EDEE 4330.003 Pre-service teachers:
Science in Everyday Life (web discussion, p 18).
Google Nova Science Now videos or visit the Nova link and watch a video news story. In a 500-1000 [or 3/4 - 2 page] reflection, post your response to what is the scientific credibility of the story? How will this story influence your life? What personal position will you take or change you will make related to the story?
Don't forget to print a copy of your reflection to include in your PDS Portfolio.
28 comments:
The video I viewed was about the demise of the power grid due to the strains and demands humans imbue. All information disseminated from the video was complements of Eric Lightner, Director of Federal Smart Grid Task Force (US Department of Energy Representative). As noted in the video, the grid’s current infrastructure that millions of Americans rely on today, was designed to cater to the electrical demands that existed nearly one-hundred years ago. This is a major concern because we live in a society that uses more electricity then ever before. To make matters worse, 50% of the electricity is created through the burning of carbon containing materials that emit greenhouse gases. In order to make electricity, we waste tons of coal and countless gallons of water just to generate a life necessity. To me, this means as a society, we must invest in alternative sources of energy to meet our demands. Scientist have developed innovative means to thwart the energy crisis like wind powered energy The problem with this solution is it is limited to places that are windy. The harnessing of solar energy is a great alternative as well, yet we haven’t been able to make solar cells either efficient enough or affordable for the common individual to use. Having said that, until we procure a more sustainable option, we as individuals need to be more conscious of the products we buy and how we use them in order to satisfy our needs. For instance, purchasing LED lighting for the house and or schools use a lot less electricity then traditional bulbs yet still provides efficient lighting. Another practice humans should make part of their daily life is unplugging equipment when not in use to avoid using phantom energy consumption. Also, many appliances and televisions have smart features that require less energy to conduct the same task. As a collective community, we should highly consider the purchasing of such goods over other inefficient choices. I think living in an industrialized country enables us, at times, to become ignorant of the processes and strains we unnecessarily place on our world. This self-realization, if it ever surfaces, will not happen until we run out of power or continue to educate people about this developing crisis. I think the government should step in and either limit electricity use during certain hours of the day or heavily tax excessive users. Once major entities pocket books get hit, companies would be forced to change how they operate thus create a workforce of energy conscious employees. As an individual, I can make a difference as well. One thing that I will be more mindful of is leaving lights on when I leave the house. We as a culture are so rushed that we often forget to do things that we not only benefit our world, but our person as well. Another practice people should take part in is washing their clothes using cold , not hot water. Most of the energy a washer machine uses is dedicated to heating up the water. To make a long story short, I think that if more people were aware or educated about the strains we place on our world, many would choose to operate their lives in a different fashion. The problem reverts back to educating our society. As teachers, we have the opportunity to influence the next generation’s minds. Therefore, we must make a point to enlighten our students about sustainable living (e.g. electricity) and the potentials of not having the same luxuries tomorrow and we have today. When people young or old realize this truth, change must happen. I too wasn’t aware that the things I do in my daily living added to an already existing concern. Having said that, this video enabled me to see my wasteful practices firsthand and thus recognize that in order for others to enjoy the many benefits of electricity, I too must make conscious adjustment in how I live my life.
I watched the NOVA-National Geographic special entitled “Ape Genius”. This video had credibility from Iowa, Japan, and other areas. The research site was in Fongoli, Sengal where they followed the different apes and did their experiences. Apes are very unique and interesting characters. They are much like humans, ore that I could have ever imagined. The researchers kept staying that they are trying to figure out what the small difference is that makes such a huge difference because they are so much like humans. This story will influence my life because I am have learned to just watch and see what happens. The apes are able to figure out how to break, bend, and build a spear to kill bush babies for a snack. They are also capable of termite fishing. I feel that the students in my classroom will be able to come up with their own solutions and ideas to make things work the way they want if the apes can. Just given a little more time anything is possible. I find it quite amazing how the apes were able to learn the slot machine technique by just watching through the fence at other apes doing it. The moment the machine was brought to them there was no confusion at all about how to get the grape out of the bottom of it. I think this has influenced me because it teaches me that group and peer work is essential to learners. If children in the classroom are able to work together and learn together it will eliminate much confusion because sometimes the students are all on the same level and the teacher might not comprehend what the problem is. During the video one mother ape child had passed away and it was remarkable that the mother still continued to carry the baby around on her back for up to two weeks later. It was not determined if apes aren’t capable of understanding death, or are in denial but I found it very moving. I know that humans are broken hearted this way and I had never imagined that animals would be so heart felt over losing one another. In the same sense when one of the apes, which had no blood relation to the other had passed away and the workers where trying to remove it from the area the other apes began to fight them off. This makes me think that maybe one day with I do have my very own classroom the children will learn to respect one another and treat them like they are each others. After this story I think I will change in the realization that animals do have feelings and emotions. Just because we as humans cant completely understand what is always going through an apes mind we are able to see that they feel and have passion for one another. I will no longer look at animals just as animals; they sort of have little souls. Also I think I will give the students more responsibilities because seeing what the apes were able to produce and determine I think that students could do the same thing. This was a very interesting and video and made me think about many real life situations.
I watched the video “Can we live forever”. It was about growing organs and being able to one day have organs that are grown from us so it is not rejected. The video also talked about not necessarily living forever but leaving your wisdom and thoughts behind through building avatars of ourselves. It was really interesting to see how science as progress so much. You could tell that this video was very credible. This is because the interview was with the actual people, scientist who were doing the research and the work. They showed you actual products of their research. For example they were growing ears, and there was a human ear growing on the back of a hairless rat. It was somewhat weird but still it was really cool to see a living human ear that was not attached to a human. In one story that had a lady who needed to have a new windpipe because she had TB. They built her one and put it inside her and she is doing fine. That is physical proof and credibility of the abilities and the progress of science the video was talking about. With the avatar it left a sense of being able to live forever. In the future perhaps there will be virtual images of ourselves, where future generations can still talk to us.
The ideas presented in this video are so critical today. IT would be amazing if an organ got cancer that you could easily replace it. Cancer and other diseases / accidents affect so many people. One can be place on a transplant list but there are chances that you may not be matched or that the body can reject the organ. With these advances, when a doctor says that you have cancer or some other disease there may be more hope in the future. Like in all families certain illness and diseases affect my family. With the progress of being able to have new organs, and replace the ones that has been affected by the disease. The idea of the avatar was really neat as well. It would be really cool to leave behind a lasting memory of yourself so future generations can talk to you. The idea of relatives leaving you may not be as hard to cope with because in a sense you could go back and talk to them one last time.
