Download Applying Catalyst Teaching

Science Workbook
Rob Jensen
Catalyst Teaching, Inc. Copyright © 2005
All Rights Reserved
Imagination is more important than
knowledge … knowledge is limited,
but imagination encircles the world.
To see with one’s own eyes, to feel and
judge without succumbing to the
suggestive power of the fashion of the
day, to be able to express what one has
seen and felt in a trim sentence or
even in a cunningly wrought word …
is that not glorious?
Albert Einstein
(A Pretty Smart Guy)
Page 2
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
Catalyst Teaching
Science Workbook
Table of Contents
Introduction: What Is Catalyst Teaching? ........................ 4
Section 1: The Brain Game (The Concepts Behind
Catalyst Teaching) ....................................................................... 8
Framing = Relevance.......................................................... 8
Catch A Wave! Managing Mental State .......................... 10
Total Recall: Teaching with Memory Techniques ............ 14
Section 2: Behind The Curtain: Applying Catalyst
Teaching ....................................................................................... 18
Section 3: Sample Lesson Plans ........................................ 24
Genie In A Bottle .................................................................. 26
Potato Candle ........................................................................ 32
The Baffling Balloon ............................................................ 35
Vacuum-Packed Kid ............................................................. 37
Blue Skies ............................................................................. 40
Climate Control..................................................................... 42
Parallax Lab .......................................................................... 47
Dancing With Venus............................................................. 55
Happy Meal Smoothie .......................................................... 57
Mitosis Dance ....................................................................... 60
Kiddie Catch & Release........................................................ 67
A Juicy Lab! .......................................................................... 70
About The Author...................................................... 75
Introduction: What Is Catalyst Teaching?
I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking this is going to be another one of those
workbooks telling you that you have to teach in a “whole new way.” But guess
again! If you’re reading this workbook you obviously care about your job and I’ll bet
you’re already pretty good at it. You know how to teach and you’ve been through it
all. You’ve had years of training and probably have years in the classroom. You
know your kids, your classroom environment, and your curriculum. You have lots of
good lessons and many that are great. You need another model of teaching like you
need a lunch duty.
So to put your mind at ease (and to get you to keep reading!), let’s first talk about
what Catalyst Teaching is NOT. It is not a tirade telling you that you’re doing it all
wrong. It does not recommend you scrap your lesson plans. It does not insult your
intelligence by suggesting that it’s the salvation of science education. Quite frankly,
as a good teacher you’re probably already using most of the techniques described in
this workbook and will likely view them as common sense.
The only problem with common sense is that it isn’t common!
So why should you keep reading? Similar to the quote above, the problem for many
teachers is identifying WHY what they’re doing works. In other words, what makes
your technique effective? If we can make expicit what makes lessons work well then
we can apply those techniques more consistently and effectively. This would make
every lesson much more powerful and, as a result, would make our students more
successful.
In essence, by verbalizing why our current bag of tricks works, we are
giving ourselves an even bigger bag we can more easily fill! And that’s why you
should keep reading.
In the dictionary, catalyst is defined as “an agent that provokes or speeds significant
change or action.” That is, something that sparks or incites change, and that’s
exactly what Catalyst Teaching techniques do: help you make your lessons 1) more
Page 4
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
engaging, and 2) more memorable to your students. What could be more
fundamental?
To do this, this workbook has three main sections:
1) Catalyst Teaching concepts explained (theory),
2) Applying this theory in the classroom (application), and
3) Sample lesson plans that exemplify the techniques discussed.
Remember, Catalyst Teaching is not about rewriting curricula nor implying teachers
aren’t doing a good job. It’s all about providing a common understanding and
terminology for learning so your and your students can be more successful.
How Did We Get Here?
Science, Boring?!
Believe it or not, some people think science is boring. How is this possible?! To
answer this, let’s go back and look at a typical progression of a student’s exposure
to science. Early in primary school, science lessons are often purely enrichment
rather than content-focused. Kids generally LOVE science at this age because the
focus is on discovery and wonder. Even in the late primary grades, students usually
show an open enthusiasm for science because science is still seen as something
intriguing, adventurous, and accessible. Science is cool!
Then it begins – the disenfranchisement of students from the discovery process.
Some middle- and high-school teachers, who usually have high levels of science
training and the increasing pressure of standardized tests, start focusing on contentknowledge. To much of the general public, science proficiency at these levels is
often equated with knowledge of science facts and this type of instruction seems
perfectly normal. Certainly basic facts are needed. Too often, however, this is often
at the expense of learning how to process and apply the information. With these go
discovery, and as goes discovery so goes student interest. The association of
science with “boring” is born.
Page 5
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
Science Teachers Are Deviants
There’s another teaching obstacle that science teachers must often overcome
because, let’s face it, we’re are a different breed. Science teachers tend to be leftbrained with linear logic, we generally did well as students with lecture format, and
we tend to like math or at least find it fairly easy. As a result, we often find it difficult
to understand why others cannot clearly see cause and effect or why students don’t
see the importance of the topics we cover. However, if we teach the way we (think
we!) learn best, which is often lecture, we will have lost nearly 90% of our students
Day One. Why? Because few people share our learning style. In essence, we are
deviants – from the norm, that is! Many students taught in these styles quickly
become frustrated and express that frustration as apathy, boredom, or open
rebellion. “Science is boring,” then becomes the mantra.
What Can Be Done?
You already know the answer to this, at least at the classroom level. What Catalyst
Teaching does is demonstrate that it doesn’t have to be this way.
here are many aspects in making a great teacher – dedication, compassion, passion
for teaching, personality, integrity, knowledge of content, ability to seize “teachable
moments,” and many more – but what our focus here is what makes for great
teaching.
Fun vs. Engaging
One phrase tossed around by the public (and some teachers, unfortunately) that
often troubles me is, “Science should be fun.” The term “fun” is often misunderstood
in education because fun can mean anything from enjoyment to engagement to
entertainment, and far too many people view it as the latter. At the risk of being
quoted out of context, let me be clear: The goal of a teacher is not to entertain
students but rather to engage them. Entertainment alone is passive, but
Page 6
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
engagement is when a student wants to do find the answer, wants to do the
assignment, wants to learn more about the topic.
As long as entertainment is the tool and not the objective,
it should be embraced in the classroom.
“Fun” activities serve well as mental breaks, to enhance social interactions, or to
assist in engaging a student, and teachers should strive for “engaging fun” where
appropriate. All too often, however, teachers conduct labs or activities only because
“The kids love it,” while the content is lacking or non-existent. With competition like
Disney’s Bill Nye, teachers are made to feel that learning must be entertaining or
they are a failure. Hogwash!! Your time with your students is too brief and too
valuable to entertain – ENGAGE!
Page 7
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
Section 1: The Brain Game (The Concepts Behind
Catalyst Teaching)
What Is Effective Instruction?
Walk into any classroom and it usually doesn’t take long to determine if great
teaching is taking place. But what elevates good teaching to great? The answer:
truly effective teaching.
Effective teaching accomplishes three things:
1) Framing the material so it is relevant to the student,
2) Engaging the student (and keeping them there!), and by providing
3) Memory strategies to help the student comprehend and recall
information.
More simply put, in effective teaching the students know why they’re learning the
material, they’re paying attention, and they remember the information. All these are
the responsibility of the teacher, yet they rarely happen with just a textbook and a
worksheet. But effective teaching doesn’t have to be difficult. All most teachers
need are some basic concepts of learning and a few strategies to apply them AND
they must also be willing to try something new! So let’s analyze each of these
components so we can get to the good stuff: techniques for applying them in the
classroom (tricks!).
Effective Teaching Component #1:
Framing The Material
Framing = Relevance
The first component of effective teaching is making the material relevant to the
student: Why should they learn what you’re teaching? The Peace Corps calls this
notion “perceived need;” if a community doesn’t believe, or perceive they need what
you’re offering, then they won’t accept it and as soon as you’re gone they’ll go back
to the old way of doing things. Framing is essentially creating this perceived-need in
Page 8
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
students by putting a frame, or purpose, around a topic. In other words, getting the
student to appreciate why they should learn the material. Without framing, the
information is deemed superfluous – only to be learned for a test or because “they
have to,” and will be flushed from their brain immediately after the next test.
“If a man learns something and never uses it, it is as
if he never learned it at all.”
Chinese
Proverb
I share this Chinese proverb above with my students at the beginning of the year
and encourage them to challenge me with it throughout the year. It is critical that
students feel a need for the information so they can feel ownership in the lesson.
This in turn results in an increased level of retention AND applicability to other
problems. And all this from as little as a sentence or two at the beginning of a
lesson!
Framing a lesson for students in science is usually pretty straight-forward, as many
of today’s problems and controversial issues are based in science. By
understanding the science, therefore, we understand the debate.
Lessons can also demystify. For example, why learn the parts of a cell? Can’t we
just say the cell processes things and leave it at that? Unfortunately, this keeps
science in a “black box” and further intimidates some students. By showing them
the nuts and bolts of how things work, we show them that complex issues in science
are understandable. This empowers them to dissect other, more complex scientific
topics and political issues.
We’ve all encountered students, however, who refuse to be convinced. “I don’t care
and I’m never going to need this information in my life.” A last-ditch card I’ll play with
these students – and I use this rarely – goes something like this:
I ask the student(s), “What would you think of a person who
couldn’t name the capital of the United States?” Most will say
Page 9
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
they’d think that person is “stupid.” I reply, “But WHY do you
need to know that? Couldn’t you live your life not knowing that
and still survive?” (How many people do?!) I further explain
that while they might not appreciate it now, there’s an accepted
level of knowledge among adults that is required to be
considered “educated.” We often have a brief discussion about
what levels of information are deemed basic in our society.
Without that knowledge, you appear stupid.
If you don’t know certain things in our society – rightly or wrongly –
you will appear less intelligent than you really are.
I’ve used this same argument for spelling, grammar, etiquette, geography
… basically everything! Again, played too often and it loses its power and
quite honestly not all students will accept it. Still, many a hard-case has
been turned around by this very simple conversation!
Effective Teaching Component #2:
Engaging The Student
Catch A Wave! Managing Mental State
How long can you pay attention during a lecture? If you’re like most people your
answer is something like, “It depends.” Attention span naturally depends upon a
multitude of factors such as interest in the topic, importance of information, quality of
presentation, lighting, physical comfort, presence of distractions, and nutrition,
among many, many others. Given a “perfect” scenario, however, researchers have
found that adults have an average attention span of only 10-12 minutes, and it’s no
news to teachers that average attention span decreases with age. Unfortunately, as
