Part I: The Introduction/Proposal Summary
The human reproductive system is one of the most sensitive life science topics that students will learn about in seventh grade. With students approaching or having already entered puberty, questions and curiosities abound around this subject. The purpose of this project is to have students understand the biology behind the development that creates new human lives, and how that development can be affected positively or negatively. This project will allow students to use the specific skills and interests they have outside of science to expand their understanding of human reproduction and development. Students from Michael Hartman’s 7th grade Advanced Life Science classes will be able to investigate human development with fun, professional science content and models shown in the The Amazing You permanent exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, Florida. This exhibit shows how the human body changes as it progresses from birth into old age, and will be used to inspire ideas for their project’s final product. The students will also be able to participate in an educational program called The Code of Life, where students will learn about DNA as the “blueprint of life”, and will have the opportunity to conduct a gel electrophoresis in an exploration of biotechnologies which can be used to detect developmental issues caused by DNA.
This field trip allows students to interact with and explore how the different body systems change as human bodies develop over time, and the medical concerns that come along with these changes. This will be a big benefit for the students in their ability to accomplish this project. In essence, the Amazing You exhibit is a professionally done example of what the students have been asked to do, but for more life stages after birth, and without the developments before birth. The final product of the project will be a physical or technological model or demonstration of the life stages: from gamete formation to conception, from conception to birth, and from birth to puberty, accompanied by verbal presentation of the models, which will give examples and details of common medical maladies for each developmental stage. The project will impact the 50 students in Mr. Hartman’s two periods of 7th grade classes by showing them the importance of understanding human reproduction and development, and by raising their awareness of medical issues that accompany stages of life they hope to one day experience.
Part II: The Rationale/Potential Impact and Needs Statement
This unit on human reproduction and development is based on the state and national science education curriculum and standards for middle school students. They are expected to understand the underlying tenants of sexual reproduction and heredity, the general form and function of human reproductive structures, and the stages of human development from gamete formation to old age. This development can be difficult to grasp from simple two-dimensional pictures, or words describing the changes that occur across developmental stages. Education Next looked at the value of field trips and found that students who visited a museum saw improvements in both ability to recall details about information they interacted with, and the ability to think critically and analyze the information they experienced. Recall and analysis of information learned from the exhibit will serve the long-term memories of the students much better than a classroom lesson because of this experience. Field trips also allow students to learn in a more hands-on manner, and both research and personal experience suggests that this style of learning is greatly beneficial for student understanding and long-term knowledge.
The subject of human reproduction and development is something that ties into a wide range of social contexts and political discussions. Providing this unique opportunity for the students will help to prepare them for their current life changes while undergoing puberty, and for healthy living in their future stages of development. This preparation from MOSI is something that most students in Mr. Hartman’s class would probably never be able to afford, but this grant could ensure that all of the students are able to travel and have this experience free of charge. They can then share this experience with family members and friends, who might then be more inclined to engage in the multiple informal STEM educational facilities around the Gainesville area, which contributes to the overall goal of the national science standards: a scientifically literate society.
Part III: The Description of the Project, Objectives, and Activities
The field trip to MOSI will be used to give students the opportunity to explore and investigate human development and genetics. The Amazing You has anatomically correct models and simulations for each of the life stages from birth to old age, even though students will need to present life stages from gamete formation to puberty. I want students to be able to show what kind of final product they think will be most useful in conveying the information they need to for the stage of development that they will be responsible for demonstrating. The unit is two weeks long, and students will make their final presentations at the end of the two week period. Final products that stand out and would be beneficial to students or community members who interact with them will be shown to the public at school, and possibly at a Gainesville community center or public place where such items might be allowed and beneficial. As such, the products should be able to stand alone well, while also being strong support material for their in-class presentation. Each student who completes one part of the development will be expected to be an expert on said stage. Thus, students will ideally work in groups of three, but in classes where the number of students is not a multiple of three, a fourth member can be added who will be responsible for life stages after puberty; or a team of two can take on the responsibility of all three necessary life stages, with one of them being split evenly in terms of work done for it.
For the complete two-week calendar navigate to http://linkinglearningtolife.weebly.com/calendar.html. The first week starts with an introduction of the driving question and the project. It is followed by the aforementioned pre-test and discussion of expectations. The pre-test is one made up by the school district for all 7th grade life science students to take before and after their unit on human reproduction and development. This will all take place on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday will be an investigation of sexual reproduction, and how it is similar and different between flowers and humans. This will be accomplished through a flower lab dissection and initial overview of human reproductive organs and structures. Thursday will focus on introducing key terms and concepts important to human development, in preparation for Friday’s field trip to MOSI. Thursday will feature students filling out the “I used to think” portion of the “I used to think…but now I know” formative assessment. The students will be responsible for their written summaries mentioned above, as well as the “but now I know” portion of their formative assessment on Monday of the following week.