This video may me change the way organs are grown. It is not as gruesome as some people make it seem. Everyday there are more advances with it, to make it easier and more accessible and reliable. It was neat to see my knowledge of biology be recharge by this video of how and why they do things like that in the lab. After viewing this video the idea of growing new organs does not seem as far out as it used to. I believe that in the very near future if we need a new organ it will be easy to get one.
I watched “Life and Death in the War Zone” for this reflection. This news video talked about the CSH staff. Most of the medical staff and sergeants come from civilian hospitals – i.e. they went through medical school, worked in hospitals for a certain amount of time, and decided they wanted to serve their country using their medical experiences and expertise. With that being said, the scientific credibility is relevant. These men and women know the human body inside and out and can very quickly think of what procedure to perform under high stress conditions. Their training, to some degree, has been no different then a civilian doctor, nurse, dentist, plastic surgeon, etc. However, I learned that they go through infantry training, gas training, and “perform” procedures under high stress. These types of trainings are to prepare these men and women for their reality while overseas. Also, learning about their bases was eye-opening. CSH consists of different hospital wards that are huge, rectangular containers. They are sterilized, fresh oxygen is pumped into each container, they have all the equipment and medications that a civilian hospital would have, and they have a very intricate system. Each ward serves different purposes: surgical ward, ICU ward, orthography ward, cardiovascular ward, etc. One thing that caught my attention is that not only do our military medical soldiers serve our U.S. troops, but they also serve the Iraqi people since the conditions of the Iraqi hospitals are very poor. To sum up, it didn’t surprise me when the story talked about the struggles these men and women have to face in the hospital wards - I can’t imagine the trauma of it all. But what I forgot to think about, was that they are always in the line of danger because of their location and because they serve for the U.S. military. Even going from Ward A to Ward B could be deadly because of possible grenades, open-shootings, etc. during the night and during the day. After watching this story, my appreciation and respect for the military medical soldiers grew tremendously. Relating to education, I find it very important for students to be educated in who fights for their country no matter how much they are in the spotlight or not. It’s important for students to realize that soldiers in the front-line are not the only soldiers who fight.
The Nova science video I watched was "How Smart Are Dolphins?" This video is credible by Stan Kuczaj. It was about how smart dolphins are and what they are capable of as problem solvers and thinkers as well as doing tricks. Doug Hamilton traveled to a Caribbean cove to check out the dolphins . Terry Bolton is a head trainer and demonstrates all of the tricks the dolphins can do. The dolphins do many impressive things like jumps, flips, and even find a toy under the sand with the command to do so. The trainers try to teach the dolphins the love of learning. I feel as a teacher that is one of the most important things to teach children, the love of learning. If children are not interested and do not think education is important it will be hard to get them motivated. By teaching them the love of learning, just like the dolphins, we can get them to go above and beyond in learning. The trainer explains how they start the day off on a high and leave on a high and that they are all about positive reinforcement. In my philosophy of teaching I definitely believe in positive reinforcement. Most behavior problems for children who act out simply want attention. By giving positive reinforcement and attention to those students who are outstanding and do what is asked, it will show the behavior problem children what kind of behavior is needed to receive attention. She also cheers the dolphins on and encourages good behavior and can see the brightness in their eyes. She relates this type of behavior to children. I believe as an educator always showing the good in children’s work and always staying positive is important because it keeps them motivated. She also explains that after working with the dolphins they can now create and problem solve, not just do certain tricks. This relates to my future by never giving up on a child. If they are not getting something we should always keep working with them until they understand. The only way for them to get the concept is to never stop seeing what they are capable of accomplishing. Pushing them to their greatest achievements is our job as educators. The trainer explains how it is a big challenge in figuring out how smart dolphins are is that their world is so different from ours. I believe this relates to a child’s world and their point of view as well. It can be a challenge to get on their level as an adult and to understand them and what they are thinking. This is a challenge that we will see in the classroom at times. After watching this video I do not think I would change the way I think because I have always agreed with the things and concepts I have discussed, but I now have an even greater understanding of why positive reinforcement and encouragement is so important. Children simply respond to and appreciate it more. They want to show you how smart they are and when we give them confidence by applauding a job well done and even the attempt of a problem increases this behavior. I have a greater of understanding how not just animals respond to this behavior, but how children relate as well.
The video I chose to view was about these small cars that drive themselves. Australia, Europe, and California all came up with different designs of these electric mini cars. The cars only way about 1000 lbs. and only go 25 mph. The developers thought was these will reduce traffic jams and make getting around easier. The car drives itself and can take you were you want to go just by putting in the address. Also they sense when something is in their path and stop on their own.
This video really opened my eyes to see what technology is really capable of. It also scared me a little because I get worried that technology will end up taking a lot of jobs that are done by humans now. In the video they talk about cars in the future driving themselves while people are in them doing other things. This is just a crazy thought and I don't think it will ever happen but you never know with the growing technological world. This story will influence my life through the way I think about technology and how it can really start to take over your life. I just think that those cars are ridiculous and not very safe. I will try to do things around me without the use of technology when possible and to a certain extent. It will also change the way i approach technology in science because children could be really interested in this type of thing and make them want to learn more. Also when teaching my students I want them to see how things used to be before technology like this. I hope that we as humans don't fall into a trap of having everything done for us by a computer because we will lose as a human race.
The NOVA scienceNOW video that I chose to watch was “Can we Live Forever?- Can we Slow Aging?” The story examines two men in particular, Chuck Yogi and James Hirai who are ninety one years old and questions what the secret to their long life is. The scientific credibility of the story is researching genetics and life spans of humans and even insects. Scientists work in the laboratory and have tested worms to see their life spans.
I believe that this story will influence my life because as computer scientist/inventor Ray Kurtzweil mentions, his goal is to live long enough until we have the technology that will make us live longer. This is impacting to my life because I would love to have technology or a secret to a longer life. Having lost my father, when he was in his 50s, I am very interested in medical advancements or technology that could help humans live longer, healthier lives. I would be skeptical to try whatever medicine the scientists discovered, so I am not certain that I would make any personal changes, but I am pleased to see the facts that they have polished and are certain about.
