LITE Board of Directors
Executive Director
William E. Ball
President
Laurie Schmitt
Secretary
Wm. Sid Holodnick
Membership
Howard Stob
At-Large Board Members
Jeffrey W. Bush
Sandy Graff
David Miller
Larry Rouse
Christine Bengston, Publications Editor
A Foundation for Preservice Standards for Teachers in the Use and Application of Technology By James S. Levande, Ph.D
The Impact of Standards on Curriculum By Franzie Loepp
Cross Grade Level: Pumping You Up With Fluid Power Dynamics By Jack Wellman, Louisa Kniivila, and Donna Bush
MS: Sailing Ships of the 19th Century By Georgia Bingham
Tech Tips
Fireflies By Jenna Hobson, Elementary Student
1997 LITE Springfest Registration Form & Info
Calendar of Events
LITE Source Purpose:To provide educators with resources to enhance the integration and delivery of Technology Education in the K-14 curriculum.
LITE Source Editorial Policy:Materials appearing in this journal, including advertising, are expressions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or the opinion of LITE, its officers or its staff.
Referee Policy: All professional articles in LITE Source are refereed, with the exception of selected activities and reports. Refereed articles are reviewed and approved by the Editorial Board before publication in LITE Source.
To Submit Articles: All articles should be sent directly to: LITE Source, 1028 Drexel Drive NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505. For guidelines and article format write directly to the above address. Please submit five (5) copies; a copy on a high-density disk is also desired (please state which software package was used).
LITE is a nonprofit Michigan corporation dedicated to assist in the integration of Technology Education in the schools. Teacher inservice workshops (Technology Fests) will be organized and managed; Technology Learning Activities (TLAs) will be published to keep teachers up-to-date on happenings and materials in Technology Education.
To sum it up in one sentence, the Learning Institute for Technology Education will be a center of resources for Technology Education.
Dear Readers:
As our winter issue of The Lite Source goes into publication the holiday season is just over. I have had a peaceful holiday season giving thanks for the gifts I have in my life. I wish all of you the best in 1997.
Be sure to check out the exciting articles in this issue. We have a cross curriculum piece on hydraulics and pneumatics that goes from Early Elementary through High School. You won't want to miss the Middle School article on 19th-Century sailing ships. The innovations in education that LITE members share are inspiring. We are starting what we hope will be ongoing updates by Jim Levande from the State Department. Franzie Loepp's article, along with Jim Levande's, take us back to the Technology for All American's project. Both of the pieces are excellent resources to share with peers and administrators.
I hope to see all of you at the upcoming Springfest which proves to be one of the best ways to see, hear, and learn from each other.
We want to hear from you! We welcome your articles, comments, and tips. Refer to the Lite Source editorial policy for submission information.
Sincerely,
Christine Bengston
Publications Editor
Need new ideas? Are your students ready for the future? Then L.I.T.E. is for you. Join the Learning Institute for Technology Education. Prepare for the classrooms of tomorrow.
Find new and creative ways to motivate you and your students. Technology is a great way to integrate your curriculum, use new tools and to apply valuable new skills.
Complete the information below and send it to:
Howard Stob
4881 S. Plateau Ct.
Wyoming, MI 49509-4992
Phone (616) 538-1087
School Fax: (616) 771-2871
EMail: Membership Information
Name ____________________________________________________________
School ___________________________________________________________
Grade ____________
School Address_____________________________________________________
City _______________________ State ______________Zip Code ____________
School Phone_________________________
Home Address______________________________________________________
City _______________________ State ______________Zip Code ____________
Home Phone ________________________ Fax___________________________
James S. Levande, Ph.D.
Contracting Consultant for Technology Education
Office of Career and Technical Education, Michigan Department of Education
Establishing standards for technology preparation of teachers involves the inter-relatedness of a number of key areas. These areas are:
1) teacher knowledge about the scope of technology,
2) the nature and scope of technology itself,
3) the concept of technological literacy, and
4) Michigan's comprehensive vision of technology.
