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SYIP 2012 TSilvera II
- 1. Title: Biodiversity in different stages of succession in our schoolyard Author: Tricia Silvera Grade: 9-12 Duration: 1-2 Weeks depending on schedule (Regular 7 classes/block) Introduction: The focus of our school is the environment. We are an EIC (the environment as an integrated context for learning) model school. This particular lesson is for use in an environmental science or biology class but can be used as a starting point for further research. LessonGoals: Students will investigate the abiotic and biotic contributors to each ecosystem and describe/list each species discovered at each stage of succession. Students will be able to explain the trophic levels utilizing the food web model. Students will be able to identify the human impact on these ecosystems as it relates to the schoolyard. Materials & Budget: Pencil, journal, camera, Berlese Funnel (2 liter bottles, potato or onion bags, tape, scissors), small aquarium, continuous light source, colored flags or cones, small shovel/trowel, small sandwich bag for collecting leaf litter samples, forceps, petri dishes, dissecting microscope, alchohol. Most of the high value equipment such as the camera and microscope is already on hand at the school in the science labs, as are the forceps, alchohol and petri dish, shovel/trowel. The rest of the materials can be easily acquired by the individual students. The cost will be minimal to conduct this study. Implementation: Show video Succession by Olympia Gianfransesco http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=_Y9EQbKH_hA Discuss the stages of succession and their differences. What kind of biotic features are found at each level? Develop questions to be answered through investigation of the ecosystems in our schoolyard. Students will bring in 2 liter bottles, potato/onion bags to make Berlese funnels and also small sandwich bags to collect samples. Students will make a Berlese funnel: Cut 2 liter soda bottle just below the mark at the top of the bottle just above the label with scissors; tape the top of the cut bottle for safety from the sharp edges; cut the onion/potato bag in half and cut open at the seam; place the onion/potato bag inside the top half of the bottle to create a filter for the funnel; place the top half in the bottom half. Collect samples of biotic contributors found in the leaf litter at each stage of succession from pre-determined areas in the school yard.
- 2. Conduct an analysis of the samples and communicate whether or not the data supports of falsifies the hypothesis that was developed. Present the results of the investigation to the class. Questions: a. What level of successionhas the most bio-diversity? b. Which area of the school yard has reached the highest level of succession? c. Has the building of our school impacted succession or bio-diversity in our school yard? d. What trophic levels can be found in our sampling sites? e. How will the biotic factors/organisms found interact according to a foodweb model? Hypothesis: The walking trail has greater biodiversity. Prediction: If the walking trail has greater biodiversity, then there will be a greater number of species found there than in the outdoor classroom or athletic fields. Sampling sites: Utilizing the walking trail (forested area) and the shrubbery (smaller plants) around the school in the outdoor classroom, and athletic fields (grassy area). Experimental Design: The students will be grouped based upon class size. Each group will choose a sample plot (using the colored flags/cones for marking equal areas for sampling) the walking trails and the shrubbery around the school in the outdoor classroom, and athletic fields and collect two samples. Collect small sandwich bag samples for analysis of organisms found in the leaf litter of each area. The samples will be placed in the Berlese funnel and contained in a small aquarium exposed to continuous light overnight. Students will then analyze the samples using dissecting microscopes borrowed from the science lab. Students will record data in their notebooks. Students will create data tables to analyze the samples. Students will then report findings to the class. Analysis and Communication: A collective poster display will be placed in the hallway of the results of the data. (To incorporate technology, groups may also create group PowerPoint or Glog displays for classroom presentation). The data can be presented to elementary school students or to the school at large at a PTA meeting. Resources: www.teachertube.com , www.ted.com , www.NSTA.org , www.Khanacademy.com , www.youtube.com, www.glogster.com Extension: This lesson could be extended to a literature class by having the students write and analytical research paper utilizing the empirical data collected during research and inquiry. A math class could use this as a lesson to interpret data tables and create graphs of the data
- 3. collected. A social studies class could use the data to incorporate a lesson on interpreting data to address the human impact or building of the school has had on the ecosystem of the schoolyard. Sample worksheets/evaluation guidelines (rubric): Biodiversity in different stages of succession in our schoolyard Levels/Criteria 1 2 3 4 Score/Level Creativity Project includes little variety in presentation techniques Material presented with little originality or creative thought Some apparent originality displayed through creative use of materials Exceptional originalityof presented material Content Unorganized and meets less than half the requirements Project meets half of the requirements; well-organized Project is well- organized and meets most requirements Project is well- organized and meets all requirements Grammar Multiple grammatical and stylistic errors Some errors in grammar and/or formatthat does not interfere with clarity Few grammatical and/or stylistic errors Nearly error-free which reflects clear understanding and thorough proofreading Presentation Careless,hurried, and illegible presentation Project appears rushed of somewhat careless,butthe content is legible Clear,uncluttered, and attractive Evidence that pride and care was taken and the message ofthe productis clearly defined
