Day 1 Oct 31. Today was an eye opening experience.

. I have never been in a classroom with a teacher who knew the subject matter so well that no notes, books or lesson plans were needed. She started the class reminding student of the important parts of the cell then the students went to work on building their edible cell models! I was very surprised to see how well the students worked together and stayed on task. There were two groups throughout the day that had forgotten their cake or toppings for the cell. Ms. Maine did not hesitate and assigned them the homework to do in class and those students were told to make the cell at home and bring it the next day. Day 2 Nov. 1 Today the students were able to eat their cell models and were instructed to fill out a work sheet involving hyper, hypo, and isotonic diffusion. Again I was impressed with how well the students stayed on task. Each student has their own MacBook they take them to every class and I am assuming take them home every day. They are fully decorated and the students are very good a working on them. Ms. Maine asked the students to use the MacBook to aid in them answering their questions and to take notes. To my ultimate surprise, the students did exactly that! I know when I was in high school there would have been no way that I would not have checked Facebook or played a game instead of doing my work! Day 3 Nov. 2 Today went much better. The students are used to us being around now and are less excited. In class today we switched plans from doing an osmosis lab to looking and measuring protists! The students did not have much exposure to using the microscopes so we had to go around ensuring they were able to find the protists. I learned how to use a different type of microscope today that did not have horizontal movement. It took me awhile to get used to it but it was very simple once I understood it. Day 4- Nov. 3 Today we did an agar diffusion lab. I liked the lab and thought it really solidified diffusion rate for the students. Also while I was there, the students taught me how to use a moto cam. They are really pretty neat things that make taking a picture of anything on a slide or on your lab table very easy. I really hope to have these in my classroom. It was interesting seeing the students make the connections between surface area and diffusion. Nov. 4 Today we gave class time for the students to complete their cell size lab. This was the first time I was able to see how the each class works with a lab. Punxsy runs on a schedule so 1st period has an extra lab period every other day. The days they do not have a

lab period, second period does. It was interesting to see how the second period class had to rush through their cell size lab the day before and how much was forgotten or not understood while they were using their period to do the analysis. Nov. 7 I taught my first lesson today! Mr. Theiss and I taught the lesson together. I was nervous for first period so I just let a video do most of the initial teaching then we broke the class into groups after our role play. I was not surprised that the groups had a lot of questions. So in the third period glass we changed our technique a little and narrated the video ourselves. The students responded to this technique much better and it seems to me they full understand the topics we discussed. I learned do not let the nerves get in the way, believe it or not, I do know the material and I am a good teacher. Nov. 8 So we started the class with an entry pop quiz. It was interesting to see which students looked over the notes from the lesson before. After discussion the pop quiz questions the students were given the class period to finish anything that was due and to begin the study guide for the upcoming test. I was astounded to find that most of the students had already started their study guide but had a lot of questions. I like that the students were really warming up to us, they have asked us many questions and are really starting to fall in the role of our students. Another interesting thing that I was exposed to today was watching Mr. Heaglys afternoon classes. They are co-taught and a very basic level of biology. I had never been exposed to autistic students or troubled students. It was great to observe how he handled the classroom even when the students were not exactly interested in the lesson. Nov. 9 Today we administered the quiz that corresponded to the lesson we taught two days ago. It was interesting to see what aspects of our lesson that the students really understood and what they really just did not get. It was funny, we taught the lipid bilayer, hydrophilic, hydrophobic that sort of thing. On the quiz we had the students label the head and tail of the bilayer, with either -philic or -phobic it was interesting to see that the students could tell us the definition of each and even say the head portion is hydrophilic yet when they labeled the picture they were off the wall! There will definitely be a quick review tomorrow! Nov. 10 It was an interesting day; there was an assembly for Veterans Day. The assembly was supposed to run from 9 until 10 however, second period was cut short so we were not able to get the students started on the daily tasks. I learned today, time