The foundation for preparing teachers should encompass and clearly demonstrate the inter-relatedness among these areas while promoting the development of the competencies recommended by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)(1). Why should teachers have an understanding of the scope of technology? Through "technology", people have changed the world. In the drive to satisfy needs and wants, people have developed and improved ways to communicate, travel, build structures, make products, cure disease, and provide food. This has created a world of technological products and machines, roadways and buildings, and data and global communications. It has created a complex world of constant change. This technological change inspires and thrills some people, but confuses - even alienates - others.(2) Teacher education will require a foundation that includes technology's complete scope to achieve the goal of clearing up confusion and preventing alienation.
The nature and scope of technology rests on three universals - knowledge, processes, and contexts. The accompanying figure diagrams the universals and their respective components in relation to each other. Processes, knowledge, and context are all equally critical to the existence and advance of technology. One cannot exist without the others, for they are mutually dependent. With technological knowledge people engage in processes, yet it is through the processes that technological knowledge is developed. All technological activity is for a reason, or done within a context.
Technological literacy is a person's ability to know about and use or work with technology. There are three dimensions to technological literacy: practical, civic, and cultural.(3) These dimensions involve using technology to complete tasks, knowing about the issues associated with using and applying technology, and appreciating the significance of technology in cultural settings. The state of a person's technological literacy encompasses all three dimensions in a continuum of skills acquired both in and outside of school and relates directly to the ability to function within society. The continuum of skills involves application across all technological contexts to maintain a balance among the three literacy dimensions.
Michigan's vision for technology presents a comprehensive view of what a technologically literate person must know and be able to do. This vision rests on the notion of mutual dependency among the technology universals and the three dimensions of literacy.
Michigan's State Technology Plan 1992-1997 addresses, as one of its goals, ensuring technological competency for everyone associated with and involved in education. In many instances this competency is perceived in the context of information technology. Indeed, using information technology is a key factor in becoming technologically competent but it is interrelated with, and in many cases reliant upon, other technological contexts. Realizing Michigan's vision of technological competency requires placing information technology in perspective with the other technological contexts. Isolating information technology from the total nature and scope of technology would constrict the vision.
The competencies recommended by the ISTE are comprehensive and clearly delineate what teachers should know and be able to do in applying information technology in educational settings. These ISTE competencies are based on assumptions about the use and application of information technology. While these competencies with information processing and communications technology contribute to the development of technological literacy they in no way reflect the interdependence of all forms of technology. This interdependence must be made apparent to accomplish the vision.
Michigan must place the ISTE competencies within the setting of its broad vision to ensure that the standards are equally relevant for everyone in all aspects of teaching and learning. The high standards we hold for technological literacy must apply equally to students and teachers. We would be remiss if our expectations only focused on developing technological literacy without reference to the complete scope and nature of technology.
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1. International Society for Technology in Education. Recommended Technology Foundations for All Teachers, No Date.
2. International Technology Education Association. Technology for All Americans: A Rationale and Structure for the Study of Technology, 1996.
3. Dyrenfurth, M. and Kozak. M. Technological Literacy.Council on Technology Teacher Education. Peoria, IL: Glencoe Division, Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, 1991.
by Franzie Loepp
The National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) lead the move to develop and publish K-12 Standards for Mathematics. Subsequently, many disciplines have followed suit because of the potentially positive impact the standards can have on curriculum, not only by influencing state frameworks, goals and/or objectives, but also by influencing textbook authors and publishers. The standards also influence designers, manufacturers and suppliers of materials, instrumentation, software, machines, etc. The media, politicians and local decision makers are also influenced, as well as teacher education programs and local school curricula. Despite the Standards' impact, change is extremely slow. We now know that the mathematics and science standards call for a shift in the belief system of administrators, teachers, parents, and students. For example:
... rather than drill and practice, students are asked to solve open-ended problems;
... rather than memorize science facts, students are asked to explore the natural world and form their own generalizable concepts; and
... teachers are challenged to become facilitators of the learning process rather than dispensers of knowledge.
This shift to a more "constructivist" approach takes time, but where this is happening, the results are impressive.
