comp day

Here’s my results from the second six weeks curriculum comparison:

TEK objectives 9 BC
obtaining, transforming, and distributing energy

IS: ???mentions energy transformations in a telecast and discuss using solar panels to power cars in another

C-Scope: Explore your World Share-A-Thon and Tonight in the News

PH: Cooking with Sunshine lab

C-Scope had the students research a renewable energy source and create a poster discussing that topic.  The second portion was to have the kids share their findings in a news show format.  I have never been a big fan of posters, it is painful (for me) to try and get everyone to bring one in and then I have to decide what kind of grade to give based on the kid’s portion of the work.  I think the tonight in the news sounds like it could be interesting with the proper class.  I don’t see it faring well with my classes.

The Prentice Hall book had a lab in which students built a solar oven and then used the oven to toast marshmallows.  This doesn’t sound bad, but is limited only to solar energy.  The text of the book did have a pretty good section discussing each of the renewable energy sources.

I used neither of the activities mentioned above.  I did show the few minutes of an inventor with his solar powered call video.  I did discuss the forms of energy the way they were described in the textbook.  I had the kids complete a webquest that I have modified to suit me over the years.  The kids were given a renewable resource topic and then did internet research according to the guidelines that I had given them.

TEK objectives 8B,C
Energy

IS: Owl Pellets, ??

C-Scope: Owl Pellets compost column

PH: pictures of and discussion of food web and compost bin

IS: had a four minute video clip of the barn owl with instructions on how to dissect the pellet.  There was nothing that I could find about compost bins/piles

C-Scope: called for owl pellet dissection and creation of a compost column from two liter bottles.

PH: had pictures of and a discussion of food webs and compost bins

The owl pellets are an excellent lab and help to show how energy moves through different organisms.  This is one of my (and I think the kid’s) favorite labs.  We also constructed a food web to show flow of energy.

We discussed compost bins/piles.  Last year I watched a demonstration of the compost column and it didn’t work properly.  I used temperature probes and laptops to demonstrate it with my classes and it didn’t work well.  The construction involves cutting of the bottles with a razor blade, I don’t think this is a good idea for 6^th graders to use.  Implementation on a “per group” basis would require a great number of thermometers and storage space over a period of days.  I’m not totally discarding the idea, just trying to figure out how to make it work.

Side study finale;

We attended a day of staff development during the second six weeks featuring Dr. John Crane.  He commented on the writing of the objectives.  His opinion was that the procedure was worthless and did nothing for the students.  The only thing it did was help out administration in trying to determine what was being taught.

I continued my study to see what my results would be.

During this time all classes except for one had the objectives posted.

The range between highest class average and lowest was 6.6 points.  The class with the highest average this time did not have the “advantage” of the objective written, it was the same class as last six weeks.  They finished at +3 above the average.  The class that had the lowest class average last time (without objectives) had the next to lowest average this time (and did have objectives).  They were at -3 from the entire group average.

I’ll call the study over.  I bow to Dr. Crain’s expert opinion.