Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University Model-Eliciting Activities: Dr. Melissa Dyehouse, CPALMS MEA Specialist Dr. Adam Santone, CPALMS Science Specialist Applying Engineering Principles to Science and Mathematics 2012 FCR-STEM Conference

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University Agenda  MEA overview and accessing MEAs on CPALMS  MEA activity – Plants vs Pollutants MEA  Group brainstorming and writing  MEA Initiative

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  Realistic, open-ended problems with a client  Team-based  Product is the process for solving the problem  A model the client can use  Integrated across subjects  Mathematics  Science  English Language/Arts  Other context areas Model-Eliciting Activities

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University Proposed, tested, and refined by hundreds of teachers, parents, and community leaders who worked with researchers. The goals of the project that led to developing the 6 principles were: 6 Principles for Developing MEAs o Solutions to problems should involve important mathematical ideas. o Tasks should emphasize the kinds of problem understandings, characteristics, and abilities needed for success in real-life situations – not just in school settings. o Teachers should be able to gather useful information about their students’ conceptual strengths and weaknesses for more effective teaching. From Lesh et al. (2000)

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  Research  Learn about students’ developing knowledge  Formative assessment  Model eliciting = thought-revealing  Learning content  Example: Plants vs Pollutants MEA  Support 21 st century skills  Problem-solving, communication, teamwork How are MEAs used?

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  Students read a problem statement (e.g., letter, RFP) from a fictional “client” stating a problem.  Students work in teams to develop a procedure, or model, to give to the client.  Student teams write a letter back to the client explaining their models/procedures.  Students receive a 2 nd problem statement, or “twist”.  Teams test and modify (if needed) their models and write another client letter.  The teams present their work. Basic steps of an MEA

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University Toothpaste MEA (grades 2-4 and 3-5 versions): this MEA is based on a children’s book. Students must choose among criteria such as cost and taste to decide the best toothpaste recipes. MEA Examples Turning Tires MEA: 9-12 grade students design a procedure to select the best tire material for certain situations by applying geometric concepts through modeling. Water Filter MEA (grades 2-4 and 3-5 versions): students are asked to develop a procedure for ranking water filters to clean the water for a turtle. Energy Sources MEA (grades 9-11): Students must select the most promising, sustainable, and helpful energy sources to invest in for the future.

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University Example Dataset at the Elementary Level  Using the data provided, students must write a letter back to the client explaining their procedure for selecting the best toothpaste recipe. Toothpaste MEA

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University Example Dataset at the High-School Level  Using the data provided, students must write a letter back to the client explaining their procedure for selecting the best tire material to use in a given situation. Turning Tires MEA

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  Navigate to  Under the “Resource Center” tab, do a keyword search for “MEA” Find MEAs on CPALMS

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University 1.Read the letter from the client. 2.In small groups or with a shoulder partner, develop a procedure for determining how to select the best plants for each research site. Activity – Plants versus Pollutants MEA

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  Determine whether your procedure still works with the new data.  If the procedure works, determine if it can be improved upon.  If the procedure does not work, determine if it needs to be tweaked or if additional steps need to be added. Make these changes. Part 2 - Test your procedure Client letter 2 excerpt: Recent efforts in our program have identified a new set of plants that may be of use in our phytoremediation program (see Dataset 2; new plants are shaded) and we would like for your group to evaluate these plants against the earlier set of plants.

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  In what ways is the MEA different from other lessons that you have used in your classroom?  What is something you would change in the Plants vs Pollutants MEA to modify for your students? Debrief

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University MEA-Specific Informational text Client letter 1 Dataset 1 Client letter 2 Dataset 2 Instructional suggestions Letter templates 1 and 2 Lesson Plan-Related Standards Title and description Learning objectives Assessment –Readiness/comprehensi on questions –Reflection questions Prior knowledge Accommodations and Extensions Primary components of an MEA

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  Standards alignment  Quality vs quantity  Aligned to at least 2 subject areas for MEAs (e.g., Science and ELA) Standards