The Technology for All Americans project, funded by NASA and NSF, has a goal to develop K-12 Standards for Technology Education that are comparable to those in other disciplines. These standards are scheduled to be ready for public review in Fall 1997 and published in 1999. Ed Ball is on the writing team, so readers of this newsletter can be assured that they will have a chance to get involved in the process. The greater the involvement, the better the standards will be. And, quality standards will lead to positive change, change that will assure all Americans are technologically literate!
Participants:
Jack Wellman, Lamphere High School
Louisa Kniivila, Hiller 5th grade
Donna Bush, Hiller 2nd grade
This fall Lamphere Schools took a different approach to teaching fluid power. The above teachers joined forces to deliver a cross graded approach. Each class began by using the Lego Technic Pneumatics kits. The kits allowed the students to build models of machines with moving parts controlled by pneumatic action. This provided a more structured introduction to pneumatics than in previous years.
All students used the step by step building instructions provided in the kits to assemble different machines. The 5th graders looked at photographs of other pneumatic models that did not have building instructions. These served as challenge projects. High school students looked at photographs of real machines and then had to design and build mock-ups using LEGO's. The pneumatic activities presented in this material provided a structured jumping off point as it spanned a wide range of curriculum areas.
Each teacher presented a challenge to their students that related to their curriculum. Donna Bush did an author study with her second graders where books by Patricia Polacco were read and discussed. Each group selected and drew a character from one of her books. The challenge was to make the character move by using hydraulics or pneumatics.
Fifth grade partners were researching an explorer of their choice. Their challenge was to design and build a project that portrayed one important event in their explorer's life.
At the high school level, students went through four labs where they learned about the various pneumatic components and completed schematic drawings for each exercise. Then they were given the challenge of applying what they learned by choosing one of six possible problem solving activities. These included creating dinosaur models, lifting platforms, compactors, stamping systems, emergency rescue device to open car doors, and a hospital bed. Each project had to include at least one pneumatic cylinder to transmit power.
As a culminating activity, some of the high school projects were brought to the elementary school. This allowed the students to see projects using actual industrial components.
by Georgia Bingham
6th Grade Language Arts
Novi Meadows
Novi, Michigan
Unit/Lesson Title: Sailing Ships/The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
Grade Level: 6th Language Arts
Design Brief: This unit was created to integrate Technology Education into our language arts program using literature. The literature genre was "Historical Fiction." Using the novel The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, we explored a variety of classroom experiences using "ships of the 1800's" as our theme.
Project#1: Recreate a lifesize version of Charlotte's cabin from the novel
Project #2: Build a sailing vessel
Project #3: Make a telescope
Time: The actual reading of the novel and building and completing each project took about one marking period (9 weeks).
Classroom Management: The project started out by introducing the goal, which was to read the novel The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle and introduce the students to the life of a 13 year old girl aboard a merchant ship traveling from England to America around 1832. The intent was to integrate as many areas of the curriculum as possible such as: science, social studies, math, reading, writing, spelling and Tech Ed. as we read the novel. This novel became my sole focus of language arts for the entire marking period. All lessons for my 3 hour block of time would come from activities based on this novel.
The students were first assigned a cooperative group of 3 - 4 people. We named the groups "Crews". Each crew was responsible for naming their crew ship, keeping daily work logs, and recording their daily goals in a ship's log or folder. They were also assigned individual responsibilities such as Captain, First Mate, and Log Keeper. As we read chapters in the novel, crew responses were recorded in their ship's logs, and in each student's individual reading log. These were later collected and graded.
Intro to Tech Ed Cabin-Project:
About three weeks into the reading of the novel, we started project #1 which was to recreate a miniature version of Charlotte's ship cabin. Using the Tech Folio, the students drew several designs based on the description as presented in the novel, (Chapter 2 pp. 18-19). After selecting their best scale model, each student was encouraged to build a shoe box model. I encouraged them to build their shoe box model to scale since this would help us when recreating the "life size" version.
