Latest Book Review

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NSTA Review: All in a Rainforest Day

All in a Rainforest Day by Ellen B. Senisi is joyful with photos that capture the glamor of rainforests.  The book is organized into one day and visits rainforests all over the globe.  Each image has a simple caption.  My favorite is page eight, a proboscis monkey from Malasia, with the caption, 'Time for breakfast!'  I read the book to a group of youngsters who range in age from six to eleven, part of a Co-op.  They sat rapt!  I was confused as I read it, wondering which rainforest the book was describing.  After I finished reading, I wanted to be sure the monkey was a proboscis and located the photo index on the last page, which describes the organism and its country.  After I read the book to the children, I asked for their impressions: 'pretty and graceful', 'creepy animals' (page 10, the green vine snake eating a lizzard), and 'colorful'.  It was evident the photos were engrossing.  We decided the book would most suit young children, especially those four to six.  This book is an excellent introduction to rainforest organisms.  Children will want to learn more after they read and can travel the globe visiting rainforests around the world.  

Bean Genes, Alternative Assessment, and Documentation

Below is an activity I just did this morning with my Biology Co-op class of three girls.  This is an example of alternative assessment.  The class is completing a genetics unit.  They've done a bunch of Punnett squares and endured a few lectures.  The Bean Gene activity is another way to assess the kids to see if they're clear on the concepts.  The activity and questions replace a formal test.  I do a lot of this form of assessment.  Can the kids differentiate between phenotypic and genotypic ratios?  Do they remember the differences among complete, incomplete, and codominance?

Bean Genes is an alternative assessment for monohybrid crosses.  Here are the photos.  I like this because it takes about 20 minutes to do the activity, tally, and answer the questions. Done!  The goal is to do a quick review of major topics: genotype so, phenotype so, genotypic ratios, phenotypic ratios, Punnett squares, monohybrid cross, complete dominance, incomplete dominance, and codominance.  The girls each had cups of red and white beans and completed 25 trials.  We averaged their data to derive the phenotypic averages.  One child working alone should get a 1:3:1 genotypic average and a 3:1 phenotypic average.  The more kids, the more trial, the closer your data will be to these ratios.  This link explains the differences among complete dominance, incomplete dominance, and codominance.  Since this activity was a form of alternative assessment, I had the girls write out their answers and date the material for their portfolios.  BTW, save photos of samples with dates as part of an electronic portfolio.

The girls also created paper DNA, mRNA, and tRNA models of transcription and translation.  The models took hours because, I insisted we use a DNA molecule and create a peptide chain.  The girls had to explain protein synthesis orally and in writing.  I read and retread their summaries, helped they clarify and correct their paragraphs.  As home-schoolers, isn't this a much better way to assess understanding?  You may want to video their answers and post them to a blog as a digital portfolio.  Better yet, have your child do it.

Science Outreach with Head Start

Our Co-op meets at church; on the same campus, in the Knights Hall, is a Head Start class of twenty. Our kids perform monthly programs for the kids. I like to do outreach events.  The four year olds get a little science enrichment; the Co-op kids all gain leadership experience.  We aim for monthly, half-hour sessions.  This month we chose Instant Snow, Grow Beads, and two forms of Jumping Pepper.  One version uses dish detergent and the other with a ballon and static electricity.  Aren't the kids adorable?  We chose four activities we hadn't had time for last session.  Nancy, the Head Start teacher, wanted to limit the session to about 30 minutes to allow time for recess before lunch.  When we plan these activities, we make sure to have all of the materials in advance and to allow enough time to set up materials, typically between 30 minutes and an hour.  We plan for 15-30 minutes for clean-up after.  With twenty four year olds, we divided the class into four groups and rotated the stations.  There were ten Co-op kids facilitating the event, ranging in age from six to fourteen.  I worked with the six and seven year old at their station.  Consider doing this sort of activity with your Co-op.  All of the kids involved benefit.

Bar Graph

Yes, we are still proceeding at a  glacial pace in my science class.  I thought you might like ideas for creating bar graphs.  Today, we completed three labs: Muscle Fatigue, Reaction Times, and Hot Hand.  The kids had finished the muscle lab two weeks ago when we last met.  I summarized their data on the board.  Creating bar graphs and averaging the data took an hour. I had the older kids copy the summarized data and take averages while the younger kids did some copy work.  Everyone created bar graphs.  I helped the kids set up axes, count by fives, and plot the data.  The kids plotted everyone's data and then we dicsussed briefly what the graph represents.  I wanted the class to get an idea that the graph summarizes the data they collected. This process took an hour.  Next the kids each did ten trials with rulers to collect reaction times.  Once again, I had the class average and graph the class data.  For the third lab, the kids took temperature measures for their fingers, palms, wrists, elbows, and under arms with the digital thermometers using Sparkvue and Vernier equipment.  The kids summarized an average for each body part in one bar graph from their data.  By the third time, the kids were setting up axes and graphing with aplomb.  They also have a good grasp of experimental design.  Everyone can create a bar graph!

What about history?

Finding a good history textbook is almost as tough as a locating a decent basal reader.  I think English  instruction should coincide with history.  For example, if the English textbook focuses on American history, shouldn't the history book also be American history?  My friend, Michelle, shared copies of a terrific Catholic series from The Catholic Textbook Project.  This site has samples from the text and workbook.  My advise to families new to home-schooling is to first focus on the basics: math, English, history, and science.  There is nothing wrong with using a workbook that accompanies the text.  Think of this as a safety net.  The exercises in the workbook often spark ideas or help identify areas the child may need to polish.  If the kids are getting core instruction, you're free to pursue projects and passions.

How to you handle tests?

One question I get often is whether or not my Co-op kids have tests.  I'm evaluating them all the time; occaisionally, we have a quiz, such as labeling the parts of the microscope.  Below is yesterday's Biology class description.  Please note that assessment is a continuous aspect of the class.

We started by looking at the pond samples the kids have cultured.  Whoa! We did not look very long.  What an odor!  Basically, I out a drop of stain on a sample.  For the most part, the slide had bacteria, loads of bacteria.  How were they assessed?  I checked their sketches in their notes.  When they had finished the slides, we reviewed the kids' corrections to their reports and made a few more notes.  I'm sure you're asking about the types of corrections.  Reports, unlike this blog, should be written in the third person, using the active voice, in the present tense and indicative mood.  I point out details regarding the content or minor grammar errors, such as the use of 'their' or that a colon follows a noun.

I shared a presentation about protists, checked their biological keys in their notes, and asked about their reading.  Here, we talked about the value of constructing biological keys.  In my opinion, a few examples are plenty.  I think they should key out species using a key rather than construct fifty.  The girls said the charts in the modules make this exercise easy to finish and they correct their answers after they finish.  Fine, either way.

We spent a good bit of time doing a little comparative morphology.  Basically, we looked at different phyla and created  charts comparing different aspects: nutrition, reproduction, cell wall composition, unique features, representative species, etc.  The girls polished their Malaria presentation and delivered it to the Anatomy class this afternoon.  I like this type of alternative assessment.  The kids presented the lesson and were able to field all of the questions I hit them with, such as 'Where is malaria most prevalent?' or 'How is it transmitted?'  The Malaria project was the result of an assignment, called Mrs. Jones, from the CDC I assigned as home-work last week.  They concluded with a hands-on activity about malaria.  Perfect!  The next time we meet, which won't be for two weeks, we'll tackle Fungi.

Want to see another form of alternative assessment?  Take a look at Meg's blog.