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| SGMS students at Site 3 of Fleshman Creek Stream Study Site |
Other great online simulation sites I investigated are listed below:
Enhancing Math and Science Rigor Through Evidence Based Curriculum Projects
Stem Collaborative.org Website (interactive online learning adventures for middle schoolhttp://www.stemcollaborative.org/
Lori, Is it easy to make the map for the stream study site? Is it interactive for the students at all, for example can students have access to the map while they collect data points? I think it's great that you have your middle school students outside gathering data and using a GPS. I would be interested to hear more about what the students focus on in the project.
ReplyDeleteSarah, Actually, the map was pretty easy...I first had to download/sign up for the Esri Global Account through the ArcGIS page. This is the first time I've used this program, so I can't answer your question regarding it's interactivity while collecting data points. We can, however, take our mini laptops out with us to the site and use the data from the GPS and download directly into the mini... many of us are continually getting trained in ArcView GIS which is a specific software that allows you to upload your data, gather info from databases. I actually am trying to use Google Earth in a similar way, or at least learn how students can create virtual tours with the data and pics they collect on their GPS units.
ReplyDeleteEach grade level in our middle school covers specific content regarding our stream study. For example, at the 6th grade level, I cover the physical part of stream data (such as flow rate, water & air temps, depth, deposition and erosion of stream bed and banks and mapping or topo of the stream). At 7th grade, the teacher covers the life science of streams (biological data...macro and micro counts, riparian zone info, invasive species of plants and animals and their effects, etc.). 8th grade covers the chemical parameters of the stream such as pH, DO, turbidity, point and non-point pollution, etc.) There are times when some of us will introduce something from another grade level, or reinforce what's been done previously, but then the data has to be shared and communicated (gr6-8) in order to analyze how all data is connected or influencing what is going on in the stream. What we struggle the most with is the last part... getting student groups together to share data and analyze. We decided that this year we will try to have at leasat 1 day/quarter to get multi-grade groups together. This may look like a "science day" school wide, or a period by period collaboration (example: Period One 6,7 and 8 grade gathers together, then Periods 2 through 7 do the same...)
We are very fortunate to have a major river (Yellowstone River), and creek (Fleshman)that drains into the river and where we can walk to it, and a lagoon (Sacajawea)...all within walking distance from our school! Hopefully I didn't confuse you too much!
I think that what you are doing is amazing! I think that by having the students collect the data, and use the GPS devices themselves there must be tremendous excitement about the project! I work at a rural school in California and we have a stream within walking distance of our school. My partner teacher and I have been talking about how we could use the stream in our classes. You have given me so many new ideas! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAmy....that's awesome that you have a study site and a colleague who wants to get involved too! The link below is a great resource...I went to their (Wyoming Stream Team )workshop 3 or 4 summers ago with fellow colleagues. It was excellent! Many times they have spaces open for teachers from out of state (they take Wyoming teachers first and it costs a little more for out-of-staters but well worth it). This link is still a great resource and has downloadable PDF's. If you have any questions, just let me know and I will try to help/answer in any way I can! There are also lots of grants out there for this kind of work in the schools.
ReplyDeletehttp://wyomingstreamteam.org/resources.php