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<\/a>One Student Project<\/p><\/div>\n
My students’ time in the lab over the course of the year was marked by struggle. \u00a0This is true most years, and while there was tremendous growth I wasn’t really sure what to expect from them with so much freedom. \u00a0Their projects were tremendous, and I can identify\u00a0one specific\u00a0behavior that I know had a significant effect on their success: \u00a0early feedback.<\/p>\n
We participated in peer review in AP Biology several times throughout the year. \u00a0Whenever we have a peer review session, I model it closely after the professional peer review process in the scientific community. \u00a0To ensure students are critical and offer useful questions and suggestions I have begun implementing a surprising rule: \u00a0“If you have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” \u00a0It’s the opposite of the usual adage, but the policy prevents group-think and removes the stigma associated with critique. \u00a0The atmosphere is still positive and focused on growth. \u00a0I offer support and positive reinforcement myself, but the students must only ask questions or offer criticism. \u00a0At first they hate it, but by the end of the year I have found they usually keep the mentality in all discussion settings and we have more productive debate and argument as a result.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Another student project.<\/p><\/div>\n
The peer review was a critical aspect of the investigation report because we used it at the most critical moment in the life of an experiment, the beginning. \u00a0Groups performed background research and formulated a prelab proposal, and we spent a full class day discussing the proposals. \u00a0Nearly every student group had a question that was not acceptable at the beginning, but as a class they revised each question to create true driving questions. \u00a0Students asked each presenting group questions like, “Well how are you going to measure that?” \u00a0or, “What part of that question are you REALLY curious about?” \u00a0I mostly listened, and together each group shared what they had and walked away with actionable next steps. \u00a0If I could have such productive and thought-provoking discussions every day in class, I would do nothing else all year.<\/p>\n
<\/a>A third student project<\/p><\/div>\n
There were plenty of things about the project that I need to improve (my time management between work time and other instruction and how to properly implement the modeling aspect of the project to name a couple). \u00a0Even with the challenges, it was a rich experience for everyone. \u00a0I vividly remember one group who stayed after school for an hour to troubleshoot their design. \u00a0I did little more than watch as they scribbled all over my class whiteboard discussing their variables, identifying constants, and making predictions. \u00a0At the end, one of my students that had struggled with the inquiry environment the most (very traditionally successful and was not comfortable with risk) turned to me and asked, “Is THIS what researchers do, because this is awesome.” \u00a0They were ENJOYING their difficulties, and I am getting goosebumps again now just writing about it. \u00a0Often AP teachers point to the breadth of curriculum we must cover as an excuse to avoid such open projects, myself included. \u00a0It was a risk I was very glad I took.<\/p>\n
Anyone interested in seeing the investigation handout I provided the students, the document can be viewed\u00a0here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The recently implemented AP Biology curriculum has placed an increased focus on science practice skills. \u00a0In an effort to properly reflect this in my classroom, I made the decision to build my final unit around an open inquiry investigation. \u00a0The unit was ecology, and the results were so positive that I plan to use some
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