Teacher Guide for the Monarch Case Science Snoops Life Science Investigations for students in grades 7 to 10

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1 Teacher Guide for the Monarch Case Science Snoops Life Science Investigations for students in grades 7 to 10 Overview of student interaction with the software In Science Snoops, students in grades 7 to 10 engage in inquiries of life science phenomena. This software provides students with an opportunity to practice science investigation skills and competencies within a simulated workplace environment. They play the role of new researchers as they are guided through learning tasks, and they work to solve each life science mystery case as part of a team of real and virtual scientists. Each virtual co-worker is portrayed by an actor who interacts with the student to give information, assign work, and give feedback on students performance. Students complete 23 tasks of varying kinds and difficulty levels to solve the case. Solving the entire case requires at least 4 hours. Task Maximum Points Task A: Client Interview Form 15 Task B: Main Question 1 Task C: Preliminary Work Plan 4 Task D: Finding Experts 2 Task E: Data Collection Plan 1 11 Task F: Monarch Natural History 19 Task G: Estimation of Monarch Population Size 16 Task H: Revised Work Plan and Data Collection Plan 10 Task I: O.e. Lab 7 Task J: Monarch Larval Predators 1 Task K: Expert Interviews 10 Task L: Bt Corn Lab and Analysis 16 Task M: Overwintering Populations 6 Task N: Caterpillar Masses Measurements 6 Task O: Caterpillar Masses Measurements analysis 5 Task P: Monarch Predators 1 Task Q: Butterfly Masses Measurements 6 Task R: Butterfly Masses Measurements Analysis 6 Task S: Weather as a Cause 4 Task T: Butterfly Forewing Lengths Measurements 6 Task U: Butterfly Forewing Lengths Measurements Analysis 4 Task V: Herbicides 14 Task W: Final Report 47 Total possible points: Kinder Magic Software Page 1 of 9

2 Science Snoops Institute Inside the building 2007 Kinder Magic Software Page 2 of 9

3 At the start, students are greeted by the Administrative Assistant in the Lobby. He asks students to complete an employment application: After an orientation, students are shown to their office: 2007 Kinder Magic Software Page 3 of 9

4 On the students computer is an from the Head Snoops to meet the client who will present the Case in the conference room. Co-workers stop by the New Snoops' office... Jacy Jackson, the Field Specialist: 2007 Kinder Magic Software Page 4 of 9

5 Tom Green, the other Research Associate: Each case follows a model of the inquiry process. The client, comes to the Institute with a problem. Students take notes during the client interview, and it is also videotaped so that they may review it later. Next, a follow up asks students to define the research questions that need to be answered in order to solve the case. Feedback on student work usually comes in the form of an from a coworker and varies depending on how well the student performed. It may confirm students answers or lead them to reconsider their responses. Students are always able to look up the corrected case files on the Institute s server for later reference. Next, students are guided in formulating hypotheses and predictions that lead to a data collection plan. They are instructed to accept or reject a particular hypothesis once data have been evaluated Kinder Magic Software Page 5 of 9

6 Several times in the course of a case, students are called to the laboratory to perform experiments and collect data. All these data are then analyzed. After completing about half of the case activities, students are summoned to the Head Snoop s office for a performance review. As the case progresses, students will eliminate most of the hypotheses. At this point, students conclude their investigation and write a final report for the client Kinder Magic Software Page 6 of 9

7 Students who performed well receive a job promotion with fanfare at a Science Snoops staff party. This approach to solving life science mysteries guides the students learning about scientific methods in research. Students may acquire the basic skills to engage in scientific research projects on different topics. They will have had many opportunities to participate in teamwork, formulate hypotheses, make predictions, reason, analyze and evaluate data, draw conclusions, and communicate results. The assessment features built into the software include cumulative scores for correct answers and specific feedback on each learning task. This provides students with an overall picture of how well they are doing. Additionally, students receive specific information relevant to their performance on each particular learning task, either confirming their conclusions or redirecting their efforts. All the learning activities are available in both game mode and practice mode so that students may revisit particularly difficult tasks and concepts and reflect on them carefully without the pressure of time constraints, and teachers may opt to present a task as a whole class activity. All learning activities with answer keys are also available on the Teacher CD-ROM in text format. (Monarch Case Tasks.PDF) 2007 Kinder Magic Software Page 7 of 9

8 Correlations to the NSES and California Science Education Standards Monarch Case Examples 5-8 NSES Correlation Content Standard A: Science as inquiry Design and conduct a scientific investigation. California (CA) standards Grade 7: Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data. Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry. CA standards Grade 7: Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence. CA standards Grade 7: Students investigate the monarch butterfly s dependence on other species and vice versa. Students conduct a scientific investigation as they determine basic cause and effect relationships of depredation, food supply, weather, herbicides, pesticides, habitat reduction etc. and the size of the monarch population. Students measure butterfly and caterpillar weights, forewing lengths, amount of infections, and analyze weather data. They interpret graphs and data charts mathematically and use formulas to estimate monarch populations. Students explain that a natural habitat can support a certain number of monarch butterflies and why. Students explain through the use of scientific data that monarch numbers have declined as the available habitat and natural food supply declined. 5-8 NSES Correlation Content Standard C: Life Science Structure and function in living systems Reproduction and heredity Populations and ecosystems Diversity and adaptations of organisms CA standards Grade 7, Students study the monarch s life cycle, habitat and interaction with other organisms and the monarch s dependence on an adequate food supply for successful reproduction, and migration to overwinter. Students display their 9-12 NSES Correlation Design and conduct scientific investigations. California (CA) standards Biology/Life Sciences: Physiology Ecology Use technology and mathematics to improve investigations and communications. CA standards grades 9-12 Biology/Life Sciences: Genetics Evolution Formulate and revise scientific explanations and models using logic and evidence. Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and models. CA standards grades 9-12: 9-12 NSES Correlation Matter, energy, and organization in living systems Molecular basis of heredity Interdependence of organisms Biological evolution CA standards grades 9-12 Biology/ Life Sciences: 2007 Kinder Magic Software Page 8 of 9

9 Focus on Life Science: Genetics understanding of structure and function of insects and adaptations to their environment. 5-8 NSES Correlation Content Standard F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives Science and technology in society CA standards Grade 7, Focus on Life Science: Students compare different people s value of monarchs (conservationists, entomologists, farmers, bioengineers of GMO s etc.) by using their knowledge of monarchs and their needs. Students analyze the impact of agriculture, and logging on the monarch s summer and winter habitats. Ecology, Evolution, Physiology 9-12 NSES Correlation Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges CA standards grades 9-12: Example of Atlas of Science Literacy correlation Scientific inquiry strand: 9-12 grades 6-8 grades Benchmark mapping: Hypotheses are widely used in science for choosing what data to pay attention to and what additional data to seek, and for guiding the interpretation of the data (both new and previously available) There are different traditions in science about what is investigated and how, but they all have in common certain basic beliefs about the value of evidence, logic, and good arguments. Hypotheses are valuable, even if they turn out not to be true, if they lead to fruitful investigations. Scientific investigations usually involve the collection of relevant evidence, the use of logical reasoning, and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses and explanations to make sense of the collected evidence Kinder Magic Software Page 9 of 9