management is a technique that all teachers need. It really helped that Ms. Maine had an adaptable calendar that she could quickly see what lessons could be shortened or moved around in order to get everything to fit in. Nov. 11 No class Veterans Day Nov. 14 Today was the first experience I have ever had with a tragedy in the high school. Three former students were killed in a car accident over the weekend. It was tough for many of the students in class today. I hadnt anticipated the 9th graders to be hurt so bad seeing that the students killed were 19 and 20 however we were giving an exam in class today and some students were crying, I didnt know what to do seeing that it if frowned upon to touch the children however that is what these students needed. It was interesting to find out that Ms. Maine a teacher of 23 years did exactly that. She whispered a few words to the students that were having a hard time and gave them a small hug. She still required those students to complete the test, which I felt was a little harsh however it had to be done. Nov. 15 Today was a completely different type of day than normal. Ms. Maine taught a direct lecture for a full 45 minutes. This was the first time the students were engaged in this type of lesson since I have been at Punxsy. The students were diligently typing everything she said and asking her to repeat some things so they could properly type it in their word file. It was interesting to see the students reaction to this different type of teaching style. The topics that were being covered did require this type of instruction for it was the introduction to bio-chem. During the second period Fred and I observed Mr. Heagly. This was a wonderful experience because Mr. Heagly has a completely different lecture style. He engages the students in a different manner, it is less inquiry based but it seems much more fun. Nov. 16 I learned a lot today! We performed a food lab to test for the different bio-molecule present in foods that are eaten every day. I am definitely planning on using this lesson in my classroom. It was fairly inexpensive. The students brought in the food and the amount there was a low amount of chemicals used to identify the biomolecule in the foods. I did ask Ms. Maine about the students connecting the lab to the everyday lives because I noticed the questions on the wiki and not relate the material. Ms. Maine explained to me that this material will be brought up many times throughout the upcoming lessons and once they understand each biomolecule they will be required to actually analyze their diets. This is really an amazing teaching style and lab.

Nov. 17 Fred taught class today. It was interesting to learn his bias in the classroom. He really does not have many he simply calls on the students who volunteered and while teaching carbs, there were some pretty difficult concepts that the students had a hard time grasping. Fred elected to use a web quest to help the students understand topics, after he and I discussed the lesson; we decided that the questions presented on the web quest were a bit too difficult for the 20 min. lesson that was given. This was a great way to learn what works and doesnt work in the classroom. Nov. 18 Today was a day for the students to review the carb lesson Fred taught yesterday and to catch up on work. The students were feeling quite overloaded about the mass amounts of assignments and new information they have been introduced to. As a result, I learned that just because a due date for an assignment was made does not mean it cannot be changed. Ms. Maine heard and understood the students concerns so she pushed back the lab homework to Tuesday however the other homework that was due Monday is still due. Ms. Maine also pushed back her protein lecture so the students would have class time to work on their assignments and ask questions. I am quickly finding out that this is more necessary than I thought. The students have a lot of questions that a lot of parents would not be able to help with. Also, it is becoming more apparent that if homework is assigned for one night, most students do not find the time to fit it in. As a teacher I will be sure to employ the techniques of Ms. Maine and allow at least two nights for the students to complete assignments. Nov. 21 I taught my single teacher enzyme lesson today. I think it went fairly well. I learned that there is a certain learning curve to indirect lecturing that my students were not familiar with. I am looking forward to my classroom being an indirect classroom where the students respond to the questions being asked. Today was a little like pulling teeth, I do realize it was a new topic for the students but I would still like to know what they are thinking! I think my visual cues really helped solidify the students ideas. I actually adapted a web-quest I found and made it out of construction paper so the students could actually manipulate the enzyme substrate complex. I did find myself asking multiple times if the concept I was teaching was making sense, I tend to not repeat the same phrase over and over in the classroom but at times I was really getting no responses from the students, this was the best way I knew of to get a response! Nov. 22

