Week 2
1. How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future?
In my future teaching, I can apply Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) by guiding students to explain concepts like the eight characteristics of living things. For example, when discussing whether viruses are alive, students can make a claim (“Viruses are not alive”), provide evidence (they can't reproduce independently), and explain their reasoning (reproduction is a key characteristic of living things). Additionally, I can incorporate the eight characteristics in inquiry-based activities, like asking students to classify objects as living or non-living based on these traits. This will foster critical thinking, engagement, and deeper understanding of biology.
Understanding seed germination can be a powerful tool for teaching because it provides a hands-on, visual way to engage students in learning about biology, ecology, and the scientific method. This inquiry-based learning encourages critical thinking and gives students a tangible understanding of plant biology. By using germination as a teaching tool, I can foster a deeper understanding of life sciences and environmental awareness, while also developing students’ skills in scientific inquiry and observation.
2. What parts did you find clear and which were confusing?
When thinking about Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER). Here’s what I found clear and a bit confusing about CER:
What’s clear about CER:
- Structure: CER is a simple, logical structure that can be used in nearly any subject area. Students start by making a claim, back it up with evidence, and then explain how that evidence supports their claim. This structure gives students a clear way to organize their thoughts and arguments, which is incredibly valuable for critical thinking.
- Clarity in assessment: From a teaching perspective, CER offers a clear way to assess students’ thinking and their ability to reason through a concept. It’s easy to see where they might be struggling (e.g., if they’ve made a claim but can’t provide strong evidence or reasoning).
What’s confusing about CER:
Balancing the components: Sometimes, students struggle with the reasoning part—it's not always clear how much reasoning is "enough." While the claim and evidence might seem straightforward, students might find it tricky to explain why their evidence supports the claim without sounding vague or disconnected. This might require additional support in teaching how to reason effectively.
In-depth application: In some subjects, especially ones with complex or abstract concepts, it's tough to apply CER in a clear-cut way. For instance, in more creative or subjective fields like art or literature, it’s not always easy to define “evidence” in the same way you would in a science experiment or history essay.
3. What did you learn this week?
This week I continued to learn about the eight characteristics of living and non-living things. We used real-world examples to further explore this topic, as well as making an anchor chart that was helpful. More importantly, we learned about claim, evidence, and reasoning. This is important because it fosters critical thinking, communication, and deeper engagement with content. By teaching students to make claims, support them with evidence, and explain their reasoning, educators help students develop the skills needed to analyze and evaluate information effectively. This structured approach not only sharpens students’ ability to form well-supported arguments but also strengthens their ability to articulate their thoughts clearly, whether in writing, discussion, or presentations. Additionally, CER promotes inquiry-based learning, where students actively engage with content, rather than passively receiving information, which aligns with modern educational approaches that emphasize problem-solving and discovery. This inquiry-based learning also supports what we learned last week about NGSS!
We also learned about seed germination and how seeds turn into plants. Seed germination is the process by which a seed develops into a new plant. It’s the first step in the life cycle of a plant, beginning with the seed's uptake of water and ending with the emergence of the plant's shoot and root.
Hi Macy! I also talked about the importance of Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning when our students are conducting an experiment. One example I had for assistance to our students was providing our students with an outline that focused on their reasoning based off of the evidence they conducted. I do like the ideas you came up with, such as inquiry-based learning, and I plan to incorporate that in my classroom as well.
ReplyDeleteHey Macy! I enjoyed reading your blog. I agree that the seed germination we did in class works well as a model for students. It can be helpful for them to see in real time the process of seed germination and how plants grow. It's also a great tool to teach students about the life cycle. I think using inquiry-based teaching is a great way to teach about the eight characteristics of living things. It's a great way to challenge student to think critically (which you already said), but I also it could be fun to talk about the hypotheticals like we did during lab with the example of viruses. Have a great weekend!
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