attention wanes, so does student learning. Obviously, effective learning cannot take
place. The second component to effective teaching, therefore, is the maintenance of
student attention.
Page 10
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
To illustrate this concept, consider an ocean wave as a metaphor for student
attention. As an ocean wave approaches the beach, it crests for a brief period
before breaking. Attention spans are much the same way in that there is a period –
the crest – when students are most focused on the lesson. If nothing changes,
however, student attention will break like a wave and learning will plummet.
To be most effective, teachers must teach to this
crest of the “attention wave” and manage it throughout the
lesson.
Teachers directly affect their students’ mental state and therefore directly affect their
capacity for learning. So as the “crest” of attention begins to break, something about
the current mental state of the student has to change in order to return their attention
to the lesson. This orchestrated shift is called a state change.
All teachers can recognize the loss of student attention,
but effective teachers can do something about it!
State changes can be as dramatic as completely switching teaching modes from
lecture to lab or as subtle as using a different tone of voice. This is a constant and
conscious process, and effective teachers include literally dozens of state-changes
in a lesson – they don’t wait for the crest to break! The frequent, conscious
implementation of state-changes can literally hold students at or near a crest for
hours. It also makes YOUR job as a teacher FAR easier because there is less
repetition, fewer questions, and few behavioral problems because they are paying
attention!
Buy Some Attention … Span!
Scenario: As you’re teaching a lesson, you notice a drop in student
attention. You implement a state-change by telling a story related to
the material. You then continue with the lesson for 7 minutes and
realize you’re again passing the “crest,” so you implement another
Page 11
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
state change by having the students briefly (30 seconds) discuss with
a neighbor how the new information relates to the previous lesson.
You even play some music to make them more comfortable with
talking in class. You keep their attention for another 5 minutes and
implement another state-change.
These examples of simple state-changes demonstrate their purpose: to “buy” you
attention span!
The longer a lesson lasts, the more frequent the state changes
must become. Similarly, the longer you’ve taught without a state
change, the more dramatic the state change will have to be to
regain their attention!
Early in a lesson, simple changes in the tone of your voice (e.g., command,
reflective, casual, descriptive) or humor may suffice to maintain the crest. After
awhile, more obvious state-changes, such as visuals, stories, or music may be
required, and may eventually require dramatic state changes such as switching from
discussion to lab, including student movement, or allowing students to discuss
material. These state-changes need not be sequenced in order of magnitude during
a lesson and they should be implemented frequently. The most effective teachers
have a large “bag” of state-changes that can keep students at the “crest” of the
attention-wave for the entire lesson.
Some skeptics would consider these “fluff” and a waste of time. “I’m not going to
spend two minutes and have them just talk!,” is a common reaction. Again,
however, the brain must be ready to accept information. If they’ve been “pressed”
down by 30 minutes of lecture then they’re far less likely to retain much content
during that time. By inserting state changes throughout the lesson you are
“releasing” that pressure and maintaining the crest. The bottom line is that you will
spend less time reteaching and more students will recall the information, thus saving
you time and improving their education!
Page 12
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
The Power Of Music
Music is one of the most powerful tools to manage mental state that I’ve
discovered as a teacher. To illustrate, consider two classrooms: in one, upbeat
music is playing as students enter the room; in the other, nothing. As students enter
the first, they notice it’s different than other classrooms (state-change!), and because
of the background noise they feel free to talk at a volume below the music with their
classmates. This relaxes them by releasing energy and also meets their need for
social interaction, so they’re far more prepared to focus on the lesson once the
period begins. In the second classroom, talking can be heard by everyone so
students are reluctant to interact. Many (but not all, we know!) sit in stony silence,
patiently waiting for the lesson to begin. Once class begins, they are much less
prepared for learning. The question is, which class would you rather teach?!
Music facilitates social interaction, can set a mood, help students focus, gets or
keeps their attention, and overall makes your classroom a FAR more comfortable
place to be. Music must be used intentionally to be effective, however, and we’ll
discuss this more in Section 2 on applying these concepts.
Page 13
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
Effective Teaching Component #3:
Memorable Teaching
Total Recall: Teaching with Memory Techniques
The third component of effective teaching is making the content of lessons
memorable. Most teachers present information in an interesting manner and often
help students with study habits, yet often overlook presenting and assisting them
with strategies and techniques to retain and retrieve it. To be successful, students
must be informed of these techniques and must be given opportunities to use them
throughout a lesson.
We use them ourselves all the time, so why not give our
students a jump start and share them?
Effective teaching empowers students with
techniques and strategies for recalling information.
Some of the more common memory techniques include repetition, mnemonics, and
acronyms. Repetition can be very effective as a supplement to other memory
strategy, but it has low long-term efficacy on its own, particularly when the context of
the material changes. Mnemonics are effective for simple terms or words and are a
wonderful way to increase vocabulary in a foreign language. Acronyms are
somewhat effective for lists. (For example, each letter in the word HOMES stands
for each of the Great Lakes, and the first letter of each word in Every Good Boy
Does Fine refers to the notes on the lines of a music scale.) The problem I’ve found
with some acronyms, however, is that you must remember a word or sentence that
has no relationship to the content! Still, these can be very useful techniques for
certain content and for some learners.
Most students are aware of these techniques yet they do not always fit the lesson
material and may not be as powerful as other, less common techniques:
Kinesthetic cues, such as using a body movement to represent a piece of
information, are extremely powerful yet often omitted. I often embed these in
lectures where they serve not only as a memory technique but also as a state
Page 14
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
change. One of my favorite lectures using this is explains latitudinal changes in
climate (see Climate Control in Sample Lessons).
Drawings – even doodles and stick figures – work wonderfully as visual memorycues as well as state changes within a lecture. My strengths certainly are not in
the arts, but I still illustrate nearly all of my lectures with some type of drawing. I
often have students simply watch me draw, then replicate the drawing on their
own or in groups to reinforce the process.
Stories were the primary way information was passed down in human cultures for
millennia and humans have an uncanny ability to recall information embedded in
them. Stories told about content material – especially those that are studentgenerated – can greatly help them recall information later.
Combining memory techniques is often the most powerful memory strategy. For
example, combining a story with a kinesthetic activity and embedding auditory
mnemonics is the most effective way I’ve found to introduce students to mitosis
(see Mitosis Dance in Sample Lessons).
Analogies are one of the most effective ways to make abstract concepts tangible
and memorable to students. The more abstract the concept, the more you need
analogies! My analogies usually start out, “It’s like when you …,” or “Let’s say
you’ve got …” These can be casual clarifying statements or can define the whole
lesson. By the way – the more absurd, the more humorous, the more grotesque,
the better. THIS is what they’ll remember, and it’s even better if they make up
the analogy themselves! While analogies can be used frequently to explain
concepts within a lesson, many times in my classroom, the analogy is the lesson,
such as teaching why the sky is blue (see Blue Skies Sample Lesson).
Teaching with memory strategies needn’t be covert. Tell them that you are providing
them with these techniques to help them. They also need class time to develop
Page 15
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
these techniques. This needn’t be large chunks of time and can be embedded
throughout the year. Here’s a brief example of how any of the above techniques can
be used:
Providing Time for Memory:
Apogee & Perigee
“The point in a satellite’s orbital path where it is closest the body it
orbits is called perigee. The point where it is farthest away is
called apogee. You need to know these terms, so in 10 seconds,
when I say go, I’ll give you 60 seconds to develop with a neighbor
a strategy for memorizing the definitions of these two terms. Go.”
[If you haven’t taught any memory techniques, simply preface this
with some examples of mnemonics, acronyms, stories, and/or
analogies.]
[Play music to facilitate discussion.]
After 60 seconds: Point to one group and ask, “What did you
guys come up with?” Ask a few more groups to share – they will
want to! Conclude, “Those were some pretty creative memory
strategies! Now you can use your own or someone else’s, but
decide right now which you’re going to use to remember these
two terms. I’ll give you 60 more seconds to burn it into your brain!
Go.” [Music]
Move on with your lesson.
Total time for them to really learn these two terms: 5 minutes.
(Not having to reteach it, priceless!)
Note:
A surprising number of my students develop the same
mnemonic: Apples (apogee) are round and stay distant from the
core while pairs (perigee) are indented and come closer to the
core. Slick!
Page 16
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
Helping students with memory strategies can tremendously empowering, as attested
by one of my students a few years ago after I’d taught them how to memorize long,
complex lists of things. “I realize now that I’m not stupid and can learn things,” was
her comment on my first-week evaluation. Wow! Not only did the memory strategy
give her much more confidence in the classroom, it also made me that much more
committed to helping. A win-win!
Page 17
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
Section 2: Behind The Curtain: Applying Catalyst
Teaching
Great teaching doesn’t just happen. There’s a tremendous amount of planning,
preparation, and experience that comes into play. Recall that the fruit of all this
labor can be much more bountiful if teaching is truly effective. That is,
1) The lessons are framed at the beginning,
2) State changes are implemented to maintain the attention “crest,” and
3) Memory techniques are embedded in the lessons.
In this section, we’ll discuss strategies for implementing some of the techniques
discussed so far. Remember, Catalyst Teaching is NOT about rewriting all your
lesson plans, but rather supplementing them with techniques to make them more
effective. As framing is topic-specific and usually straightforward in science, we’ll
focus here on state changes and memory strategies.
Power Lectures
What was the #1 teaching method that our college professors taught us to avoid
when we became teachers? Lectures. What was the #1 way we were taught by
those professors? Lectures! Lecturing is commonly used because it’s easy – just
stand at the front of the room and tell students what you want them to learn. You
can then honestly claim to have covered an enormous amount of content in a short
time and, if you’re a science or math teacher, I’ll bet you did pretty well with this type
of format in college. Unfortunately, 90% of your classmates didn’t and that same
figure applies to your students now!
Lecturing is an important part of teaching, particularly at the middle- and high-school
levels. Every bit of knowledge does not need to be administered “hands on” and we
all know that we don’t have time to pull it off if we could! What most lecturers
desperately need are state changes and memory techniques. So how can you jazz
up your lectures and make them more powerful? State changes!
Page 18
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
State Changes
A great intro to the power of state changes requires about 5 minutes of your time.
Take a sheet of paper and make three columns with the headings “Time,” “What I’m
Doing,” and “What The Students Are Doing.” Now take one of your lesson plans that
you’d like to improve and run a time-line down the columns of what takes place in
the classroom. If you’re talking, they’re likely sitting motionless. Do you have state
changes in place to keep them attentive? Do you need more or different ones? Are
there ways you can get them out of their seats, even for a few seconds? By the
same token, if they’re discussing a topic in groups, do they need a state change –
such as reconvening the class – so they don’t wander from the topic? It usually
doesn’t take too long to recognize that the content is often the only focus of attention
and, unless you’re juggling and on fire, you need state changes!
A FEW Examples of State Changes:
Music!

