The A-MAY-zing Race Anatomy Edition

If you are a teacher, parent, student or anyone who knows any of the above, you know that May is crazy in the world of education! Due to this fast paced daily grind, I neglected posting a new blog that should have been done already! So, this is a blog that explains what I did during the last month of school with my biology classes... The Amazing Race Anatomy Edition.  I have always been a fan of the show, so why not bring it into my classroom? As a way to replace the pop quiz and cover a lot of ground, my colleague, Scott Fowler, and I gave weekly challenges to our students for the different systems of the body. This was a great way to bring some competition and intrigue to those crazy days of May. Thank you to many people who helped this brain child come to life through your innovation and ideas, Tweets and thoughts. Special mention goes to Jodie Deinhammer who provided great information for our reaction time task. Check out her amazing work at iclassroomcoppell.blogspot.com and @jdeinhammer on Twitter.

In the following links, you will find resources for the overall project, roadblocks, tasks and assessments. As with any new project, there is room to grow and expand. Overall, it was a success with students and helped with their semester exam review book. Enjoy.

Amazing Race Overview

Amazing Race Grading Information

Amazing Race Roadblocks and Tasks 1-3 (digestive, skeletal, muscular, nervous)

Amazing Race Roadblock and Task 4 (Endocrine/Reproductive)

Amazing Race Roadblock and Task 5 (Immune)

Amazing Race Final Roadblock and Task (Semester Book Creator)

To learn more ways in which I am using technology in my classroom, follow me on Twitter @eglassman757.

 

This Little Piggy...Dissection with a Twist of Technology and Splash of Tradition

One portion of a biology curriculum that always faces questions is dissection. There are feelings of extreme support and extreme disapproval and everything in between.  Fortunately, I teach at an institution that fully embraces the exposure of students to dissection.  My syllabus includes a week long dissection study of the fetal pig. We use this organism because it gives students the best small size model of what their bodies look like on the inside. The fact that they can actually hold a four chambered heart is fascinating to them. Seeing and feeling all that we talk about is so much better than just accepting that these tissues and structures exist.  Knowing that not all of my students share the same enthusiasm for this type of lab, I do make sure I have parameters and options for all levels of interest. 

1. Knowing the anatomy and physiology is mandatory for the course; touching the pig is not. This is a real worry for some students that needs to be put to rest sooner than later. Virtual dissection is always an option for my students.

 2. Dividing kids into groups based on comfort level makes for smoother lab time. I have students fill out a questionnaire based on 1-3 scale; 1 being ready to "fly solo" and 3 being "I need oxygen to get through it" option. Honestly though by week's end, they are almost all at the "I want to do this again" level.

3. Providing virtual dissection options helps for at home review.  My favorite options for out of class study tools are the Pig Dissection App from Kids' Science  and the Whitman College VPD and Biology Corner Pig Review websites.

4. Requiring a comprehensive assessment gives a defined goal. I set up a practical test where kids rotate through stations to identify structures, functions and systems of selected organs. This gives them the feel of a "gross anatomy" exam and encourages groups to look at other specimens besides the one they are using for their work.

5. Having a relaxed atmosphere with fresh air is a definite bonus!  This may not apply to everyone, but it works for us (disclaimer: be ready for extra lab attire if the weather isn't ideal). We set up a tented area outside for dissections that allows kids to step away if needed, but also provides a great opportunity for all levels of science to be exposed to different organisms. Our life science students were studying worms, grasshoppers, squid, crayfish and frogs, while our advanced biology students were examining cats, sharks and rats, and our biology students were in the mix with fetal pigs.  It is always enjoyable to see our 7th, 9th, 11th and 12th graders all together in one place learning science!

 

 

To learn more ways in which I am using technology in my classroom, follow me on Twitter @eglassman757.

 

 

 

Putting My Students in the Driver's Seat of Assessment

One of my goals as a teacher is to make sure my students know that they are in the driver's seat during the year. I try to be the teacher who rides in the passenger seat to help provide directions, offer input, and of course hit the brakes if they are ever steering out of control. I want them to realize that their achievements are earned and not just given for jumping through hoops.