When viewing this video, I asked myself “How did the scientists decide to use worms to test their life spans?” and “Is there any way to increase the Foxo gene in humans?” I was excited about the knowledge that I gained about the foxo gene present in the worms and humans that regulates other genes and can expand your life. Humans typically receive the foxo gene in the form of C and C from DNA from the mother and father. If CG are received, there is twice the chance of living to one hundred years old and upon receiving G and G, there is three times the chance (very rare).
In the video, the two men interviewed, who were over 90 years old discussed their daily life, when asked what their secret was. I believe that their peaceful life and parts of their culture can be attributing factors to their long life. Studying life spans and the difference between how long humans live now compared to decades or even centuries ago would be an interesting expansion topic for a social studies unit. For the language arts content area, students can write about what they would do if they knew their lifespan would be doubled. I believe that this topic can be deeply explored with inquiry based instruction because students can gather information about life spans and aging and then generate research questions related to it. Experiments could even be conducted where students use insects and vary their diet or living environment to see if it affects how long they live. Conclusions can be drawn from simple experiments or even very complex ones by scientists and there is still more to discover as we search for a secret fountain of youth.
I watched “Evolution in Action” for this blog reflection. I picked this video because the process I have always found interesting how species evolve. This news video reported on an evolving species of salamander in California. The way they presented the information was very visual. They obtained multiple salamanders from different areas of California. Then they placed a color coded map of California to represent the different areas. They start by showing the original tan colored salamander from the north. Then they showed the changes of size and color of the salamanders heading south along the state border. These salamanders grew fatter and became darker with profound spots. Next they start north and head south along the coast. These salamanders became skinner and developed a red color. They explain the reasons for such a dramatic difference. The dark salamanders with profound spots gained those traits by wanting to camouflage into their environment. On the other hand, the skinny red salamanders gained those traits by wanting to look like a poisonous species found also in the area. At the south end of California the two variations on species had mated to produce a hybrid salamander species. These salamanders do not last long because of the lack of the crucial survival traits for that area. The scientific credibility of this video is the visual representation of Darwin’s theory. I found it fascinating to see the gradual changes of the species by the different areas. This story influences my life because I have believed for the past few years that some insect species look to becoming a hybrid of sorts. Although it maybe a crazy thought, this video leads me to believe that this could be possible. Last year I developed a thematic unit over diversity. I think that students at a young age should be introduced to diversity of a population. This unit was based on TEKS for grades k-2. A good way to start is by recognizing self differences, family differences, community differences, and continuing expanding outward. Taking these concepts is easy to apply in different content areas. This video could be used as an engagement video to a lesson on animal diversity with Darwin’s theory. This information on the acceptance and reasons behind diversity will be good to know in this always changing world.
I watched the video over Solar Power, which has been debated over for years now. Solar power has its benefits because it is a clean energy source and decreases our carbon footprint, which also declines the rate of global warming. However, solar power is extremely expensive to install, so it is more difficult for people to see the benefit of it when they have to pay thousands of dollars to even have it installed at their home or business.
The scientific evidence to support this video is the physical earth science that we are currently seeing in our everyday lives. Our constant use of fossil fuels is not only depleting the earth of its natural resources, but it is also polluting our environment and causing global warming. The effects of global warming are an increased amount of extreme natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, drought, and heat. These natural disasters are events that are occurring around us that we are witnessing more often than we have in the years before. When global warming begins, it has a domino effect on our social system as well. Food and fuel sources become scarce, so the prices begin to rise, making it more difficult for us to purchase the necessities. Fossil fuels also create political and military conflicts around the world.
Currently, less than 1% of all the energy in the United States is renewable energy. This is because fossil fuel is less expensive to use than renewable energy and there is a lack of education about the benefits of renewable energy. After viewing the video, I have become more aware of the benefits renewable energy will have on not only myself, but the generations to follow as well. I want my children, and their children to have the opportunity to live in an unpolluted, beautiful world.
When you put the costs of installing renewable energy in to a larger perspective, I do not see how people cannot afford to do it. During the summer months our electricity bills rise because of the demand of us on the power grids. If you look at your electricity bill from August, I can guarantee your bill rose dramatically compared to the previous months, if you are not using renewable sources. You may think it is a lot of money to come up with to install a renewable source, but when you look at the big picture, not only will you end up getting your return on your investment from the savings on electricity bills, but you will also reduce your carbon foot print for yourself, your children, your grandchildren, and their children and grandchildren. This is something that everyone needs to consider.
I viewed the video How Does the Brain Work? on Nova Science Now. No matter how complex we think the brain is, it can still be fooled by a magic trick. Mac King is a magician in Vegas that has been fooling minds for years. Apollo Robins was able to surprise President Jimmy Carter’s secret service by pick pocketing them. The curved motion that he uses during his tricks diverts the viewer while he is able to steal an item from the viewers pocket or making a coin disappear. Neuroscientist Susana Martinez-Conde and Stephen Macknik from Barrow Neurological Institute are collaborating with Apollo to figure out what the brain decides to pay attention to and what not to. Macknik states that, “they don’t know too much about attention and awareness.” At St.Joesph’s Hospital, they prepare a study to figure out more information about the topic. The study showed that the subjects followed the curve of Apollo’s hand. Susana and her partner along with Jose-Manuel Alonso from State University of New York discovered when we track movement there is more than one cell at work. One cell detects motion while another suppresses the background. This story will influence my life because it will make me pay more attention to the things around me as well as not being afraid to ask why something works a certain way. Personally, I would like to discover the benefits of magic on the cognitive level with children. This makes me understand as a teacher that if students don’t pick on everything that they are learning that there could be distractions that we as teachers are creating. Mac King, a magician, wants to know why we are unable to see certain tricks that are simple to see to him. This video made me understand that you could be working out your cognitive component of your brain when watching magic if you view it from the correct standpoint. Personally, I plan to discover new ways to keep my brain stimulated. I want to do this so that I am setting a good example for my students in the classroom while at the same time doing something that I enjoy and can benefit from in the end of things. Rodney Brooks from MIT says that, “the world is transformed by AI (Artificial Intelligence)”. A group of IBM researchers created an AI that they are trying to challenge on Jeopardy. This part of the view influenced me because in order for The United States to stay on top of technology, we as teachers as to educate students about what is available not only in science but also in other subject areas as well. In order to do so, we have to be aware and hands on with technology. We must incorporate technology into our classrooms. The third part of the video was about a magnetic wand that supposal could control your brain. The Institute of Psychiatry tests this magnet. The magnet works because of a highly strong pulse that is given off is equal to an MRI. Mark George from Medical University of South Carolina wants to figure out how the brain deals with pain with the magnetic wand. I am curious this could work or help with speech issues in the end or would it do more damage. In two studies, he discovered that the wand cuts down on the need of pain medication. David Eagleman is a researcher about how the brain works. He views his office as a think tank. I believe that the environment of the place you study effect your outcome of productivity. I will provide a “think tank” for my students in my classroom. Creativity is key in David’s office and will be in my classroom. David stated, “brains are like finger prints”. In my teacher philosophy I desire to make sure, I am able to teach each learning style, which also means that I will make sure to teach each “fingerprint”. This video relates to my teaching philosophy because I want to be a continual learner and to be hands on with my teachings. The video also made me question if AI would actually take place of doctors, teachers, and many other careers that are valuable to humans.