It was an awkward day. Ms. Maine was in Clarion today so we had a substitute. This was definitely an eye opening experience for me. The substitute was not aware of our interactions with the students and assumed our block experience was like hers, she merely observed for weeks and her block was done. Well in Ms. Maines class this is not the case. There was a few moments of disconnect between the sub. And I while we discussed that as block teachers, we do not just sit in the back of the class, we really do interact and teach the students. In first period, Fred and I conducted a lab experiment and I believe the sub was not used to seeing labs done while she was subbing. However, after Fred and I started taking over the class ran very smoothly and all went well. Nov. 29 Back to school we go. It was interesting to see how the students reacted after having almost a week off of school. Believe it or not, they wanted to be there more than me today. The students had the class period to finish their vocabulary and review sheet. They stayed surprisingly on task. There were a few off subject conversations that I had to break up, however the students really understood and got right back on task. Nov. 30 Last day on block!!! UNCOOKBOOK LAB The main changes I made to this activity were to make the students actually use their brains while doing the activity. I combined the original lesson and the new lesson in one file. The changes I did are in red and I strike through some of the original document. I believe the changes I did as well as the questions I asked will make the students have to relate this activity to real life and learn how to explain their ideas. UNCOOKBOOKING A SCIENCE LAB Evaluation of Laboratory Lesson ___The Need for Speed- A Look at Enzyme Activity_ (before and after) _______________ Is the lab an experimental lab (to test a hypothesis), an "observation" lab (to see and observe microorganisms, learn how to use a microscope, observe and compare minerals, leaves, mixtures, etc.), or an "engage" lab activity (to set a scenario for the scientific question, to build interest and intrigue in a topic, to identify misconceptions)? Identify it as such, so students don't think every "lab" is an experiment." All labs and most lessons can include Features of Scientific Inquiry! Features of Inquiry Element present? Level? Explanation for assignment of Level

A After B

Yes Yes Yes Yes

1 3 3 4

Teacher provides all questions Teacher provides most questions until the end when the student must construct their own quiz using the information on listed web sites Student follows directions for every part of the lab and collects specific data Students must construct their own ways of testing denaturation and competitive inhibition. Students are required to present their findings to the rest of the class; however there is an element of explanation missing. The students must simply look over the graph they made and present their data as a group. Students now must present their ideas and come up with an argument as to why their model for denaturation and competitive inhibition was better than another groups. They must also explain the trends they have found and why they thought this was occurring. There are no outside sources used to further the students understanding or inquiry. The students are instructed to go to the provided websites and construct a quiz. This will further their understanding of the topics covered. In the possible assessments, the students are also required to research 10 enzymes using whatever means necessary. Students must present their graph, however students are not required to construct their own arguments or think outside the box in any way. Students are required to compare their finding with that of other students and make a point of argument as to which way of testing demonstrated the specific situations.

Yes

Yes

Yes Yes

2 3

No Yes

0 2

The Need for Speed A Look at Enzyme Activity The Need for SpeedA Look at Enzyme Activity Introduction: As science teachers, we realize how important enzymes are to living organisms. I have found it difficult to convey this importance to students because it is a subcellular process they cannot see and expensive to duplicate in a lab. This activity provides a hands-on and inexpensive method for students to learn the function of enzymes. Purpose:

The purpose of this lab is to give students an opportunity to demonstrate enzyme reactions and the environmental variables that affect these reactions. Objectives: Students will be able to: -mediated reaction. Relate their findings to real world situations Argue which test was most effective in demonstrating enzyme properties relating to the enzyme reaction. Materials: Students will work in teams of three. Each team of three will need:

-feet of rope

Popsicle sticks

Preparation: In order for students to answer the questions in Questions to Ask, they should have read about proteins and enzymes or have previously learned it in the classroom. This lab may be used to reinforce a lesson on proteins and enzymes, a lesson on protein synthesis, enzymes in the digestion system, or perhaps when talking about addiction and enzymes that destroy neurotransmitters. Students need to be familiar with key words such as: noncompetitive inhibition, denaturation, and competitive inhibitors. Allow approximately 45 minutes for the students to complete the lab and approximately 30 minutes for students to present their procedures and graphs. Procedure: 1. The teacher will distribute 500 pennies on the floor.

