Geology Rocks!

Students have spent the last few weeks exploring our changing Earth, interpreting patterns of change over time as related to the deposition and erosion in landscape formation, earthquakes and volcanoes in the creation of landforms, and exploring some of today's landscapes to provide evidence for past processes. We welcomed a guest speaker from the Plum Island Foundation into The Hive to chat with us about some of the issues Plum Island is facing in terms of erosion and sand management as well as mitigation measures they are taking to protect the beach, jetties, and sand dunes. One way we've been able to increase student engagement and responsibility for this aspect of the curriculum is through science exploration stations. They have been a great way to encourage students to become active participants in their learning, make new discoveries, ask questions, experiment, think critically, and explain their reasoning all while moving them toward greater ownership and agency. Science exploration stations allow students to take deep dives into science content and discover the relevancy of science within the world around them. 

This week's guest bloggers reflect on what they have learned so far about our changing Earth and what they are still curious about. It's that curiosity that will be the driving force behind their desire to continue to explore science in the world around them outside the walls of our classroom. Enjoy.

One new thing I have learned is that the theory of plate tectonics tells us that plates can open up and magma can come through the crust, forming volcanoes. I also learned that ice can break down rock and glaciers can move it!  - @Zombiecat126

One new thing I learned has to do with the theory of plate tectonics and that there may be plates under Earth's crust. They all have names and they are moving all the time, even as you read this. They move very slowly so you can't feel them moving. They can move away from one another, move toward each other, and slide past each other. This movement can cause earthquakes, volcanoes to erupt, landslides, and more. I also learned that some scientists believe that the continents used to all be one giant continent called Pangea before they drifted apart, but I don't really understand how they actually broke apart.    - @Sunflower

One new thing I learned about landforms is how earthquakes and volcanoes happen. I'm still wondering how the continents actually drifted apart. They seem too strong to do that.    - @RockHam

One new thing I learned about is that Mt. Everest is getting taller by about a quarter of an inch every year because the plates underneath it are always converging, causing the mountain to get taller. I'm still wondering about how we know that plate tectonics are actually real because no one has ever actually seen them.    - @dragonfire56

I learned that when a volcano erupts, some of the gases it releases can be toxic. When Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, a lot of people died not just because of the hot lava, but also because they were breathing in toxic gases produced by the volcano.    - @MaisyPaisy

I learned that the inner core of Earth is very, very hot. It is hotter than the sun and everyone knows that the sun is extremely hot. The inner core is surrounded by the outer core, then the mantle, and then the crust. I'm still wondering how the crust is so hard because the mantle is also very hot and wouldn't the crust just melt over it?    - @cheerqueen

I learned that there is a theory that explains how mountains are formed - it's when tectonic plates crash together. This type of movement is called convergent.    - @BooksRule

One thing that I learned about landforms is that mountains are likely formed when tectonic plates collide with each other. I wonder why the tectonic plates don't melt on the mantle.    - @BobMcPickleson

One new thing that I have learned is that earthquakes and some u-shaped valleys are probably caused by tectonic plate movement (if the theory is actually true) I'm still curious about why there are so many volcanic eruptions underwater and which ones are so large that they might be building a new continent.     - @FireDragon5

I learned that sand dunes have bushes and grass in them because the bushes and grass will stop the dunes from weathering and eroding. I am still curious about why magma doesn't pop out when a big earthquake occurs since sometimes it causes a gap.     - @JerrysApples

I learned that landforms are theorized to be caused by tectonic plates sliding against each other, going toward each other, and pushing apart from each other. I wonder how scientists know about all of this if they can't see them.   - @Seafoam-da-SeaWing

One new thing that I learned is that Pompei was destroyed by a volcano in 79 AD, which before this, I didn't even know was a year. I had a lot of fun learning about volcanoes. I still wonder how tectonic plates actually move and why we don't usually feel it or see it happening.   - @SoftballPiggy

One new thing I learned is that wind and water aren't the only things that shape the land, but plate tectonic movement can create landforms, too. Take a mountain, for example. Mountains are caused by tectonic plates colliding and pushing up the earth's crust. The whole theory about tectonic plates is very interesting, but I'm just a kid and I may learn more about it when I'm a grown-up.    - @WritingGod

