Personal Technology Project 2

For the second half of my project I chose to learn:   Polls Everywhere!!!

here is a link to my webpage:
https://sites.google.com/site/mrsjonesbiologyi/

1. I can use this technology to have students let me know what they feel like they are lacking in or what they need more help in. It's totally anonymous so the student does not have to feel like they are singled out. I can also use this technology as a sort of formative assessment, just to see where the kids are at in our instruction.

2. I can use the polls as formative assessments, like quizzes to see where the students need help and what they are strong in. I can also use them to see students' interests or opinions on topics or classroom practices.

3. Since the answers to the polls are sent by cell phones, the administration's rules of cell phones in the classrooms could hinder this idea. However, you could still use these polls while students are at home instead of always being in the classroom.  Also, if students don't own or have access to a cell phone or texting capability, they wouldn't be able to participate.

To view the polls on my webpage, it is under the new page "Classroom Polls."

Personal Technology Project

I learned how to use LoggerPro!

Experiment 1:
Objective: SWBAT understand different variables (conductivity, temperature, solubility, etc) that come into play with various solutions (hypotonic, hypertonic, and isotonic).

In this experiment students will use different solutions and test the changing conductivity in relation to their salinity. They will use the conductivity probe and temperature probe while they conduct the experiment in LoggerPro. They will also test other variables such as temperature with conductivity as well.

This experiment will help with the application to different physiological systems within the human body and see how conductivity and temperature of solutions help or hinder different systems.

Experiment 2:
Objective: SWBAT predict the changes of blood pressure and body temperature in regards to physical activity.

Within this experiment, students will gather data and test the changes within their blood pressure and their body temperature while they do various physical activities (i.e. sitting, standing, walking, jogging in place, jumping jacks). They will use the blood pressure sleeve sensor and the temperature probe while conducting this experiment. After gathering data, students will analyze their data and use this new knowledge to help "diagnose" various "patients" within their assignment.

I learned that there are many probes and sensors that you can use to conduct multiple experiments and that they can be used in various capacities rather than just using them for the "obvious" uses. The probes and sensors are very specific and sensitive; they are rather accurate when doing your different tests, which is helpful so that you can have accurate data when doing reports. 

LoggerPro is so useful especially in a science classroom. It is helpful when doing experiments that require gathering little bits of changing information. When practicing inquiry in the classroom, LoggerPro is probably the most useful tool when collecting data. It is also pretty easy to use, so my students will be able to use it with ease rather than spending time and energy trying to figure out how to use it. I can let them do their experiments without smothering them and showing them how to use the sensors and probes; this way, the students are in charge of their own experiments. 

The probes and sensors that I used for these experiments were the blood pressure probe, the temperature sensor, and the conductivity probe. These three probes/sensors were very helpful in the experiments we used them in, and we would be able to use these probes in other various ways as well. Other probes that I think would be useful within my classroom would be the oxygen probe and the light sensor. Most of the probes that were available can definitely be helpful within the biology classroom. They can help explore concepts and experiments that you may not be able to test if you did not have them. They all can be used to explore all the different topics within biology (photosynthesis, the human body, solutions, etc). 

Extra:

I also viewed the other tutorials on LoggerPro. These additional features will come in handy when students are presenting their findings of their experiment. They can use different features to customize their experiment and make it unique to themselves. Also, it is helpful for the students so they can use statistics along with their experimentations, they can present different statistical data and also use and manipulate various graphs and curves and it can drastically strengthen their presentations. Not only are they learning science during these assignments, but they are also extending their math content to help explain their projects.