Week 9 Blog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82EeHGMEP-w 

1. What did you do in lab?

This past week in lab we talked about the timeline of space existence after the big bang. This included us writing our guesses on a timeline for when humans, dinosaurs, land plants, land animals appeared on Earth as well as when the moon was created. After this we split into groups and really looked into the main events that happened within certain points in time on our timeline. We talked about each of our sections and main events in a whole group setting to ensure we all knew the important events. We finished lab talking about our quiz and answering any last minute questions that we had. 

2. What was the big question?

The big question I feel like this week was: When do you think these first big events (humans, dinosaurs, land plants, land animals appeared on Earth as well as when the moon was created) occurred? Why?

3. What did you learn in Thursday's discussion?

This week during Thursday's lecture we took our space science quiz. 

4. Read "Activitymania". What did you learn? What was most helpful? What do you need more information on?

"Activitymania" highlights a common issue in elementary science education: an overreliance on structured, teacher-led activities that often follow step-by-step instructions to predetermined conclusions. This approach, while convenient, can result in shallow learning as students merely follow procedures without truly engaging with the underlying scientific concepts. By focusing on rigid activities, "activitymania" prevents students from experiencing authentic scientific inquiry, reducing science to a checklist of tasks rather than an exploration of questions and ideas. This limits students' opportunities to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as their understanding of science as an investigative process.

The article’s focus on the limitations of rigidly structured activities was particularly helpful. It reinforced the importance of designing learning experiences that allow students to engage in real inquiry, where they can ask questions, make predictions, test ideas, and analyze results in a less prescriptive way. Encouraging curiosity and resilience when exploring new concepts in science helps students view themselves as capable learners and problem-solvers.

It would be helpful to have more specific examples of how to transition from activitymania to a more inquiry-based model, especially in classrooms where teachers may be limited by time, resources, or curriculum mandates.

5. What questions, concerns, and/or comments do you have?

I cannot wait to retake the space science exam.

Week 8 Blog

1. What did you do in lab?

In lab on Monday we went over quite a bit as we had student led presentations. With these presentations we talked about the Big Bang as the origin of the universe, lifecycles of the stars, origin of the Earth, galaxies, black holes, as well as exploration of space. We learned the universe is over 13 billion years old and that light didn't happen until 300,000 years after the Big Bang. The Earth is only 4 and a half billion years old despite the fact that the universe is over 4 times as old. We went over this plus so much more within these presentations

2. What was the big question?

Within the presentations the big question was: What is the most important thing to know about this topic? What are the misconceptions about this idea?

3. What did you learn in Thursday's discussion?

In Thursday's lecture, we discussed the topics from the lab further and really learned why each of these aspects of space is happening. I learned about the life cycle of a star and how the explosion of a supernova created our entire solar system that our plant, moon, and sun is in. We also learned about how the sun and planets are just a bunch of remnants that stuck together and formed a sphere in which lit up for the sun, but didn't light up for the planets. Another thing we learned about is the past and present of space exploration, with how other countries have put us all in a space race to see who can get us the most information and exploration first.

4. Read Pressbook chapter 13. What did you learn? What was most helpful? What do you need more information on?

From reading Chapter 13, "Origins of the Universe," in the Pressbook, I learned about various scientific theories regarding the formation of the universe, primarily focusing on the Big Bang theory. This chapter explained how the universe began approximately 13.8 billion years ago from a singularity, an infinitely dense and hot point, and how it has expanded ever since. Key concepts like cosmic inflation, the formation of fundamental particles, and the development of galaxies were discussed in detail, highlighting the progression from simple to complex structures.

What was most helpful was the explanation of cosmic microwave background radiation as evidence for the Big Bang theory. This residual heat from the early universe provides critical insights into its origins and supports the idea of an expanding universe.

 

I need more information on the implications of dark matter and dark energy for the future of the universe. While the chapter briefly touched on these concepts, I would like to understand their roles in the universe's expansion, potential future scenarios (such as the Big Freeze, Big Crunch, or Big Rip), and how they influence our understanding of cosmology.

