| FIRST
HAND LEARNING E-NEWSLETTER
Vol. 6, No. 1
IN THIS ISSUE:
1. OUTDOOR INQUIRIES ON ICE
2. THE FUTURE OF TESTING?
3. LET’S MAKE ROBOTS!
1. CREATING A FIELD GUIDE IN WINTER
Some may think that the opportunities for outdoor investigation are over
until spring, but not the hardy group of teachers, administrators, pre-service
students, college professors, and environmental educators who braved the
winter winds last month to attend a professional development workshop
held at Honey
Creek Resort State Park on the shores of the second largest lake in
Iowa, a two-hour drive from Des Moines.
The workshop, “Creating a Field Guide,” offered strategies
for developing students’ science inquiry and literacy skills through
the investigation of local habitats. Facilitator Pat MacGlashan, First
Hand Learning’s Director of Curriculum, waited until the temperature
outside rose above 0† F (!) before she sent teams out to observe, record
journal entries, and collect specimens. Despite the cold and snow, the
participants were enthusiastic, and even found opportunities to use many
of the tools – hand lenses, thermometers, collecting jars, etc.
– that were provided for them in their Outdoor
Inquiry™ Toolkits.
Response to the workshop, sponsored by the Iowa
Conservation Education Coalition, was positive, with many participants
eager to put into practice what they had learned. Two teachers said that
they were excited to have something new that they could use right away,
and planned to have their students begin creating field guides immediately
so that they could follow organisms through the seasons. Several teachers
explained to the informal educators how well the activities meshed with
the Iowa state standards for science, math, art, and language arts. And
the pre-service college students agreed that they would incorporate ideas
from the workshop into a summer program they would be leading.
First Hand Learning, Inc. offers a variety of professional
development workshops, including ones focused on Outdoor
Inquiries.
Contact us about your individual PD needs: inquiries@firsthandlearning.org.
2. BIG CHANGES
AHEAD FOR AP BIO
Many opponents of high-stakes educational testing decry the over-emphasis
on facts, “content,” to the detriment of a deeper understanding
of big ideas. They see exams too often requiring only a regurgitation
of information rather than an ability to deploy critical thinking skills.
Now it seems that in one area at least – in Advanced Placement tests
taken by high school students – the balance is shifting. Read more
about the changes taking place in AP in an interesting article from the
New
York Times.
What do you think? Will the AP test revisions signal a change to the way
testing is carried out in other areas of the educational system? Will
teachers be able to focus more on bigger concepts and analytic thinking?
Is this a good trend? We’d love to learn your thoughts; write to
us at inquiries@firsthandlearning.org.
3. HANDS-ON ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGN FOR BRONX HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Sure, you’re fairly adept at using your computer, but do
you know how to design one? Students attending Bronx Guild High School
in the South Bronx do; they have been learning “physical computing”
and tackling engineering and design problems through a series of fun,
hands-on projects.
The NSF-sponsored GreenFab
program offers classes and after school sessions that focus on computer
information systems, physical computing, engineering and design –
all through direct engagement with intriguing materials and with a strong
focus on eco-effective design and sustainable technologies. Students have
built robots, designed wind turbines, developed energy efficient LED lights,
along with other projects. Learn more from one of the project’s
teachers here.
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First Hand Learning, Inc. offers a variety of professional
development workshops, including ones focused on Outdoor
Inquiries.
Contact us about your individual PD needs: inquiries@firsthandlearning.org.
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The First Hand Learning Catalog offers nature journals, hands-on science
kits, posters, and more. Go to http://www.firsthandlearning.org/catalog/catalog_frameset.html
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We hope you found this edition of the FIRST HAND LEARNING E-NEWSLETTER
informative. Please contact us with any comments, suggestions, or questions
you may have by emailing us at: inquiries@firsthandlearning.org.
This e-newsletter is a product of First Hand Learning, Inc.
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© 2011 First Hand Learning, Inc.
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