Collection
The Spark Framework
Curiosity-first instructional design: the 5E / Hero's Journey and Explore-Flip-Apply.
One Concept, Whole Unit
Something has been quietly shifting in the way I plan units this spring. In Neuroscience, it is action potentials. In Chemistry, it is single replacement. One concept sits at the center, and...
Sparking Curiosity with Google Vids: Using Masks to Create Mystery
Sparking involuntary curiosity in students often comes down to creating an awareness of an information gap, a missing piece of knowledge that students naturally want to fill. Loewenstein (1994)...
Simulating Parkinson's: Using Electronics to Build Empathy
This lab activity takes students on a unique journey through the world of neuroscience and engineering to explore the complex nature of Parkinson's Disease. Students will simulate the motor...
Exploring Fentanyl's Risks: Using Chemistry to Imitate the Brain's Protective Layer
This lab activity directly tackles a pressing issue: the opioid crisis, with a spotlight on fentanyl, one of the most potent and problematic drugs out there. This isn't just any experiment; it's a...
Fast AI Game Design Using ChatGPT and p5.js
Experimenting with leveraging ChatGPT as a medium for generating code to run simple JavaScript games in p5.js . My ultimate goal is to create a system where students can use both applications to...
Building Curiosity Sparks in Google Slides
Using Google slides to spark/curate student curiosity.
Pipe Insulator Roller Coasters!
Using pipe insulation and marbles to teach conservation of energy in physics.
Using 'What If' Videos to Empower Thought Experiments During Distance Learning
Leveraging thought experiments to promote engagement in online learning.
Feynman and Delayed Direct Instruction
How Richard Feynman embodied inquiry learning.
Incompetency
Analysis of discussion on pedagogy between Tim Ferris and Seth Godin
5E Inquiry Cycle Example (Distance Learning Version)
Example of 5E Learning Cycle modification in Biology for the distance learning enviornment.
Blooms Taxonomy 'Walkaround' model revisited
Revisiting this post today while working with colleagues on inquiry lesson planning in the context of Blooms Taxonomy. Because I am finding this particular reflection and model useful, I felt it as wo
Spark Learning Masterclass: Part III Recording
Recording of the third part of a masterclass series on leveraging the Hero's Journey as a lesson planning framework.
Spark Learning Masterclass: Part II Recording
Click here to access the second of three recordings for my 'Spark Learning' Masterclass. This session explored research and strategies related to student exploration once curiosity has been...
Spark Learning Masterclass: Part I Recording
This session explored research and strategies related to sparking student curiosity at the beginning of an inquiry learning cycle.
Sparking Curiosity Toolki
Toolkit to help educators learn the research and strategies around sparking student curiosity .
Free 'Spark Learning' Masterclass!
Announcing a free Masterclass on sparking student curiosity.
Booms Taxonomy 'Walk Around' Inquiry Model
Describing a model for inquiry lesson planning that incorporates Bloom's Taxonomy and Depth of Knowledge.
Teaching for Curiosity
Integrating current research on curiosity into the online teaching/lesson planning process.
Inquiry Learning and Online Teaching
Translating the inquiry learning cycle in the online teaching environment during the COVID-19 Pandemic
5E / Hero's Journey Example: Stoichiometry (Reactions as Recipes)
CYCLES OF LEARNING
5E / Hero's Journey Example: Simple Circuits
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Spark Learning to Unlock and Harness the Power of Student Curiosity
I was honored to join Barbara Bray on episode #89 of her podcast RethinkingLearning. Click here to listen to the the entire episode where Barbara. Cycles of Learning
This is Your Brain on Curiosity (via TEDxUCDavisSalon)
CYCLES OF LEARNING
5E/Hero's Journey Cycle Example: From Density to Dining
Albeit corny, I don't think a blog post goes by where I don't allude to the beautiful connection between the 5E Learning Cycle and Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey.
Surprise Sub Lesson: Generic Legos & Google Docs
About three months ago I did something I often do but I am embarrassed to admit: I assigned a 'sub lesson' when absent, asked students to submit evidence of completion, and then... ...wait for it.....
