Module #6 - Atmosphere is here!

Explain:

This module was about Earth’s atmosphere and climate. Many of the lessons focused around the connection of all living elements on earth through its atmosphere. I don’t see it as a coincidence that our sphere shaped planet is often compared to a living cell. It is interesting to explore the way that Earth’s cultures are connected to one another and their affect on each other and subsequently the entire planet. Our planet’s inhabitants interacts in strange ways, either directly or indirectly affecting each other with each action.

I would have never expected to learn about the pollution in Alaska’s Arctic. I have experienced the extreme effects of the sun from the limited ozone layer that covers beautiful New Zealand. Some of earth’s most vital recourses and beautiful attractions are effected unintentionally or indirectly by so many elements on our planet that it can feel overwhelming to try and protect them all.The cultural connections sections especially provoked me. The impact that more densely populated western industrialized societies have on the less populated and more reliant societies is disparaging. It is too often the ones with less of a voice become the ones that need to be stood up for the most. I feel like so many of the problems between the people on Earth could be solved by taking care of it.

One part of this course that I have really enjoyed has been the chance to re-learn topics in different ways then they had been originally taught. Mainly though online videos and interactives  I have had the change to experience and view material that was once much more difficult to access. I especially enjoyed learning more about the layers of the earth’s atmosphere from the multimedia interactive in this weeks module. 
Below are the links to some of my favorites.

Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere


Compare and Contrast Warm and Cold Air Fronts



Extend:

I have been given the opportunity to learn about the changes in our global climate by traveling and living in geographically diverse areas of Alaska and New Zealand. I have seen dramatic changes in the climate of Southeast Alaska over the last 20 years.

It is important for students to connect their what they are learning to their lives. When it comes to studies on global climate and pollution I believe that it students should learn through place based lessons. I am looking forward to teaching these concepts and giving students the opportunity to relate what they are learning and can do something about.

Below is an interesting time lapse video done on the Mendenhall Glacier in my hometown of Juneau, Alaska.  I can remember that saying someone was moving like a glacier meant slow, when my teacher told me that they only melted 10cm a year. Now its closer to 300 ft and the saying has taken on a totally different meaning.

Evaluate:

This module was very relevant to the subjects that I am currently covering with my students. When I  return to school from this holiday’s break I will begin a unit on cells and organisms with my Science classes. A common method use to relate a students knowledge of cellular structures is to relate them to a familiar concept such as the operations of a factory or school. I would like to extent the teaching of this concept to more of a “worldly view” having the students try to connect the structures of a cell to their understanding of our planet.

    I feel like this module (like many of the others) has given me a lot more tools to teach engaging lessons and material in my classroom. I feel grateful to have the opportunity to learn and relearn material about my planet. It is an honor to have the chance to then share my knowledge with my students and continue this path of learning. 

Blogs:

Many Paths to Knowledge is an interesting blog with a really cool final project on weather and climate that I would like to use parts of in my classroom.

The Top of the World blog has a wealth of information with a cool chemistry connection for this weeks post from Dominic Pader.

Emerson's Explorations blog has a great final project on EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students) which I was previously unfamiliar with and look forward to following and incorporating into my lessons on the planet.

I am really looking forward to checking through a lot of the class's final blog projects over the next couple of weeks. 




 

Final Blog Project :)

Check out my Snowflake Journey Final Blog Project that I just posted. 

1. Snowflake Journey

2. Observing Snow

3. Growing Snow Crystals!

4. Messages from Water?

I am really excited to share the unit I created around snow crystals. I started the introductory lessons with my 7th grade math students the week before our winter holidays and look forward to continuing it when I return in 2011!

Module 5- I'm Connected

Explain:
This module was about how climate, cultures and oceans are connected. For me there wasn’t a lot to learn as much as there was a lot to connect my life to.
Having spent 2008-2010 in New Zealand and traveling back to Alaska every season I got very used to the changes our earth goes through in its dual Hemispheres. Personally I found that traveling from either pole from a colder temperature to a warmer one was always easier on my body and my spirits.
I was able to experience the concepts of Thermohaline Circulation while diving in New Zealand. As it was explained (with a reference to “Finding Nemo”) the reasons that scuba diving in New Zealand waters was so diverse was because of the drastic differences in water temperature. Where I was diving (Poor Nights Islands) was warmer because of the East Australian current which was carried across the Tasman, while many areas to the south were considerable colder dives with water coming up from Antarctica. For me it was a great way to learn about these theories for myself and experience the diversity of oceanic life in these waters.
Its interesting to note the similarities between the ocean currents, winds, and the locations of ports of sail. I did not know that Benjamin Franklin was responsible for the theories of the Gulf Stream. I began to familiarize myself with it more as I followed the Gulf Oil spill this year and how ironic I though it was that the BP oil could eventually make it way towards Britain.

Extend:
I found the youtube clips on “Air vs. Water Heat Capacity” and “What causes Earth’s Seasons” really cool. I think it explained an interesting concepts in extraordinary and straight forward ways. I hope to use the demonstrations like these in my classroom.


