EEND 675 module 6 discussion


Hello Class,

This lesson will be for my 9th grade biology class.  The class consists of 90 total students in 3 different periods throughout the day.  It is a co-taught classroom and we have 25 students with IEP's over the 3 periods.  For the first year, students all have their own chromebook so we are a 1:1 classroom.  The unit I've decided to re-vamp will be one of the most difficult topics we talk about all year, protein synthesis.  

In the past, most of the instruction has been in lecture format, with some worksheets and practice problems to understand how DNA codes for proteins which when linked together make a gene that codes for a trait.  I did enhance the unit by doing one quick animation where students were able to build strands of DNA, transcribe them into mRNA, and translate them into the correct amino acids.  Other than that, the technology piece is weak for this unit, which is the main reason I have chosen to revamp this lesson.  My modification for this unit, the M in the SAMR model, will be to include two new tech pieces to REDEFINE the unit in a way that wouldn't be possible without the 1:1 environment.  

The first assignment is something that I wanted to experiment with and include more in my curriculum, WeVideo.  I have made a few WeVideos myself, but wanted to get the students involved this year.  With the students having chromebooks, and most if not all having camera capable devices, I am going to make a WeVideo assignment where students will be responsible for directing, producing and most importantly acting out the stages of protein synthesis.  Students will be placed in groups of 4, all but guaranteeing at least a couple of cameramen/women, and will need to write a sketch or music video outlining how DNA codes for proteins.  This should really help creative learners grab onto such an important but often tough to understand topic in biology.  I've found WeVideo fairly easy to use and wouldn't be surprised if some of my students are even more fluent with the program than I am.  My question to you guys would be if any of you have assigned a skit or performance that needed to be taped and turned in?  What is the best way to collect this assignment? Google classroom?

Secondly, with our last assignment I really fell in love with testeach.com/lessons.  If you didn't get a chance to use that site last module you really need to check it out!!  It blows hyper docs out of the water!  I have already designed a few lessons with this blendspace and am excited to MODIFY the curriculum to do a possible murder mystery or Genetic Disorder diagnosis with this program for this unit.  I've done similar lab experiences on paper, but with this technology it could really REDEFINE how I present the material.  In the blendspace I would include documents and videos as well as sequences that students needed to read to solve a crime or diagnose a patient using DNA.  I really feel having all of these resources or evidence on one page for the students to explore will really make this an engaging and authentic project for the students.  I should have all the materials I need to make this work, but appreciate all feedback or ideas. 

By modifying this difficult unit I hope to make the essential topic of protein synthesis more engaging and authentic for my students.  I think by adding these two projects, it will really redefine this lesson and in turn I should see better results come assessment time. 

Thank you,

Jim Nielsen

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