Semester Synthesis

How will you incorporate comprehension instruction into your discipline?

I think it is really important to be able to read and comprehend difficult scientific text. Even though reading a textbook can be boring, it is an important skill to acquire before college. That is something that I had to learn on my own in college. I wish I had a teacher that taught us how to analyze scientific text. With that in mind, I plan on selecting small segments from scientific text, such as research articles, textbooks, encyclopedias, etc.We will read it together and we can interpret it. I will also have them do small research projects so that they can immerse themselves in scientific literature. 

How will you support your students in writing texts and producing other representations in your discipline?

Like I mentioned, I would like to have the students do small research projects. One idea i had, is to have them research about a scientist and talk about their accomplishments. I also think it is important to have lab write ups. Often times, students need to explain what is happening to really understand the basic concepts. It's not always enough for them to do the lab without explaining it.

How will you integrate digital technologies?

There are a lot of ways to integrate technology into the classroom. First off, I am a huge fan of PowerPoint lessons. They are such a help for me. In the PowerPoint you can have all sorts of aids that enhance the lessons, such as pictures, videos and simulations. You can also have games like jeopardy, which I have used. It was fun. I have considered making a class webpage or maybe a blog. That way I am integrating social media, which is prevalent in the students' lives.

What kinds of texts will you make available to your students? 

After making the text set, I realized there are a lot of different types of books that can be made available for students to read. I really like autobiographies of scientists, so I will probably have a lot of those. I also like books with pictorial representations of concepts. I want to have books that break down hard concepts into small simple principles. Lastly, I would like to have a book for projects/ experiments. That way they can use it for formal projects in the class, and fun activities that they can do on their own.

Thanks for the great class!