Authors Note: I wrote this blog entry as a challenge from Micky, a naturalist with the Heritage Foundation and a science educator. She brought the eMammal team to Prairie Ridge on Monday July 14 for a nature walk. She challenged us as we walked to think of a habitat for an animal and then gave us time to explore and evaluate a habitat space for the animal.
This week I was a fox, a red fox more specifically.
I found a great looking River Birch tree about 150 meters from the nearby creek. The creek is essential to my habitat as it provides fresh water. Fresh water also means that other small animals will be close by that might make for a tasty meal.
The River Birch tree is a favorite of mine. I like the beauty of this tree. Nearby is a Red Oak tree. Its acorns are also a source of food for me, but again, also for other small critters that live nearby. More opportunity for me to find a meaty snack.
As I pondered my habitat, a shadow from a flying creature passed over the ground. I could tell by its shadow that it was a hawk, confirmed it as a red-tail by sighting it as it flew by. Red-tails give me the shivers. I’m just big enough now where they usually don’t bother me, but I had a scary experience as a pup. I was out hunting with ma, when this horrifying screech froze me in my tracks. It was a Red-tail intent on grabbing me for its lunch. Fortunately I was just able to avoid its talons and ducked into a hollowed tree log.
Surrounding these trees was a lot of low lying brush, tall grasses mixed in with Japanese stilt grass. I envision these grasses are home to many rodents species, especially cotton rats and white-footed mice.
Yes, this is a good habitat. Shelter from danger, access to water and food, and opportunity. This will do.
The NC Museum of Natural Sciences encourages Citizen Science.
In considering the scope of this summer’s externship with the Museum of Natural Sciences through the Kenan Fellows program, I believe what we are trying to accomplish in the classrooms is a complete revolution in the way we do science education.
Before I had been accepted into the Kenan Fellowship, I had heard direct from Rob Dunn himself, talk about the idea of an issue he had with science education in secondary schools. In general practice, students perform investigations into questions in which we already know the answer. Very, very little “new” science is ever done in the middle or high school setting. This is in stark contrast to how science works at the research and investigation level at universities and institutions around the world.
Had my face super-glued for science – to find mites!
So the concept of citizen science, a revolutionary idea in itself – where everyday people contribute to the data collection and investigation of a question – is the central theme to my externship this summer. Each of the four labs at the museum are attempting to create and sustain real-world, real-time investigations by partnering with middle school classrooms. Could this be the wave of the future of science education in schools?
I absolutely think so.
At first thought, the concept of citizen science in the classroom is scary. Its messy. There’s no definitive end result. It almost as if you are “building the plane while you’re attempting to fly it.” I think this is what frightens a lot of teachers. BUT we have to realize that this is exactly how science is done. Science, is messy. Uncertain, at times.
The first camera trap at BMS is setup!
And that is the joy of science. Fulfilling our innate curiosity to discover and learn new things and more about the world around us. I have met scientists who have discovered new mammals, learned about mites on our bodies, discovered a new species of dinosaur. I have learned new things by practicing animal trapping and exploring the research collections. What an amazing experience to see real-science done, day in, day out.
Now, how do I connect this to the classroom? Here are my thoughts:
1) I have to be intentional about hands-on, real, and new science in the classroom. Yes, the wealth of scientific discovery over the course of our history must be taught and understood. But building on that knowledge should be a priority as well.
2) Its not that hard. As I process the nuances of my project with the eMammal team, I realize more and more how possible it is to carry out the project. Yes, there’s concerns about spending time on eMammal versus the curriculum. But isn’t the sacrifice worth it for the experience of discovery and investigation? Taylored with thought, I do not think it is as BIG an obstacle I thought it might be.
3) Can my classroom function as a research lab? Working in the Biodiversity Lab, and seeing everyone work on their projects both independently and cooperatively, under the guidance of more senior researched, I’ve questioned myself as to whether this model could also exist in a middle school science classroom. I think maybe it could, and I’m looking forward to try it with my classes.
4) It doesn’t mean giving up on the curriculum. In 6th grade I cover the earth sciences from our solar system, to our little Sun-Earth-Moon relationship, to understanding the earth processes like earthquakes and volcanoes. I cover atoms and matter, heat transfer and wave energy. I cover plant reproduction and behavior and biomes. All of this is outside the scope of the eMammal project, and I look forward to seeing what “real” investigations I can engage my students in with these topics, because these topics are great and fun too.
So, I have always been that guy in my school that when colleagues have trouble with their computer or technology, they come find me. Since day one I’ve always tried to incorporate technology use into the classroom, whether it be using iPads, iPod touches, video cameras, laptops, chromebooks, etc…
Students use Google Chromebooks in my classroom at BMS
With that in mind, I’ll admit, one of the top challenges teachers face is dealing with using technology in their classrooms. For some teachers it’s enough of a challenge to avoid using technology all together. For them, it is not worth the time and effort to learn the tech use, plan a tech use in a lesson, execute the integration of the tech, troubleshoot issues and have a completion or final product. With pressures of high-stakes testing, limited devices – the simple.
Another challenge to using technology in the classroom stems from the student side of things. I have found that students come into my class with varying degrees of proficiency and familiarity with technology. Many factors contribute to this including the students background experiences, socioeconomic status and access to technology. Because of this variance, some students are more adaptable to assignments involving technology, others are not. And yet a third challenge – the technology and availability of those devices. Some schools do not have the means to provide technology for their students. Other schools may have large populations and low ratios of students to devices that teachers may have a difficult time scheduling time with technology. Solutions that I use in my classroom:
1) I have to be intentional about using technology and therefore “teaching” how to use the technology. I have to accept that role to produce digital learners that are proficient in using technology, even though it may not be in my “curriculum.”