While students enter and leave the classroom. Upbeat music puts them in a
better, more social mood and makes them feel good about the class.

ANY time students are moving in the classroom (e.g., forming groups,
retrieving lab equipment or handouts, passing out papers, students coming to
the front of the room). This gives them “permission” to talk and takes some of
the awkwardness out of moving in the room, especially if it’s only one student
moving.

Playing the same song throughout the course whenever it is time to clean up
a lab or activity (e.g., Splish Splash by Bobby Darin or Car Wash by Rolls
Royce!) No instructions are necessary – you simply play the song and they
know it’s time to clean!

Similarly, the same song can be played when it is time to reconvene a class,
such as after a lab or discussion. This is very useful in longer class periods
(e.g., blocks) or sessions, and works wonderfully with teachers at workshops!

Music to facilitate other state changes.
Page 19
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved

Light, instrumental music when they are reviewing or scanning new material
(e.g., handout, longer reading assignment). Music should not be played while
students are reading for comprehension.

During labs. This makes lab time almost festive, especially if you
occasionally play “their” music!
Novelty (Novel ways of doing anything in the classroom)

Presenting from a different location in the room.

New seating – even if it’s only for 5 minutes of the period!

Write on the board with your opposite hand (also humor)

Tossing handouts into the air for students to retrieve (it really works!)

Greeting each other by shaking with left hands or pinkie

Collecting/returning papers in new ways. For example:
Place handouts on a back counter, point to them, and say,
“There’s a blue sheet of paper on the back counter. You need
one.” I then play music while they’re getting their papers.
This incorporates novelty, music, physical movement, and
social interaction (they talk on the way there and back, of
course), all of which enhance each other as state changes.
Student Movement – For Any Reason!

Students retrieve rather than receive handouts

Students retrieve rather than receive materials or equipment

Have them switch tables for small-group discussions

Any kinesthetic aid to a lesson
Vocalizations

Change in tone (e.g., command, descriptive, “story time!”)

Vocal italics can be used with new or unusual vocabulary. Briefly pause just
before saying the term, state it clearly and in a slightly different tone, pause
Page 20
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
briefly afterwards, and continue. This focuses everyone’s attention on the
word and will increase retention.
Student Participation

Have students at the front of the room (e.g., assisting in a demo, helping with
lecture by calling on people for questions, writing data on the board, reviewing
homework)

Stop short of completing a sentence and motion for them finish it through
inflection or hand gesture. For example, “If temperature decreases when you
go up in altitude, then as you come down it must… increase.” This is very
subtle, but it switches them from being a passive listener to an active listener
– more attention!
Social Interaction

Discussion breaks are NOT a “waste of time!” They make your time more
productive by giving students a break and allowing them to visit in a
constructive way. They can be as brief as 30 seconds:
“Take 30 seconds and discuss with a neighbor how this applies
to our lesson from yesterday,” or “You’ve got 60 seconds to
discuss with a neighbor why animals give off carbon dioxide.”

Allowing students time to use memory techniques for learning content
Others

Humor: jokes, riddles, or a bit of slapstick go a long way towards regaining
attention

Stories: Personal, fictional, or descriptive, everyone settles in for “story time”

Analogies: Allow students to use a different part of their brain to form links
between the analogy and the concept being taught.

Visuals: Drawing, overheads, video clips, newspaper articles, models, etc.