I also took a look through the teacher resources on the NASA site and particularly liked a video called “Know your Earth” which dealt with similar issues to the youtube clip on climate change. I also shared this video with my mother and girlfriend.

Evaluate:
This was a really interesting Module. Although it took me quite a while to get through, the information was engaging and very relevant for me personally. It was the first module that didn’t have a lot of connection to Alaska specifically with more emphasis on Earth, but I felt a stronger connection to my life and the overseas experiences I have had in the Pacific.
I realized quickly after going off to a university town that was more than 500 miles from the ocean that it was a big part of my life. I had grown up living on and off of the ocean as a kid and no matter the rivers and lakes there was no substitute. Since that time I have live on Pacific Islands often meters from the water and as I currently sit in my apartment in Alaska my front yard is decreasing with the rising ocean tide... I know, like many others, that I am connected to the Earth's ocean.

Colleagues: 

 Tracy's Chena Lake Blog is really interesting. I like the way she has incorporated her obvious passion for the land into her lessons in the classroom. Her post for Module 5 has some cool ideas for activities in the classroom and I am interested in learning more about the "Alaska Homestead Project" she talks about.

Earnestine Hayes's blog is excellent. It is great that our class is so diverse and experienced. I highly recommend any Alaska educator read her book "Blonde Indian" as I did during my masters degree program. In her Module 5 post she eloquently states "our relationship with the world is not limited to indigenous people but is part of our common human condition".

There is lots of useful information and links on Dan Adair's blog like the following on The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth that he posted for this module. 

Module 4 - "Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Tsunami, Oh, My!"

Explain
Module Four was all about the power of the planet. The kind of power shown through cataclysmic events (earthquakes, volcanos, and tsunamis) and the kind of power students from Alaska can relate to.
When growing up in Alaska it is easy to experience the power of our planet. (Almost a right-of-passage.) I can vividly recall memories of hiding under a desk in a shaking classroom as I used the earthquake safety procedures I had learned in elementary school. Learning about nature and cataclysmic events takes people that are wiling to pass along personal stories and/or relative knowledge. I believe that through these experiences students can learn more in-depth about our planet and its people.
I enjoyed the way that this module taught lessons about cataclysmic events in different methods. There was the obvious scientific approach shown in videos and interactivities, which added to the accessibility of the concepts. There were stories shared by locals and witnesses from the affected areas, which was more centered around the native ways of knowing and teaching. There was also information on local events and lessons about what to expect in the future, which allowed more of a personal connection to the material. All these ways of presenting this module helped me to see the different ways of teaching a concept like this to my students.

Extend:
As for using this Module in my classroom, there are many obvious connections to teaching Earth Sciences with more meaning, engagement, and reach. The videos were great and provide a better way to view the material from different ways of learning. The lesson on using scales to navigate through Google Earth could prove to be a cool lesson in my Mathematics classes as students learn about ploting points and spacial understanding.

Evaluate:
Another excellent Module to learn from and provide heaps of resources and excitement to bring to my classroom. I especially enjoyed the Tsunami simulations on Lituya Bay.

I also found it interesting to watch a few of the other videos (like the one below) that showed what the area looks like now.



Overall this was a very cool Module that I am looking forward to sharing.

Module #3 - 3 Questions

EXPLAIN:
This weeks module was all about the value of place. The videos I watched showed an importance of sharing the local resources between the people, animals and the land.
Every unique place in Alaska seems to offer its own unique culture of subsistence living. The people base their living off what the land offers and how they can sustainably harvest it though out the year.
I see that having people who are connected to their land participating in learning about it and protecting its resources as a vital aspect for successful communities. Students and children need to see leaders modeling this in order for them to want to follow in their footsteps.
I liked the final statement from Richard Glenn, a Inupiaq geologist and Whale hunter. “In western science you need tools to study and understand our world and in traditional Inupiaq you need life expreinces and trial and error”. He says that they are not seperate but “Two flashlights shining down the same path.”
I believe the connection to a place plays an important role in the cultures that are present. Alaska can be a place of feast or famine when it comes to resources and the ability for people to make a connection to the land. Many of Alaska’s places are remote and raw. The people who come to call these places home are the ones who find value it. Living close to the land connects the people to it in more ways when its a smaller community. Learning to “take what you can get” and appreciating the power and spirit of the planet are lessons that are not easily taught to larger or more urban communities. Alaska offers it’s people an amazing place to learn and live from.

EXTEND:
This module had some really cool animations on Plate Techtonics and the Rock cycle which I would like to use in my classroom.
I also think I would like to teach a lesson on Google Earth and the settlement of native peoples in Alaska and around the world, this would give me an opportunity to relate what students have already learned in Social Studies (Geography) I like Google Earth because it allows its user more access and interaction to places locally and internationally that would otherwise be impossible.

EVALUATE:
This module provided me with useful knowledge on plate tectonics and a brief background of Alaska geology. There were engaging animations that I would like to use in the classroom with my students. I thought that the Google Earth activity could be used as a way to cross connect Social Studies and Science for my students. Overall this module gave me a lot of insight into the importance of connecting the concepts that I teach to the place that I teach.

