Strategies
In order to instill in students an understanding that science is not merely a body of isolated facts but a systematic process for acquiring new knowledge, we as teachers must incorporate real aspects of the scientific process into the classroom. The National Research Council (NRC) lays out a framework for how to ensure that under NGSS students have authentic scientific experiences in their classrooms even as they learn the bodies of knowledge of the specific sciences. When implemented properly, this framework of SEPs “supports a better understanding of how scientific knowledge is produced and how engineering solutions are produced…help[ing] students become more critical consumers of scientific information.”51 This focus on process, according to the NRC, improves upon previous practices that reduced scientific procedures to isolated aims of instruction, rather than a vehicle for developing a meaningful understanding of the true scientific concept. Additionally, the process of discovering scientific truths allows students to engage in the types of critical thinking necessary to understand why the right answer is right, and perhaps more importantly, why the wrong answer is wrong. This emphasis on developing a strong evidence foundation supports student understanding of fundamentals of scientific truths. This is in stark contrast to old strategies which emphasize rote memorization of facts. In this unit, I employ several SEPs, along with other strategies to help my students understand GMOs and their role in modern agriculture.
Engaging Students using SEPs
Of particular importance in this unit are the following SEPs: “obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information,” “engaging in argument from evidence,” and “developing and using models.” Students are tasked with finding scientifically accurate information surrounding GMOs. They interpret the information and then discuss this information with their peers. This is often challenging for students, especially for students who have yet to take an AP course. I model this process with unrelated information to help students get more comfortable with the process and make use of strategic pairing of students of different academic abilities to maximize student success. Students use the information they have gathered and interpreted to engage in a scientific argument on the topic information. Teaching students to ground their arguments in evidence is often difficult, as scientific evidence is quite different from the literary evidence they are more familiar with. I use exemplars and rubrics to help students identify good and bad use of evidence before they write or narrate their own arguments. Students also use this information to develop a model of GMO usage and its potential costs and benefits. Models are something that students are quite comfortable with when they only need to interpret them. Their comfort quickly disappears when they are tasked with creating models of their own. To that end we engage in a discussion of what makes a model easy to interpret and scientifically accurate and I provide students with the opportunity to refine their model over several stages.
Because of the three-dimensional model espoused by NGSS (the other dimensions being Disciplinary Core Ideas, known as DCIs, and Crosscutting Concepts, known as XCCs), the above SEPs were chosen as the best vehicles to make use of the XCCs with the goal of satisfying the DCIs. Three-dimensional assessment tools are used in order to accurately assess student mastery of content at the end of the unit. Specific XCCs and DCIs are presented in the Appendix entitled “Implementing District Standards.”
Blended Learning
I will use our online learning management system Schoology throughout this unit. Schoology allows me to house resources students may find helpful as they progress through the unit and it helps me differentiate by providing students with different resources depending on their academic needs. In addition, it allows students to complete assignments ranging from readings to discussions to quizzes online, reducing the need for paper copies. Rubrics can be embedded into assignments on Schoology making it easier for me to provide students with constructive feedback in a timely manner. I think it is important for students to experience the blended learning approach since learning management systems like Schoology are almost ubiquitous on college campuses across the country.
Direct Instruction
Although I pride myself on ensuring that my classroom is a place where students do most of the heavy lifting, the nature of an AP course necessitates that some content is covered through direct instruction. Like with Blended Learning, this helps prepare students for the college experience. I employ a few strategies that make lecturing more engaging and beneficial for students: publishing the slides ahead of time on Schoology, embedding discussion questions and quick writing assignments into the slides, and breaking lectures into smaller chunks that can be structured around longer student-centered assignments.
Free Response Question Development
Answering the Free Response Questions (FRQs) on the AP exam can be a nightmare for students given that students are often asked to complete calculations, interpret graphs, define terms, and explain and discuss concepts in depth. In order to prepare students for answering these questions on the exam, I provide them with weekly practice. Early in the school year they answer only parts of questions and then engage in peer review using the rubrics published by the College Board. As we progress through the year and cover more and more content, I have students answer more parts of the questions.
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