Cyberscience - Computers and Science

USA

USA012

Résumé, summary

Technology in science improves the overall quality of the work created in the classroom. Students pay strict attention to graphics, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Many interdisciplinary units are done on the computer in our grade. These projects keep the teachers as well as the students interested in learning. If the support material is available students can add scanned work, sound and clips to their creative work. Teachers may set as many or as few guidelines to the projects as they wish. The more advanced the students, the fewer the guidelines. The ever changing world of technology is here just begging for our retrieval.

Discipline, subject :

sciences humaines Humanistik social sciences/humanities scienze humane biologie biology biologia sciences Naturwissenschaft sciences scienze humanities social sciences sciences sociales

Public :

cycle d'orientation Sek I, BWK lower high school ciclo d'orientamento

Contacts :

Hickel, Susan

PO Box 135
USA-80475
SHAWNEE

Tel : 303-838-7453
Mail :
Fax :

Pédagogie, pedagogy :

Apprentissage, learning :

Students: *Create extensive authoring programs on ecology *Learn techniques of research *Apply science classroom information using computer skills *Establish interdisciplinary units *Utilize additional technology using: internet laser disc, CD rom *Produce quality projects and papers * Contribute information to a state wide database for the Division of Wildlife *Have fun working with technology

Enseignement, teaching :

The teacher makes all the technology available to the students. Information is gathered via student research, CD, internet, or laser discs and utilized in the student projects. Students apply the information to databases they create, authoring programs they create, or word processing documents they create. Students are only limited by their creativity and time.

Technique :

The most important facet of this program is the flexibility in the use of subject matter and the use of the software. Most schools do not have a great deal of money to spend on software or additional equipment. These projects utilize the simple software package that comes with the IBM network: word processing program, database, and authoring program of Linkway. Other support material is nice, but it is not required to complete any of the projects.

Société, society :

In addition to cooperative learning groups, students utilize time efficiently and help each other with computer problems or projects.

Culture :

Information entered in Project River Watch directly effects our area and our streams. Material used in the databases can be applicable to each area studied or each biome lived in. In the enclosed sample projects students learn to appreciate the Shawnee area and their own body.

Institution :