Change format of instruction: How obvious!
Page 21
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
Memory & Comprehension
We all have too much to teach in too little time, so we need to reduce the amount of
reteaching of material. Wouldn’t it be nice if students would just remember what we
tell them?! We know it’s not that simple, but a simple step towards minimizing
review is to provide students with a framework for retaining the material the first time
around.
As teachers, therefore, there are three considerations for implementing memory
techniques:
1. Tell the students what you’re doing – you’re on their side!
2. Give them time to practice the technique
3. Give them the opportunity to develop their own
Look over one of your existing lesson plans. As you go through it, briefly make a
mental list of all the new content you will be presenting in that lesson: concepts,
vocabulary, and processes.
The question now is, are there strategies in place for
helping them retain the information? We discussed memory techniques in Section
1, so we just need to have a plan, or strategy, for implementing them. It’s actually
quite simple and can make creating lesson plans much more enjoyable!
Time Out! Pausing For New Material
One technique that can greatly increase learning is so subtle and so simple that it
might surprise you: Pausing. Whenever you display a visual or distribute a handout,
pause. Don’t talk. Allow the class to scan over the visual for a few seconds so they
can grasp what’s being shown. Then, when you do start talking, they’re far more
able to relate what you’re saying to what they’re viewing. This enhances memory
development and therefore recall!
Pausing for new material also means giving the student time to implement memory
strategies. This includes not only memory “tricks,” but also concept mapping,
Page 22
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
outlining, creating analogies, paraphrasing, and all the other techniques we know
about and (sometimes!) use.
Facilitating Student Questions
After reviewing a small part of some complex material, I will often stop the class.
“Take 60 seconds to discuss with your neighbors any questions you have about
what I’ve just explained.” (Naturally, I play music at this point!) This creates a state
change, but more important, it forces them to verbalize what has just been covered
and what they don’t understand. They usually find their friends have the same
questions, making them more comfortable, and so are more likely to ask them.
When the questions do come, they are now more articulate and concise and
comprehension and memory are greatly enhanced.
Checking For Comprehension – It’s As Easy As 1-2-3!
Here’s a quick technique I use literally hundreds of times a year to check for student
comprehension on the fly. As I’m presenting new material, I’ll stop and say, “Ones,
twos, threes, please.” My students know that they must now hold up one, two, or
three fingers indicating their level of comprehension:
“Three” means
“I’ve got it and I’m ready to proceed. I might not be ready
for a test on it, but for now I’m okay.”
“Two” means
“I’m kind of there. I might need a bit more explanation,
but I think I can handle the next part.”
“One” means
“I’m lost and am freaking out!”
Students don’t need to raise their hands to display their level of comprehension; they
just need to make sure I see them as I look at EACH student in the room. They can
hold their hand against their chest, in their lap, on the far side of their body,
anywhere as long as I can see it. If I see lots of ones and twos, I reteach the
material on the spot. Lots of twos, I know I either need to reteach or make more
connections as I proceed. Lots of threes, I’m feelin’ good! (By the way, I remind
students that if they are a Level 1 to be sure to use an appropriate finger!)
Page 23
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
Section 3: Sample Lesson Plans
If you’re like most teachers, this is likely the first page in this book to which you
turned, so welcome! This section may provide you with a few lesson ideas, but do
go back and take a look at the rest of the book when you get a chance to see the
concepts behind what’s being done. That way you can apply the ideas to your
lessons!
My intent here is not to simply provide you with a few new lesson plans, but rather to
illustrate ways that lessons can be made to be more engaging and memorable. As
you read through them, look for state changes, memory cues, use of music, and
student movement. Some may appear intimidating by their length, but I’ve largely
scripted them out and that takes space. All but the labs take less than 20 minutes,
and most of these under 10. Enjoy!
Lessons By Format
Lectures:
Mitosis Dance
Climate Control
Mitosis
Latitudinal effects on climate
Analogies:
Blue Skies
Why the sky is blue
Labs:
Parallax Lab
A Juicy Lab!
Kiddie Catch & Release
Parallax in stars
Experimental Design / Enzymes
Population Estimation
Show-Stopping Demonstrations:
Genie In A Bottle
Potato Candle
Baffling Balloon / Vacuum-Packed Kid
Happy Meal Smoothie
Scientific Method
Observation vs. Inference
Atmospheric Pressure
Fat content of fast foods
Memorizing Lists With Stories:
Dancing With Venus
Planet order
Page 24
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
Lessons By Subject
Introductory Demonstrations in Science:
Genie In A Bottle
Potato Candle
Scientific Method
Observation vs. Inference
Earth Science Lessons:
Baffling Balloon / Vacuum-Packed Kid
Climate Control
Blue Skies
Dancing With Venus
Atmospheric Pressure
Latitudinal effects on climate
Why the sky is blue
Planet order
Biology Lessons:
Mitosis Dance
Happy Meal Smoothie
Parallax Lab
A Juicy Lab!
Kiddie Catch & Release
Mitosis
Fat content of fast foods
Parallax in stars
Experimental Design / Enzymes
Population Estimation
Page 25
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
Genie In A Bottle
A Slam-Dunk, Show-Stopping Demo for the Scientific Method
This is one of the best lessons I do and by far the most memorable by students. By
showing you this trick, however, you are sworn to NEVER, EVER tell a student how
it is done. Let this one out and it will blow the trick for many years to come, as we all
teach siblings and friends of prior students. Besides, we don’t always get the
answers in science, do we? (I’ve even had students ask me years later to divulge
the Secret of the Genie, yet I still decline.) I usually do this demo at the end of the
period on the Friday of the first week of school and save the debrief and lesson for
Monday. This sends them off for the weekend on a high and it’s easy to engage
them with the lesson when they return. Be sure to read the “Follow-up” for the most
entertainment value from this lesson!
Abstract:
A simple “magic-trick” style demonstration to
introduce the scientific method. A ball in a flask is
used to hold objects that are inserted to the flask
(the “Genie”). A great one for the first week/day of
class.
Class Time Required:
15 minutes
Materials:
250ml Erlenmeyer flask, rubber ball, masking
tape, string, pencil, paper clip, liquid soap (to
insert ball). Instructions follow script-outline.
Teacher Preparation Time:
30 minutes the first time, 0 minutes after that!
Student Prior Knowledge:
None
Steps & Suggested Script
1. Start with a story about how you got the bottle (e.g., You fell when hiking in a
foreign country, a person took you to his village to recover, and he gave you the
bottle with a genie in it as a memento.)
2. Bring out the bottle. Tell them the bottle is very special – because it has a genie
inside!
3. Explain it only does one thing but that it does it very well – it holds on to things
when asked.
4. Dramatically display a pencil with a semi-open paperclip taped to the end. “Just
an ordinary pencil,” you say.
5. Insert the paper-clipped end into the flask, invert it, speak into the bottle (“Oh,
power of the Gene, please hold on to the pencil so they will believe!”), upright
Page 26
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
the bottle, balance it on your fingertip for suspense, and it holds! Observe the
condescending skepticism in your students’ eyes.
6. Q: “So this proves there’s a genie inside, right?”
A: “No way!”
7. Q: “Are you saying you think I’m trying to trick you? I’m hurt! So if it isn’t a
genie, what’s your guess of what it is, or your hypothesis?” A: “There’s a hook
inside” Q: Why do you think that?” A: “Because there’s a paperclip on the
pencil!” You: “Okay, that’s good; I just wanted to make sure you weren’t just
making wild guesses.” (They’re making educated guesses based on
observations!)
Note: If they come up with alternate suggestions here (or at other points),
politely ignore those students until you hear the answer you want. You
want to stay in the order sggested here to get as many iterations of the
scientific method “cycle” as you can.
8. Q: “So how could we test whether or not there’s a hook in there?” A: “Try it
without the hook!”
9. Remove paperclip and repeat procedure with drama. Add that, to make sure
only ONE thing changes, we’ll make sure the metal end of pencil goes into
bottle. (This also sets them up for the next step.) It still works!
10. Q: “So what was the result of our test?” A: It still held.
11. Q: “So what’s your conclusion – is there a hook?” A: No.
12. Start over with hypothesis questioning. Q: “So if it’s not a hook, then what is it?
Now what’s your hypothesis?!” A: “There’s a magnet in the bottle.” (If they
don’t come up with the magnet as a possibility, guide them to it by reminding
them which end of pencil you put in each time while holding the pencil up for
display.)
13. Repeat testing questioning procedure: Q: “How could we test if there’s a
magnet holding the pencil?” A: “Put the other end of the pencil in!”
14. Repeat demonstration with the other end of the pencil or with a plastic pen.
Result: It still holds! Conclusion: It’s not a magnet holding the pencil.
15. Repeat hypothesis questioning. Most often, kids offer “tape” or “clay” as
hypotheses. If not, I’ll finally suggest both (sometimes all kids will be completely
stumped!)
16. Repeat demonstration with a string instead of a pencil/pen. It still works!! NOW
you’ve stumped everyone!
17. Rarely, kids will say there’s a ball inside. If they don’t, I’ll offer it as a “ridiculous”
possibility, then invert and gently wag the bottle from side to side to show there
isn’t. (Tricky!)
18. Note to them that the genie is telling you he’s tired. Put the bottle well away in a
drawer in your desk.
Page 27
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
19. Lead from this into a discussion or notes on the scientific method and the
ATTACHED FLOW-CHART. (Again, you can do this the same day, but I
usually time it so the class ends with the demo.)
What You’ve Done
1. Made an observation:
The bottle is suspended (the first time)
2. Formulated a hypothesis:
There is a hook in the bottle
3. Tested the hypothesis:
Tried it without a hook.
4. Analyzed the results:
It still held
5. Formed a conclusion:
There is no hook in the bottle
6. Formed a new hypothesis
It’s a magnet (because your conclusion did not
support your original hypothesis)
Student Debrief
It is important that kids know they’re stuck in this “loop” (unsupported – not bad –
hypotheses resulting in new ones) until their hypothesis is supported. This is
where most science takes place. For example, Edison tried hundreds of materials
before finding an operable filament for the light bulb and we’re still looking for a
cancer cure yet we’ve done thousands of experiments. This concept is too often
neglected in teaching the scientific method resulting in students thinking that all
hypotheses must be supported or they did the experiment “wrong.” This is
ridiculous!
Also, remind students that they already use the scientific method every day to
solve problems. For example, when you throw a light switch and nothing
happens, you go through the steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Observation:
Hypothesis:
Test:
Results:
Conclusion:
The light doesn’t work
The light bulb is burned out
Try a new bulb
It works
The bulb was burned out
I include a number of these examples to reinforce the concept that it’s not hard –
it’s just putting names on what we already do!
Follow-Up!
This is arguably the best part of the whole experience (for me!) and will provide
you with entertainment for the rest of the year: The day or so after the demo,
place an identical bottle (also taped), but without a ball inside, somewhere in your
room. Don’t say a word. Kids will covertly grab it thinking they’re going to figure it
out and it soon drives ‘em nuts! Just keep telling them there’s a genie inside (he’s
only visible to you, he’s shy, etc.). Many, many teenagers have actually spoken
into the bottle, trying to get it to work. Now that’s entertainment!!
Page 28
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
Making & Using Your Very Own Genie Bottle:
The bottle is simply a 250ml Erlenmeyer flask (standard chemistry-lab equipment)
covered with masking tape and containing a small, rubber ball (like a “super ball”
or “bouncy ball”). When you insert the pencil, pen, or string, invert the flask, pull
slightly on the object, and it will become wedged between the ball and the neck of
the flask!!
To get the ball into the slightly smaller opening of the flask, simply coat both
in liquid soap and push the ball inside the flask. Then rinse away all soap with
warm water and allow setup to dry before taping over it. You’ve got a Genie!
Presentation Tips
 Talk into the bottle to reduce the chance they will hear the ball roll towards you
when you invert the flask.
 Stay well in front of the room when demonstrating the genie’s “power!” If
students are sitting far to the left or right of you they will see the ball inside when
you invert the bottle. Game over!
Page 29
Rob Jensen  2005, All Rights Reserved
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD FLOW-CHART
NEXT
PROBLEM!
Accept
Reject
MOST
SCIENCE
Put the steps of the Scientific Method listed below into the
correct boxes on the flow chart.








Do you accept or reject the hypothesis?
Test the hypothesis
Form a hypothesis/Prediction
Repeat the experiment
Form a conclusion
Observe & identify the problem/question
Report the results
Record & analyze data
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD FLOW-CHART
NEXT
PROBLEM!
KEY
OBSERVE & IDENTIFY
the Problem/Question
Form a
HYPOTHESIS/PREDICTION
REPORT
the Results
Accept
TEST
the hypothesis
Reject
MOST
SCIENCE
Do you accept or reject
the hypothesis?
Record & Analyze
DATA
REPEAT
the
Experiment
(to be sure!)
Form a
CONCLUSION
Put the steps of the Scientific Method listed below into the
correct boxes on the flow chart.








Do you accept or reject the hypothesis?
Test the hypothesis
Form a hypothesis/Prediction
Repeat the experiment
Form a conclusion
Observe & identify the problem/question
Report the results
Page 31
Record
& analyze
data
Rob Jensen
 2005, All
Rights Reserved
Potato Candle
Demo of Observation vs. Inference
This lost classic is one I use the first day of the school year. It’s got light science
content, but its real appeal is the great “pop” at the end that gives them an idea of
how fun the rest of the year will be. Although a classic, notice the Socratic format,
the use of anticipation to increase interest, state changes to involve students and to
generate ownership, and a wonderful discrepant event (novelty!) at the end that
sends home a critical science concept.
My main point for the students is how their minds will fool them if they allow it.
Distinguishing between observation and inference is all the more important for
scientists in today’s political world. Use this one at the very end of the period to give
leave them “wowed” and to keep them talking about science going down the hall!
Abstract:
A potato core with a wick of slivered almond easily
passes as a candle. After you pool the students’
“observations” of it, you take a bite out of it and
dramatically show them how they’ve confused
observations with inferences! They love it.
Class Time Required:
10-15 minutes
Materials Required:
Potato, apple corer (available in kitchen-utensil
section of supermarkets), candleholder, almond
sliver (small amounts can be bought in bulk-food
sections), matches.
Teacher Preparation (day of):
Core a potato with an apple corer. Insert an
almond sliver, light it with a match, keeping it lit
just long enough to char it. Place it in a real
candleholder (the more classic-looking the better)
and you’re set! *
* If you have multiple classes in a row, core the number of candles you’ll need
for the morning, insert an almond sliver, just char the tip with a match, and put
the “candles” in a beaker of ice/cool water up to the top of the core only. This
keeps them from going brown before you use them. Do the same thing at
lunch for your afternoon classes.
Student Prior Knowledge:
None
Frame Suggestion:
“This is a science class and my job is to make you better scientists than you
are now. But to do that I need to know what kind of science skills you
already have. One of the most important skills scientists must have – it
starts with an “O” – is to make (let them finish the sentence, making them
engaged listeners!) … observations. Yeah, as scientists we must make
very accurate observations of what they know to be true. Well, let’s see
what kind of scientist you are! “Please get out a piece of paper and
something with which to write.” [Music]
 Quickly assemble your candle out of their view, preferably just outside of the
room. (The music and talking helps distract them just long enough for you to
do this!) Be sure to dry off the potato with a paper towel and lightly run a
match under the almond to ensure it’s ready to burn.
Demonstration:
 “I’m holding an object in my left hand (held behind your back – pause – now
you’ve got everyone’s attention!) and in a moment I’m going to show you this
object. Pause. When I show you the object, your job is to make a list of as
many observations – things you know to be true – as you can.”
 Show the candle and walk around the room with it, allowing all observations
but touch. “If you know what it is, tell me. If not, don’t. You should easily be
able to come up with 10-15 observations in the next two minutes.”
Remember, for me this is Day One of school, so they’re out to impress and
write feverishly!
 Other prompts intentionally designed to have them write both observations
and (incorrectly) inferences:









Can you tell me what it’s made of? If so, great. If not, don’t.
If you can tell me what color it is, great.
Can you tell me anything about its shape? Is there more than one shape
present?
Can you tell me about its size?
Can you tell me anything quantitative – something with a number attached
to it?
Can you tell me anything about its texture?
Has anything happened to it before? What is its history? If you know,
then go ahead and write it down. If not, don’t.
If it’s got more than one part, tell me. What can you tell me about each
part (size, shape, color, texture, composition, history, etc.)?
Do the separate parts have parts themselves? (I hold it with the “wick”
facing them so they’re write down “wick,” and “cotton”) What can you tell
me about them?
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 33 of 75
 [Optional] Briefly light the “wick” and let them include any observations.
 Generate a class list on the board. A typical (short) list looks something like
this:
 Candle
 Wick
 It’s old (yellowing)
 Made of wax
 Wick made of fabric
 White
 3” tall
 1” diameter
 Wick is ¾” tall
 Rough texture
 It’s been burned
 Several descriptions
before
of candleholder
 After you’ve generated the list, stand in front of the class. While lighting the
almond, say “That’s a pretty good list. But as scientists we have to be very
careful about what we call ‘observations.’ What is this thing? A candle? …
or is it?” Blow out the flame and take a bite out of the candle!
 Walk around, take another bite or two, and enjoy the reaction of your
students. Return to the board and ask, with mouth full, “So was it a candle?!”
Go down the list and cross out those that are not observations. If your
candleholder is fairly basic and made of metal, when you ask if it is made of
metal they will say, “yes.” You then dramatically start to take a bite out of it
(but don’t) pointing-out that they’re again making an inference. They love it.
 Explain that scientists have to be careful to ensure that the data they take are
actually observations. Inferences are fine, but you have to be clear on which
is which. They inferred it was a candle just because it looked like every other
candle they’ve ever seen – dangerous in science.
 Further instruct them that inferences without qualification are like
assumptions. Write the work “assume” on the board. “The problem when
you assume,” you continue, “is that you run the risk of making an ass of you
and me!” Say this last while circling the “ass,” “u,” and “me” in assume. High
school kids howl, but you’ll have to make the call on whether it’s appropriate
for your personality, classroom, and likelihood of a phone call later!
 Time the summarizing of your list (take more or fewer additions) to the bell
and you’ll have kids walking the halls raging about your “way cool” demo and
how cool your class is going to be this year! (Now you just have to keep it
rolling!)
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 34 of 75
The Baffling Balloon
A Spirited Student Debate!
This is a simple activity demonstrating that air has mass. They way it’s set up,
however, ensures serious and vigorous debate in your classroom, thus keeping
them engaged – and learning. It also holds absolutely everyone’s attention because
there is a single, climactic moment when the answer is revealed! This is my lead-in
to discussions of atmospheric pressure and to another show-stopping demo, The
Vacuum-Packed Kid (next lesson!).
Abstract:
A balloon is massed while empty and again when
full of air. Students must vote on which is lighter –
which is surprisingly tough!
Class Time Required:
10 minutes
Material Required:
Triple-beam (or other) balance (no scales!),
Balloon, Tape
Teacher Preparation Time:
5 minutes
Student Prior Knowledge:
None
Frame Suggestion:
WHY do we feel wind … everything from gentle breezes to hurricanes? Take
answers – lead to the notion that air must be made of something for us to feel
it. “This demonstration will help us answer that question.”
Activity

Ask for a VOLUNTEER to mass the empty balloon and a piece of tape (“We’ll
get to that in a minute”). Have the volunteer write the balloon’s mass on the
board. (Having students involved in demonstrations at any level greatly adds
to their interest and provides a great state change!)

“If we blow up the balloon and weigh it again, will it weigh* more … the same
… or less?!” Solicit responses and explanations. THIS is where you can play
the Devil’s Advocate to get them thinking critically – and to frustrate them!

Have a volunteer fully inflate and tie-off balloon.

While walking around the room, bounce the balloon on your fingertips to
dramatize the “lightness” of an inflated balloon. “So, will it weigh more… the
same … or less?!!” At this point many students begin entering in across-theroom debates and some will simply be stumped. ALL will want to know the
answer, however!
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 35 of 75

Ask for a volunteer to mass the inflated balloon and tape. “We needed the
tape to hold the balloon in place.” Give the students one last chance to
change their minds and ask for a vote by show of hands whether it will be
heavier or lighter than when deflated.

Naturally the balloon and tape will weigh more. Write the mass on board.

WHY does it weigh more?!” What’s air made of? Oxygen, etc.  What are
the smallest parts of these gases?  Atoms & molecules. Well, atoms &
molecules are made of “stuff,” so when we put anything made of “stuff” on a
scale, we will be able to measure its … weight. Or, more specifically (and
correctly!), its … mass. So the balloon has more mass because air has
MASS.

WRITE ON BOARD: “AIR HAS MASS”
Analogy

Q: Raise your hand if you’ve ever been swimming in a pool. What do you
notice when you dive to the bottom of the deep end of the pool? Why?
Sure, you feel pressure in your ears. Why? Water has mass and the
amount of water above you increases as you go to the bottom.

Q: Well, if air has mass and we piled lots and lots of air molecules on top of
each other, what would it be like at the bottom of the pile? Yeah, lots of
pressure. In fact, a column of air that is one inch square and extends up
through the entire atmosphere from sea level would weigh about 14.7
pounds – of air!
Segue to Next Demo (The Vacuum-Packed Kid!)

Q: Let’s take a closer look at the balloon itself. Is air trying to flow into or out
of the balloon? Out of the balloon.

Q: So where is the air pressure highest – inside or outside the balloon?
Inside

Q: So that means that air flows FROM an area of … high pressure to an area
of … low pressure. The air is actually PUSHED, not pulled. Make sense?

Q: Well, this is a simple demonstration on a really small scale, but what
happens when we talk about air pressure changes on a large scale – say,
the weather? For example, what happens when small changes in air
pressure occur over an area the size of this room … this city … all of
western Montana?! Let’s take a look… [to Vacuum-Packed Kid
demo!]
* I usually do this activity early in the year. Many students haven’t yet learned
the distinction between mass and weight, but I don’t formally introduce it here.
[Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object and is measured by a
balance; weight is a measure of the gravitational pull on that mass and is
measured by a scale.] Naturally, you’ll alter your own vocabulary based on
your curriculum sequence and your students!
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 36 of 75
Vacuum-Packed Kid
Seal A Kid In A Garbage Bag?!
This is a slam-dunk attention-getter that kids will definitely try at home and my
favorite air-pressure demonstration. The wonderful thing about it is that it actually
teaches kids something: 1) There is no such thing as suction in science, and 2)
Small changes in air pressure can have huge effects when spread over a large area,
like a continent. This is a great “week-ender” (one used on Friday to send them
home on a high!), so plan ahead!
WARNING:
Many students will try this at home, which is great! Just tell them that they shouldn’t
do it on smaller siblings (say, less than 90 pounds to be safe) because the pressure
on their chests may be too much. Also, it’s not a nice thing to do to the cat! I’ve had
limited success vacuum-packing the lower-half of adults, but make sure someone is
there to hold them up because they won’t be able to move their legs!
Abstract:
A student sits in a garbage bag and is “vacuumpacked,” using a hose attachment from a vacuum
cleaner.
Class Time Required:
15 minutes or more, depending on how many kids
you vacuum pack!
Materials:
Vacuum cleaner with hose, plastic lawn bags.
Teacher Preparation Time:
None (don’t forget the vacuum cleaner from home!)
Student Prior-Knowledge:
None
Frame Suggestion:
[If combining with the previous demo, The Baffling Balloon, check out the
suggested segue to this demo at the bottom of that demonstration’s description.]
Write “14.7 lbs/in2 = 29.93 in. = 1013.25 mb” on the board (average
atmospheric pressure at sea level in lbs/in2, inches of mercury, and millibars,
respectively). Explain that, because air has mass, these are measures of the
amount of air pressure at sea level. (No more detail is needed at this point.) “As
we’ll learn later, large pressure changes cause large changes in the weather.
What do you think might be a number that is possible but is also a large change
in atmospheric pressure.” Take responses and write them down on the board.
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 37 of 75
Demonstration:

PICK A VOLUNTEER (small person, preferably). Have them take off their
shoes, stand on a table, and get into the bag. (“Put both feet into one corner
of the bag and your butt in the other by sitting down.”) Make sure they don’t
fall over!

“Okay, we know from the last demo that AIR HAS MASS and that air flows
FROM an area of high pressure TO an area of low pressure. What we’re
going to do here is to vacuum pack this person!’

“To vacuum pack something what do we have to do? ‘Suck’ all the air out of
the bag. How could we do this easily? Yeah! Use a vacuum cleaner.” (Pull
out vacuum cleaner.)

“What a vacuum cleaner really does is create a LOW pressure INSIDE the
vacuum. So if the air pressure inside is LOW, this means that the air
pressure OUTSIDE the vacuum is … HIGH. We know that air flows FROM
areas of high pressure TO areas of low pressure, so air is actually being
PUSHED INTO the vacuum! It’s true! Actually, in science, there is no such
thing as “suction.” Therefore, science never sucks! (You might think it blows,
but it can never suck!)”

Place the hose-end of vacuum into bag with volunteer. Have the person hold
the hose while covering its end with spread-apart fingers to prevent bag from
getting “sucked” into the vacuum. Pull the bag opening snug around the
person’s neck.

Inform the volunteer that if they at any time feel uncomfortable when you turn
on the vacuum, that all they have to do is say “Stop” and you’ll turn off the
vacuum.

