John



I am working with a high school science teacher to help improve her curriculum. These are two lessons that she currently teaches in her high school biology class and would like to add some life to them. __Environment__ Students are instructed to read about the environment in chapter 6 in textbook. After reading the text they are required to complete three worksheets over the material in the textbook. __Dating Fossils__ Students are instructed to read a two page handout on the topic of fossils and the use of radioactive elements used to date fossils. After reading the handout students must complete a two page worksheet.

After day one of Intel training I have decided to use the use the environment lesson. Students will work collaboratively to research an environmental topic, develop claims and arguments to support their claims. The best tool for this assignment is the Showing Evidence tool.


 * __Day 3 -__** After gaining a better understanding of the Seeing Reasoning tool this will also work with the environmental lesson. I think I would use the Visual Ranking tool to have students rank the environmental issues based on what they think is the greatest concern for our world now. They could then use the Seeing Reasoning tool to create a map showing the cause and effect of the different environmental issues.

Students could use role playing. Teacher is the member is the president's cabinet, Department of Energy and the students on part of their staff. They must present to the teacher their proposal.

Groups could then identify one solution they would implement first and identify claim and supporting evidence. Examples of solutions may include: 1. Investment in alternative energy (wind, solar, geothermal) 2. Ration petroleum 3. Increase off-shore drilling and drilling in Alaska 4. Expand use of propane and natural gas 5. Natural disasters 6. Global warming

Reflection Day 3: Feel much more comforrtable with all of the tools after today. I think I could use all of the tools for my lesson. It really depends on how the teacher wants to approach the lesson.

Day 4: Finished lesson and choose to use the visual ranking tool and showing evidence tool for my lesson plan.