I learned that canyons were formed by wind and water eroding rock. I also learned that on Plum Island, the sand dunes were made to protect the beach. I'm curious about what would happen if most of the houses on Plum Island were to get destroyed by the erosion problem. What would happen to the people who live in them?     - @chickennugget

One new thing that I've learned is that earthquakes happen more often along a fault line. For example, California has a fault line that goes from northern to southern California, and a lot of earthquakes happen there. I still don't understand how volcanoes and underwater volcanoes form. It's very confusing, but I want to give a shout-out to @Sunflower who helped me better understand the process of weathering, erosion, and deposition.    - @LightningDragon

Usually, Earth isn't something I would've been interested in learning about, but I think I've changed my mind. At least for now. I used to think that the way landforms are now was the way that they have always been. For example, I thought that Mt. Everest was always the height it is now. I was wrong. I now know that landforms are always changing and that Mt. Everest grows less than a quarter of an inch each year due to the tectonic plates that sit below the crust of the earth on hot magma. I'm still curious about how scientists know where the tectonic plate boundaries are. That question has left me blank for days and days and I still don't have a clue about it. Maybe I never will.     - @writingmachine

It's Getting a Little Sketchy in Here

Let's first talk briefly about the power of visible thinking. 

Learning is the consequence of thinking. Expecting students to think deeply can be a challenge. How exactly should we expect our students to do this? What does it mean to think? How do we know what or how they're thinking about something if we can't see their thoughts? When we give our students specific tools to help them better structure and deploy their own thinking, learning outcomes improve. When we help them build, connect, and refine their thinking in more overt (ie. visible) ways, we are essentially helping them to develop their metacognitive skills, which leads to better thinking. Visible thinking routines provide a window into what students understand and how they are understanding it. As teachers, this offers us an opportunity to be intentional about how we plan and adjust our learning experiences to help our learners dig deeper into content, and hear and see each other's questions, insights, and perspectives so that we can support the development their thinking habits and refine their thinking as needed.

There are a plethora of ways to make thinking visible and we will explore many of them in The Hive this year. One of the ways we recently asked students to process information visually, was through a sketchnoting exercise related to the process of weathering, erosion, and deposition (slow changes that shape the earth). Sketchnoting is a form of visual note-taking where students (or really anyone) synthesize and visualize ideas about what they are learning about through a combination of picture drawings, diagrams, and text. This type of exercise trains us to summarize ideas and establish connections between them. Creating these visual notes during our exploration of weathering, erosion, and deposition and then having students participate in a gallery walk of their classmates' sketchnotes, was an engaging way for students to share and build upon one another's knowledge, ultimately gaining a deeper understanding of this scientific information.

This week's guest bloggers reflect on this experience. Enjoy.

I loved our first sketchnoting experience because it really helped me to process my thinking and have it stick in my mind. Writing and creating simple drawings is a fun treat to the eye!    - @HarryPotter

Sketchnoting is helpful because it lets me imagine my learning. For example, in our first sketchnoting experience, I could imagine the process of weathering, erosion, and deposition in my mind and then I thought of key words and drawings that went with it and it was like it was happening right in front of me.  It was almost like the drawings came to life! I hope we have a chance to do this again.   - @SoftballPiggy

Sketchnoting is helpful because you learn a lot more when you draw what you are learning about with words. You have to struggle a little bit, but if you lean into the struggle like I did, you will figure out how to represent what you are learning in pictures and it will make a lot of sense.    - @soccerqueen6

Sketchnoting helped me paint a picture of how weathering, erosion, and deposition work together to change the earth's surface. For example, if I were stuck on how canyons are formed, I would try to draw it and label the process step-by-step. The sketchnotes help me paint a picture of the process in my mind.    - @puppyonline

Sketchnoting helps me by making a more solid memory of what I am learning in my brain. It is also helpful because instead of just writing notes, we can be creative and it's fun. You can also look back at your sketchnotes and quickly remember everything you learned.    - @TheScienceGeek