Post 1982 Penny Battery: Experiment in Withholding Information
CYCLES OF LEARNING
5E Lesson Strategy: Making the 'Explain' Phase Fun With Lower Blooms Hoops!
CYCLES OF LEARNING
5E Lesson Example: Cellular Respiration w/Crosscutting NGSS Integration.
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Sparking Curiosity in the Humanities: Data Visualization
As a science teacher, I often get the following statement when working with other educators: 'Sparking student interest in the Sciences is just easier. You get to show cool demonstrations and...
Revised 5E-Hero's Journey Lesson Planning Template
Revised 5E-Hero's Journey Lesson Planning Template! | written to annoying lengths about my love for the connection between the 5E Inquiry Learning Cycle.
Editing Videos for Involuntary Curiosity: 3 Chemistry Examples
When reading the research on Curiosity , Involuntary Curiosity is of particular interest to us teachers. Defined by Loewenstein (1994) as curiosity that '...arises spontaneously as a result of...
Google Science Fair as my Biology Final Exam
I have written in the past about how much I am enjoying teaching Biology this year. After graduating with a degree in Biochemistry, my first teaching job, and thus the subsequent 17 years, led me to..
8 Awesome Inquiry Lesson Cycles!
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of working with the science educators at D211 in Chicago's Northwest Suburbs. As part of the workshop, all teachers were challenged to work in discipline specific...
5th Grader Designed My AP Chemistry Lesson!
That Time a 5th Grader Designed My AP Chemistry Lesson! | About the connection between the 5E learning cycle and Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey.
3 Ways to Simplify, Streamline, and Empower Your Lesson Design
3 Ways to Simplify, Streamline, and Empower Your Lesson Design
Structure for Authentic Reading in My Biology Class.
Biology, Literacy, Google Docs, Spreadsheet, Reading, Medicine.
'Spark Learning' 10 Copy Mother's Day Giveaway!
CYCLES OF LEARNING
The Life-Saving Benefits of Being Curious! (warning: serious TMI).
In her lecture, The Hungry Mind: Origins of Curiosity, Susan Engel beautifully explains the benefits of curiosity not only on student motivation, but learning.
Inquiry, Biology, Diagnosis
Medical Case Studies as Inquiry Entry Points in Biology
Movies, Clips, Curiosity, Spark, Videos
My 15 Favorite Movie Clips to Use as Science Curiosity Sparks, Strategically leveraging clips from movies that show various phenomena. Read more: Cycles of Learning.
Curiosity, Technology, Chemistry
Most powerful ways to spark Involuntary Curiosity in students is to strategically trim a video clip to remove content or present an unresolved of the content.
Revised Hero's Journey/5E Overlap Diagram
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Phase 3 = An Obligation to Share! (...and other forms of ignoring the Imposter Complex)
When I reflect back on the last 16 year of teaching, I see three distinct phases: Phase 1: Love Phase 2: Oblivion Phase 3: Awareness Phase 1 was crucial. I fell in love with the profession...
EdTech Team Hangout on Blended Learning
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Assistive Technology Course Using Arduino & MakeyMakey: From Design to Delivery
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Human-Centered Design and the 'MakeyMakey'
Human-Centered Design and the 'MakeyMakey' - recently gave my robotics students an invention challenge using the MakeyMakey designed. Cycles of Learning
Keynote Presentation & Online Courses
Keynote Presentation & Online Courses | I have received many requests for recorded versions of a Keynote presentation on the relationship between the Hero's Journey
Sparking Curiosity Tool Kit
Sparking Curiosity Tool Kit - Excited to share this quick, 'Sparking Curiosity' document I put together for my colleagues. Learn with Ramsey Musallam.