The video I watched was called How Smart Are Animals?. This is about scientific experiments and research done to prove that animals are capable of having similar intelligence of human beings. The video focused on a variety of species such as a dog, chimpanzee, parrot, dolphin, and octopus. I found the information from the experiments and researches on these animals to be remarkable. The video discusses the different ways animals use their intellectual knowledge to perform tasks that seem impossible. In the video researchers compared a boarder collie and a chimp, they found that the dog was more capable of listening and following directions over the chimps. Brian Hare, the primate researcher found that, “Compared with primates, dogs are ideal research subjects, because they love to cooperate with humans”. The video also claims that primates are less likely to listen to human beings because the chimps are less interested in making humans happy, unlike dogs that crave the attention of humans. I think its great that these animals have the capability to perform intellectual tasks that many would think is only possible by humans; but what I find most interesting about the information acquired was the behavioral aspect of the findings. Motivation and incentives seems to be a reoccurring theme in this video. The dolphins and parrots received positive reinforcement to do tricks, and the octopus was driven by survival. It’s amazing to see what these animals were able to do when given a purpose or reason. I believe that children and animals brains are comparable in the fact that they are capable of a lot more than we think. It just requires consistent training and reinforcement.
I plan on teaching special education, which means I will be teaching a variety of students with a wide spectrum of intellectual and learning disabilities. Each student will require individualized educational plans that will be developed based on their abilities. It is often that teachers mistake students for being less intelligent than they are and don’t challenge the students to their maximum capability. For examples some teachers say because a student has a disorder and will never be able to read. When in reality they might be able to read with the proper strategies and motivation. If you don’t motivate or give incentives to students you will never reach their true intellectual potential. In the video they concluded that the chimp performed worse than the dog because it had no interest in the human. When children are uninterested in the subject being taught or the person teaching it is less likely that they will learn. The behavior of humans and animals are very similar in the sense that we need a reason to learn. This video has taught me that all brains are capable of learning with a teacher that can use strategies and motivation. When I plan for my students in the future I will make sure I try my best to understand how their brain works and plan the curriculum to meet their individual needs.
I watched the Nova video called “Replacing Body Parts”. I am enthralled by the new discoveries the scientists are making. They have found ways to create organs from human cells so that one’s body will not reject them. A mouse was shown with a lab-generated ear growing on his back, there was a heart and lung that were created and working on their own and a lung was implanted into a rat. Near the end of the film, a woman was interviewed who had surgery to have a new windpipe that was made of her own cells and implanted in June of 2008. She has shown no problems thus far.
This story is scientifically credible because all of the people interviewed were researchers at well known Universities or Hospitals around the world. For instance, Doris Taylor from the University of Minnesota, Jay Vaconty and Robert Langer from MIT, Harold Ott from Massachusetts General Hospital, and Paolo Macciniri from USP. All of these men and women have been involved in the hands on, scientific process of building human body parts and organs. They have first hand experience with what they are discussing and also have data and real life examples of organs to prove their research and creations are valid.
This story will influence my life in that I will be alive when these groundbreaking science discoveries come to be! It is such an exciting thing to learn and hope for in the future. The video stated that 20 Americans die a day waiting on organs and there are over 100,000 people on organ wait lists in America. These numbers are terrifying but, this video gives us hope that the future holds new health discoveries that will allow surgeons to recreate organs using our own cells so that they will not be rejected by our bodies. This affects me personally because heart disease runs in my family and one of my family members may need a new heart in the future.
I feel that Americans will morally debate the use of lab created organs. My personal position is that science is a powerful thing and we should continuously use the new discoveries, including lab created organs, to better our lives.
One of the key elements of my teaching philosophy is to incorporate technology into my teaching. I feel that this would be a great film to show to my students to enable them to see that science is an ongoing, never ending process. There are always new discoveries, and nothing is impossible. To incorporate the four content areas, I would have students watch the film in science to teach them how the nature of science truly works, in that it is not always going to work perfectly, and a scientist has to continue trying different hypotheses. The steps will not always be the same, and the outcome will not always be what one wants. I would then have the children research an organ and create their own “scaffold” of that organ. This would incorporate not only art, but also math because the children would need to measure for the organ to be realistically sized. For social studies and language arts, I would have the children interview someone who is on the organ wait list about how these new innovations make them feel and write an encouraging letter to the patient.
This film has opened my eyes to new and exciting happenings of science. I hope to encourage my students by showing them realistic films such as this that are happening in the scientific world today.
The video I chose to watch was “Engineering Ground Zero.” We are all aware of the horrific events that happened on 9/11 and the pain it has caused to the rest of the nation. It was the worst terrorist attack in American history. It’s crazy to think that someone’s actions could cause so much harm to the nation as well as start a war. Paul Goldberger who is an architecture critic said in his interview, “Building the tower back into the sky is really important because that’s something that was taken away and it’s important to put it back, to show that the life of the city goes on and is more powerful than the forces that attacked it.”
