TCC+unit


 * TCC short unit for Dr. Meadows**
 * Bob Bartelt**

Below is my TCC short unit. I have integrated many of the ideas that I saw and liked from Active chemistry into this unit. The idea of starting and ending each lesson with a focus question is one idea that I have embraced in this unit. I have also centered every activity around evidence, or an experience that focuses on evidence. I will start this unit on Tuesday, April 10th 2007 with a pretest and conclude it on Thursday, April 12th (Friday is senior skip day and I won't have enough students to run a class). Data on the pretest will be presented as will reflections on each lessons. Enjoy!


 * Tuesday (Does gas have mass???)**
 * Wednesday (Phase change and energy)**
 * Thursday (Gas law basics)**
 * Friday (Phase diagrams and fun)**

The teaching style in this unit is different than my standard teaching unit. I’ve begun every lesson with a focus question (or two or three), an idea I got from Active Chemistry. I have also ended each lesson by revisiting this question(s). I think that this will help promote conceptual change. I think that the students should appreciate: 1) that gas does have considerable mass 2) phase change is dependant on temperature and pressure 3) that the gas laws make sense.
 * Overall expectations for the unit as a whole**

I have one reservation however. I think that I might be trying to do too much in too little time. All of these lessons are connected around the concept of states of mater with a particular focus on gasses, but I’m not sure that the lessons have enough cohesion. I admit that I’m sort of forcing this unit in right before spring break, but I don’t think that the students will be in the right state of mind to do complex mathematical calculations (the gas laws) so TCC will get its first real try in my classroom.

I think that the unit went pretty well. I still need to work on creating classroom discourse among my students. Class discussions are still run by a few bright students while the others are off daydreaming. I’m sad to see that many of my students aren’t “getting it” despite all the effort I put into creating fun and meaningful lessons. Sadly, I think this semester’s classes are another burnt offering to the education gods. I’m still learning and refining my teaching style and look forward to teaching my AP class next year.
 * Overall Reflections (after teaching)**

I’ve learning so much this year (this semester especially). I saw the lights turn on in a few of my student’s minds in this unit. If I can create a positive atmosphere were students a not afraid to make mistakes and take chances I’ll be a much more effective teacher. I know the material, I can make good lesson plans/activities (or I know where to find them). I have a lot of the tools that I need to be a successful teacher, now I need to learn where, when, and how to use those tools.

Below may be found the Excel spread sheet that I used to manipulate my data
 * Final Data Analysis and Reflection**


 * [[file:Post-analysis.xls]]**

Below may be found the analysis of my data


 * [[file:Overall Data Analysis (Comparison).doc]]**

I noticed several interesting things when I analyzed my data. I found that the students’ scores improved most when I presented actual physical evidence. I thought that my activity Thursday would clearly show the students the relationship between pressure, temperature, and volume, my posttest shows that it didn’t. The lessons that I taught on Tuesday and Wednesday both had the students working with dry ice and a hammer that formed frost, and those are the lessons that they remembered.

Thursday’s activity had my students act as “molecules” in an artificial environment. Even though I thought that this activity would be extremely useful to my students it showed virtually not positive effect. I’m not sure that I should get rid of the activity, but I doubt that I will use that activity again in my regular chemistry class. The model that I had my students create in that activity was very abstract and I’m not sure that they “got” it. I think that it could be a very effective model in an honors or an AP class.

This whole process has been very interesting and I have learned a lot. I’m not sure that I effectively taught for conceptual change in this unit, but I think that I have a few more ideas about what not to do when teaching for conceptual change. I definitely think that I need to work on promoting a classroom atmosphere that fosters group discussion and creativity. I think that I’ve lost this class and that many of my students will be woefully unprepared for the college chemistry if they even make it to that level.