Assistive Technology with MakeyMakey
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Sparking Curiosity Using 'Vibby'
CYCLES OF LEARNING
TEDxYouth@SHC 2016
In May of 2013 I was asked to speak on TED's first ever TV special, TED Talks Education , As a full-time classroom science teacher, I am confident that any number of my current colleagues at Sacred..
littleBits Interview
CYCLES OF LEARNING
'Hero's Journey' Learning Cycle Template (2015-2016 School Year)
For the past two years I have been leveraging the ' Explore-Flip-Apply ' learning cycle framework in my chemistry class. I love this framework as it simultaneously merges two important facets of...
Learning Cycle Checklist
It comes as no surprise that some of the best lesson planning we do as teachers happens the month after school ends. The successes and failures of the year are fresh and at least for me, lesson...
Explosive Science Camp: Day 2
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Explosive Science Camp: Day 1
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Sketchnote of recent presentation
The awesome Matt Miller (@jmattmiller) created this sketchnote of a recent presentation I did linking the 5E learning cycle to the Hero's Journey. Thanks Matt!!
Inquiry Learning and the Hero's Journey
Notice any similarities?
Sparking & Organizing Curiosity: An EdTech Mission Statement
CYCLES OF LEARNING
ChemEd 2105 Speaker/Facilitator Submissions
Presentation As chemistry educators, we are called to not only help our students negotiate the algorithmic complexities intrinsic to the discipline, but perhaps more importantly, work towards a deep..
Curiosity SketchNotes
Recently I gave a talk on sparking student curiosity and my friend/colleague Carl Hooker (@mrhooker) took the below SketchNotes of the session. Thanks Carl!
#Caedchat on Curiosity!
I was honored to be the guest moderator for tonight's #caedchat on curiosity. Click here to see the archive and access all links and resources. As a reminder, please share sample student work that is.
MakeyMakey Titration Drop Counter Hack
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Direct Measurement of Curiosity using the Mindwave Mobile
CYCLES OF LEARNING
DFW on Inquiry
'Great short stories and great jokes have a lot in common. Both depend on what communication-theorists sometimes called “exformation,” which is a certain quantity of vital information removed...
Jay Silver Interview: Pedagogy of Makey Makey Video
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Involuntary Curiosity Sparks (Loewenstein, 94)
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Bedley Bros. Episode #19
Had a great conversation with the Bedley Bros . about inquiry today. Check it out below:
Cultivating Involuntary Curiosity
I just finished reading the Loewenstein (1998) article The Psychology of Curiosity: A Review and Reinterpretation . Not surprisingly the paper begins by reminding the reader of the strong...
Inquiry Videos & Full-Screen YouTube Hack
Inspired by a fabulous Dan Meyer session I attended at my school last month, I have begun the process of trying to re-frame as many released AP Chemistry problems into inquiry videos as...
Blended Learning Cycles by Paul Anders
This is an excellent video by Biology teacher Paul Anderson . Paul explains how he has merged aspects of blended learning with an inquiry based learning cycle. Paul is an inspiring educator and...
Action Research Video Clip (Explore-Flip-Apply)
Below is a video that a colleague of mine, Deb Wycoff, produced as part of her action research study on Flip Teaching. During the course of our interviews I answered various questions, but more...
How fast am I walking (First Display Recorder attempt)
Instead of driving to STEM camp this morning, I decided to walk, and use the Display Recorde r app to screencast the little ball on the map directions. I uploaded the video to YouTube, and when I...
Explore-Flip-Apply Theoretical Framework
Click here
Sub Videos
To appropriately merge video instruction (student or teacher produced) within the context of an inquiry cycle, you must first ask yourself the question: what is the purpose of a video? Personally, I..
Poolside CUE with @followmolly
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Reflection App
Reflection App allows you to mirror your iPhone 4S or iPad display directly onto your max OSX computer. See the below video for an overview:
Explore-Flip-Apply Example 2
Click here for Example 1 which outlines the process in more detail. Day 1: Explore Topic: Effusion and Diffusion. Task: To compare the effusion rates of helium gas and nitrogen gas....
Explore-Flip-Apply Example
Background Information This is my 5th year trying implement an effective model of the “inverted classroom” (Lage, Platt, & Treglia, 2000 ) in my AP Chemistry class. I say “trying” as...