Science+Instruction+Wiki+Ideas

=**Use of Blogs and Wikis for Science RTMSD**=

//How are some ways that we are using blogs and/wikis in the classroom.//


 * Ms. Tareila and Ms. Dizon, I saw that [|both of] [|you have used blogs] for classroom discussions. Could you talk about that?

Ms. Tareila: I have used blogs in class to address questions that students have in class that they may not want to voice aloud. I haven't gotten that much of a response for this, but likely because I didn't require students to post. Also, I have used blogs to have students talk about lab results/ share conclusions and/ or to expand on the comments of other students. I have also used them to have students tell me about what they have learned from articles that we read in class. Unfortunately, too many of the responses we repeats of previous posts. Any ideas on how to make sure this doesn't happen?

Miss Dizon: At first I have used blogs and wikis as anchor activities. If students are finished with work, they are required to complete independent project each quarter. One option is to participate in a blog. I have students read an article related to something we have discussed and I post different questions they need to repsond to. This year, I will try to do wikis and blogs with all of my classes. At first, I will do short HW assignments to get students used to communicating and posting in a blog or a wiki. Then we will be using blogs and wikis to collaborate on class projects. I would like to use wikis to create class study guides as well.

Terry Haskell: This year I opened a Back to School blog in Schoolwires. I have asked 2 questions and hopefully when my students get their teacher letter they will run to the computer and be able to do something, say something and see who else is in their classroom. [|Haskell Back to school Blog]

Mrs. Grace-Green: Mr. Grisillo, our Science Coordinator, posted a blog asking what is the most important invention? The the student gave great answers, and the blog was a springboard for a fantastic discussion where students used their persuasive skills to try to change our minds.

=**Interesting Websites**=


 * [|Science Jokes] This site is an ongoing collection of jokes and cartoons with a science bent.
 * [|Research Blogging] A blog featuring cutting-edge science research. For some reason I feel that this is use for peer review.
 * [|Collaborative Science Wikis] This seems to be the most interesting direction to take.

=**Ideas**=

__**Science Fair Wiki**__ One place where we always have trouble in the teaching of science in the elementary schools has to do with the selection of the science fair projects. It seems that most of the children have this conception that they are supposed to recreate an experiment rather than explore a and test a question that they have about the world. I wonder if it is from their parents' experiences with fairs in the past, or if it is that so many books published on science fair project ideas have this angle. Either way, I think that a Wiki might be a great way of getting around it. Here's the plan; create a Wiki as a depository of questions that the students have about anything at all one the first day of the school year. Have the children watch as I enter the question into the Wiki. Have the children suggest answers or ideas and have them watch as I enter them to the page. Try to get them to come up with way that we could test the ideas, or come up with experiments. Over time, have the children enter their own ideas, and late their own questions. By November (when we get ready for the the Science Fair), there should be a bunch of organic ideas for the children to test. I will see how it works and update this after I do. -Charlie Keeler I would probably put up a piece of chart paper to add the questions to as they come up. Or I could give the students post-its and designate a place in the classroom to put their questions. Then we would have to consolidate on a regular basis. It would be helpful to share these lists among buildings. -David Woods

My name is Sandy G. We also have talked about the science fair at Media school. It seems like the paretns are more directive thatn they have to be for this project. Even though we review the criteria several times, and go over the scientifiic method, the children seem to need a lot of help with their proposals. I also think the parents get competitive with one another for this project.

This is why we need to consider making the Science Fair as a part of the curriculum i.e. keep it in the school. This wouldn't be a true "Science Fair" per se. - DW

 Teachers can share experiences and problems they have implementing activites and experiments with each other to improve their use of them. -Mr. G
 * Implementing Science Experiments**

 Sharing Science Results Students can share their results with the other students in the other elementary schools to see how their results are the same or differents depending upon when and where they did the experiment. Discussions could be had about what variable affected the results and how they could better recreate each others experiments. - Mr. G

Is there something here? Dr. Lombardo, could this work for you?
 * __Collaborative Science Projects__**

Ms. Maguire, what do you think about classification Wiki?
 * __Taxonomy__**

Is this a worthwhile direction for you, Mr. Lazarow?
 * __Toxicology__**