The second week includes more detailed information on the different stages of development. Monday, students will learn about gamete formation, the path gametes take, conception, and implantation. Tuesday focuses on fetus/embryo development to birth. Wednesday will be spent learning about development from birth, through infancy and adolescence to puberty. Thursday will focus on the final stages of development, and time left in class will be spent by students working on their projects. Friday will also be a day for students to work on and finish up their projects. Students should can work either within their groups, or they can collaborate with students who are working on the same developmental stage that they are.
Part IV: The Evaluation
In order to make students feel comfortable with talking about the intimate subject of human reproduction, there will be a class discussion about classroom expectations of maturity, responsibility, and curiosity, including examples of what is acceptable. We will also take a pre-test to activate background knowledge of terms and definitions associated with reproduction, and to introduce new key terms they will be learning and using for the project.
Students will also be asked to turn in a summary of each life-stage they explored at The Amazing You exhibit, followed by an explanation of how it influenced what type of final product they want to produce for the development stage to which they are assigned. The unit project will be graded by the rubric posted at http://linkinglearningtolife.weebly.com/project-rubric.html.
Part V: The Budget
$400 MOSI student tickets
$141 + $96 Bus Driver Salary = $237 for school bus transportation
$5 Parking
Total: $642.00
If we are given this grant from target, students will only need to pay for their lunches. As mentioned in the field trip document, students may bring their own lunches or the PTA or the school will provide lunches to students who cannot afford them.
Part VI: Appendices
Appendix 1
CV:
Michael Hartman
[email protected]
772-332-1221
4915 SW 14th Pl.
Gainesville, FL 32607
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Biology – Secondary Education
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
UFTeach-Science Minor
COURSEWORK
Major:
· Biology I and Lab
· Biology 2 and Lab
· Survey of the Human Body
· Physiology and Molecular Biology of Animals
· General Ecology
· Evolution
Minor:
· Step 1/2 Combo
· Classroom Interactions
· Knowing and Learning
· Project-Based Instruction
· Apprentice Teaching
SKILLS
Technology:
· Microsoft Office Professional (Word, Excel, Powepoint, Publisher, Outlook)
· Interactive EPSON Projectors
· SmartBoard/SmartResponse Products
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Apprentice Teach – Spring 2014 (Fort Clarke MS)
Project-Based Instruction – Spring 2014 (Fort Clarke MS)
Classroom Interactions – Fall 2013 (Westwood MS)
Step 1/2 Combo – Fall 2012 (Kanapaha MS)
Appendix B
Exhibit Pictures
The human reproductive system is one of the most sensitive life science topics that students will learn about in seventh grade. With students approaching or having already entered puberty, questions and curiosities abound around this subject. The purpose of this project is to have students understand the biology behind the development that creates new human lives, and how that development can be affected positively or negatively. This project will allow students to use the specific skills and interests they have outside of science to expand their understanding of human reproduction and development. Students from Michael Hartman’s 7th grade Advanced Life Science classes will be able to investigate human development with fun, professional science content and models shown in the The Amazing You permanent exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, Florida. This exhibit shows how the human body changes as it progresses from birth into old age, and will be used to inspire ideas for their project’s final product. The students will also be able to participate in an educational program called The Code of Life, where students will learn about DNA as the “blueprint of life”, and will have the opportunity to conduct a gel electrophoresis in an exploration of biotechnologies which can be used to detect developmental issues caused by DNA.
This field trip allows students to interact with and explore how the different body systems change as human bodies develop over time, and the medical concerns that come along with these changes. This will be a big benefit for the students in their ability to accomplish this project. In essence, the Amazing You exhibit is a professionally done example of what the students have been asked to do, but for more life stages after birth, and without the developments before birth. The final product of the project will be a physical or technological model or demonstration of the life stages: from gamete formation to conception, from conception to birth, and from birth to puberty, accompanied by verbal presentation of the models, which will give examples and details of common medical maladies for each developmental stage. The project will impact the 50 students in Mr. Hartman’s two periods of 7th grade classes by showing them the importance of understanding human reproduction and development, and by raising their awareness of medical issues that accompany stages of life they hope to one day experience.
Part II: The Rationale/Potential Impact and Needs Statement
This unit on human reproduction and development is based on the state and national science education curriculum and standards for middle school students. They are expected to understand the underlying tenants of sexual reproduction and heredity, the general form and function of human reproductive structures, and the stages of human development from gamete formation to old age. This development can be difficult to grasp from simple two-dimensional pictures, or words describing the changes that occur across developmental stages. Education Next looked at the value of field trips and found that students who visited a museum saw improvements in both ability to recall details about information they interacted with, and the ability to think critically and analyze the information they experienced. Recall and analysis of information learned from the exhibit will serve the long-term memories of the students much better than a classroom lesson because of this experience. Field trips also allow students to learn in a more hands-on manner, and both research and personal experience suggests that this style of learning is greatly beneficial for student understanding and long-term knowledge.
The subject of human reproduction and development is something that ties into a wide range of social contexts and political discussions. Providing this unique opportunity for the students will help to prepare them for their current life changes while undergoing puberty, and for healthy living in their future stages of development. This preparation from MOSI is something that most students in Mr. Hartman’s class would probably never be able to afford, but this grant could ensure that all of the students are able to travel and have this experience free of charge. They can then share this experience with family members and friends, who might then be more inclined to engage in the multiple informal STEM educational facilities around the Gainesville area, which contributes to the overall goal of the national science standards: a scientifically literate society.