Tech Folio Design Brief: It must be able to recreate the physical appearance of the cabin and:
This project took about one class week, maybe 3 class periods of 55-60 minutes to complete. During this time, the students were introduced to the tools, and safety measures were discussed. The only tools used at this point were the glue guns and cutting tools, exacto knives, etc.
The following week, each student presented his finished product. The second year I did this, I assigned one model for 2 students. They seemed to be more into working with a partner, that was fine. We lined up the finished products and had the students from another class come into our room and select the model they felt best represented the cabin. This class was also working on the same novel, so they were familiar with the concept.
After selecting the best model, the class brainstormed all the possible ways they could divide up the cabin building so that each crew had a responsibility to the finished product. This also allowed crews to break up and work with a different group of kids if they chose to. Listing all suggestions and responsibilities, we divided up into new crews and began building. Items to be made were:
1. Chest of drawers with pull down desk top
2. Bed
3. Shelf
4. Cabin (life size)
5. Sailors clothing (was originally planned but evolved)
This portion of the project took longer than estimated, but plan on 3-4 weeks. We working at least 2-3 days for anywhere from 60 120 minutes daily. Some days took less time because of special activities scheduled during the week, and some days we had more freedom to work as long as we felt necessary. The first year we built our cabin out of large sheets of cardboard and finished it with Rubbermaid contact paper. The second year we decided to build an outside structure out of wood to give the cabin more support. Using just cardboard often created some unstable moments. Building the structure out of wood took some additional planning so our Middle School Industrial Arts teacher, worked with us to make up a scale model blueprint for our guide. With the help of a father, the class worked to cut furring strips into the proper sizes. Using inexpensive wood however, created additional problems We had a problem with warping and cutting straight edges. After several attempts to put uneven ends together, we finally succeeded! We also decided to hinge two of the four framed walls so that the cabin frame could be taken apart and reused next year. This would save some future building time and expense. Here is an approximate time frame for all the projects:
1 Day - to measure and cut out the wood frame or if using cardboard, to cut the roof pieces, sides, doors.
1 Day - to assemble sides, frame or no frame.
2 Days - to cover the cabin with cardboard or cardboard cut into planks.
1 - 2 Days - if covering with a woodgrain Rubbermaid contact paper.
2 Days - to make the chest of drawers out of cardboard - cut - detail - assemble.
2 Days - to make the shelf, cover, and glue.
3 Days - to cut and sew Charlotte's clothes.
2 Days - to make artifacts for interior of cabin, Bible, candle holder, etc.
1 Day - to add hinges, and handles to door and drawers.
The cabin project from start to finished took about 3 weeks of building approximately 5 hours per week. Some groups finished before others so they were assigned other activities. The projects were very successful and the students were actively involved since most had never done anything quite like this in class before. We did have some structural problems, supports, warped wood, bad cuts, hinging doors on cardboard was a real challenge! But I found pacing, keeping everyone busy and involved at the same time as also a bit challenging. Doing this project two different years also makes me aware that success often depends on the overall cooperation of the group. Some groups are more involved and successful than others. You just have to read the group and pace your tasks accordingly.
Project #2 Ship Building:
Project #2 ship building started upon completion of the cabin. Boredom never set in with this novel, so everyone was anxious to start something new. Using the A.I.M.S. book lesson on "Clay Boats" we gave everyone two ounces of measured day and asked them to make a boat that would hold the most marbles. Tanks were set up in the room holding water so that the students could test the flotation of the ship, without cargo! In their excitement, boats were created within minutes, only to fail this Tech Folio's criteria of:
Each boat must:
1. float
2. be able to hold cargo
As you can imagine, several went back to the drawing board. They realized that their focus had to be design, hull shape and ability to hold volume. The winning design actually held 18 marbles in my class and 52 marbles in my partner's class using only 2 ounces of clay!