After a decade later they are still rebuilding. When complete, the site in lower Manhattan will include a train station, six new towers, and the 9/11 Memorial that will be built in the sacred footprints of the original twin towers. One of the biggest challenges is building the sky scraper structure to satisfy safety demands that could again be a target. With the science technology that we have today David Childs, who is the head architecture for the tower, will be able to accomplish this. The core of the sky scraper provides structural support and strength for the entire sky scraper. This is being built with special lab formulated concrete that will be able to withstand impact as well as extreme heat. Steel columns are built around it called a podium in which looks like a cage to protect the base of the tower and can withstand a massive truck bomb. The base of the tower is built as a square but once it gets to the 20th floor it tappers off slowly becoming an octagon shape and then turns back into a square. Science technology allows us to do things that have never been done before. Tons and tons of steel were brought in and specially designed in which can create this effect. The steel will be hidden by panels of glass called the curtain wall. This glass panel was specially designed with a laminated safety glass on the inside, insulating air space, and another thick pane of glass on the outside, lined with an energy saving coating. The energy saving coating allows for sunshine to come in but reduces the heat on the inside to save energy.
The 9/11 Memorial Plaza was designed by architecture Michael Arad, in which also must be built with the latest and greatest science technology. One of the challenges included going 80 feet below ground level to repair what was damaged. This required a special architecture team and also shaved off two years of the completion date, also in time for the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Another great challenge was building the 2 ponds of water to flow into one another in which has 52,000 gallons of water that cascades over the wall every minute and drops 30 feet into the second pool. With the science technology we have today, they were able to design a special weir that will help the flow of the water as well as arch it to make it fall in a neat cascade. Under the Memorial Plaza will be an underground museum in which will have various artifacts that were recovered from the twin towers. This will be a memory in which people can see what was lost that day. 152 bronze panels will be engraved with the names of the people who lost their lives that day. These panels will be installed and surround the pools of the Memorial Plaza. Something like these sounds like a simple task, however that isn’t the case. The names have to be organized in a certain way so that you can find the names. They will be arranged by the location in which the individual died. This includes the South Tower, North Tower, flights 11, 93, 77, 175, and the Pentagon. First Responders will be grouped together as well. The remains of 50 percent of the people that were not found will also have their name on the bronze panels. Families will often visit this site as it is their final resting place. With scientific technology we are able to engrave these bronze panels that will be viewed by millions of people and will serve has a long lasting memory that people will never forget. With this technology we wouldn’t be able to create these special plates.
About 400 trees will be planted at ground zero that will come from 3 different locations in which the people died and include New York, Pennsylvania, and the Washington D.C area. The trees will be part of an 8 acre forest on the Memorial Plaza. With this a complex irrigation system has been designed to bring water and fertilizer to each and every tree. The irrigation system is advanced because of the sensor technology that is embedded in the soil. Each tree has a computer chip, a monitoring system, and irrigation. By each tree having its own ecosystem, workers will be able to know how they are doing. This is all high tech technology that has been recently discovered. After 10 decades life is finally returning to ground zero.
With the innovations of new scientific technology we are able to design and build one of the most influential buildings in America. We are able to create a building to withstand structural impact that we wouldn’t have been able to create 50 years ago or when the Twin Towers were first created. We are able to create a beautiful Memorial Plaza in which millions of people will be able to remember the lives lost. The Memorial Plaza will have an eye catching natural beauty that an architect was able to bring to life with the help of this new scientific technology. Just think of the amazing inventions we will be able to accomplish 50 more years from now.
With a historical event that we had, I will be able to share it with my children and they will be able to share it for the many years they are alive. To be able to be alive at a time like this will be monumental in my teaching as I will be able to share the events with my future students. We will be able to pull up video in the classroom that the students will be able to see. They will be able to visualize the new beauty that was created with the new scientific technology. Even though this was a horrible catastrophe it gave us a chance to rebuild better because of the innovations we have today.
From the website NOVA, I wasted a clip called ‘Change Blindness’, which my first thought was that it was going to do with students or people who are deaf. The video clip was actually about an experiment in which two men, an older man and younger man, switch spots when a distraction is put into place in the middle of the younger man asking a stranger for directions. After the switch takes place, most of the strangers they have asked for directions, do not even notice that the two men have switched. They coined the term ‘Change Blindness’ for this clip because they wanted to point out that most of the time, as humans we are not actively paying attention to what is going on. For instance if I expected these changes while I was giving directions, then I would have easily seen the change. Since I did not know there was going to be a change occurring then I would not have seen it coming and not have been actively paying attention.
Same goes for our students in our classrooms, when they are not actively paying attention, the students will just go through the motions and make careless mistakes. It should be our jobs as teachers to keep our students on their toes and make sure that they are actively paying attention to what we are teaching by engaging them, and making them become problem solvers. Making sure that we have our students’ attention and that they are actively listening and participating is very important because if we let one of our students slip through the cracks then they will struggle. This means that as future teachers, we focus on each and every student to ensure that no one slips through the cracks and misses out on opportunities to learn.
I feel like sometimes I, personally, slip through the cracks in a class and I then spend most of my time trying to catch up or bugging students around me to figure out what I had missed (even if I was sitting in class). Also, growing up I was a kinesthetic learner and therefore sometimes visual directions and explanations were not enough for me. I then struggled to understand the curriculum because I could not grasp the concept or actively pay attention, because in the back of my mind I kept thinking, “Now what are we doing?, But why?, Why is she using that?”. Coming from a place where I was the student that was not actively paying attention, I will make sure that no child will slip through the cracks. I will also make sure that I will diversify my lessons in order to make sure that every child in my classroom will be able to actively pay attention.
The video that I watched for this blog reflection was the Space Shuttle Disaster. After browsing through possible videos to view I decided to learn more about our space program and the reasons behind the success and tragic disappointments of our past missions. The friends and family members of the crew on the space shuttle Columbia faced an unexpected loss in 2003 during the shuttle’s reentry to the Earth’s atmosphere. This video focused on the reasons that may have caused this mission to fail by examining the series of events leading up to this date. What I found interesting was the political pressure that NASA had to deal with prior to this launch. The costs of these missions dedicated to science was named too expensive and NASA was faced with budget cuts that later cost the crew on Columbia their lives. The space flight was experimental mainly because it was one of the most complex shuttles designed due to its reusable and cheap parts. Many could not believe that the piece of foam from the shuttle could break off and hit the wing of the shuttle to cause such a tragedy. If you think about physics you will find that even though a piece of foam may not be hard enough to hurt you, once you figure in the distance, velocity, and acceleration you will find that it was equivalent to a ton hitting the wing of the shuttle. It is so important to thoroughly examine what may cause many of the problems in our space program because risky space flights determine our future in space. This story influences my life as a teacher because the objective of the Columbia mission in 2003 was to put people in orbit to help those on Earth learn more about our Universe. As a teacher I know I will be using Hubble images to help my students learn about space. NASA must safely focus on returning to discovery because lunar exploration is significant to science. What I will take away from the Space Shuttle Disaster story is that you cannot put a price on safety. It seems that safety is what makes these missions to space so expensive and once budget cuts were made, the lives of seven astronauts were compromised.