Part III: The Description of the Project, Objectives, and Activities
The field trip to MOSI will be used to give students the opportunity to explore and investigate human development and genetics. The Amazing You has anatomically correct models and simulations for each of the life stages from birth to old age, even though students will need to present life stages from gamete formation to puberty. I want students to be able to show what kind of final product they think will be most useful in conveying the information they need to for the stage of development that they will be responsible for demonstrating. The unit is two weeks long, and students will make their final presentations at the end of the two week period. Final products that stand out and would be beneficial to students or community members who interact with them will be shown to the public at school, and possibly at a Gainesville community center or public place where such items might be allowed and beneficial. As such, the products should be able to stand alone well, while also being strong support material for their in-class presentation. Each student who completes one part of the development will be expected to be an expert on said stage. Thus, students will ideally work in groups of three, but in classes where the number of students is not a multiple of three, a fourth member can be added who will be responsible for life stages after puberty; or a team of two can take on the responsibility of all three necessary life stages, with one of them being split evenly in terms of work done for it.
For the complete two-week calendar navigate to http://linkinglearningtolife.weebly.com/calendar.html. The first week starts with an introduction of the driving question and the project. It is followed by the aforementioned pre-test and discussion of expectations. The pre-test is one made up by the school district for all 7th grade life science students to take before and after their unit on human reproduction and development. This will all take place on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday will be an investigation of sexual reproduction, and how it is similar and different between flowers and humans. This will be accomplished through a flower lab dissection and initial overview of human reproductive organs and structures. Thursday will focus on introducing key terms and concepts important to human development, in preparation for Friday’s field trip to MOSI. Thursday will feature students filling out the “I used to think” portion of the “I used to think…but now I know” formative assessment. The students will be responsible for their written summaries mentioned above, as well as the “but now I know” portion of their formative assessment on Monday of the following week.
The second week includes more detailed information on the different stages of development. Monday, students will learn about gamete formation, the path gametes take, conception, and implantation. Tuesday focuses on fetus/embryo development to birth. Wednesday will be spent learning about development from birth, through infancy and adolescence to puberty. Thursday will focus on the final stages of development, and time left in class will be spent by students working on their projects. Friday will also be a day for students to work on and finish up their projects. Students should can work either within their groups, or they can collaborate with students who are working on the same developmental stage that they are.
Part IV: The Evaluation
In order to make students feel comfortable with talking about the intimate subject of human reproduction, there will be a class discussion about classroom expectations of maturity, responsibility, and curiosity, including examples of what is acceptable. We will also take a pre-test to activate background knowledge of terms and definitions associated with reproduction, and to introduce new key terms they will be learning and using for the project.
Students will also be asked to turn in a summary of each life-stage they explored at The Amazing You exhibit, followed by an explanation of how it influenced what type of final product they want to produce for the development stage to which they are assigned. The unit project will be graded by the rubric posted at http://linkinglearningtolife.weebly.com/project-rubric.html.
Part V: The Budget
$400 MOSI student tickets
$141 + $96 Bus Driver Salary = $237 for school bus transportation
$5 Parking
Total: $642.00
If we are given this grant from target, students will only need to pay for their lunches. As mentioned in the field trip document, students may bring their own lunches or the PTA or the school will provide lunches to students who cannot afford them.
Part VI: Appendices
Appendix 1
CV:
Michael Hartman
[email protected]
772-332-1221
4915 SW 14th Pl.
Gainesville, FL 32607
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Biology – Secondary Education
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
UFTeach-Science Minor
COURSEWORK
Major:
· Biology I and Lab
· Biology 2 and Lab
· Survey of the Human Body
· Physiology and Molecular Biology of Animals
· General Ecology
· Evolution
Minor:
· Step 1/2 Combo
· Classroom Interactions
· Knowing and Learning
· Project-Based Instruction
· Apprentice Teaching
SKILLS
Technology:
· Microsoft Office Professional (Word, Excel, Powepoint, Publisher, Outlook)
· Interactive EPSON Projectors
· SmartBoard/SmartResponse Products
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Apprentice Teach – Spring 2014 (Fort Clarke MS)
- Prepared lessons and materials for, and taught, two 7th grade Advanced Life Science classes for 10 weeks
- Engaged in ongoing professional development and preparation with peers who were also teaching in Alachua County schools
Project-Based Instruction – Spring 2014 (Fort Clarke MS)
- Prepared and taught a two-day investigative life science lesson plan to consecutive 7th grade classes
- Created an entire two week unit on human reproduction and development, based around an ongoing project for students involving this topic
Classroom Interactions – Fall 2013 (Westwood MS)
- Prepared and taught three physical science lessons for 8th graders
Step 1/2 Combo – Fall 2012 (Kanapaha MS)
- Prepared and taught three earth science lessons for 6th graders
Appendix B
Exhibit Pictures