Individual Sailing Ship:
After our one day experimental clay play, we began the task of building our own sailing vessel. The criteria for this project was:
1. The boat must float
2. It must have a least 1 mast to be driven by the wind.
3. It can not be any larger than 3" x 6" so that it can sail down a downspout 3 inches by 10 feet.
4. The fastest boat...wins! All boats will be timed.
We also introduced the students to a variety of boat hull shapes such as: mono hull - one hull, catamaran - two hulls, and trimaran - three hulls. Some of the students worked in pairs while others worked independently on their own sailboat. The materials were provided such as: Styrofoam, nylon, wood, egg cartons, plastic margarine tubs, just about anything that could be molded to fit the criteria. Wooden dowels were used, as were straws, for masts. The rest was up to them!
This project took approximately 1-2 days of building the hull, 1-2 days to add the sail, and 1-2 days for trial runs to allow time for any necessary adjustments, prior to the race day.
The race consisted of sailing down a 10 foot gutter filled with water, using the aid of the wind. We raced several times. Once with the natural wind outdoors, once with the aid of a fan. We finally resorted to sailing indoors because we could control fan speed and other conditions. Each student raced their ship three times and we recorded their times for each attempt. The best speed was selected and we waited for the winner.
I found this project very successful from the stand point that some children succeeded, while others failed. They learned that balance is an important part of sailing and sail design. The type of hull design as well as the material used to build the hull also helped determine the ship's success. The students really enjoyed this project.
Project #3 Telescope:
I originally had planned this Tech Ed project so that the students could design a collapsible telescope, similar to those used by sailors aboard ships, however we had great difficulty find the necessary materials to produce it. The Tech Ed project criteria was:
1. The telescope must have lenses that bring an object closer.
2. It must have two moving parts, i.e., be collapsible.
In our research, we struggled to find a resource to buy plastic lenses. Once we found some they were made out of glass which made the price next to impossible to afford. Once we found lenses we couldn't find compatible tubing. The next best thing was to purchase a telescope kit from a scientific company, which I did. They came with all the parts, eye pieces, tubes, lenses, etc. The students benefitted from making this project however, it did not develop into a Tech Ed. project.
Each student was responsible for the completion of all Tech Folio's prior to beginning a project, as well as after the completion of the project. I used these folios to help assess my successes as well as my failures. There is no doubt in my mind that the students benefit from the organizational format, and from being held accountable for their learning. The students were also given a final evaluation upon the completion of both their group projects as wells as their individual projects. These were collected and reviewed.
Throughout this unit, the students continued to be highly motivated, extremely excited, and I constantly heard them say that everyone else has to read books and copy sentences off the board, and we get to build things and play! They reamed more than one can imagine from the "Whole" learning standpoint. They learned about their individual strengths and abilities, their tolerance for perfection, and their creative potential. They also learn the importance of integrating the curriculum and how it relates to the real world.
I have learned to add another dimension to my thematic teaching. This technology allows students to apply their subject knowledge at a higher level. After learning about the life and times aboard a ship in the 1800's, the students could further their understanding by applying, synthesizing, and evaluating their knowledge. The students were given a chance to create ideas, problem solve, discover, and reflect on their learning. This program increased their self-esteem due to the fact that they can be trusted to use a variety of tools, and are given the ability to plan their own projects and be in charge of their evaluation. They learn that failure is okay and they can learn from their own mistakes. The also learned to compliment each others success. I constantly here the questions, "What is our next project", or "What are we going to study next", and "What can we start collecting to make our next project?" Having students actively involved in their reaming, excites me to continue planning for and developing future thematic-Tech Ed projects.
Additional Tech Ed Projects:
Some additional projects related to this theme could be:
1. Building lighthouses
2. Ship buoys
3. More contemporary boat - propeller driven - electrically- lighted
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References
Books
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi (Historical Fiction)
Ships. Richard Humble
Look Inside Cross-Sections Ships. Dorling Kindersley Book
Ships Sailors and the Sea. Richard Humble - Franklin Watts
The Usborne Book of Explorers from Columbus to Armstrong. Scholastic
Steven Biesty's Cross-Sections Man-Of-War. Dorling Kindersley
How Thing Work - Boats Ships Submarines and other Floating Machines. Kingfisher
Eyewitness Visual Dictionaries of Ships and Sailing. Dorling Kindersley
Columbus and the Age of Discovery. Zvi Dor-Ner - Morrow
AIMS - Floaters and Sinkers Pirates - Robbers of the High Seas. Gail Gibbons
The Ballad of The Pirate Queens. Jane Yolen
Eyewitness Books Pirate. Richard Platt - Dorling Kindersley
Pirate Handbook. Margarette Lincoln
Pirates of Old - An Integrated Activity Unit. Bev McKay - Kid's Stuff
Video - Computer
Walt Disney's "Treasure Island"
Steven Biesty's Cross-Sections Man-Of-War interactive CD
The following objectives are being taught using the thematic unit Ships. and the novel The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle.
