Unit1Seminar_Tuesday

Welcome to Big Ideas in ScienceUnit 1 Seminar! : 

Welcome to Big Ideas in ScienceUnit 1 Seminar! Please feel free to chat amongst yourselves until we begin at the top of the hour.

Seminar Agenda : 

Seminar Agenda Icebreaker Review of Course Information Scientific Inquiry & The Scientific Method Community Health Department Investigation of Middle School Absences Unit 2 Project Review Questions & Answers

Ice Breaker! : 

Ice Breaker! Since we’re all just getting to know each other… Where are you checking in from this evening? I live in Connecticut right on Long Island Sound.

Review of Course Information : 

Review of Course Information Call me Dr. Kathy! Announcements There will be Announcements each week. The blog will have more “help” and FAQ type of material. Important to check both often. In addition there is a web site that holds links

Review of Course Information : 

Review of Course Information How to contact me and have your questions answered Post general questions to the “Course Questions" DB in the Course Home  Email me! Use the “Email” tab at the top of our course kcercone@kaplan.edu AIM: kaplandocc I try to be available as much as possible and am frequently online. If you see me online, you can ALWAYS pop in to ask questions or just to say hello. In other words, my door is always open to you.

Review of Course Information Discussion Boards: hints on Blog will always be there : 

Review of Course Information Discussion Boards: hints on Blog will always be there Try to keep up with the DB; in order to have the best discussions, we need everyone to participate! Participation should be completed as early in the week as possible. You should post on multiple days each week. If everyone posted on the due date, how much discussion could there be?  Late postings The discussions end and a new one starts on every Wednesday. Higher grades will be given to those who post not only quantity, but quality comments. One sentence responses or “I agree” are unacceptable and no credit will be given.

Review of Course InformationProjects : 

Review of Course InformationProjects There are 5 projects in this course Some guidelines: Use Microsoft Word Be sure to complete all parts of the assignment Use clear and concise language and proofread your work. Your work should be free of spelling and grammatical errors. Late Project assignments will be accepted but with a late penalty of 2% per day.

Review of Course InformationSeminar : 

Review of Course InformationSeminar Seminar is not required, but attendance is encouraged. There is no credit given for Seminar If you miss Seminar You do NOT need to inform me of this ahead of time You do NOT need to submit Seminar Option 2 In order to have a productive Seminar, be sure to participate by posting often and with relevant comments and questions Stay on task to our course materials and discussion

Review of Course Information : 

Review of Course Information A few tips… Work early in the week JUST IN CASE there is something unexpected that comes up at the end of the week Follow and then EXCEED all of the requirements for each assignment Proofread your work multiple times prior to submission. Something to keep in mind when checking your grades: Kaplan instructors have 5 days to grade after the due date. I try to keep up with the submissions, but may not. So, I often need the 5 days.

Slide 10: 

Any questions?

The Scientific Method : 

The Scientific Method Steps of the scientific method Identify the problem or question – this where we pose a “testable question” Form an educated guess (hypothesis) of the cause of the problem and make predictions based upon the hypothesis Test your hypothesis by doing an experiment or study (with proper controls) Check and interpret your results Report your results to the scientific community

The Scientific Method What is a “Testable Question”?- pose the problem to be evaluated : 

The Scientific Method What is a “Testable Question”?- pose the problem to be evaluated Is this a testable question: “Is rock music better than hip-hop music?” I went out to my car and the car does not start. How could this be made into a testable question?

The Scientific Method What is a “Testable Question”? : 

The Scientific Method What is a “Testable Question”? A testable question is a query that is posed in a way that can be investigated to produce data (evidence). Testable questions are answered by collecting and analyzing evidence that is MEASURABLE. Testable questions often begin with: How, What, If, Does

The Scientific Method : 

The Scientific Method Characteristics of questions that are not scientifically testable: Their answers depend on personal preference. Their answers depend on moral values. They relate to the supernatural. They relate to phenomena that cannot be measured. They can begin with “Why”

What is a “Testable Question”? : 

What is a “Testable Question”? Not a testable question: “Is vegetarianism better than eating meat?” Do vegetarians experience fewer heart attacks than meat eaters do? Does a vegetarian diet contain the same vitamins and minerals as a meat-containing diet?

Slide 16: 

Any questions?

Community Health Department Investigation Memo : 

Community Health Department Investigation Memo Possible health problem at Truman Middle School Given limited access to the school district's website Access to school attendance data for all four middle schools Remember to take notes on a separate Investigative Report Form Testable Questions Evidence Collected Analysis and Explanation of Evidence First step: Ask a testable question that can be answered by analyzing school attendance data

Community Health Department Investigation: Letter from Principle : 

Community Health Department Investigation: Letter from Principle Director of Student Band at Truman Middle School informed that on Wednesday, May 20th, 1/3 of his class was absent This is reminiscent of last year’s widespread outbreak of the flu Requests: Can you help us determine if we should be concerned? If there is a problem, can you suggest measures we might take to prevent or contain the disease?

Community Health Department Investigation: First Step : 

Community Health Department Investigation: First Step Where is the unusual spike in absences taking place? In what school(s)? And in what classes?

Community Health Department Investigation: Truman Absence Charts- there are other charts too like this. : 

Community Health Department Investigation: Truman Absence Charts- there are other charts too like this.

Community Health Department Investigation: Second Step : 

Community Health Department Investigation: Second Step What testable questions can we use to investigate these absences?

Community Health Department Investigation: Second Step : 

Community Health Department Investigation: Second Step What hypotheses do you have about what might be occurring?

Community Health Department Investigation: Second Step : 

Community Health Department Investigation: Second Step How can you test these hypotheses?

Unit 2 Project Review : 

Unit 2 Project Review From Unit 1 Seminar Information: 1/3 of band class was absent at Truman Middle School on Wednesday, May 20th Requests from School: Can you help us determine if we should be concerned? If there is a problem, can you suggest measures we might take to prevent or contain the disease? Given limited access to the school attendance data for all four middle schools New Information in Unit 2 Project Interviews were held with several parents

Unit 2 Project Review : 

Unit 2 Project Review Based on this data, you must provide the following: Based on your research, is there a common reason for the absences? If so, what? If no, why not? What are the possible causes for the illnesses? Come up with two testable, clear hypotheses about what you think is behind the absences. Be sure to base your hypotheses on the evidence you have obtained. How could students have been exposed to a disease-causing organism at the same time? If they were exposed at the same time, when were they most likely to have been exposed? Explain. Come up with six testable, specific questions you could ask that would help further your investigation. In a short paragraph, explain why the following hypothesis is scientifically a poor one: "These students were absent because there is bad stuff in the stars happening with Mars in Aquarius."

Unit 2 Project Review : 

Unit 2 Project Review No specific format is necessary, but it should be well written, clear, and error free. Cite any resources that are used in your project. Use APA formatting- I have information on my blog Be sure to provide all of the information / answer all questions required in the assignment! Review the grading rubric in the syllabus Submit your assignment to the Dropbox. Title your document using the following: first name_Last Name_Project2.doc For example, Shawn_Edwards_Project2.doc

Wrapping Up : 

Wrapping Up As a reminder, be sure to respond to ALL requirements of this week’s Discussion Board Assignment.  As always, please post any questions to the DB or e-mail me!

Slide 28: 

Any questions?