I chose to watch the Nova Now video about smart power grids because I think how we get our electricity will be a big issue in the future. The scientific credibility of this video is shown when it has experts from the field talk about the electric grids today and how they can be improved upon in the future. This story will impact me because it makes me more aware of how inefficient our electric systems really are in the U.S. Before watching this video I really had no idea how much energy was wasted just by keeping back up power plants operational (25%). I also learned how the power grid can shift power and generate extra power via stand by plants to prevent or recover from a black out. The smart grid would include putting smart sensors directly on the power lines that would help the monitors track the performance of the wire. Houses and businesses would also be fitted with smart meters that can automatically shut down or divert power in homes and workplaces to places on the grid that need the electricity in order to prevent a blackout. I found this news story very interesting because it seems like it wouldn’t take too much to make our power grid smart and the initial costs would easily be offset by the long term savings that the improvements provide. My personal position on this story is that we should be proactive in making our power grid more eco friendly as well as efficient. The materials we currently use to make electricity are not infinite and will eventually run out. It makes perfect sense to me to spend extra money now to make our power grids more efficient and in the long run save more electricity and money. Making improvements and adding smart parts to the power grid can also help prevent future blackouts which cause great strain on the power grid. I really found this video interesting and I learned several new things that I didn’t know before.
I watched the NOVA video the Secrets beneath the ice. This was an interesting and captivating documentary that took place in Antartica. There were approximately 50 researchers and technicians that were taking a drill and retrieving core from the ice. The researchers were from the US, New Zealand, Germany and Italy. There project was funded from their countries and the NationalmScience Foundation.
Knowing how drastic the changes on the ice shelf are, I now feel hyper aware of the way my actions in the past may have contributed to the problem. Watching the simulation about the flooding from the melting of the shelves was unbelievable at first. However, after seeing the part where they drilled into the ice and found times in the past where they melted then refrozen, I am no longer a skeptic.
As far as my actions are concerns I will assist in stemming the sensationalism surrounding the issue. If people know more about the situation it may help cement the realism of the warming and melting trends scientists try to tell the public about Antartica. Hearing this information from a peer might be more influential in this case.
The video that I viewed was tragic and horrific. I was shocked and profoundly disappointed about how our country chose to handle one of the most devastating tragedies that the United States has ever endured.
I viewed the film titled, Protecting New Orleans created by PBS. Hurricane Katrina was the theme of this video. In the film, the narrator discussed many facts about hurricanes and what the main cause of Hurricane Katrina was from. During the program, the editors broke the film up into the days of the week before tragedy struck. The effects started six days before the Hurricane began. Tropical depression and low atmospheric pressure was the reason why the Hurricane was so enormous. Government officials began letting everyone understand they needed to evacuate if they were living in the New Orleans area. Five days before the storm the winds started to pick up and people began to question if they should leave or not? It was interesting to me in the video that a women by the name of Africa Brumfield (whom was interviewed by reporters) chose not to comply with the governments recommendations about leaving. Three days before it the mayor of New Orleans went on the loud speaker and made a mandatory announcement to evacuate the city due to weather conditions. People did not choose to comply and the devestation began. People were not prepared for waters to be so high and evacuation to be so mandatory. I believe that this was a huge mistake for people to do. If our government says we need to do something, we need to do it! Although I understand this is not something everyone will do, I just think rules are in place for a reason; why not follow them.
In the end, the video showed heartache to families, friends, and animals. Many were lost and died during the hurricane and others were separated and moved to different states. People’s lives were turned upside down from this tragic event and it is taking years to recover. When interviewed different individuals said that they would never return to New Orleans due to living in high flood areas. It makes me wonder how we will ever recover one of the most historical cities in America; if no one is willing to live there and build a community.
This is an excellent video and I would recommend film to anyone who is interested in this tragic event in history.
As a busy, exhausted preservice teacher with a family, the title of my video intrigued me: Human Hibernation! What a brilliant idea! If this was an experimental procedure, sign me up as a guinea pig. I would gladly volunteer to sleep for extended period of time, all in the name of science!
Upon viewing the video, however, I realized that the concept of human hibernation is not designed to relieve sleep-deprived college students, but to help patients who have undergone a cardiac or neurological experience, such as a heart attack or stroke. Matt Andrews, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, studies ground squirrels in hibernation to determine how they manage to stay alive despite being covered by feet of snow and subjected to freezing temperatures all winter, in the hopes of duplicating this condition in humans to save the lives of heart attack and stroke patients. He has found that the squirrels share a gene that is activated during the squirrels’ hibernations that reduces their need for oxygen and lowers their body temperatures. Inducing this condition in heart attack and stroke patients would prevent their bodies from being injured by their reduced breathing capacities.
The information presented in the video was credible because it was specific, quantifiable, verifiable information. Also, the video provided the case study of Todd Van Busschre, the cardiac arrest patient who was rushed to the hospital and saved using a therapy which lowered his body temperature.
This story is particularly relevant because a close family friend has undergone heart surgery, and is at risk for cardiac arrest as a result. I will bring it to my friend’s attention and urge him to ask his cardiologist about it. I would also like to investigate which hospital emergency rooms in my area offer it as therapy for cardiac arrest patients.