Module #2 - 3 Colleagues

This week I thought that I would check out the blog sites for some of my fellow collegues teaching in Juneau Middle Schools. 

• I first visited my coach and business teacher in High School, Kevin Hamrick's blogsite. I learned that he is also teaching his first year of 7th/8th Grade General Science at the other Middle School. One of his favorite places to spend time, Coglan Island, is also one of mine. I like the background of the site and especially enjoyed the google earth images he used in his first post. 

• Next, I visited another teacher from Juneau Sandi Pahlke's blogsite. I like the look and tone of her blogsite. I really related to what she said in her "Its All About connections!" post. It looks like we both feel the struggles and work it takes from a teacher who wants to connect the curriculum to students. She states that finding a balance between teaching the western science curriculum and traditional native knowledge can help put "those pieces" (connections) back into place. I definitely agree! Sandi's blog will be one that I keep checking through out the course. 

• Last, I visited my teaching partner for Science at Dzantik'i Henni, Mike Olsen's blogsite. Although this is his first official year teaching, Mike is already a great teacher and I have really enjoyed working with him planning our General Science course. Sharing good teaching practices is an extremely rewarding and beneficial endeavor and I find Mike to be a wealth of knowledge and experience. His classroom blogsite is also great.

Its was great to see the local teachers that are participating in this course and get to see the multiple perspectives that they shared. 

Module #2 - 3 Questions

"Everything is Connected"

EXPLAIN:
I have always felt the interconnections between our lives and the different ways of knowing. This module helped to cement those ideals in me and expand my knowledge about the connections between indigenous peoples and Western scientists. I have always valued the sharing of different perspectives and ways of doing in my classroom. Early in my education I learned that having a more holistic view and understanding allowed me to better grasp material presented. I saw the challenge it was for a traditional classroom teacher to balance the presentation of these different perspectives and ways of learning. 

From the "Cultural Connections" module I learned more about the struggles that I, and many of my students face when trying to learn material that doesn’t “fit” their ways of learning or their lives. I have seen that learning and teaching concepts through a native knowledge framework are beneficial to teacher and student (holistic, applied, integrated, respectful, local, etc.)

Although most of the Public Education curriculum in Science is focused around a Western science way learning, with the identification of a common ground made between traditional native knowledge and western science, a balanced approach can and should be made. Teachers should teach the material to their students. By that I mean, teaching concepts to students in a way that they will learn it and not just be pushed through it. To do this effectively the teacher needs to deliver the curriculum in the best way for the students to learn. This is best done by identifying students needs and multiple ways of learning (common ground between both ways of knowing).

EXTEND:

The most useful resources in this module are those that identify this common ground between native and western science. I believe that I will be a more effective educator if I can explore the interconnection between life and learning in my classroom. I want to work to expose students to the abundance of interconnections that we share with the universe. Teaching science is a great way to do this and I have already found many resources on Teachers Domain (TD) to use. These are just a few of the resources that I am looking at using in my classes this year.

Alaska Native Ways of Knowing - In this lesson students prepare classroom science fair projects that demonstrate the application of traditional knowledge to a scientific topic.

The Process of Scientific Experimentation - In this lesson students expand their understanding of the "scientific method" of experimentation by watching video accounts of actual scientific research and exploring the factors involved in real scientific processes.

Observing Snow  - This is a curriculum that challenges students to make connections between academics and traditional native knowledge while studying natural resources in their own community.

EVALUATE:
I found the module's information and resources extremely useful for me. An immediate impact that it will have is in providing me with a better understanding of my students (native and non-native) learning styles when it comes to Science. The overall theme of connectedness provides more evidence and materials towards an approach that I already use to teach the Science curriculum. The usefulness of technology resources will aid in delivering the curriculum (TD, Google Earth, etc.) in differently engaging ways. I am excited to incorporate lessons and units that are relevant and powerful.

Module #1 - October 10th, 2010

My favorite place:

A place that is one of my favorites to spend time is at our land-share cabin on Admiralty Island in Southeast Alaska.

My family tries to spend as much time as we can visiting the cabin throughout every season of the year. Hiking, hunting, berry-picking, cross-country skiing, book reading, and relaxing are some of the many activities that I enjoy doing when there. It is a very wild place to visit and you can feel you are in the true Alaskan wilderness the instant you set foot on it's shores.

According to Wikipedia:

• Admiralty Island is 90 mi long and 35 mi wide with an area of 1,646.4 sq mi, making it the seventh largest island in the United States and the 132nd largest island in the world.
• Known to the Tlingit as Xootsnoowú, which is sometimes interpreted as "Fortress of the Bear(s)"  Admiralty Island is home to the highest density of brown bears in North America. 
• An estimated 1,600 brown bears inhabit the island, outnumbering Admiralty's human residents nearly three to one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiralty_Island

Photos by James White. 

Map courtesy of Google Earth.