I received an email from the HHMI Ask a Scientist website today. This is the message that was contained in the email:
Danita, thank you for submitting the following question to the
Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Ask a Scientist website:
If the definition of a cell is changed to mean anything that has its own DNA, what other entities that are not considered to be alive would be placed in the "alive" category?
Here is a response provided by one of our volunteer scientists:
I can only think of viruses. DNA is retained to some degree in fossils, amber-embedded insects, and so on.
We welcome feedback from you about this answer to your question and
appreciate your interest in Ask a Scientist.
Ask a Scientist Coordinator
So, apparently, there was no great international debate regarding my question. It must have just been a backlog.
Again, it is a great website. When I share it with my students, I'll be able to share my experience, and remind my middle school students to remain patient as they wait for a response.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Backward Design Lesson Planning
The backward design method of developing lesson plans differs from the traditional method. It focuses on assessment first and then instructional activities.
"Backward design forces teachers to look at the big picture with the end goals in mind. In backward planning teachers set the vision or the essential understanding of their curriculum or unit, decide how students will provide evidence of their learning, and finally design instructional activities to help kids learn what is needed to be successful." (Backward Design 101)
The goals of my lesson were to allow students to work in small groups in order to understand and describe how human activities produce change in the natural processes in Maryland. Students were able to improve 21st century learning skills by using laptops in the classroom to conduct Internet research on their species. The goals of my lesson were met. The students were able to work in groups and were also able to describe the impact of human activities on the environment. This is evident by the work produced by the students
The backwards design model is a process that begins with knowing the desired results first, then working backwards to develop instruction. In my customary form of lesson planning, I know the goals and objectives of the curriculum and create the lesson plan from there. The difference in the backwards design process is that the educator also considers the learning that will endure over the long term. Focusing on the enduring knowledge should be essential in education, as enduring knowledge is really what education is all about.
Although I attempted to upload photographs of the student work, I received a message indicating that the images "could not be uploaded due to internal error". A typed copy of student work appears as follows:
Snake Head Fish
by K. Carter
Don’t be fooled by its size
It’s very deadly.
Originally from a pet store they think
With sharp teeth and a
Rude attitude.
Very deadly fish.
It can walk on land from pond to creek
Populating so fast meaning less fish to eat.
It’s the Asian invasion of all these creatures.
It’s a war of nature I hope we win
American species live I cheer again and again
Stink Bug
by J. Matthews
The alien bug that we know little about
It came from Asia, we know without a doubt.
It smells, it’s ugly, and it eats and it eats everything
So there’s nothing left for me.
You can hit it
But I really don’t want to
Because it will make a smell like rotten eggs
So nasty and smelly
Your belly
Won’t feel well.
The smell will hurt your eyes,
Make you want to cry
That’s why they call it the
Stink bug
References
Backward Design 101. Amherst Regional Public Schools. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.arps.org/users/ms/coaches/backward%20design%20101.htm
"Backward design forces teachers to look at the big picture with the end goals in mind. In backward planning teachers set the vision or the essential understanding of their curriculum or unit, decide how students will provide evidence of their learning, and finally design instructional activities to help kids learn what is needed to be successful." (Backward Design 101)
The goals of my lesson were to allow students to work in small groups in order to understand and describe how human activities produce change in the natural processes in Maryland. Students were able to improve 21st century learning skills by using laptops in the classroom to conduct Internet research on their species. The goals of my lesson were met. The students were able to work in groups and were also able to describe the impact of human activities on the environment. This is evident by the work produced by the students
The backwards design model is a process that begins with knowing the desired results first, then working backwards to develop instruction. In my customary form of lesson planning, I know the goals and objectives of the curriculum and create the lesson plan from there. The difference in the backwards design process is that the educator also considers the learning that will endure over the long term. Focusing on the enduring knowledge should be essential in education, as enduring knowledge is really what education is all about.
Although I attempted to upload photographs of the student work, I received a message indicating that the images "could not be uploaded due to internal error". A typed copy of student work appears as follows:
Snake Head Fish
by K. Carter
Don’t be fooled by its size
It’s very deadly.
Originally from a pet store they think
With sharp teeth and a
Rude attitude.
Very deadly fish.
It can walk on land from pond to creek
Populating so fast meaning less fish to eat.
It’s the Asian invasion of all these creatures.
It’s a war of nature I hope we win
American species live I cheer again and again
Stink Bug
by J. Matthews
The alien bug that we know little about
It came from Asia, we know without a doubt.
It smells, it’s ugly, and it eats and it eats everything
So there’s nothing left for me.
You can hit it
But I really don’t want to
Because it will make a smell like rotten eggs
So nasty and smelly
Your belly
Won’t feel well.
The smell will hurt your eyes,
Make you want to cry
That’s why they call it the
Stink bug
References
Backward Design 101. Amherst Regional Public Schools. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.arps.org/users/ms/coaches/backward%20design%20101.htm
Sunday, October 17, 2010
No News from "Ask a Scientist"
It's been just about four weeks and I have not received a response from the "Ask a Scientist" website. I would like to think that my question was so thought provoking that there is currently an international debate in the scientific community about the possibility that the existence of DNA should indicate that life is present. This, however, is probably not the case. Although I still like the idea that an archive of information is available to assist students with homework, I am currently not very fond of the idea of submitting a question to this website with the promise of receiving an answer within a week's time. I'm afraid that if my students were to experience this, it would discourage them from participating in similar kinds of websites in the future.
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