Implementation+Plans

=Modeling Biology Workshop=

Greenhill School, June 2009
On June 3-5, 2009, Greenhill Biology teachers met to learn more about the modeling method of science teaching and to discuss specific ways to implement this method in the Biology classroom. Christ Bigenho, Barry Ide, Andrejs Krumins, Mike Krueger, Nancy Pinnow each participated in the workshop. Nicholas Park facilitated the workshop. We initially did two modeling-style activities, on genetics and cell size. We then discussed how energy is taught in various courses, and the need to be more coherent in our approach to energy across the curriculum. Finally, through some reading and discussion we explored the basic ideas of the modeling method.

There was a general consensus that this method addresses a genuine need, and could be very beneficial to our students. Teachers expressed a desire to be more careful with their use of terminology - particularly as regards energy - and to help students do the same, and also to make a greater effort to engage students is some form of classroom discourse more frequently. In terms of specific plans for implementation in the coming year, the 10th grade biology team decided to include four modeling-style labs in next year's curriculum: labs on cell size, genetics, the effect of enzymes on reactions, and evolution by natural selection. They then spent a day developing three of these labs: cell size, the effect of enzymes, and evolution by natural selection. In addition, several activities and units were re-sequenced, in order to better fit a modeling-type storyline, and it was agreed to add a lesson on energy in chemical bonds to the initial biochemistry unit:

The following pages (currently works-in-progress) reflect ongoing work to be done during the remainder of the summer:

Teacher's Notes for Genetics Lab Sequence

Lesson on Energy for Biochemistry Unit