How do I start? 1. Computer Room Access We schedule the computer room two times per week during science class. The schedule is flexible and allows for all the units to swap, change, add more days and adjust for big projects. Each unit has a computer teacher in the unit. We have an IBM lab of 28 machines and a MAC lab of 8 that can be moved from room to room. 2. Software The software you need to have is just the integrated package that comes with the network or machines you purchase. We have Microsoft Works and the LAN package from IBM. We also have Microsoft Works and Hypercard for the Mac machines. 3. Scheduling Each unit has certain projects and needs for the computer room. At the beginning of the year, teacher representatives for each unit meet and set a schedule for the year that allows use for each unit. If the need arises, switches are made, special blocks of time are set aside for special projects, term papers, and any other causes. 4. Support Material Also available to teachers is CD Rom and Comptons in the library, LCD overhead displays for MAC and IBM and laser disc players and some software with the CD's and laser discs. Telecommunication drop lines are strung to three classrooms in the school as well as the computer lab so students can do projects on the internet. 5. Ideas You only need your curriculum and a creative mind. Each teacher in my unit starts the year with a yearly plan. At the beginning of the year we coordinate topics such as: Metrics Indexing Ecology theories LA skills of comparison, contrast, etc. Tall Tales Each week we meet during team plan and discuss topics we are going to start that could be integrated into other areas. I have three curriculums I have to cover during the year: science, health, and computer. The logical idea is to integrate and make many of the projects application of theories and content. 6. Samples Enclosed are several of the projects that the students do in my class. Some are only a period in duration, and some last for three weeks or more with the research necessary to complete the project. Many of the data bases are used as a way to have the kids practice what they learned in class. Often as a reward for doing a good job on the assignment, the computer generated sheet may be used as a study tool for the next test. (good incentive) Indexing Integrated unit utilizing language arts, reading, field trip, library skills, social studies, and science. I teach identification of plants of the Shawnee area. Students make leaf rubbings of selected plants, insert information about plant structure, take a leaf sample, add stories, poems on nature, maps of the hike, and compile the contents into a booklet with a computer generated index and table of contents. The project is just super, and all the finished projects are stored in the student portfolios. Data Bases A data base can be created and later graphed on almost any topic. We use information about cells, body parts, taxonomy hierarchy, vitamins, and about anything we can think of. This data base takes the place of doing a work sheet, answering study questions, or writing definitions on paper. All the information must be organized if it is put into a data base, and the students are required to really "know" what it is they are typing. Plus, the computer is a great place to reinforce spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. You can actually read their writing!! I take off points for every grammatical error I find. Also it is required that each student has his name on the paper generated by the computer. As the papers come off the printer, if there is no name, the paper is torn up and thrown away. Authoring Programs There are several authoring programs available today: Hypercard, Toolbook, Linkway. Each allows the students to culminate with a fun, creative, computer program that shows off their skills on the computer and also generate a fine piece of research. We create our programs on the topic of ecosystems. First we learn all of the components of the ecosystems. Next they choose the ecosystem of their choice and research the required information. I have Comptons and a laser disc available for information search as well as the library. Information is then entered into the program on the computer, and the rest is up to the students. They create fonts, pages, buttons, fields, pop up fields, and any graphics that they want to enhance their presentation. Each student is required to present his stack to the class orally to share all their expertise on the topic. They absolutely love to show off their stacks. This project takes a lot of time with the lead up information in class, research, and creation of the computer program. In the past I have done this project with partners, alone, and in groups. The students far prefer to create their own computer program because all the fun is the computer creativity. Sample computer schedule M T W TH F October 3 7 7 8 6 6 October 10 7 7 8 8 6 October 17 7 8 8 6 6 repeat rotation Teachers also sign up for the MAC stations, and they may be taken to their rooms for a three week limit. Samples Follow: COMPUTER INDEXING PLANT BOOKLET INDEX Choose which fifteen plants you want in your plant booklet. You need to alphabetize your plants for use in the index. Follow the directions below. 1. Open a new word processing document. 2. Space down one space. 3. Enter the title centered: (control C) PLANT INDEX 4. Space down one space. 5. Enter your name in this format, centered: COMPILED BY YOUR NAME 6. Space down two spaces. Left Justify. (control L) 7. Enter the plants in alphabetical order, number each one, and skip a line between each. Place dots from the end of the name to the page number on the right side of the page. Example: 1. Aster....................................................................................page 1 2. Berry...................................................................................page 2 8. After the plants, be sure you index your paragraph, traces and promises, your writing, and any additional material you want in your book. You may have more than fifteen plants in the booklet if you wish just number the pages accordingly. You will also have a table of contents in the book. Remember to place the title of your paragraph and writing in quotes. 