Katelyn Tipton Science Methods Blog

This week, we learned about DNA, RNA, mRNA, and tRNA and all of their purposes. We learned the structure of DNA and created models of it using Twizzlers and Dots. We also checked in on our fast plants, which have started to form seed pods, and our caterpillars, which have turned into butterflies. We also learned about genes and how babies get their genes from their parents and did the baby lab.  I already knew about DNA and RNA, but this was a nice refresher on their structures and purposes. I knew of mRNA and tRNA, but I wasn't sure what they exactly did, so this lab was helpful in clarifying that for me. I also already knew about dominant and recessive genes and how they are expressed. I think it would be interesting to talk more about how this works with blood types and skin color, which are determined by multiple genes.  I think the DNA modeling activity we did was really fun and engaging, so I would definitely use that in my future classroom/teaching. I think I would modi...

  This week, I learned a lot about sea turtles. From the moment their eggs are laid, they are in harm's way. Only 1 in 1,000 sea turtles survives the journey from their eggs to adulthood. Luckily for them, there are some ways people can help them to survive, but humans also cause them harm in the form of pollution and running them over. I also learned about food chains in different biomes and how they can be impacted by various problems, such as algae blooms blocking the sunlight from reaching plants in the ocean. We also checked in on our fast plants, which are flowering, so we pollinated them. And we checked in on the caterpillars, which are now in their chrysalises.  I am able to relate some of this learning to my prior knowledge. I was aware that sea turtles are endangered species, but I didn't know how perilous their lives really are, which is why they are an endangered species. I also already knew that sea turtles are impacted by human activity, like pollution in the oce...

 This week in lab, we learned about habitats and ecosystems and how some places can be both. We also learned about how some animals interact with their environments, like how dolphins create mud walls to trap fish, leading them to try jumping out of the water and landing in the dolphins mouths. Then, we learned about food chains and how they are different than food webs. Food webs are like food chains, but show more than one chain of consumption.  I already knew most of the stuff that we learned. Although, I didn't know the difference between food chains and food webs, I thought they were the same thing. I also was a bit confused on the difference between habitats and ecosystems before this week, but now I understand the relationship between the two.  I could definitely apply my learning on food chains and food webs to my future teaching. I would like to do on lesson on the differences between them and have my students make their own chains and webs, maybe as posters show...

 This week, I learned what the 5E model is. The 5E model is a way of teaching science that involves 5 phases all starting with E: engage, explore, explain, expand/extend, and evaluate. These phases create a guideline for teachers to create science lessons are are effective for student conceptual learning. I am not able to connect this to my previous knowledge, as this is an entirely knew framework to me. I think it is really interesting and seems like it would be super effective to use in my future classroom. I think the framework is super clear and easy to understand, as each phase has a word associated with it and they each have a little description of what that phase entails. Here are my answers to the 5E worksheet. (the format is a bit messed up because it went from word to google docs) 5E worksheet

This week, I learned what fast plants are and how they grow. I learned that you can plant a seed and have it go through it's entire life cycle in 40 days, ending with new seeds to plant. I also learned about life cycles and how some of them are complete or incomplete metamorphosis, so they aren't all the same.  I am able to relate my learning to my previous knowledge, as I already when the life cycle stages of a caterpillar/butterfly. It was interesting to see it actually happen in the video we watched in class. I am also pretty familiar with the life cycle of most plants, like the fast plants, but getting to see it all sped up in very interesting, rather than just pictures of each stage - it's cool to see it transition from one stage to the next.  This week, we did 2 activities in class - creating life cycles out of play-dough and planting fast plants. I would love to be able to do both of these activities in my future classroom, as they were both fun activities that invol...

 This week, I learned the 8 characteristics of living things and used those characteristics to determine if things are living or nonliving. I also learned that a seed is not a living thing, but it has the potential to be one, with the right conditions.  This can apply to my teaching, as this week has given me some great examples of ways to incorporate hands-on learning in a science classroom by making posters of what we have learned and growing plants to show the different stages and what conditions they need to survive and grow.  After this week, one question I have is what ways (other than making posters) can we help students to remember the characteristics of living things in a fun and hands-on way?

 This week, I learned what the NGSS is. Before class, I didn't know what it was or how it was relevant to my future teaching. Now, I have a decent understanding of how to read standards and where they apply in the classroom. Iowa is one the many states that has adopted the NGSS, so I will definitely need to be able to read and understand the standards in my future teaching career. One question I have regarding the NGSS is why only some states use it and others use different standards. I think it would be beneficial for all American students to be taught science using the same standards, especially for students that move frequently, so they can pick up where they left off at their previous school. In lab, we also drew our future classrooms with features we want to include. One thing my group included is pod seating, so students each have their own desk, but can also do group work frequently.