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SGU/TRESTE REPORT. 2006-2007 ACADEMIC YEAR. Fall 2006--Prairie Ecology. Prairie ecology centered around prairie dog issue Student debate initially from personal experience and emotion. SD Prairie Dogs. AP News story Word file Prairie dog lesson plan Word file Soil ecology lab Word file
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SGU/TRESTE REPORT 2006-2007 ACADEMIC YEAR
Fall 2006--Prairie Ecology • Prairie ecology centered around prairie dog issue • Student debate initially from personal experience and emotion
SD Prairie Dogs • AP News story • Word file • Prairie dog lesson plan • Word file • Soil ecology lab • Word file • Soil moisture lab • Word file
PROCESS • Students brainstormed what information they would need to know to make an informed decision on the prairie dog problem. • Concept map created matched to instructor identified essential content
Incorporation of Material from 2006 TRESTE Workshop • Climate observations power point • Paleoclimate data • Climate trends • Month precipitation totals for SD • Soil temperature lab • Measurement of surface temperatures with infrared “gun”
RELATED STUDENT PROJECTS • Medicinal plants survey • Microclimate in prairie dog towns • Water flow in Little White River • Water quality • Chemical • Aqautic life • Soil chemicals current and abandoned prairie dog towns
MARS ROVERS--SPRING 2007 Wanted: Mechanic familiar with electric cars to service and winterize The Rover Spirit and the Rover Opportunity currently located on the planet Mars. Prefer a team of individuals who will train in the South Dakota Badlands for this mission. Will need a team member capable of flying the spacecraft. Please apply at JPL in Pasadena, California.
STUDENT IDENTIFIED CONTENT • Mars geology and topography • Electricity • Alternative energy sources • Robotics • Solar system bodies • Survival in space • Flight and rockets
TEACHER-IDENTIFIED CONTENT • Kinematics • Dynamics • Weather principles • Heat energy • Basic optics • Principles of flight • Satellite imagery • Surface features
CONCEPTS TAUGHT • Mars place in space • Solar system relatives • Physics of orbits • Satellite imagery Mars surface features • Topography • Geology • Problem: evidence of water on Mars • Problem: landing site on Mars
CONCEPTS TAUGHT(Cont.) • Force and motion • Collisions • Impact craters • Problem: landing safely on Mars (egg drop) • Energy • P.E. and K.E. • Energy transformation • Alternative energy sources • Solar • Wind
CONCEPTS TAUGHT (Cont.) • Heat energy • Basic elements of weather • Robotics • Simple machines • Problem: a model rover made with K’Nex • Flight • Newton’s Laws of Motion • Kites • Rockets
Student projects • Rover looking for magnetic materials
MISSION REPORT • In lieu of final exam, students prepared a mission report summarizing what was accomplished and what ;further things need to be investigated.
What Students Like • Some choice in how the curriculum is chosen • Projects to demonstrate learning instead of exams over lecture and textbook material • Opportunity to solve authentic problems • Collaborative work
Curricular issues • Designing a problem that will incorporate essential concepts • Designing valid authentic assessments • Group members who are absent--how to help them learn the content
FINAL COMMENT • It’s more work to plan and set up • Love the high level of student engagement • Ability to apply science concepts in real-life situations