Our brain processes information and makes sense of it. We make more connections as we take in more information.

We need to teach children subjects that they can connect to after the lessons. So can children connect to how candy tastes? If they hold their nose, can they "feel" that there are sugars dissolving in the jelly beans as they are chewed- like I can? Can they realistically tell you when they no longer smell scents while holding the right or left side of their nostrils? These are two experiments we tried today.

Online set of neurobiology experiments

Here are two biology links for sensory systems:

Kimball's Biology Pages

A Sense of Taste - by David V. Smith and Robert F. Margolskee, Scientific American, March 2001.

 

Snapshot Inquiry -Chemistry Activity: (1 class period)

Materials: Variety of Element Trading cards (made by students from past years)

I grew up in West Mount Airy, attending Oak Lane Day School and the Akiba Hebrew Academy. I attended Boston University and then Philadelphia Textile. I worked for 20 years in the Apparel Industry, then I went back to Cabrini College to get my Pennsylvania Certification and Masters in Education(1999).  I worked for six straight summers teaching nature at local camps, and I also taught Organic Gardening to neighborhood children in Bala Cynwyd, where I live. I am an avid organic gardener and recycling freak! This year I received Lower Merion Township’s first-ever Go For the Green award for a homeowner.

 

I am a rising senior chemistry major at Bryn Mawr.  My interests include biology, chemistry, philosophy, and specific aspects of animal behavior.  Any suggestions about how to incorporate these concepts into education would be welcome.  I am still in the setting up my post graduation plans.  Also accepting suggestions for my future. 

For a detailed account of when, where, why, and how my love affair with science education began see the following link.  /exchange/node/2577#comment-65988  The abbreviated version is that I want to grow up and be just like my 10th grade chemistry teacher. 

My name is Diane O'Fee-Powers and I teach in Philadelphia. Last year I taught 7th & 8th RELA. In the past I have taught science at this grade level. Next year I am scheduled to teach RELA until at least October. October is when the classes are leveled. If   more 7th graders are admitted to our school, we will need another teacher. That teacher will teach the 3 RELA classes and I will go back to teaching science & 1 of the RELA classes.

I am interested in inquiry based education  & how to implement it with the core curriculum. Most of us think of   inquiry in science class, but   don’t think of inquiry in the other subjects. I am interested in applying inquiry practices in both the science & the RELA class.

Hi!

I'm Barbara Kauffman, a "sort of new" 4th Grade Classroom Teacher at Feltonville Intermediate School. Prior to teaching, I was a social worker. My co-worker, Tola Oronti, encouraged me to come to Bryn Mawr for this institute. We have co-taught science lessons together such as ones in the units of "Land & Water" and "Magnetism." I have a limited experience teaching science, however, I enjoy teaching many topics across the curriculum. Today's School District of Philadelphia students are bright and excitable and I want to keep up with their enthusiam when it comes to science inquiry. I think everyone has something to offer so we can all learn from one another!

Again, my name is Tola Oronti. I was at the Brain and Behavior institute 2008. I am an elementary school teacher but have been teaching 4th grade for about 5years now. MEET TOLA ORONTI

I expect that in this institute I will learn more about inquiry based-education. INQUIRY

Hello, my name is Luisana Taveras and I am an upcoming sophomore at Bryn Mawr College. This summer I am one of Professor Grobstein's interns for his Brain and Behavior Institute as well as an assistant for the remaining institutes (Computer Science Education and Science as Inquiry), critiquing the three to help get science, education, and science education less wrong. (Please help yourself to the surrounding forums found here.)