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  SC.912.L.17.16: Discuss the large-scale environmental impacts resulting from human activity, including waste spills, oil spills, runoff, greenhouse gases, ozone depletion, and surface and groundwater pollution.  SC.912.N.4.1: Explain how scientific knowledge and reasoning provide an empirically-based perspective to inform society's decision making.  SC.912.N.4.2: Weigh the merits of alternative strategies for solving a specific societal problem by comparing a number of different costs and benefits, such as human, economic, and environmental. NGSSS Science: Plants vs Pollutants

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  MACC.912.F-BF.1.2: Write arithmetic and geometric sequences both recursively and with an explicit formula, use them to model situations, and translate between the two forms.  MACC.912.F-BF.1.1: Write a function that describes a relationship between two quantities. Mathematical Practices  MACC.K12.MP.1.1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them  MACC.K12.MP.2.1: Reason abstractly and quantitatively  MACC.K12.MP.3.1: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others  MACC.K12.MP.4.1: Model with mathematics CCSS Mathematics: Plants vs Pollutants

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University Writing Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects Grades 9-12  LACC.910.WHST.1.2: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.  LACC.1112.WHST.1.2: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes. CCSS Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects: Plants vs Pollutants

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  What skills should students already have in order to successfully learn the selected content standards?  Plants vs Pollutants  Know the structure and function of roots, leaves, and stems  Have a basic familiarity with elements including arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc  Know how to read and interpret data tables Prior Knowledge

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  Readiness/comprehension questions  What is the problem?  Who is the client and what are they asking you to do?  What do you need to include in your letter?  What advantages and/or disadvantages might phytoremediation techniques offer?  What characteristics would describe an ideal plant for phytoremediation?  Reflective questions  What are strengths and weaknesses of each type of plant?  If the situation were slightly different, would your plant type need to change?  Who has a different strategy or procedure? Assessment Example: Plants vs Pollutants

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University Pumpkins pull pollutants out of contaminated soil  Citation: Graham, S. (October, 2004). Pumpkins pull pollutants out of contaminated soil. Scientific American. Retrieved online from: pollutants&print=true General discussion questions:  Why do you think the researchers tested these five plants?  Why do you think that phytoremediation might be used rather than another technique to remove pollutants?  What are some advantages and disadvantages of phytoremediation? Text dependent questions:  Under what conditions does the article imply that phytoremediation works best?  Why did the researchers use soil from the Canadian Arctic? Informational Texts Example: Plants vs Pollutants

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University Client Letter 1  Provides a realistic context  Provides the problem  Usually a letter from a fictitious client  The first dataset is included with the letter and any additional materials that students need to solve the problem Client Letter 2  Provides a “twist” to the original problem.  The client usually presents a scenario in which new data need to be considered. Problem Scenario: Client Letters 1 and 2

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  Open-ended – not a clear choice stands out  Adding a column of qualitative data helps make this more open-ended  If students use simple ranking procedures, it’s good to have ties so then students must prioritize  Typically around 5 columns of “plant types, etc.” and 5 rows of attributes (e.g., plant size, remediation capability) Dataset 1

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  Dataset 2 encourages students to test their models and modify them if necessary to fit with new data.  The simplest Dataset 2 adds a couple more rows of data.  An additional column, or attribute, can be added for consideration as well. Dataset 2

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  Goals  Publish original, high-quality MEAs on CPALMS  Aligned with Common Core Math and ELA  Freely accessible to all educators on CPALMS  Written so that they are easy to follow for the novice teacher CPALMS Innovative Initiatives with MEAs

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  Problem  Scenario  Data Brainstorming SC.912.L.17.16: Discuss the large-scale environmental impacts resulting from human activity, including waste spills, oil spills, runoff, greenhouse gases, ozone depletion, and surface and groundwater pollution.

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  Get involved with the CPALMS MEA Innovative Initiatives and get paid for writing MEAs: Melissa Dyehouse for more information: How to get involved

Copyright ©2012 – Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning Systems Institute – Florida State University  For questions related to MEAs and MEA Development Initiative, contact:  Melissa Dyehouse, CPALMS MEA Coordinator  For questions related to phytoremediation, MEA content, or science standards, contact:  Adam Santone, Science Specialist For more information