Melting Icebergs Activity

What if the polar ice caps melted?
The bowl of water in the experiment represents the ocean and the mass of ice the polar ice caps. We must imagine that the water that was pouring off the rim of the bowl is the excess water that our oceans cannot hold. The displacement of water must go somewhere and the low-lying land around the Earth’s oceans is where it will end up. Flooding will occur in many of these places and with flooding comes environmental and economic problems.

Further questions about the science inquiry experiment.
When I reflect on this science inquiry experience it made me realize the effect that melting ice in an area of the world could have on many areas around the Earth. I still wonder about the rate at which the polar ice caps are melting and how quickly the effects will be noticed around the world. Also, since the polar ice caps are fresh water, what does the introduction of fresh water do to the salinity of the oceans? How does this affect the ecosystems that are present in the ocean and also the ocean currents that affect our climate?

STEM Lesson Development

Using the lesson plan template for the STEM activity was very useful. The template allowed me to stay very organized and to review the many aspects that are involved in planning and implementing lessons. When I create lessons to be used in my sixth grade class I do not fill out something as extensive as the template, yet I can see how this template would be very useful to a beginning teacher or to simply reevaluate the layout of a lesson. Many of the sections that involved assessments and modifications are factors that teachers address naturally in their classrooms.

The use of the 5 E's strategy was useful in developing a lesson. I think the most important "E" is engagement as this is the time to spark the students' interest, determine background knowledge, and look for misconceptions. All of the E's have an essential part to the development of understanding for students. I believe that consistently using the 5 E's strategies in my lesson planning will increase motivation and understanding for my students.

In this weeks application, I developed a lesson about potential and kinetic energy. By using the topic of roller coasters, I hoped to draw in the attention of my students while aiding in the understanding of the transfers between potential and kinetic energy. If I was to use this lesson in my classroom I would assure that my students understood the concepts of a roller coaster. Many of my students come from different countries or are economically disadvantaged and have never experienced a roller coaster. By showing a short video of a roller coaster students would be pulled into the experience and also have a visual connection for the lesson.