End of Week 5

When I first saw the heading real-world data I was nervous that it would be hard to incorporate. As I read through the text, I realized that I had used real data several times. I get real-time tidal data when discussing tides and the moon and graph the data, drawing moon phase data above the line graph. I have also used water quality data, air quality data, and even groundhog day data.

MOst of the sites I have gone to for data have been state or government agencies, so I did not post that to the board. I posted the groundhog data because I think it is fun sometimes to talk about lore and get kids thinking about how to find out if these weather myths are true. YOu can also do the temperature determination by cricket chirp activity here and then discuss why that is true.

THe problem I had this week was trying to find data that could be incorporated into my new curriculum because there are a number of activities and labs we are required to do that leave very little time for craeativity. However, we do an activity about conductivity and I found data listing material conductivity.

I just found out what my schedule will be for the coming school year, so am hoping that now I will be able to focus more on getting information and designing things that I will be able to utilize.

As for the on-line science inquiry, I am still not real comfortable with how I would incorporate that into the curriculum I will be teaching this year. There is an activity built into the physics portion of the year which deals with alternative energy which I think might be a good place to do something. The downside is that the physics section is so large that this portion often gets cut.