Dramatically count-down and finally turn on the vacuum. Ask them to move
their arms …. They can’t! [If it doesn’t vacuum-pack them well, gather the
plastic at the bag opening near their neck to make the seal tighter.] Turn off
the vacuum cleaner.

“If she can’t even more, there must be a HUGE difference in air pressure
between the inside and outside of the bag. How many think the pressure
difference is more than 10 lbs/in2? 20? 50? Actually, the difference in air
pressure is only about 1.5 lbs/in2! You couldn’t handle one pound?! But
remember, that’s one pound per square inch. How many square inches are
on her arm – a lot! How many pounds is that? A lot!”

“It’s only one pound per square BUT IT’S OVER A LARGE AREA. Well, the
same thing is true with atmospheric pressure – it’s very small changes, but it’s
over a huge area … like all of western Montana! So what does this
demonstrate? That very small changes in air pressure cause huge changes
over large areas.

Write a common, local high-pressure reading on the board alongside a
hurricane pressure reading (e.g., 28.94” and 27.17” are cut-offs for Category
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 38 of 75
1 and 5 hurricanes, respectively!) and compare it to their guesses. It’s not
much difference in pressure over a small area but there’s an ENORMOUS
difference in the result!

Vacuum-pack more kids!
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 39 of 75
Blue Skies
Example of Using Analogies
Here is an example where I engage students in a lesson by relating an analogy in
the form of a story. I follow it with a more formal lecture, yet I constantly refer back
to the analogy. To be honest, you couldn’t just read this to a class and have it be
tremendously effective. Your skills as a presenter and storyteller must come in to
play to engage the kids in what you’re talking about. Dramatic pauses, “vocal
italics,” use of a variety of tones, animated movements, and illustrations and/or
models will all make them MUCH more powerful!
Abstract:
A brief introduction to the electromagnetic
spectrum using an analogy for diffraction. It’s also
a great setup for demonstration labs.
Class Time Required:
10 minutes
Materials Required:
Nothing required, although I illustrate my story with
drawings on an overhead. Model cars are also
great!
Teacher Preparation Time:
None
Student Prior-Knowledge:
None – this is an intro to the EMS
Frame Suggestion:
“When you look up at the sky on a clear day, what color is it? Blue. Why is it blue?
Usually no response or a response that the oceans reflect this color to the sky. Don’t
explain, just solicit responses. What color is the sky at dawn and dusk? Red, orange.
So sounds like the sky is different colors at different times of the day. Huh. What color
is the light coming from the Sun? White (correct them when they say yellow!). Does
anyone know what makes up white light? All colors. Right, when our eyes detect all
colors at the same time we see them as white light.
We’re going to be studying the properties of colored light and more, and in doing so
we’ll be able to explain why the skies are blue during the day and red at sunset!”
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 40 of 75
Analogy:
When trying to explain why higher energy wavelengths (blue-indigo-violet) scatter more
easily than lower energy wavelengths (red), I tell them a story about driving:
“Juan here [a student in class] has a brand-new car, so he’s
got a LOT of ENERGY. He picked a BLUE sports car.
[Draw a blue sports car on an overhead or have a model.] It
only has a couple seats so it’s really SHORT wheelbase, or
wheel LENGTH, and has a top speed of 186. [Write “186”
on the overhead.] He’s flying along with his stereo blasting,
drinking a soda, and chatting on the cell phone.
Unfortunately for Juan, there’s a rock the size of a basketball
in the road and one of his tires hits it. What’s going to
happen? Right, he’s going to crash. In a big way? You bet
– his car’s going to SCATTER all over the highway.
Amazingly, he gets out, still talking on his cell phone and
he’s fine. Juan is tough!
Well, a few minutes later I come along. I drive a superlong RED limousine, so it has a really LONG wheelbase, or
LONG wheel-LENGTH. [Draw a long, red fire truck.] Even
though I have very LITTLE ENERGY, I’m driving at the
SAME speed – 186. [Circle your “186” from before]. I
become distracted by the ball of flames and carnage I see
on the road up ahead so I hit the same rock. Question:
What’s going to happen to my LONG truck compared to
Juan’s SHORT car? Will the scattering be as bad as with
Juan? Nope, I’m going to hit it and will only be thrown a bit
off course, so I won’t SCATTER as much. Why not?”
You then directly explain that high-energy BLUE wavelengths (in white light,
which contains all colors) are easily SCATTERED by particles in the atmosphere
while low-energy RED wavelengths scattering less so. In other words, you
explain why the sky’s blue during the day and red at sunset! The colors of the
cars, especially if you include models, pictures, or drawings, and implanting and
dramatizing words like “scattered” all serve as memory cues.
Check out www.exploratorium.com for a concise explanation of this phenomenon
and for labs to illustrate it!
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 41 of 75
Climate Control
Or “Why It’s Hot At The Equator And Cold At The Poles”
An Interactive Lecture
This is a lecture, but the kids won’t even know it because there are no text
overheads nor notes to take – at least initially – and they’re involved throughout. All
my lectures are Socratic in nature and this is no exception. Notice the use of stories,
analogies, and kinesthetic memory cues and lists. Don’t be intimidated by the
written length of this section as it takes a lot of text to explain the hand movements;
the entire lesson itself only takes 15-20 minutes!
Abstract:
An interactive lecture on the causes of climatic
differences around the globe.
Class Time Required:
15 minutes (with practice); 20-25 minutes the first
time you do it.
Materials Required:
Ruler for each student (6” or longer) (not required;
they can use a pencil)
Teacher Preparation Time:
5 minutes to get out rulers
Student Prior Knowledge:
None
Engager Questions:
1. Where would you go if you could go on an all-expenses-paid vacation?
2. What do most/many of these places have in common? IT’S WARM
3. What part of the world do we find these areas? EQUATOR
4. WHY is it hot along the equator and cold at the Poles? [Asked rhetorically.]
Well, actually there are FOUR reasons (hold up four fingers)! Let’s take a
look…
Frame Suggestion:
Understanding why it’s hot at the equator and cold at the poles will allow you
to understand why deserts occur where they do (because there is a pattern)!,
why rainforests occur where they do, what crops can be grown where, and,
ultimately, what drives weather patterns on the planet!
Lecture:
Reason #1: Area of Illumination
Tell the Cake & Icing Story (elaborate at will!)
Dan here (pick any student) was throwing a party last week and a lot of
people were coming because Dan’s a pretty popular guy. He went to the
store and bought some cake mix. He wanted it to be an awesome cake so
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 42 of 75
.. What’s the best part of a cake? Right, the icing. Anyway, he wanted it to
be an awesome cake, so he bought lots of icing for the top. When he got
home, he got a call from one of the invitees asking if she could bring a
couple friends. “Sure,” Dan says. He heads to the store to buy more cake
mix, but they were out of icing. “No problem,” Dan thought, I’ve got a lot.
What will happen to the thickness of the icing as the cake gets bigger?
Right, it’ll become thinner. [Demonstrate this with your thumb and index
finger.] He returned home again and there was a message waiting for him.
Another invitee was bringing his cousins who were visiting from out of town.
Dan ran down to buy yet more cake mix, but they were still out of icing.
What will happen to the thickness of the icing? Right, it’ll get even thinner.
Did the amount of cake to cover increase? Yeah. Did the amount of icing
change? Nope. So, as the cake got bigger and bigger, the icing got thinner
and thinner. [Demonstrate this again with your thumb and index finger.] So
what does that have to do why it’s hot at the equator and cold at the Poles?!
 DRAW on the board the curve of Earth (quarter-circle) and the Sun’s parallel
rays; highlight 1m2 of sunlight hitting the Earth
1. What is the angle of the Sun’s rays at the equator? 90o/straight-on
 HANDS: Holding a fist sideways, extend your index finger and pinky. Hold a
ruler at right angles to them
2. “So at the equator, it looks like this … My parallel fingers are like the parallel
rays of sunlight that strike the equator.” “This ruler represents the Earth’s
surface.”
3. “What’s the angle between the ruler and my fingers?” 90o
 “What’s it look like at the North Pole? “
4. Draw Sun’s rays striking land near the North Pole

HANDS: Demonstrate the different angle of rays (same two fingers)
striking Earth (ruler). Verbally highlight the difference.

Your turn! Have students go get a ruler from the back of the room. [Play
music. Notice the state changes and “release” here?!]

Have students imitate your hand movements:
5. Hold a ruler so the top of it (zero) meets the tip of your index finger; make
sure the ruler can pivot on the tip of your finger.
6. “Measure the amount of ruler between your index finger and pinky –
remember that measurement.“
7. Demonstrate: Trace the curve of earth with ruler in air – move hands up
from the equator position to the North Pole. Go back to the equator
position.
8. “Watch what happens as we move towards the poles – keeping your fingers
parallel to the floor, move them up along the curve of the earth. Pivot the
ruler on your index finger.“
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 43 of 75
9. “Stop your hands just below the pole – now measure the amount of ruler
that’s between your index finger and pinky. Is it greater than, less than, or
the same distance as at the equator?” Greater. A lot or a little? A lot.
10. “This distance represents the amount of land area that is illuminated at each
area – either at the equator or the pole. It’s the same amount of energy
coming in – the distance between your fingers is always the same – but it
gets more spread out near the pole.”
11. “What does this have to do with cake & icing? What stays the same in each
part of the story?” The amount of icing. “What keeps increasing?” The
amount of cake. “So then what does the icing represent?” Sunlight energy.
“What does the cake represent?” Land – the amount that is illuminated by
the sunlight.
12. “So in the cake story, what keeps getting thinner and thinner?” The icing.
“So what gets ‘thinner and thinner’ – more and more spread out – as we go
towards the pole?” Energy. “So what happens to the temperature?” It goes
down. “ Where is the “icing,” or rather, energy, thickest?” At the equator.`
“So what happens to the temperature?” It goes up. “Remember, it’s the
same amount of energy coming in at each location; it’s just that it becomes
more and more spread-out as you reach the poles and that means colder
temperatures!”

Mid-latitudes – draw Sun’s rays striking the mid-latitudes
13. “If the area that’s illuminated is really small at the equator and really big at
the pole, what’s it like in between?” Right, in between!