I chose to watch the video about how smart are animals? This video was very interesting to me because i have always thought to myself that animals are really smart and we don't give them enough opportunities to express themselves. This video proves that animals can use their brain in many different ways and are very intelligent. I think we all knew that dolphins are pretty smart, but what I saw was that they are more than smart, they can even read and are learning to plan ahead, meaning, the trainers put the dolphin in a training program to see if the dolphin could get in and out of different situations under the water and the dolphin went through many loop hols and eventually the dolphin planned ahead and got out of the maze. Dolphins can also recognize their reflection in a mirror and another bottle nose dolphin can do that too.Under water see creatures are awesome, octopuses are very intelligent in the way they know how to capture their food and survive in such waters, they can also bend a fork. Furthermore in this video it mentioned about a lady with this parrot that they have been together for 30 years and this parrot talks, knows how to open candy wrappers, knows the shapes and numbers. Also, when you model for the parrot on what to do, the parrot will then copy the exact same thing and remember to do next time. This lady that had the relationship with the parrot did many testing and observations with a university scientist and found out that parrots are extraordinary animals and will think and do as we do, and many more things. I have never been on this cite before and i really enjoyed it, i think this is a good resource tool for the students when learning science and for teachers to build lesson plans. I will start to go more on this cite to have ideas and share with others. The scientific credibility of the story is nova science.
I watched the PBS show, “How Smart Are Dolphins?” This clip showed communication experiments off the coast of Honduras, on Roatan Island. Here they have a “camp for dolphins,” as they call it. Every day they work with dolphins by teaching them new tricks, and practice communication with the dolphins.
| Dolphins actually have a power that humans do not have. They use sound waves to detect what objects are around them. The first experiment someone went underwater and buried a ring where a human would not be able to locate if they did not know a ring was buried there. They asked a dolphin to find the ring. The dolphin started producing sounds that helped him find the buried ring after quite a bit of searching for a few minutes.
| A doctor was brought in that is trying to learn more about dolphin communication and how smart are the dolphins. The doctor first video recorded an experiment where the dolphin learned critical thinking and thinking outside of the box. He had weights on the ocean floor, and a box to put the weights in. As more weights are put into the box, it pushes a fish out of the box. The dolphins learned on their own that they can pick up all the weights and put it in the box to get the fish out faster.
| A final experiment that was completed by the doctor, was if the dolphins could coordinate together a trick that they have never learned before. They asked the dolphins to make up their own trick and to complete the trick at the same time. The communicated with the dolphins using sign language. The dolphins went underwater and started producing sounds to each other. They passed with flying colors by coming out of the water at the same time, laying on their back, and splashing their tail. This is something the dolphins had not been taught.
| This story seems credible to me because the video was documented by doctors. The Biomes Marine Biology Center also participated in these studies where they had experts review and assess the information. You can see how credible the video is by looking at the credits, and who was involved in the making of the video and completing the experiments.
| This story has influenced my life because I have never realized how smart the dolphins are. The scientists believe we are just on the edge of learning their true knowledge and communication. It seems we have so much more to learn about dolphins, and this is all new information that I can actually use and share with my students in the classroom when we learn about marine biology.
The change I will make in relation to the story is more respect for dolphins. They are not just animals that learn tricks and present them. I have a new found respect for them. They can actually think critically. They can coordinate new tricks with other dolphins, which is more than any other animal species can show humans.
Reflection 2
Describe a situation where you will use Web 2.0 tools to effectively teach a concept using the Integrated Curriculum (science plus other content areas). How will your philosophy of teaching and learning with technology affect your use of technology in the classroom? How could you use Web 2.0 tools in your current field placement classroom?
Using Web 2.0 tools and integrating technology in the classroom as often as possible is important. Particularly, the students in my 2nd grade classroom enjoy working and interacting on the computer. This is stimulating to the students and offers a different approach to drill and practice than lecture. The Web 2.0 tool I researched was EcoKids. This science website is designed for teachers to navigate and create ideas for lesson plans, but also for students to interact on. One activity I found in particular was the game, Save the Frogs of Cattail Pond. In this integrated activity, the students are to think of ways to save the frogs of this pond by answering questions that are asked. The students are given a clue to the answer and a scrabble of letters to the side. The students use language arts to unscramble the letters and fill them in the boxes to complete the answer. The students also use math in this activity by counting the blocks and deciding which letters belong where. The teacher can expand on this activity to create and integrated science lesson. The lesson would include a discussion over endangered and extinct animals. Math could be incorporated by using subtraction to discuss how many animals are left after some become endangered. Language Arts could be integrated by having students write in their journals over the topic. An interesting thing about this website is that it also offers many other topics such as, water, waste and land use. These topics could all be integrated for this lesson. The lesson could include the different types of water masses and how to conserve and save water. The Website not only offers interactive games, but also homework help. My philosophy with teaching and learning with technology will guide my lessons as an educator because the importance of integrating technology is necessary for different learning styles. This website could absolutely be used in my elementary school classroom this year. The students use integrated time during the school day to cover science and would be probed to use this website.
Reflection 2
Describe a situation where you will use Web 2.0 tools to effectively teach a concept using the Integrated Curriculum (science plus other content areas). How will your philosophy of teaching and learning with technology affect your use of technology in the classroom? How could you use Web 2.0 tools in your current field placement classroom?
Using Web 2.0 tools and integrating technology in the classroom as often as possible is important. Particularly, the students in my 2nd grade classroom enjoy working and interacting on the computer. This is stimulating to the students and offers a different approach to drill and practice than lecture. The Web 2.0 tool I researched was EcoKids. This science website is designed for teachers to navigate and create ideas for lesson plans, but also for students to interact on. One activity I found in particular was the game, Save the Frogs of Cattail Pond. In this integrated activity, the students are to think of ways to save the frogs of this pond by answering questions that are asked. The students are given a clue to the answer and a scrabble of letters to the side. The students use language arts to unscramble the letters and fill them in the boxes to complete the answer. The students also use math in this activity by counting the blocks and deciding which letters belong where. The teacher can expand on this activity to create and integrated science lesson. The lesson would include a discussion over endangered and extinct animals. Math could be incorporated by using subtraction to discuss how many animals are left after some become endangered. Language Arts could be integrated by having students write in their journals over the topic. An interesting thing about this website is that it also offers many other topics such as, water, waste and land use. These topics could all be integrated for this lesson. The lesson could include the different types of water masses and how to conserve and save water. The Website not only offers interactive games, but also homework help. My philosophy with teaching and learning with technology will guide my lessons as an educator because the importance of integrating technology is necessary for different learning styles. This website could absolutely be used in my elementary school classroom this year. The students use integrated time during the school day to cover science and would be probed to use this website.