2) BYOT – Our district is moving to a Bring Your Own Technology (this concept is the new buzz word I think in many school districts.) process in the schools, where students can bring and use their own devices in the classroom. This helps mitigate the lack of resources. Also, think of it this way – what would happen if we told students they couldn’t bring their own pencils to school?
3) Obtain and share resources. Just like anything else that is worth getting for our students, I have to accept the responsibility of trying to obtain technology for instructional use. That might mean writing grants or lobbying for more funds. Once I get those resources, I have a responsibility to share with other teachers for other students’ benefits and share my expertise on using those skills.
Last week might have been the official kickoff for the 2014-15 Kenan Fellows cohort, but I think today is the day that most of us in the Students Discover cohort have been looking forward to. Today we made it to our workplace for the next three weeks… the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
NC Museum of Natural SciencesThe Nature Research Center at the Museum
Check out this awesome badge they gave me…
They call me, David Glenn, Teacher -Scientist
I’m not gonna lie, I have bragged that one of the highest-highlights of this experience that I’m looking forward to is working in a lab at the museum.
There were some great highlights from the day:
1. We started our day out at Prairie Ridge, an outdoor, hands-on classroom environment, open to the public. We got the chance to do some hands-on science catching some dragonflies and counting them for the scientists monitoring their populations.
Look I caught me a blue Pond Hawk.
2. Had some quality time with my eMammal Teamlet, Stephanie, Kelsie and Dayson. Excited to be working with these fine scientist/educators this summer. Also, got to see the lab I’ll be working in and meet our project director Dr. Roland Kays.
Teamlet eMammal
3. After hearing an inspiring kickoff keynote from Dr. Rob Dunn, the principal investigator on our Students Discover grant, we were led down to the basement of the museum for a behind-the-scenes look at how and where the museum’s collection is stored.
Roar!
Eggs, eggs, eggs
Whale Baleen
Wrapped in plastic
Skeletons galore
Wild Boar
Preserved specimens
An awesome looking ram (and an enthusiastic science teacher)
The Secret Storage
Rows and rows of cabinets of specimens.
Overall, another great day in this program. I’m looking forward to working with Dayson and Kelsie and Stephanie to make this science available to teachers and students in my classroom and teachers and students around the world. It’s going to be a challenge, but a great one.
I wrap up with one last question from an experience recently that plays right into the heart of my cohort’s focus: Why did the peacock cross the road?
(from glogster media library)
I don’t have a great answer, but one peacock scared the bejesus out of my wife while she was driving us to Raleigh this weekend. (I was just as shocked, I just wasn’t driving at the time) It had gotten all the way out to the right lane of Highway 64 and she had to swerve to avoid hitting it. Just goes to show that we interact with the animals around us whether we intend to or not. As scientists, I think we owe it to our selves and society to understand those complex relationships and understandings between animals and humans and the surrounding environment.
What a great day to be in the mountains of NC. It has been years since I last visited this beautiful landscape. When I think of a mountaintop experience, I think of exactly what the vision NCCAT has for teachers here – a renewing of the mind and soul.
This past year has been the toughest year in my teaching career. I went from just teaching 6th grade science, to teaching both science and math in 6th grade. A lot of things just didn’t work out. My students’ standardized test scores were… not great. Honestly, it was a year I was happy to get through and get done, and get ready to move on.
So I’m ready for the renewal, and its been a great day just to be on the mountain with some phenomenal teachers from across the state.
Guess Batman doesn’t need to keep it a secret?
I think I’m also going to find renewal through this Kenan Fellowship. When I discuss the program with others, some cringe with the amount of work that they perceive needs to be done. I don’t see it that way. I see it as an opportunity to reset my career, charge my batteries, experience a renaissance. I look forward to the challenges that the opportunity presents.
What excites me most is the chance that students will get to participate in “real” science. The model of citizen science in the classroom (as radical as it might be) is intriguing, and I can only imagine students making new discoveries of the natural world. As much as I hope for discovery – I also look forward to the failures and “missteps” that students might experience. That’s how “real” science works, right?
Professionally, I believe this fellowship will be a stepping stone in my career. Not necessarily out of the classroom, but to be a better educator.
Lastly, I’m already enjoying the new friends and colleagues I’m meeting here in Cullowhee. Our first day activities have already brought out the creativity in the group and the fun. The Students Discover cohort of the 2014-15 Kenan Fellows established a new record in the marble/pipe pass activity with a time of 12 seconds. Check out the video below.
Welcome to my blog for the Kenan Fellows program. (Here are some other Kenan Fellows Program Blogs). I’m excited to get started – I’ll be working with Drs. Roland Kays and Stephanie Schuttler on the Students Discover: eMammal Camera Trap Stakeout project through the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. I’m also excited to be teaming up with some fantastic science educators in other parts of the state: Dayson Pasion and Kelsie Armentrout.
My boy and his grandfather found a little turtle this weekend, which later we returned to a nearby pond.
I’m stoked to be working on this particular project because its important to understand the animals we share our environment with. This concept is one of the FIVE reasons I give my students each year in response to the question: Why study Science? Students at my school are always surprised to discover the diversity of the animal life in the woods around our homes. My favorite is the black bear, and I can only hope we “trap” one with our cameras this next year.
That’s it for now, but I leave you with two videos:
First – story on CNN Student News from April 29th about wildlife migration patterns in former West Germany and Czechoslovakia, now Germany and the Czech Republic, since the fall of communism. (Story at 6:43)