9. Next highlight all the text. (F8) 10. Go into the Format, (alt T O), and place a border around the entire page. You may decide if it is single or double. 11. Hand your paper in to be graded. Check capitals, spelling, and format. Phylum Data Base Your Mission: Create a data base containing all the phylums we have studied this year. How to Accomplish your Mission: Set up the data base just a little at a time and add to it as we study the animals. Mission Setup: Create a new WORKS DATA BASE file called PHYLUMS. Name your fields: (Do not forget the colons!!!!!) Number Phylum Appendages Symmetry Systems Ecosystems Additional Examples Mission follow through: 1. Once you have the fields created, switch to the view by list, (alt-v-l) and set the size of the fields. They need to be wide enough to hold the name of the field, and they may be the width you choose. (not too big) 2. Type in the information from your blue sheet. It has about all the information you will need. You may need to use more than one data line for your information. Example: Appendages 4 legs 3 antennae tail 3. As we learn more phylums, you will add the information to the database. 4. Mission will be considered accomplished when it is printed out and handed into the basket. This one will cover two pages. 5. Make sure your name, period, and date are typed on the page somewhere. The place is your choice. Computer Data Base on Simple Organisms Seventh Grade Science Create a data base using the following information. Start with File, New, Works Data Base, save as PROTIST. 1. Type your name on the top of the paper on the left hand margin. 2. In the space under your name, type the heading PROTIST AND FUNGUS. 3. Space down two spaces and start three fields: a. Protist b. Fungi c. Algae 4. Make each field 15 spaces long. 5. Change the form to LIST FORM, and type the following records under the correct field name. You may have to research the correct field in the book. As a hint, there are four records in one field, four records in another, and six records in another. RECORDS: Sarcodines Sac Club Diatoms Brown Algae Sporozoans Flagellates Red Algae Green Algae Threadlike Lichens Euglena Ciliates Dinoflagellate 6. Print out the assignment and put it in the basket. SEVENTH GRADE DATA BASE ASSIGNMENT HUMAN BODY STUDY GUIDE Follow the directions below to create the human structure data base. 1. Start a new file in Works Data Base and title it BONES. 2. Create three (3) fields in this order: (remember to use colon) BONES MUSCLES JOINTS 3. In each field enter the required information skipping a cell between each entry. Enter the following information in each field. BONES In this field enter all the names of the bones on the chart on page 340. There are 19 bones. MUSCLES In this field enter all the names of the muscles on the chart on page 348. There are 9 muscles. JOINTS In this field enter the names of the four (4) types of joints found in the body. 4. Type your name and heading on the paper. Print the data base. Assignment for Seventh Grade Computers and Nutrients You are to set up a data base with the following fields or headings. Set them up in the following order. ITEM make column 10 spaces wide VITAMIN make column 10 spaces wide MINERAL make column 10 spaces wide NUTRIENT make column 10 spaces wide NEED make column 20 spaces wide Once you have the fields set up, you must place the following list of items on the data chart in the correct place. Type the item name under the field named ITEM. Next, check with an X if the item is a VITAMIN, MINERAL, or NUTRIENT. Finally, type the NEED or reason you have to have this item in your diet to be healthy. This is your item list. 1. Vitamin A Healthy eyes, hair, skin 2. Vitamin B Helps the body use energy 3. Vitamin C Fights infection, prevents scurvy 4. Vitamin D Healthy bones, prevents rickets 5. Vitamin K Helps blood clotting 6. Calcium Healthy bones 7. Iron Helps red blood cells carry oxygen 8. Iodine Helps thyroid gland work, utilize energy 9. Protein Body repair and building 10. Carbohydrates Quickest form of body energy Necessary Conditions: The interdisciplinary project on plant identification of your area needs to be done in the spring or fall so leaf samples can be collected. Water, plant, or body databases may be created at any time. The authoring program requires a block dedicated time of approximately three weeks. Hypercard and Linkway Stack Building Introduction 1. Your goal is to author a stack on a chosen ecosystem. You must use the four components of sun, soil, water, and organisms as a base of the stack. Other components may be added as you wish. 2. As you write, consider what causes the differences between ecosystems when one of the factors change. RULES: 1. Make a stack by yourself or with a partner. 2. Individual minimum: a. Introduction card with stack name and your name. b. Index card that jumps to each component. c. Sun card d. Soil card e. Water card f. Organism card g. Conclusion card h. Examples of imported pictures, graphics, fields, buttons, correct information, and complete stack layout. i. These are minimums. You may add more. 3. Partner minimum: a. Introduction card with stack name and your name. b. Index card that jumps to each component. c. 2 sun cards d. 2 soil cards e. 2 water cards f. 2 organism cards g. Conclusion card h. Examples of imported pictures, graphics, fields, buttons, correct information, and complete stack layout. i. These are minimums. You may add more. 4. Stack is due in two weeks. 5. Each group will present the stack to the class. You will be graded on the stack and on the presentation.