Week 3: Melting Icebergs Inquiry

Two questions were presented this week: What happens if the polar ice caps melt, and what other questions do you have about this science inquiry experience?


Based on the experiment, I am making an assumption/predication about melting icecaps.  This assumption is that the ocean will slightly recede as icecaps melt.  In the experiment, I placed ice in a bowl and filled the bowl with water.  I observed the ice as it melted and noted that the water in the bowl slightly decreased as the ice melted. I did not take exact calculations of the amount of water and ice that was used, so if I were to repeat this experiment I would take exact measurements to collect more accurate data.  Understanding the properties of water helped me predict that the ice (water that froze and therefore expanded) would easily melt without making the bowl overflow.


The fear of melting ice caps "overflowing" on our earth can be put to rest with this experiment, but there are components of melting icecaps that are concerning. The experiment does not take into account that water may be flowing into areas it never did before, for example, "in Alaska, salmon populations are at risk as melting permafrost pours mud into rivers, burying the gravel the fish need for spawning" (Kluger, 2006).  Additionally, the "ocean waters have warmed by a full degree Fahrenheit since 1970, and warmer water is like rocket fuel for typhoons and hurricanes" (Kluger, 2006). These warmer waters can also create a breeding ground for various organisms that swell in population,  jellyfish being one of them.  Whether the increase in melting icecaps is due to global warming or natural climate cycles, this experiment evokes a lot of thought and many questions through hands-on experimenting.

Questions I have about the experiment are: One, should we consider that icebergs are freshwater and the oceans are saltwater for this experiment?  This may more accurately represent the simulation in this inquiry experiment.  Two, what sort of background knowledge should we expect students to have when performing this experiment?  Three, how could I successfully implement this lesson in a fifty-five minute period that I have with my middle school students?  I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!


References

Kluger, Jeffrey. (2006). Earth at the tipping point: global warming heats up. Time. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1176980-6,00.html

Week 2: Planning with the 5 E's

The planning template I used this week was very descriptive. Although it may not be a realistic lesson plan in terms of the amount of time it took to complete, it was helpful in various ways. Primarily, it was good for me to reflect upon my current teaching practices. It gave me a chance see where I may have gaps in planning and how I can develop richer lessons. I do not normally go into such detail when planning a lesson. Additionally, I understand the needs of my students and tend to modify my teaching without writing a great deal into my lesson plan. This is my seventh year teaching science, and through experience, I am able to predict what students will need as well as what activities will be appropriate for certain classes. 
A major component of the lesson plan is the use of the 5 E's (engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, evaluation). This method guided my lesson to include inquiry. It also directed my planning to address student misconceptions, guide them in building upon their knowledge, and assess their learning. 
The lesson I wrote included a guest speaker. The logistics of inviting a guest into the classroom takes some work, so if I were to implement this lesson it would take extended preparation and planning. 
Overall I am pleased with how my lesson plan is written. It was a tedious and time-consuming process, although I was able to learn a few new components to include for future planning.