2. One team member will attempt to pick up as many pennies as possible in 10 seconds. The team member picking up the pennies must observe the following rules: a. Pick up one penny at a time b. Take it back to the group table c. Lay it down FACE UP. 3. The other team members will be responsible for counting and correctly recording the number picked up. Write the data in the Team Data Table under Trial 1. 4. This process will be repeated for six 10-second intervals. 5. Do not return the pennies until the end of Trial 1. 6. Using the materials given, each group will demonstrate both denaturation and competitive inhibition. Student groups should design their own models for denaturation and competitive inhibition and obtain the teachers approval before proceeding to data collection. . (EXAMPLE: Students may tape their fingers together or use the glove as an example of denaturation. Students may tape the nickels, marbles, or the tennis ball to their hand to represent competitive inhibition.) Like Trial 1, the students are to have six to 10 second intervals, and record the numbers on the Team Data Table. 7. Using butcher paper, students will write up their labs--materials used, procedure, etc.--and make a line graph for each set of data on their Team Data Table. 8. Instruct the students to compare their denaturation and inhibitor tests to another group. Which model demonstrated the effects of denaturation better which one demonstrated competitive inhibition better? Support your argument using the graphs you constructed. Safety: In this lab, there are no hazardous materials other than the scissors. If the marbles fall on the floor, they pose a risk of an accident. It is necessary for students to stay with their groups at all times. Questions to Ask What is the importance of enzymes for living beings? 1. What is a protein? 2. How are proteins made? 3. Why does DNA have to send a messenger to make proteins? 4. What is a catalyst? 5. Why do we need enzymes? 6. What is an active site? 7. What is a substrate? 8. What is an inhibitor? References and Resources: 1. Campbell, Mary. (1991) Biochemistry. Chicago, IL: Saunders College Publishing.

2. Essenfield, Bernice, Gontang, Carol, and Moore, Randy. (1996). Biology. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. 3. Wessells, Norman and Hopson, Janet. (1988). Biology. New York: Random House Publishing. Suggestions for Assessment: Students should complete their lab and present it to the class. The presentation should include their hypothesis, experimental procedures, data tables, graphs, and follow-up questions. Have the students research 10 enzymes; list their functions and possible drugs or other substances that inhibit their function and why those enzymes must be inhibited. The Need for Speed -- A Look at Enzyme Activity Student Activity Sheet Team Data Table Time (in seconds) Trial 1 Normal Enzyme Activity Trial 2 Denaturation Trial 3 Competitive Inhibition 0-10 seconds 11-20 seconds 21-30 seconds 31-40 seconds 41-50 seconds 51-60 seconds Total Answer these questions on an attached sheet of paper. 1. In this activity, what object represented the enzyme? The substrate? the inhibitor? 2. In Trial 1, why did the rate eventually decrease? What could have been added to maintain the initial rate? Describe the trend in trial 1. Did it go up, down, stay the same? Why do you think this occurred? 3. If more substrate were present in Trial 1 at the beginning, would the initial rate have been higher? Why or why not?