Constructing Meaning uses the reader's existing knowledge, the information suggested by the written language, the context of the reading situation. Using cooperative groups, teacher and student interaction, we construct meaning using a variety of different reading strategies. The students interact with one another through group dynamics, and class discussions that assess the student's prior knowledge as well as encouraging them to respond to the text using written format.
In using the novel approach, students expand their learning in the following ways:
Reading: the student learns to use the following activities: KWL, Prediction, Thematic Maps. figurative language, metaphors, similes, research using reference materials. Using narrative text, the student learns to identify story elements, characters, setting, plot, etc.
Spelling: the student learns vocabulary by: creating dictionary, diagrams, charts, puzzles, and using words in sentences.
Writing: the student develops their writing skills by: recreating stories, writing journals, classifying words by parts of speech, poems, logs, invitations, summarizing.
The following activities from the novel The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle incorporate the following objectives.
1. Thematic Maps- teaches predicting , constructing graphic organizers and they introduce a variety of reading genre.
2. Book Passage on the Seahawk- Introduces Charlotte as well assets up an `Anticipated Set. as to what we as readers would like to learn about her as the writer of the novel.
3. A Little Research Please - teaches study skills, using reference resources, note taking skills, adjunct aids as wells as using text to gain understanding.
4. Charting the Course-teaches group dynamics through cooperative groups. Using "Chapter Questions", assesses the students knowledge about reading using a variety of skills such as, predictions, inferences, conclusions. This activity also helps the student demonstrate an understanding of narrative text by identifying changes in the setting, mood, understanding a character's traits, motives, reactions, cause and effect relationships, facts and opinions, drawing conclusions, figurative language, inferences and facts and opinions of the story.
5. A Twist of Fate - teaches critical thinking, cause and effect using "If...then" statements with a picture.
6. Your Journey Ends - teaches inference by writing from the "Author's " point of view, writing using a variety of writing purposes, descriptive adjectives, summarizing a selection, writing using supporting and concluding sentences to develop a paragraph.
7. Nineteenth Century Ships - teaches map and chart skills by having the students list the parts of a ship, and chart a journey on a world map. In addition, the students will develop both listening and speaking skills by presenting cooperative group activities, answers to comprehension questions, and Tech. Ed. projects.
In addition, the use of the Tech. Ed. tech-folios, will help the students plan, design, develop and produce a variety of projects throughout the thematic unit.
OBJECTIVE: By completing the ""Clay Boat" activity, the students will learn the meaning of upthrust, buoyancy and water displacement. They will also discover the shapes of clay boats that float best, and how much weight a clay boat of 30 grams will hold.
SKILLS AND PROCESSES: measuring, estimating, adding, subtracting, predicting, recording data, applying and generalizing, problem solving, reflecting
TIME: 45 minute period
MATERIALS: clay, containers for water, scales, marbles, water, salt, plastic boat, handouts, posters with definitions
FOCUS QUESTIONS: "What shapes of clay float the best?" "How much weight can a clay boat of 30 grams hold?"
PROCEDURES:
1. As an anticipatory set students will list what they need to know about ships before they begin their own ship construction for the Charlotte Doyle unit. These will be listed on chart paper. Next, a plastic boat will be placed in water for the students to observe. Each group will be given three terms to define while observing the floating boat: upthrust, buoyancy, and water displacement. Definitions will be shared and placed on the board to display throughout the activity.
