To me, a challenge means that I will learn something so a challenge is also a success.
First Challenge & Success:
So, when I first started the externship I thought my biggest challenge would be trying to figure out how in the world I was going to write a curriculum for elementary students based on what scientists and engineers are doing at Biogen. My externship is with the Cell Culture Development Department. Elementary students do not start learning about cells until the 5th grade. I didn’t see how I could write lessons on Cell Culture when the students would barely have an idea what a cell is and it’s function. So, I looked at the bigger picture. What is the end goal of Cell Culture Development? To make medicine that would help fight diseases such as MS and hemophilia. Okay, I thought, I can work with this because I can tie that into understanding the standard 5.L.1.2. Compare the major systems of the human body (digestive, respiratory, circulatory, muscular, skeletal, and cardiovascular) in terms of their functions necessary for life. I read articles about MS so I could get a better understanding of this disease as well as Cell Culture Development. Honestly, I had no idea what cell culture was or how it was developed.
Second Challenge & Success:
I felt pretty good when I went into my first day at Biogen because I had a plan. Or so, I thought. I spent that first day touring the different labs and procedures they follow for their part of the cell culture. I learned so much that day that my head was spinning. There were some many new possibilities for lessons I could create that would align with several standards for different grade levels. My original plan was pushed way down the bottom of a long list of ideas for writing new lessons. Great, I thought now instead of one plan for one lesson, I now have lots of lesson ideas and no plan. Now what?
Third Challenge & Success:
Within the first two hours of my time with my mentor, I learned the most important skill the scientists needed to have was how to communicate accurate, detailed information. So, I decided that whatever lesson I came up with would have to incorporate communication. The cell culture department relies heavily on Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs) which are the step by step procedures they use to grow the cells. So I learned about PFDs and how to create them. The department also uses Standard Operating Procedures but I liked the format of the PFDs for 5th graders. Since cell culture is about growing and developing cells, I realized the better standard for me to write a curriculum for is: 5.P.2 Understand the interactions of matter and energy and the changes that occur. I picked 5.P.2.3 Summarize properties of original materials, and the new material(s) formed, to demonstrate that a change has occurred as the priority standard. This is a foundation for physical science standards in middle and high school.
Fourth Challenge & Success:
What lab activities to use? Going to Erin Lawerence’s presentation at NCCAT was terrific because it gave me a spring board for my other lab activities. Once I got started, I figured out my other lab activity. Then I started writing the lesson plan. Every time I visited my mentor we brainstorm more activities to add to the lesson. Finally, one day I said to him, “Okay, no more ideas. I only have a short time to do this lesson.”
I still have some challenges because I know that I could tweak the lesson here and there. I look forward to getting some feedback from my colleagues. I know that my mentor really likes what I have done.