4. If we assume that the enzyme is represented by the hand, what happened to the active site during Trial 2? 5. Why does an enzyme not work as well if its active site is changed? 6. What environmental factors affect the enzyme shape? 7. What effect did inhibition have upon the reaction rate? 8. How might chemicals affect you if they acted like inhibitors during your bodily reactions? Follow-up Go to the following websites construct a 10 point quiz that may be administered to other groups. http://www.cellsalive.com/cgi-bin/search/search.pl?Terms=enzyme http://www.chem4kids.com/files/bio_enzymes.html TEACHER INTERVIEW My block experience with Ms. Maine was phenomenal. Looking at high school in the eyes of a teacher was an experience I was not accustomed to. Many questions came up during my experience and luckily I had Ms. Maine to call upon, her vast experience of 23 years has exposed her to more that I could have ever imagined. One of the first questions that arose during my block was IEP and special needs students. Ms. Maine teaches all academic biology which includes the students with the expectation of going to college. I was astonished to find that Ms. Maine only had one student with an IEP and I was even more astonished to find that she was refusing to meet the specified requirements. I was unaware that a teacher could do this! Ms. Maine made it very apparent to both the student and their parents that the requirements of the IEP were not conducive to an academic class. If the student wished to have these requirements met, Ms. Maine suggested the student go to the basic biology class that was offered. The student took this as a challenge and has since excelled in academic biology. Her desire to go to college has driven her academic commitment to succeed in this class as well as the others. She must put forth more effort than many of her peers however it is paying off. The second part of this discussion included Ms. Maines opinion of learning disabilities. Her opinion revolved around the thought that everyone has a disability of learning certain ways. For her, she has no spatial awareness; this did not hinder her in anyway because she called upon her other strengths to make up for this void. According to Ms. Maine, every student can learn what you are teaching it may just require extra effort by the student. This reminds me of a recent discussion I had with Ms. Maine concerning learning disabilities. When talking with Ms. Maine she voiced her opinion that at times students IEPs are much too accommodating and the parents of students with IEPs tend to do whatever they can so their child will have an easier time in school even if it means they do not actually learn anything. Ms. Maine described to me a students IEP that included an additional four days for all assignments. I was dumbfounded upon hearing this. How is a teacher supposed to accommodate for this type of IEP? The student will forever be behind and if that student has questions four

days after it was covered they will have an even harder time trying to recall the old information while processing the new information. This conversation evolved into a discussion about the worst parent teacher conference Ms. Maine had ever experienced. The most often parent concern Ms. Maine was confronted with during her career was the outline of assignments and students not knowing when an assignment was due or why they received half credit for being late. Ms. Maine combats this using her wiki page and having a very detailed calendar on the front page. Every assignment is outlined and detailed on the wiki. Many times when the parents come in they are actually unaware of past assignments that their child had missed or handed in late. So in the end it did not matter if they received a better grade on this one assignment that they had waited until the last minute to complete because the student had missed too many prior points that their grade would not be affected anyway. Speaking of the calendar, Ms. Maine was discussing that her students scored below average on the state exam concerning ecology and evolution this led me to ask, how Ms. Maine decided what she was going to teach. Her response was quite interesting. She mentioned that the students covered ecology briefly in 7th grade and it would be touched upon again in later classes. As a result, Ms. Maine focuses more on cell biology and bio-chemistry hoping to have enough time at the end of the school year to cover basic ecology and evolution. I believe this is driven partially by Ms. Maines interests as well as the other factors mentioned. Many of the topics taught through-out the course are called upon multiple times. The main topic I have noticed Ms. Maine recalling during block is photosynthesis and respiration. Ms. Maine believes, and I agree, that the more times students must relate previous work or experiences to new situations the better understanding the students will have of the topic. While teaching bio-chem Ms. Maine had the students recall the cell parts from the last unit and analyze what each part was made of or responsible for in respect to the basic biomolecules. I believe this really solidified the aspect of re-teaching and furthering the students understanding.

GENDER EQUITY Ensuring that there is no gender bias in the classroom is the start of equity in society. It has been known throughout history that women are not seen to be as smart as men in the fields of math and science. However, there is no scientific evidence to support that thought. The fact that women are not a successful in the areas of math and science can be attributed to the social stigma associated with those fields. There is an air of masculine associated with science and math and a lot of women have a tough time overcoming that stigma. According to http://www.barcodesinc.com/articles/gender-equity-science-education.htm. Research has generally supported the conclusion that there are no biological, neurological, or genetic factors at work in the creation of scientific gender disparity. Rather, combinations of elements make it more difficult for women to train for and maintain a high-achieving scientific career. These factors include social stigma of the sciences as masculine, institutional bias in the scientific community, and pressures related to starting a family.