The video I watched was Ape Genius, which documented the Ape genetics versus human genetics and the intellectual and emotional portrayal of our distinct differences. The credibility of the research was done at the Leads Institute for Evolutionary Biology, where anthropologist Jill Creeks and psychologist Andrew Wikman researched the portrait of ape minds and held a lab study over chimp’s rational powers. Another accredited study was at the University of Texas where Spiteri a trained chimp learned by imitation. Another young researcher in 1960 named Jane Goodall researched the bond between a mother and her child that was also carried out in Japan, which gave way to the notice of chimp’s emotional life. Many other credible persons and institutes gave way to the findings of chimps using sticks to create spears aimed for hunting and killing bush babies deep inside trees by using their strength which is 5x stronger than humans, and their ability to cooperate with humans and collaborate with their own kind to gain what they are wanting. At the Great Ape Research Institute in Japan researchers test chimps collaboration to move stones in order to gain the treat underneath. With synchronized pulling the stones eventually move, chimps ask for assistance but are also able to assist others and have the ability to gauge who is responsible, stating they react to the intent. At Kyoto University research showed chimps can develop an understanding of numerals and symbols. While studies in the United States explained chimps have a gift for the English language after being directly taught they can understand 3,000 spoken words.
| | | This video full of studies and experiments influenced my thoughts on the differences and similarities of human beings to apes. I didn’t know the intelligence of Apes such as how they use tools such as water to gain something they cannot reach, like in the water tube or even that they not only used sticks for getting termites but creating spears used as weapons for hunting bush babies; this truly is an evolutionary story. Although we share common understandings of hunting for food, numerals, symbols and the English language the differences still outweigh the likes. At the end of the video it focused on the commonalities of apes to children this intrigued me and I noticed that the main thing separating human beings from apes is that they cannot control their emotional issues, impulsive reactions, violent nature, and greedy actions. Chimps can understand cause and effect much like humans can, they can gain benefits by cooperating; congenial temperaments.
| | | I take away from this study the knowledge that children expect to be taught while apes can only imitate. Since I can see the commonalities and differences between the Apes and children I will allow more responsibilities for the students in my classroom. If an ape can use a stick as a tool and learn the English language my students should be able to learn and not only cooperate with other students and myself but collaborate in the classroom which will create a community for successful learning.
Blog Reflection #1
I watched the video Ape Genius, which was based on the research of several institutions: Max Plank Institute, Iowa State University, Tokyo University, MIT and several other groups. They researched how apes were similar and yet different from how humans do things. There are groups of apes that were creating tools to hunt bush babies and go termite fishing, as well as learn new methods from other neighboring primates. Other studies were done regarding how children operate versus how the chimpanzee completed the task. Studies like this impact my life because it shows how there are different ways of acquiring new information-either from watching, being shown, or collaborating towards the same goal. It is also beneficial because of the common misconceptions there are regarding primates being “beastly”. Having studies and the knowledge of how they work helps to teach children how we are similar, yet do things differently.
It also shows how other animals are capable of human processes like emotions and cooperation. Some animal groups are 100% cooperative, while others cooperate a little or never at all. Studies like this help to know strengths and weaknesses, especially when it is applied to humans. I also found it fascinating that the primates were able to differentiate between who was responsible for actions and who was the innocent one. I also find this beneficial because it gives me some new background knowledge regarding the connection between humans and apes. I know the topic of evolution is constantly being misconstrued and misunderstood, so to have more things to teach it properly is all the better. Topics like evolution should not be banned from being taught since it is only about change, nothing more. Students should be allowed to learn that we are all somehow connected in some fashion, whether they are our closest relatives or far from it. It makes things more relevant and fun to learn when the information being taught can be connected to themselves somehow. And having the connection of what is similar and different is one of the best ways to remember the content.
As far as my personal take on this, I believe the studies are necessary and beneficial for humans so that we can better understand our surroundings. I do not believe that we will know everything there is to know about stuff, but what we can learn about it can serve a good purpose. It will help us better understand how different communities work, how they coexist, why certain things do not work well together, and so on. It is good to know because one day we may somehow become the underdogs and may have to coexist. It may be thousands of years away, but there is always the possibility. So learning what we can about what other animals are capable of doing may be what keeps the human race from being so dominate. Whatever the course of the world may be, studying animals and their behaviors is definitely something unique to the human race. We seem to be the most inquisitive of all the beings on the earth, pushing us to where we are today. We would not have all of the tools, technology, and knowledge without such interest. It is who we are as a race.
I choose to watch the video, “How smart are dogs?” This video was about the level of intelligence that dogs have in comparison to both humans and chimpanzees, our closest DNA relative. Neil Degrassi an astronomer narrated and researched the subject, John Pilley a psychologist professor, and Brian Hare an animal psychologist all are responsible for the scientific credibility of the video. The study followed a 6 year-old female border collie, Chaser, as she completed name recognition, inference, and cognitive thought through retrieving stuffed animals only by name. Chaser had learned over one thousand different stuffed toys and associated names to them all. Brian Hare studied that dogs have the capability to find food from where a human points to, similar to young children, but chimpanzees could not make that connection. This is thought to be because of dog’s social intelligence and interaction with humans, they have a want and need to listen and please humans.
Throughout the video, the scientists would relate this remarkable ability in dogs to those of young children when their language is first emerging. I could not help but see the connections of dog’s eagerness to learn through social interactions, to students in a classroom wanting to learn. I think that I will take from this video, other than the pure amazement of the intelligence in dogs, that social interactions and reinforcement are key components to successful learning. Just as Chaser wanted to please his master and to follow his commands, students want to succeed and follow guidelines. I believe that students should be exposed to just the right amount of structure within the classroom, that allows for creativity and free thought with out losing control over the students. Although it may appear that students do not like or respect rule, humans have an innate need for law and structure in our lives. The most important aspect, however, is creating a safe and positive environment within the parameters set. The reason behind chimpanzees not being capable of finding food from the direction of a human is because of their lack of social intelligence. This proves true that both being socially competent as well as learning in a social environment will encourage students to learn more. One of my teaching principles is that students cannot only learn from the teacher, but also from each other. Working with others and capitalizing on other strengths to help your self grow can be one of the most significant ways to gain knowledge.
I would not change any of my opinions on how I view learning settings, but I will take with me a greater appreciation for scientific research from all aspects that help us grow closer to understanding the way our brain works. With our research and discovery there is no room for improvement, and we should all strive to do better and learn more each day.
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