5. What questions, concerns, and/or comments do you have?

Will our space explorations ever take us further than Mars?

Week 7 Blog

1. What did you do in lab?

In lab on Monday we made a scale model of where each planet is in the galaxy compared to each other. Also in lab we talked about how the moon would be placed if we had a full moon during the day around noon. 

2. What was the big question?

The big question during lab this week was How big is the solar system? If the moon is only one pixel?

3. What did you learn in Thursday's discussion?

During Thursday's discussion we talked about moon phases in certain situations as well as how our shadows would look whether we were on the Tropic of Cancer or the Tropic of Capricorn. I feel as though these 2 topics took the majority of our time as there was a lot of discussing what the answers could be. Another thing that we talked about during this discussion was the idea of which side of the moon we see and don't see, the dark side is the side we don't see. In addition to this, we also discussed how the moon has to rotate as it's circulating the Earth because if it didn't rotate, we would see both sides of the moon which isn't accurate. 

4. Read the article, Misconceptions Die Hard. What did you learn? What was most helpful? What do you need more information on?

From reading the article Misconceptions Die Hard, I learned how deeply ingrained misconceptions about science can be in students' thinking, even when they have been taught correct information. One key point is that students often hold on to their prior beliefs, no matter how many times they’re exposed to the correct scientific concepts, because their initial misconceptions make intuitive sense to them based on their everyday experiences.

What was most helpful was the article’s emphasis on the persistence of these misconceptions and how important it is to not just teach correct facts but to engage students in uncovering and actively challenging their existing beliefs. Techniques like using targeted questions, demonstrations, and discussions to confront these misconceptions were insightful.

I need more information on how to practically apply some of the strategies for addressing misconceptions in a classroom setting, particularly with younger students. The article mentions various strategies, but specific examples or case studies showing how these can be used in real-time would deepen my understanding. 

5. What questions, concerns, and/or comments do you have?

The only question I think I have after this week is what would happen if the Earth had more than one moon like some of the other planets?

Week 6 Blog

1. What did you do in lab?

During lab this week my group and I discussed the 3 big questions using the globe and the lightbulb provided to simulate the sun. Our main question that we discussed was what causes the different seasons. This was interesting as our winter is the south's summer, vice versa. We were curious as to how this occurs, but figured out that because of the Earth's tilt, at certain points, the north and south are getting directly hit by the sun at different times. 

2. What was the big question?

During lab this week there were 3 big questions for us to address. The questions were: How do the phases of the moon occur? What causes the seasons? What causes the lunar eclipse?

3. What did you learn in Thursday's discussion?

In Thursday's discussion we talked about several questions. Some of the questions were having do to with moon phases at certain points during the day, another question was about the geometric model of the solar system, and lastly we went over our answers from the quiz we all took on Monday during lab. One of the things that I truly learned throughout this discussion was the moon phases at certain points throughout the day. Using my hands to model the sun, the moon, and myself on Earth, I was able to determine how the moon would look. This was impressive to me as I have never been able to figure this out before, nor did I care to. 

4. Read the online text book, chapter 5. What did you learn? What was most helpful? What do you need more information on?

After reading the pressbook chapter, "Sun, Earth, and the Moon," I learned about key concepts such as the phases of the Moon, solar and lunar eclipses, and the gravitational forces that create tides. The explanations of the Earth's rotation, revolution, and axis tilt were particularly useful in understanding how these motions cause day and night as well as seasonal changes. The most helpful aspects were the clear diagrams illustrating the phases of the Moon and eclipses, which made these complex phenomena easier to visualize. However, I need more information on the detailed mechanics of tides, particularly why spring and neap tides occur, and how they vary across different geographic locations. I also think some clarification on precession and its impact on the Earth's orientation would help me a lot. 

5. What questions, concerns, and/or comments do you have?

The only comment I have this week is that I have thoroughly impressed with the amount that I have actually learned and wanted to learn.