehookwasgreatwithZoeandJaedenshowingtheirpaperairplanesandhavingthestudentsvoteonwhichwouldfly
thefurthest.
Tellingthestudentstothinkaboutdesignsetthestagefortheupcomingtask.
Agoodbitofconversationwasgeneratedafterdistributingthepictureofaplaneandallbutonevolunteeredwith
informationtowriteontheclasschart.
ZoeandJaedencontinuedtomovetheconversationforwardbyaskingpertinentquestions.Onestudentseemed
disconnectedfromtheactivity.Doyouknowwhy?
ZoeandJaedendistributed3by5cardsforeachstudenttowritetheirhypothesisforwhatwillmaketheplanegofar.
However,althoughthesehypotheseswerediscussedattheendoftheseconddayslesson,theyneverreferredbackto
theactualcardstocheckontheirpredictions.
Directionsforthetaskwereclearlystated.Teamswereformedwitheaseandstudentsgotrighttoworkbecauseknew
whattodo.Likedthatstudentswereabletochoosetheirownteams.
Tryingoutindividualplaneswasgoodstoppingpointfordayone.
Theseconddaybeganwithconstructingabargraphofhowstudentstraveltoschool.Iunderstandthatitwasawayof
showinghowtocollectdata.AlthoughitwasaniceactivityIdidntthinkitwasanecessaryone.Studentshavebeen
involvedwithmakingbargraphssincekindergartenandthedatacollectionfortheplanesdistanceswasrecordedina
differentformat.Ithinkthe10minutesdevotedtothebargraphwouldhavebeenmorebeneficiallyspentondiscussionat
theconclusionofthelesson.
Studentsworkedverywelltogetherincomingtoaconsensusaboutwhichoftheindividualplanesshouldrepresentthe
group.
Afterentiregroupreconvenedeachteamtriedouttheirplaneandmeasuredthedistancetraveled.Thispartwasgreat.
Studentsweresuperexcited,butwellbehavedintheirenthusiasm.
WhentheInnovationTeachersteppedintoexplaintherelationbetweenfeetandinchesitwasagoodexampleofthe
"teachablemoment.Dontbeafraidtotakeadvantageofthose.
Studentswerebroughttogethertochartdataandexamineresults.Studentscameupwithreasonableexplanationsfor
distanceflown.ZoeandJaedendidprodwithquestions.However,Ithinktheycouldhavepushedfurtherwiththe
discussion,aslookmorecloselyatthetwoplanesthattraveledsimilardistances.Thestudentsmainlyfocusedonthe
appearanceofthesizeofthewingsandthenose,butnotonanyrealcauseandaffectaspects.
Goodquestiononexitslips.Curioustoreadtheiranswers.
Thinkyoushouldfeelreallygoodaboutthislesson.
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