2. Explain to the students that they will be experimenting with shapes of boats and weight capacity. Introduce focus questions for the activity. Drop a ball of clay into the salt water tank, and watch it sink. Ask the students how they could make it float. Pass out "Clay Boat" worksheet, and have the students individually draw three different ideas for boat designs that will float.
3. Explain procedures for the experiment.
4. Break students up into groups of 2-3, and give each group a ball of clay. They will use the scales to measure out a 30 gram ball. Students will make their boat designs, and see if they float empty. Changes in designs may be made.
5. Next, students will add marbles to each design until it sinks. They may try 3 times per boat to improve their score. They will weigh and record the final cargo weight for each design, and find the difference between the cargo and boat weight to determine total weight boat held. Answer questions at the bottom of worksheet to discuss later.
6. Students will clean up their areas, and make any changes to their definitions from the beginning of the activity.
7. Each group will share their best design and total weight held. As a class, answer the following questions: a. In the boats that floated, which weighed more: the boat or the cargo? b. How about those that sank? c. Is there a critical weight factor? d. What other factors may have determined floatability?
8. Return to the terms defined during the anticipatory set. Ask if any of the students would like to change their definitions. Using the plastic boat, define each of the terms relating them to the clay boat activity.
9. For closure, the students will answer the focus questions individually on scrap paper and turn them in. They must also include the most amazing thing they discovered during the activity.
Tech Tips
From Ken Whitcomb; originally by Jon Van Lente
If there is a dent too deep to sand in a piece of wood try this tip:
Using a wet terry-cloth washcloth, carefully apply water to the dent
and surrounding area allowing it to soak into the immediate vicinity only.
Depending on the absorbency of the variety of wood, this can take between
30 seconds and 5 minutes. Next, cover the dented area with the wrung-out
cloth. Touch the cloth directly above dent with the toe of a very hot clothes
iron. Hold it in place long enough for steam to be created from the cloth.
Check to see how far the cells have expanded and reapply the heat if necessary.
When the area has dried, sand down the over-expanded cells. Depending on
the nature of the wood and the dent. The damage can be completely removed
or at least minimized with this technique.
From Tom Ochs
Use old PC's to help students research careers. Put the MOIS (Michigan Occupational Information System) on the old PC's and when your students are studying a unit they can research careers that relate to their studies.
Also, old PC's can be used to demonstrate computer components to students.
Fireflies
By Jenna Hobson, Student
Breton Downs Elementary
East Grand Rapids, Michigan
Did you know that many fireflies do not have wings? Actually females don't have wings. Did you know that they have enemies? It's true. In this report I will tell you about their enemies, physical traits, life cycle, food, habitat, and other interesting facts about fireflies.
Let me tell you about their enemies. There are a lot of enemies for such a little thing. Some of these are spiders, frogs, lizards, and some birds. Fireflies protect themselves by flashing their light for help, or they will shoot poison into the eyes of their enemies, which blinds them.
Fireflies also have "danger" areas. Some of these are around a house, near other animals, and around people such as Indians. Indians burned charcoal to catch them. Then ladies would wear them as necklaces or other kinds of jewelry.
Next I will tell you about the physical traits of a firefly. The body of the firefly is three-quarters of a inch long. It has a flat, oblong body. Their light organs are inside their lower torso. Their light is bright when it is especially hot outside. This is usually in the evening, and it makes them look like very graceful creatures.
Now I'm going to tell you about their life cycle. They begin their lives as glow worms, living under ground. They live there for two years, and then in late spring they shed their skin a second time. Now they are very pale and called "pupae". After ten days the skin cracks open and a larva crawls out. It is sort of like the growing of a butterfly. Now the firefly fearlessly tries to make its way out of the ground. As soon as he gets out from the underground, he can see and feel things with his antennas. If the firefly is not a female, it might not eat anymore. It might be night now and the little firefly will rest under something.