Sketchnoting helps me because it allows me to get my thoughts down in pictures. It helps me understand my thoughts way more than before. For example, when we were first learning about weathering, erosion, and deposition, it didn't make any sense. Once I started sketchnoting about it, it all started coming together like puzzle pieces. I learned about the process and how it can create landforms like rock arches and sand dunes.    - @LightningDragon

Sketchnoting is helpful to me because drawing keeps me focused. When I draw and write about what I am learning, it also helps me understand the subject way more than I already did.   - Seafoam-da-Seawing

Sketchnoting helps me because I have an invisible disability. I forget things a lot. I once forgot to do my chores and got in big trouble. So sketchnoting helps me go back and remember what I learned. Plus, it's fun doing it and I enjoy drawing, which makes school more fun.    - @Lebamboom

Sketchnoting helps me make sense of my learning because before sketchnoting, I could not remember anything about weathering, erosion, and deposition. When my teacher showed us how to use sketchnoting as a way to think about what we learned, it helped me so much and now I will remember a lot more about it. I see it way more clearly now. It's super fun and I hope we do it again.   - @HockeyKitty

Sketchnoting helps me make sense of my learning for many reasons. First of all, I love to read, especially chapter books. I love to imagine the images and imagination is the key to sketchnoting. Also, it's just so calming and relaxing to sit there in the quiet with focus music on in the background. Quiet means I can actually process what I am learning through my head and onto paper any way I can - either in writing or in pictures. It's a great way to learn.    - @WritingMachine

Planning Your Next Vacation?

Over the last couple of weeks, students have been learning about the geography of North America. Specifically, they were tasked with researching and analyzing the countries of Canada and Mexico as it relates to the people, culture, environment, resources, and landmarks. The driving question: What is important about the geography of these locations and what might draw people to live or vacation there? 

In an effort to help our students develop important twenty-first-century literacy skills (including media literacy), we asked students to use their knowledge and understanding of the countries they were researching and analyzing in order to produce a travel/tourism video that communicates the important aspects of these countries' geographical features and why these countries would be ideal locations to live, work, or vacation to (appealing aspects about the climate, resources, culture, land/water features).

When we told our students that we'd be integrating a WeVideo production to help facilitate their connections to this content, their motivation and engagement skyrocketed. The critical analysis that was required in order to evaluate the most optimal features of video media in order to effectively communicate their messages, added an authentic component to an already complex task of mastering disciplinary knowledge. They navigated this learning experience with such enthusiasm and focus and the results were pretty amazing. We think you will enjoy them, too (you'll actually find some of them at the end of this post). This week's guest bloggers reflect on their experiences. Enjoy.

One thing about my video production that I feel good about is my voiceover script and how I read it smoothly. One thing that I could improve on though is my research effort. I could have added a lot more information in my commercial.   - @SeaFoamDa-Sea-Wing

One thing about my video production project that I feel good about is how much I learned about Mexico. I didn't know a lot about Mexico before this project, but now I know about its population, landforms, and resources like sugar cane and more. One thing that I would do differently next time is manage my time better during the video production.    - @Daisy

One thing about my video production that I feel good about is my voiceover. I've never done a voiceover before and it felt weird at first, but then I felt really good about how it all came together in the end. One thing I would do differently next time is to make sure my images match with what I am saying during my voiceover.   - @LightningDragon

Something that made me feel good about my video production was the timing of my voiceover with my images. The images popped up on the screen at the same time I was talking about them. Two things I think I could have done better was coming up with a creative slogan and lowering the volume of the background music. Overall, I think I did a good job though.    - @soccerpro

One thing about my video production that I feel good about is that I didn't talk quietly and I didn't talk too loud. One thing I could do differently next time is to make my background music a little quieter so that my audience can hear my voiceover. I also want to give a shoutout to @soccerqueen6 for helping me find the right images and background music.    - @MaisyPaisy

Something I loved about this project was learning all about Canada. It was interesting to learn about their resources. Something I would do differently with my next video production would be to make sure I practice reading my script a lot more before I record my voiceover so that I read it more fluently and skip big pauses.   - @HarryPotter