A few weeks ago I lived up to that goal, more than I have in the past. I gave up the control of a traditional assessment and left the design of a project to my students. Over the course of two days, they came up with the parameters, requirements, and content of a project covering the respiratory and circulatory systems.  It all started when a group of students approached me about doing a project to help them study for exams. They weren't looking for bonus points, just an opportunity to use the iPads to explore ways to help them study. This then manifested itself into a project for the current chapter rather than a paper and pencil test. I must say, I was little apprehensive at first. I didn't want my students to think that doing a project would be an "easy A" or simple task.  I have never completely replaced a test with a project. However, I figured I would give it a try. So I put on my seat belt and off we went!


Class discussion lead to brainstorm lead to replacing chapter test with iPad project.

Here are five suggestions if you ever decide to take the same risk....

1. Set guidelines, but not rules. The more specific the details are, the more likely your students will have projects that resemble one another. Had I said that everyone needed to use the same app or work on the same topic, the results would have been much different.

2. Give time in class to work. Since I have a shared iPad program, students can only work on filiming the projects at school. I have been very flexble to having a "working deadline" that was not set in stone. Some kids needed extensions for athletic dismissals, coordinated study hall time, or to add more to the project. I had kids asking for more time because they wanted to make their projects better. 




In the project featured above, extra time was given to make an iPad holder out of ring stands
 

3. Regardless of the project style, capture it on the iPad. I loved the fact that boys were dancing, girls were sculpting, and kids who are usually quiet in class were proud to show what they learned.

 








4. Provide a solid rubric for grading. Shawn McCusker's blog post, "Blow the Top Off Your Rubric" was a fantastic starting point for me. My favorite suggestion that he gave was to allow for failure and correction. When my students brought their projects to me, I often said, "This is good, but how can you make it great?"

5. Be patient, anticipate roadblocks and be amazed.





Bottom line, the projects were awesome. I am still amazed at the results. I have learned that whatever bar I set for my students, they will measure it and jump higher.....every time.

To learn more ways in which I am using technology in my classroom, follow me on Twitter @eglassman757.

Knee Deep in Human Anatomy/Physiology

Regardless of the topic or conversation in my classroom, tradition always fuses with technology to get the job done.  My students are "knee deep" (pardon the pun) in studying the anatomy/physiology of the human body.

I remind my students that they must read, write notes, and study diagrams they color. Our brains rely on these traditional skills that need to used daily. One cannot replace the act of reading with anything else. Whether using a traditional textbook, e-text, or i-book for my course, students need to read the content. All that being said, I am covering the human body systems (we are currently focused on skeletal, muscular and integumentary systems) with an infused approach by exploring using the following items.

1. The Human Body Facts 1000 app is great for engaging students with random bits of knowledge about the human body. For example, did you know that if you put all of your blood vessels end to end, they would reach approximately 60,000 miles in length? This app could lend itself to some great dinner conversations, or problem solving activities.

2. In conjunction with using the Rover app, since iPads are not flash based, The Interactive Body by BBC Science is fantastic. This website gives students visual study guides, as well as interactive quizzes.

3. The 3D Human Anatomy Atlas website by Visible Body is a solid resource for giving students a rotatable view of almost every body structure known. This is pretty advanced, but offers visuals and quizzes and is much easier to use in study hall than a 6 foot model!

4. Using Quizlet is a great way to review organs with respective systems and functions.

5. Other apps that have proven helpful are Visual Anatomy Lite and Essential Skeleton which are both free.  I have really enjoyed Essential Skeleton for review.  It allows students to draw directly onto the diagrams to make their own practice quizzes. Anatomy 3D: Organs is worth the $3.99 cost. I look forward to using that app when the time comes for semester exam review. As a side note, be careful when looking through anatomy apps.  Many are designed for medical students and physicians.  The fact that they are extremely advanced could be frustrating for a high school biology student.

I am truly enjoing the freedom and flexibility that technology integration affords my students. Seeing them focused in groups or as individuals is fantastic.  I love the fact that I need to remind my classes that it is time to leave.  What a blessing it is that I teach a group of students who do not want to leave when the imaginary bell rings.

To learn more ways in which I am using technology in my classroom, follow me on Twitter @eglassman757.