- 4. PERSONAL STATEMENT The following information will notbe considered during our office's review of your application for inclusion in the New Teacher Finder (NTF). However, if your application is admitted into the NTF, this information will be made available to principals as partof your application,to review and help identify potential matches for their openings. We encourage you to use this space to briefly summarize why you wantto become a teacher in our schools,and recommend you address the following points in particular: What are you looking for in a school community,and what will you bring to one? Describe anyprofessional strengths or skills which you believe contribute to your success as an educator. Highlightany accomplishments with students this pastyear. Letme introduce myself,IamTricia Sanga formeralumnaof HofstraUniversityanda graduate of Universityof Phoenix.IwasemployedwithDeKalbCountySchoolsforatotal of tenyears.My last position,before relocatingtoNewYork,wasa Teacher-InterrelatedatArabiaMountainHighSchool and taught there forthe lastfour years.My experience isvariedandhasencompassedmany fields.Iam confidentthatIam an ideal candidate fora teachingpositionespeciallydue tomymanyyears working witha diverse learningpopulationandcoaching.Thispastschool yearI obtatineda$1000 grant from the GeorgiaWildlife Federationtoupgrade the outdoorclassroomareatofacilitate more frequent usage for EIC classesinparticular.Ialsoreceivedaleadershipawardasone of the top 5 teachersfrom region4 from Explore LearningforutilizingGizmosinthe classroomasatool fordifferentiated instruction.Ialsohave experience workingwithavarietyof budgetsdue tomycoachingvarsitycross- country(2years),swimming(3years),soccer(4years),teachinganEIC(EnvironmentasanIntegrating Context) (4years) classandgrantwriting. My coachingrecord speaksforitself andcanbe viewed at http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/athletics/ andclickingonthe particularsportstab. I have attachedmy resume andteachercertification. Mystudentteachingportfoliocanbe viewedonline at https://www.taskstream.com/ts/silvera/StudentTeachingPortfolio pword:tarababy1121 Describe a time when you successfully overcame an instructional challenge (focus on teaching a specific academic objective) in the classroom and describe the strategies you used. How did you know that your students met this objective? Why do you consider it a success and how do you know? A few of the students in 10th grade chemistry were unable to understand solving multi-step equations, which was a necessary pre-requisite for solving and balancing chemical equations. In the co-taught setting, I utilized flexible grouping and peer tutoring as a strategy to help re-teach the process of PEMDAS when doing multi-step equations. I also utilized the explorelearning.com website and assigned gizmos, that provided visual and audio "hands on" activities and instant feedback on the quiz at the end of the activity as homework. I knew the strategies worked because I could utilize the gizmo activity repetitively until mastery in addition to testing their understanding after utilizing the strategies after in-class instruction and the students test score increased to passing. It is three months into the school year. As a teacher new to your school, you are struggling to keep a few students on task. Your Assistant Principal observed your class and suggested you need to work on classroom management. A colleague remarked that these three students are known for having particularly challenging behavior and maybe they should just be moved to another class. After another
- 5. observation, your Assistant Principals feedback indicates that you have unclear behavioral expectations and lack of consistent follow-up with off-task students. Please write an email response to your Assistant Principal wherein you outline your plan for addressing the issues in your class. I have worked in the co-taught setting and both teachers are responsible for classroom management. Dear Mr./Ms. Assistant Principal, It is almost the close of the semester and three children are still having issues with off task behavior. At the beginning of the semester, during the first two weeks academic and behavior expectations are reviewed with the students. The academic and behavior expectatiosn are also posted in the classroom. All the students are involved with setting the classrrom rules. A colleague suggested that these students be removed from the class but that will not solve the problem or be beneficial to the students. It is time that these students are placed on individual behavior contracts. I will schedule a conference with the parents and teachers of the students. This will allow me to get inp ut from everyone on the best way to create a behavior contract that will facilitate each student learning appropriate behavior. The contract will detail the expected behavior goal, a timeline for achieving each goal, a reward for making progress and the consequence for not meeting the goal. Having a behavior contract in place facilitates the student learning accountability for their actions and allows communication between the stakeholders as to progress or regress of behavior goals. Educationally yours, Ms. Sang You are a teacher at NYC School of Excellence. During the beginning of the year you determined that more than half of your students are below grade level and a quarter of the class is absent at least once a week. Considering these challenges, what do you expect to accomplish (for your students and yourself) by the end of the school year? How would you achieve these goals? First I would need to find out if technology such as wi-fi for internet connection and a device such as a phone, tablet, laptop/ desktop is accesible for the student. For the students that are absent at least once a week I would make sure that the daily class assignments and homework are posted online and available for those with internet access. If not then I would have a hardcopy to hand to them at the beginning of the week. For the students that are functioning below grade level I would utilize flexible grouping and station teaching during instruction time, pullouts would be ideal but not in a co-taught setting. I would also utilize various websites and give alternative assignments on those websites, for example gizmos on explore learning, to remediate deficits. I would expect to see improvement during the year utilizing benchmark testing, assessments during and after instruction and hopefully enough improvement so that the students could meet the standards on standardized tests for their grade level.