Later the next day, at near night time it will go out into the night and search for a mating group. Once it finds one he searches for a female. If he sees a female making the same signal with her light he flies to a near branch or a high leaf or something. She follows and they mate. Later on, the male flies away, and now soon will die. A few weeks later the female lays her eggs. One by one, on the ground are her eggs. They have light glow on them that is a poisonous covering so animals don't eat them. A few weeks later the eggs will hatch and the small glow worm will bury itself into the ground for two years. After the female has mated several more times, she will also die.
A firefly eats several different things, such as dead beetles, some kinds of ants, dead spiders, and earth worms after a long day of frying in the sun. The males might only eat once in their firefly life. A firefly kills its food by biting poison into the animals body or shooting poison into their eyes, blinding them so they do not hurt the firefly in the process.
The firefly has many interesting facts. They are so different if their a boy or a girl. Female fireflies eat a lot and they attract snails. Also the females are very intelligent. They also trick the males but they do not always and eat them! Did you know that there are 1,900 different kinds of lamplighters (fireflies) in the United States and 140 in Canada! Male fireflies do not eat very much, and are not as smart as the females.
I hope you learned a lot about fireflies because I know I did! Oh, and next time you are catching them, let them go to enjoy the rest of their short life!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ryder, Joanne. Fire Files.
Parker, Bertha. Insects and their Ways.
Lane, Ferdinand. All About The Insect World.
Young, Alan. Golden Guide for Insects.
The World Encyclopedia
The Learning Institute for Technology Education presents:
NAME___________________________________________
SCHOOL DISTRICT/SCHOOL_____________________________________
ADDRESS________________________________________
CITY/ STATE_________________________________________________
TELEPHONE______________________________________
____ TEACHER
____ HIGH SCHOOL
____ MIDDLE SCHOOL/JUNIOR HIGH
____ ELEMENTARY
____ADMINISTRATOR
The cost of the workshop is $85.00. This includes lunch and workshop materials. Sponsors are assisting with costs to help us keep your cost to a minimum. Lunch will be provided. Check: Eisenhower funding may be available.
School check enclosed ____ Personal check enclosed ____ School purchase order # __________________ (will be billed).
Signature _________________________________________________
Make checks payable to the Learning Institute for Technology Education. We will gladly refund your registration fee up to 14 calendar days before the Workshop.
Please mail to address below by February 15, 1997
Howard Stob
LITE Registration
4881 S. Plateau Ct.
Wyoming, MI 49509-4992
Phone (616) 538-1087
School Fax: (616) 771-2871
EMail: howards295@aol.com
Please copy this form for multiple registrations. Workshop participants are responsible for their own overnight arrangements.
Registration 8:00-8:30am
Conference 8:30am-3:00pm
Bring a K-12 or Grade Level Team to maximize your ability to transfer your learning into action!
Exciting Breakout Sessions!
Recognized leaders at all grade levels Integrating Technology into the Learning Community will share their ideas for motivating, effective Teaching/Learning Applications.
Informative Conference Topics, including:
Hotel Accommodations:
Holiday Inn South Convention Center, 6820 S. Cedar Street. Use Exit 104 from I-96. Conference rates: $70 single or double.
Phone:
517-694-8123 for more information.
Conference Site:
The conference will be at Hill Center for Academics & Technology, Wise Road, Lansing, Michigan.
Directions:
Take I-96 to Exit 101 onto M99 (Logan)/Martin Luther King Boulevard. Go north. Go left at the 3rd light (Miller Road). Turn right on Wise Road.
February 4, 1997
LITE Board and Committee Meeting
February 10th and 11th, 1997
Michigan Tech. Prep. Conference, Grand Rapids, MI
March 7, 1997
LITE Firefly Night
March 8th
LITE Springfest, Hill Center, Lansing, MI
March 12 - 14, 1997
MACUL Conference, Detroit, MI
March 20th - 22nd, 1997
Michigan Science Teachers Association
March 22, 1997
ITEA Pre-Conference Workshop
Contact: 703-860-2100
ITEA Association, 1914 Association Drive, Reston, VA 22091-1539
March 23 - 25, 1997
59th Annual ITEA Conference
May 1997
MITES Conference