One thing that I feel really good about in my video production is how I synched my words with the pictures. For example, when I was talking about silver as one of the important resources, a block of silver would appear on the screen at the same time. One thing I would do differently next time is read my voiceover more fluently so it sounds like a smooth rythym.     - @RV17

One thing about my video production that I feel good about is my voiceover. At first, it sounded very choppy and I didn't pronounce my words right, so I had to record it again. Once I got it right, it sounded great. Next time, I would definitely read my voiceover script at least 5 times before I record it. I would also like to give a shout-out to @MaisyPaisy for helping me find images that would match my voiceover.    - @soccerqueen6

I love WeVideo! Something I feel really good about on my travel commercial is that I picked the pictures and videos that matched the stuff that I'm saying in my voiceover. Something that I think I could do better next time is checking my voiceover. For example, I recorded a sentence but I was rushing and I accidentally cut off my words before I finished saying the words. I didn't notice that until I started putting it together. Next time, I'll check my voiceover first. WeVideo is awesome and you can find every image you want and the best part is that there are no copyrights.    - @FireDragon5

One thing about my video production that I feel good about is how I used a lot of information and it sounded like I really knew a lot about Canada. One thing that I wish I did differently is turned down the volume on my background music. It was too loud and you can't really hear my voiceover. Other than that, I am proud of my finished product and I think it came out well. I would also like to give a shout-out to @soccerqueen6 because she listened to me when I had a problem with the video and she took the time to help me. She also told me the truth about something I did wrong, but she said it in a nice way and it really helped.   - @softballpiggy

One thing about my video production that I feel good about is the background music and the volume. The music was the perfect volume so that you could hear it clearly and still hear my voiceover nicely. One thing I could do differently next time is read my voiceover more fluently so that it does not sound choppy.    - @sunflower

Something I think that went really well with my video production was that I chose the right background music and images. Once thing I could do differently next time is read my voiceover more fluently. I would put more enthusiasm into it and practice more before I record. I could have made it sound more fun and not so boring.    - @chickennugget

One thing about my video production that made me feel good was when I was recording and my paper made a BIG noise. As it turned out, I was talking about volcanoes during that part of my voiceover and the paper noise made a volcanic sound so it was perfect. It sounded like the volcano was erupting. I was amazed by how something BAD turned into something GOOD. One thing that I would do differently next time is make a better background music choice.    - @WritingGod

Something about my video production that I think I did pretty well was matching the images with my voiceover and how fast or slow the images changed. Something I would do differently next time is put a little more thought into making it because I kind of just put stuff it that was not on my original storyboard. A storyboard is like a graphic organizer and maybe working on getting some more information about the country to put in my graphic organizer would have helped make a better video. I would also like to give a shout-out to @cheerqueen for giving me her honest opinion about what I could fix to make it better.     - @softballgirl123

One thing that I feel good about in my video production is how my voiceover moved along with the images. One thing I would do differently next time is lower the volume on my background music so that it doesn't drown out my voiceover. I also wouldn't change my background music in the middle of the video.    - @RockHam

One thing about my video production that I feel good about is my smooth transitions with my words on the screen because they are not going too quick and you have time to read them. One thing that I would do differently next time is to make sure I practice saying the harder words before recording my voiceover. I felt like when I said some of the harder words, I didn't have as smooth a transition as I would have liked.    - @PuppyOnline

One thing about my video production that I feel good about is that I worked hard on it and I also liked that we were able to pick our own country to research. It was fun too because we could work together and see how to make our videos flow like a song. I definitely gave it my best. One thing that I would do differently next time is to practice my voiceover more before recording it. I also think I could have managed my time better and had more research done by the deadline.    - @ArcticFox

I feel like I should have used my time a little better with planning, writing my script, and recording my voiceover. The thing that I love the most is that I gave it my best effort and worked really hard on it. I loved putting all of the pieces together.   - @cheerqueen

My WeVideo production was fun. I liked how I had to think a lot about one thing in particular each step of the way, asking myself, "Is that what I really want to do?" Something that I would do differently next time is make sure the volume is lower in my background music. I'd like to also give a shout-out to @WritingGod for helping me when I was stuck.   - @Slugger