If there is a bias in the classroom towards either men or women, we as a society are the one who will suffer. There will be a disconnect between the findings in the scientific world and those woo can actually understand those findings. This goes back to the idea of science in society. Everyone in our country can vote and make their own decisions; we have been working toward that equality for some time now. So to have a portion of the society not be knowledgeable about their decisions is absurd. Not everyone can be a rocket scientists not should they be yet there is a level of understanding and appreciation that I feel is necessary for each and every person to know. Gender Equity Observation Frequency Recording

Teacher: Ms. Hanslovan Observer: Mr. Theiss Date: 11-21-11 Time Observation Starts: 7:45 Time Observation Ends: 9:56

Subject: Bio Grade:9 Number of Males:20 Number of Females: 17

As the teacher asks questions throughout the lesson, place a tally mark to indicate the number of females and males called upon. Use the chart below to record your observations. Gender of Student 10 Male 7 Female Number of Times Called On

Notes:

Mostly males raised their hands.__________________________

I asked Mr. Theiss to count the number boys vs girls that I called on during my lessons. I tended to call on who ever had their hand up and seldom during my lesson did more than one person wish to respond. In the end, my tally was that I called on more boys than girls in my classroom. I do not believe this can be attributed to a bias that I have, I think it has more to deal with the attitudes of boys in 9th grade and the dynamics of the classroom. During my first period lesson, I did notice that one side of the room was being more responsive than the other so during the lesson, I restricted a couple of responses to only one side of the classroom. I think this engaged everyone in the classroom and helped me to read all the students to ensure they understood the concepts.

LESSON The Cell Membrane Lesson Topic: Cell Membrane Course: Academic bio Grade Level: 9th PA Standards: 3.1.10.A5: Relate life processes to sub-cellular and cellular structures to their functions. 3.2.10.A1 Identify properties of matter that depend on sample size. Explain the unique properties of water

(polarity,

Anchors: BIO.A.4.1.1: Describe how the structure of the plasma membrane allows it to function as a regulatory structure and/or protective barrier for a cell..Materials & ResourcesBIO.A.4.1.2: Compare and contrast the mechanisms that transport materials across the plasma membrane (i.e., passive transport -- diffusion, osmosis, facilitated diffusion; active transport -- pumps, endocytosis, exocytosis) Materials needed: 3 balloons Cell membrane video and projector Student homework questions Dry erase board Lesson Objectives: (should be observable, measurable) The student will be able to: Define hydrophilic and hydrophobic

Describe the different components of the fluid mosaic model Explain the three types of transport

Lesson strategy: Direct lecture, role-play Engage, Explain Procedures: such as: Lesson Introduction Review previous concepts Who can tell me the function of the cell membrane? What is the difference between passive transport and active transport? Introduce the students to the next lesson by showing them the note outline available on the wiki page(attached) Remind students that there will be a quiz on the following material Concept Development Show the cell membrane video without the sound and explain the components using 9th grade level understanding Stop the video at important points to discuss the parts of the cell membrane that are emphasized in the book Utilize the dry erase board to aid in explanations (phospholipid bilayer, active transport ATP, fluid mosaic) Have the students complete the note outline and all questions (attached) The students will participate in a role play activity. (attached) Lesson Closure Have students compare answers on note outline Discuss possible answers to questions on outline End lesson with reminder of what is to come, ie quiz, test, labs

Assessment: Informal entrance quiz the following day to be sure students have a rough idea of the concepts taught. The next day administer a 10 point quiz using a variety of question types (attached) Resources used: Class text book

YouTube video link on note document which is attached. NOTE OUTLINE

Instructions Write the definitions of each topic using your own words. Use this template as your notes. Feel free to add any additional information you find necessary. A. Cell Membrane: 1. Selectively permeable: B. Lipid Bilayer: 1. Hydrophobic: 2. Hydrophilic: Question: Why are cells circular? (Hint: think of the properties of the lipids) C. Fluid Mosaic Model: 1. Proteins: 2. Carbohydrates:

D. Passive transport: 1. Simple Diffusion: 2. Facilitated Diffusion :

Question Do you think it is easier for a large, charged molecule to move through the plasma membrane or for a small uncharged molecule to pass through? Explain your answer and include why you thought that way. E. Active transport: 1. Endocytosis: 2. Exocytosis: Question: What makes active transport different from passive transport aside from the requirement of energy? (hint: which way are the particles moving) This is a link to the video we discussed in class. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfy92hdaAH0&feature=relmfu ROLE PLAY ACTIVITY

Role Play for cell transport 1. Get 5 volunteers 2. Have 3 different sized balloons or balls (small, medium, large) 3. Explain to the students the volunteers represent the phospholipids. Students head is polar chains. head students feet are fatty acid

4. Use the small balloon and explain that it is a small uncharged molecule that wishes to pass through the plasma membrane (simple diffusion). Have the students tell you if a protein channel is required and where the small balloon will fit. Ask one student to demonstrate how the balloon will pass though the membrane. 5. Use the medium size balloon to act as a larger molecule that will require a protein channel (facilitated diffusion) Have the students create a protein channel by making a circle with their arms. Ask a different student to push the balloon through the channel. 6. Use the large balloon to symbolize Active Transport. Have the students explain the need of ATP to make the molecule pass from a low to high concentration. Have a student put a lot of energy in the large balloon (twirl it around) to make it pass though the bilayer. 10POINT QUIZ Instructions: Answer the questions to the best of your ability. Point value is at the right of the question. 1. What is the difference between hydrophilic and hydrophobic? (2)

2. Label the drawing below using the following terms. (4)

A. Head B. Tail C. Hydrophilic D. Hydrophobic

3. What two things make active transport different from passive transport? (2)

4. Is it easier for a large, charged molecule to move through the phospholipid bilayer or a small uncharged molecule? Explain your answer using 3 sentences max. (2)

NATURE OF SCIENCE ANALYSIS The nature of science being taught in Ms. Maines classroom in definitely verb based. The students are constantly broadening their minds using technology, activities and experiments. There is a certain level of understanding that the students are required to gain on their own. Ms. Maine makes it very clear that her classes are academic and to receive the grade they are used to getting they will have to take their work home and do a little bit every night. I was lucky enough to see the last part of one unit and the beginnings of another unit while on block. Ms. Maine incorporates the 5 E learning strategy in her classroom practically to a T. The students are comfortable with relating the topics in class to that of the real world. For example, we used hydrogen peroxide in lab one day and Ms. Maine explained that H2O2 did not actually disinfect a cut. This seemed to really throw the students off and they became very engaged in learning how hydrogen peroxide helps clean a cut. This was a great engage activity for the students to then explore the concept in a lab activity. Ms. Maine then asked pointed questions to the students about the results of the catalase activity in which the students had to actively explain their ideas and observations. The elaborate phase was called upon later in the unit, the students were told to research an enzyme and specify what the role was of that enzyme was in conducting functions and compare that to the enzyme catalase used in the previous lab. Anytime a student did have a question about an assignment or homework, Ms. Maine would instruct us to get the students to come up with the answer via a little guidance from us. I was completely comfortable using this strategy seeing it is one I have always employed. To offer an example of science as a verb being displayed this way, a student asked me in class about the enzyme homework

I had assigned. The question was what makes enzymatic activity so specific? Instead of simply telling the student, the enz yme has a specific shape, I asked the student to walk me through the activity I showed during the prior class. They student used the paper cut outs of the enzyme and the sugars and explained to me that only the correct shape would fit in this enzyme. It was amazing to see their eyes light up once they realized that they had just told me the correct answer! The student went even further by explaining to me how his digestive enzymes in his mouth work to break down the food particles and without them it would take a very long time to digest food, this was a sign to me as a teacher that I really engage this student to further investigate enzymes because we had not even discussed the effect of digestive enzymes.