“So the FIRST REASON (hold up your index finger) it’s cold at the poles and
hot at the equator is the area of illumination, or the area that is illuminated.
Do this hand motion to help you remember it.” With your index finger (two
options)
1. Projector Version: Write “Area of Illumination” on an overhead-projector
glass. Say, “The area” while tracing a large circle in the air, then “of
iIlumination,” just as you turn on the projector with your index finger.
Repeat. Have a few students do the same thing in front of the class.
2. Non-Projector Version: Outline in the air, a small circle and then a large
circle above it. Say, “The area” while tracing two large circles in the air,
one with each index finger. Then say, “of iIlumination,” as your fingers
open to palms that make an arching motion. Repeat.

“Okay, hands down“

“Now explain to a partner what this means in 30 seconds.” [Music]

Double-check for understanding using the index finger for “Reason #1.”
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 44 of 75
Reason #2: Angle of Incidence
Tell the “Cupcake INCIDENT” story
“It’s funny we were just talking about icing, because that reminds me of
something that happened right here at this school just a few years ago. It’s
known around here as, ‘The Cupcake Incidents.’ The cafeteria raised the
prices on Hostess cupcakes and, believe it or not, it caused student protests
all over school. (I think the government teachers were in on this, to tell you
the truth!) The kids had protests signs that said things like, “Cup-caking Is
Not A Crime,” “Cupcakes Not Capitalism,” and “Affordable Cupcakes For a
Free And Just Society.” Predictably, the administration overreacted and
called-out the National Guard, which brought in a water cannon to quell the
riot that developed. It was nuts.”
 DRAW a water cannon with a horizontal jet of water coming out of it.
5. “During this riot I saw student trying to hold their own against the water
cannon by using their protests signs.”
6. “I saw one student holding their sign like this (DRAW a stick-person holding
sign at right angle to water), and another person holding their sign like this”
(DRAW a person behind a sign at a low angle to the water).
7. “Which person do you think had a fighting chance of staying where they
stood?” The person holding the sign at an angle.
8. “Okay, now grab your notebook. If I’m up here at the front of the room and
have a water cannon, how would you hold your notebook to deflect the
water?” Have them hold up their book and practice deflecting.
9. “So was the ANGLE was important in these INCIDENTS? Sure!”
10. “This is the same when sunlight strikes the Earth – the closer the angle is to
90o, the more direct – hotter – the temperature is going to be. Where does
this happen? Sure, at the equator. That means that the lower the angle,
the colder it’s going to be – like at the Poles!”
11. “So put your two parallel fingers up again. Notice that the angle changes –
let’s make THIS finger (pinky) the ANGLE of INCIDENCE (pinky thrust up at
a right angle).”
12. Write Angle of Incidence on the board. Explain the difference between the
words incident and incidence, if necessary!


Repeat first two reasons using fingers.
“But wait a minute. How many reasons did I say there were for why it’s hot at
the equator and cold at the poles? Right, FOUR. Hold out all four fingers on
that hand. These last two are pretty easy to explain.”
Reason #3: Distance Through the Atmosphere

“Look at our drawing of the Sun’s rays striking the Earth again. Let’s draw in
a layer for the atmosphere.”
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 45 of 75

“What happens to the temperature when a cloud comes overhead? It drops.
Why? Because the cloud scatters/blocks the light. What if a really thick cloud
comes over? The temperature drops even more. Why? Because there’s
more stuff to scatter the sun’s rays.”
 “The same thing explains the Third Reason for temperature differences
between the equator and Poles – Distance Through the Atmosphere.”
 Point out the difference between the distances on the drawing.
 “Let’s use the longest finger, the middle finger, to represent Distance Through
the Atmosphere, because we usually think of distances as long.”
 “How many reasons did I say there were? How many have we done? Only
one more!”
Reason #4: Reflection Off of Snow and Ice
 “The fourth reason is easiest of all. What color clothing is the hottest to wear
in the sun? Black. The coolest? White. Why? Because black absorbs
sunlight and white reflects sunlight.”
 “So what happens to sunlight that strikes a white surface? It’s reflected.”
 “What’s there a lot of at the Poles? Snow and ice!”
 “So let’s make all four fingers represent snow and ice (fluttering fingers)!”
Student Debrief:

“So, let’s review” … review reasons with fingers

“Now, turn to a person sitting next to you and see if you can LIST AND
EXPLAIN the four reasons why it’s cold at the Poles and hot at the equator!”

Quiz them on these four at the beginning of the next class period or two!
Whew!!
Again, please don’t be intimidated by all the text. It really flows quite easily with a
little practice, especially if you’re used to teaching like this! This is simply an
example of how traditional lectures can be made more engaging and more
memorable!
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 46 of 75
Parallax Lab
Measuring Distance To The Stars!
Many labs that you get out of textbooks are “cookbook”-style validation labs, in that
the students follow the procedures and get the results expected. (So why do the
lab?!) The idea of making labs “inquiry-based” has been around for years, but the
thought of rewriting labs inhibits many teachers from changing.
Parallax, the apparent movement of an object as you change position, is one
method that astronomers use for determining the distance to stars. Here is an
inquiry-based lab that allows students to develop a method for measuring parallax.
Students work in teams, but it’s non-competitive because, as you’ll see, the design
requires teams to share information.
The optional demo at the end of this lab can be used on its own to demonstrate
that the constellations we see are only visible from one point in space – Earth!
Anywhere else in space and you won’t see the same pattern. I use it here to
illustrate that point, but also to give them an example of the uses of parallax. It’s
also a great state change and I refer to it the rest of the year.
My students truly enjoy this activity, and I actually have a hard time getting them
to stop working on the lab! Pay attention to how analogies, social interactions, peer
coaching, and a variety of state changes are used in this version and think about
how easy it is to add a few of these techniques to any cookbook lab!
Abstract:
An inquiry-based investigation of the effects of
distance on parallax. Student teams are given the
materials and coached in developing the
procedure. It’s also non-competitive, as teams
trade members to help one another! The optional
demo at the end can be used alone.
Class Time Required:
50 minutes
Materials:
Lab Activity (per student team of 3-4)
 Meter stick
 Ruler (metric)
 Tape (masking or transparent)
 Small ball of aluminum foil (about the size of a
pea); tear 2” square pieces to be handed out, 1
per team.
 Parallax Lab student handout (see at end of
lesson)
Summary Demo (teacher) [Optional]
 7 balls of aluminum foil, ~2” diameter
 7 paperclips
 Fishing line or string (~20 ft)
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 47 of 75
Teacher Preparation Time:
30-35 minutes: 10 min for lab (tearing foil
squares) and 20 min to set up constellation for
summary demo (I leave mine up for the remainder
of the year and refer back to it when we discuss
constellations, so it’s worth it! It also takes less
time the next year you use it.)
Student Prior Knowledge:
None!
Setup Instructions for Constellation Demo (Optional but recommended!)
The object here is to replicate the Big Dipper “constellation” in your room by
suspending foil balls from the ceiling with fishing line. (The Big Dipper is not really
its own constellation, but rather part of a larger one, Ursa Major.) Pick one point
in the far end of the room as the “observation point” and discretely mark it with a
small piece of tape. This represents the location of Earth in space and will be the
only point in the room where you will be able to see the constellation. (Each “star”
in the constellation is a different distance from Earth, so as you move so does
your perspective, and therefore the pattern.)
Fist tear seven large pieces of foil (~1ft2 each) and cut seven lengths of
fishing line, each about 3-4 long. Taking a foil square and a string, lay one end of
the string across the square and crumble the foil. Make sure a “tail” of string
sticks out of the foil. This allows you to slide the foil ball along the string to you
can fine-tune its suspended height. Tie a paperclip to the other end of the string.
Below is a table of the names of the stars in the Big Dipper and their
distances from Earth along with an illustration of their relative positions. Use this
to replicate the constellation at the other end of the room, keeping distances
(grossly) relative. The idea here is to have the balls far enough apart so that the
constellation isn’t obvious from where they’re seated in the classroom, so it
doesn’t have to be exact. The longer the distance from “Earth” to the first foil ball,
however, the better students will be able to finally perceive the constellation. In
other words, bigger rooms are better (but not critical!). To suspend the foil ball,
simply poke the wire end of a paperclip into a drop-ceiling tile. If you have plaster
ceiling, paperclips make it easier to tape string to the ceiling. Again, you can slide
the foil balls up and down on the string, so it should only take about 10 minutes to
set up.
Name of Star
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Alkaid
Mizar
Alioth
Megrez
Phecda
Merak
Dubhe
Distance From
Sun (light years)
210
88
68
65
90
80
105
7
2
1
3
4
5
6
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 48 of 75
Engager Suggestion:
“Everybody hold out your fist and give a ‘thumb’s up.’ [Demonstrate.] Now close
one eye, and cover an object on the far wall with your thumb. Now switch eyes
without moving your thumb. What happened?” Most people will say, “It moved.”
Of course, nothing moved, so you say, “WHAT moved?!” You continue, “Nothing
moved, of course, but it appeared to move, right? Well, this appearance of
movement, this apparent movement, is called parallax. (Write “parallax” on the
board.) So the definition of parallax is, the apparent movement of an object as
your position changes.
Now hold up that same thumb, but this time hold it closer to your eye.
[Demonstrate.] Cover up the same object on the wall as before and again switch
eyes. What was different this time? Right, it appeared to have moved more – to
have a greater shift in parallax.”
Frame Suggestion:
“Parallax is an important tool for astronomers. By the end of this period, you’ll be
able to explain how astronomers use parallax to determine the distance from the
earth to a star. Trust me, you will!”
Activity
 Have students form groups of 3 or 4 (depending on your supplies) [Music]
 Instruct students to each sit in a chair facing a center table/desk [Music]
 Intro Lab
“In our little demo of parallax just now you observed a change in the amount
of parallax based on how close an object (your thumb) was to your eye. Just
saying it has more or less parallax, however, is insufficient. These are just
qualifications, or describing with qualities. Scientists like to quantify things
whenever possible – describing things with a quantity, or a number – so your
task in this lab is to design and conduct an experiment that will quantify the
relationship between the amount of parallax and the distance from an
observer to an object. In other words, you’ll need to actually measure the
amount of shift in an object at different distances.”
 Get Materials
“To do this, we need to assign group members. Each person in your group
needs to hold up a 1, 2, 3, or 4. Check to make sure no one in your group is
holding up the same number. Great. Each group needs three pieces of
equipment: a meter stick, a ruler, and a foil ball. When I say go, Person #1
gets a meter stick, #2 gets a ruler, #3 gets a piece of foil and crumbles into a
ball, and #4, you get a Parallax Lab handout.” [Music] [Obviously, you can
break up the assignments depending on the number of students in a group.]
 Get Started
“Your job right now is to figure out HOW to use that equipment to measure
the relationship between the amount of parallax and the distance to an
observer. You have only three constraints, or rules, you must follow when
designing your lab: [Post list as an overhead and/or refer them to the
handout.]
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 49 of 75
1) The meter stick must lie flat on the center table/desk.
(Sometimes it helps them to tape it down.)
2) Each person in your group must make two measurements of
parallax from different distances.
3) You must share your data with your teammates.
I’ll give you three minutes to brainstorm in your groups HOW you will do this.
You won’t actually do the lab yet; you’re just discussing possible methods
right now. Questions? Go.”
2-3 MINUTES [Music] Wander the room, but only clarify instructions.
 “Remember, your task is to quantify – measure – the relationship between
parallax and distance to an object. In other words, how much parallax shift
is there as an object gets closer or farther away. Think about what you
could use to measure the 1) distance to the object, and 2) amount of
parallax. I’ll give you another minute.”
1 MINUTE [Music]
 Team Share
 “Okay, Person #3 in each group, raise your hand. Thank you. YOU are your
team’s temporary ambassador to a different group!“ [Music]
 “Ambassadors raise both hands so we know who you are! In 10 seconds,
when I say go, you will go to a different group. Go!“ [Music]
 “Ambassadors, you now have 30 seconds to explain your group’s current lab
design to the other group. Go!“ [Music]
 “Person #2 in each group, raise your hand. Thank you. YOUR job is to explain
to the visiting ambassadors what your team is planning. Go!“ [Music]
 “Ambassadors, return to your groups!“ [Music]
 Coaching Prompt 1 (you can insert more if needed)
 “In this lab you need to measure what, the distance to an object and the
amount of parallax. What might you use as the object in your procedure? Foil
ball. Sure, and what in space would this represent? Stars. Cool. What might
you use to measure a long distance? Meter stick. And a short distance?
Ruler. Okay just checking. Original teams, you have three more minutes to
refine your procedures. Remember, you’re not collecting data but rather just
figuring out what you’re going to do. GO!”
2-3 MINUTES [Music]
Pass out tape (if used) while music is still playing.
 Coaching Prompt 2 (you can insert more if needed)
 Here I summarize the entire lab procedure via questioning. There are usually a
few kids still struggling with what the other kids in their group are discussing, so
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 50 of 75
I ask different groups what they’re going to do and repeat/polish this for the rest
of the class. Most kids put a foil ball the meter stick, look down the length of it
with one eye, and switch eye. A ruler at the end of the meter stick, lying at 90o
to the table, allows them to quantify the parallax. They then move the foil ball
to a new distance. A few kids figure out you can do the same thing by looking
down on the meter stick to measure parallax while holding the foil ball along a
vertical ruler. More cumbersome and doesn’t give you long distances, but it
works!
 Collecting Data
 “Great, so is everyone ready to go? Remember, if you’ve got questions once
we start, just raise your hand. Everyone, take two measurements!”
5-10 Minutes [Music]
Summary Demonstration:

Transition to Constellation
 “You might have noticed that there are some foil balls hanging from the ceiling.
These are arranged in the pattern of a common constellation but that
constellation is only visible from one point in the room. Your job is to wander
around the room to find that point. Go! [Music] (I often help them by telling a
few students whether they’re “hot” or “cold.”)
 Have everyone stand near the observation point.
 “Why couldn’t you see the constellation from other parts of the room?
Remember, many stars in our constellations have their own planets, so the Big
Dipper doesn’t exist for any aliens living on them! It also means our Sun is part
of one their constellations!”
 “Now put your hands in your pockets,” (or they’ll use their thumbs!). Line up a
distant star with something behind it on the far wall. Now switch eyes and note
the amount of parallax.”
 “Now Line up the closest star with something behind it on the far wall. Now
switch eyes and note how the amount of parallax.”
 “How does the parallax differ? Sure, the closest star displays a more dramatic
parallax than the most distant star.”
 Instruct students to return to their groups and discuss the answers to the
handout questions.
Student Debrief
Explain handout’s diagram at front of class. They finish the rest of the questions as
homework!
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 51 of 75
MEASURING PARALLAX
Name ____________________
Date ____________Period _____
Close one eye, then hold your thumb out and use it to cover up an object on the
wall. Now switch eyes. Did you notice how your thumb moved?! Well, your thumb
didn’t actually change position, but it sure appeared as though it did, didn’t it? In
other words, its apparent position changed because your two eyes aren’t in the
same spot in your head. This apparent movement, my friends, is called parallax!
Simply put, parallax is “the apparent shift in position of an object when viewed
from two locations.” This just means that objects appear (apparent) to move (shift in
position) against a background when the observer moves. What’s this got to do with
astronomy? Let’s find out!
YOUR CHALLENGE:
1) To demonstrate (with data!) how the distance from an observer to an object
affects the amount of parallax (i.e., what happens to the amount of parallax as
an object gets closer/farther from you).
2) To describe how parallax could be used to determine the distance to a star.
MATERIALS AVAILABLE: Meter stick, metric ruler, tape, pencil
CONSTRAINTS (i.e., You must…)
1. The meter stick must lie flat on the center table/desk. (Sometimes it helps
them to tape it down.)
2. Each person in your group must make two measurements of parallax from
different distances. (This is science, so metric only!)
3. You must share your data with your teammates.
TEAM HYPOTHESIS: _______________________________________
__________________________________________________
PROCEDURE: (Use as many steps as necessary)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 52 of 75
Results/DATA (TABLE AND GRAPH)
DATA ANAlysis
1. What happened to the object when it was viewed with one eye closed then the
other? ___________________________________________
2. Does parallax have a direct or indirect relationship with distance? ________
CONCLUSION
3. Study the illustration below carefully. Remember, apparent means the way it
appears, not the way it is. Explain in glorious detail how parallax could be
useful tool for astronomers studying stars. (Don’t just tell me what you’d be able
to tell about a star – tell me how you’d do it!)
______________
Very distant stars
______________
Apparent position
Apparent position of
of star to an earth
star to an earth
______________
observer in July
observer in January
______________
______________
Actual location of
______________
the star
______________
______________
______________
The earth
The earth
in January
in July
______________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 53 of 75
Very distant stars
Apparent
position of star
to an earth
observer in July
Apparent position
of star to an earth
observer in
January
Actual location
of the star
The earth
in January
The earth
in July
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 54 of 75
Dancing With Venus
Memorizing a List via a Story
There are very few lists that I have my students memorize in order. However, when
they do occur, I help them figure out a way to recall them – and tell them that’s what
I’m doing! EVERYone gets this list correct on tests AND I don’t have to reteach it.
Now that’s what I like!
Planet order is a typical list in an earth science classroom. I came up with the
following story for them, but after giving students a few examples like this they can
then come up with stories on their own. (They need some class time for this or it
won’t happen!) Notice the pairing of kinesthetic cues with the story to aid in recall.
Abstract:
A story incorporating the planet names in order.
Class time required:
10-15 minutes
Teacher Preparation Time:
None
Student Prior-Knowledge:
None
Materials Required:
None
Frame:
“We’re going to be talking a lot about the planets, and it’ll really help when we
start talking about their movements and related NASA missions if you know the
order of them in our solar system. There are only nine, but we’re actually going
to take a bit of class time so I can teach you a trick to learn the list! Everybody
stand up and face me!”
Activity:
For many students, it helps to give them some brief background before the story.
Knowing that Venus is the goddess of love and Mars the god of war will help
make sense of the story and will assist in their recalling it. (I just ask them who
are Venus and Mars, they tell me, kids who didn’t know now do, and we’re done!)
Also, some kids won’t know what an urn looks like, so I’ll illustrate it for them.
(This one has a pointy top!)
Order of (Known!) Planets
1. Mercury (closest to the Sun)
2. Venus
3. Earth
4. Mars
5. Jupiter
6. Saturn
7. Uranus
8. Neptune
9. Pluto (Plus one more discovered in 2005?! Not yet named.)
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 55 of 75
Story
Use vocal italics to highlight the names of each planet as you tell the story,
and be sure the kids do, too. Also, kinesthetic cues are tremendous aids for
long-term memory so make sure they follow your lead. (Cues in italics.)
Playing music lowers inhibitions and facilitates group discussion during the
debrief.
The Mercury was really risin’ (fan yourself) when you were dancing with
Venus (“raisin’ the roof” / pushing up “curls” motion with your hands), but you
were really brought back down to Earth (stomp on ground with both feet)
when Mars walked into the room (flex in muscle-man pose) and pushed you
over (make a “shoving” motion with your palm and stumble back].
[Repeat first paragraph.]
“Jumpin’ Jupiter!,” (jump up from your squat) you screamed when you Sat
on an urn [Saturn] (turn around and point to an urn on the floor) … that poked
Uranus (say this last “on the sly” by speaking to along back of your hand and
out the side of your mouth, all while rubbing your buttocks). The Next tune
[Nep-tune] (make a brief “rolling” motion with your index finger to indicate
“next”) you figure you’ll just dance with your dog Pluto instead (“petting”
motion while dancing).
Student Debrief
1. Repeat the entire story with the students, identifying the names of each
planet as you go through it.
2. Have the students form pairs or trios. [Play music!]
3. Instruct them to repeat the story in their groups. [Play music!]
4. Instruct one student in each group to pull out a piece of paper and, with
the assistance of their teammates, write down the nine planets in order.
[Play music!]
5. Instruct everyone in the group to thank and congratulate their teammates.
I have them quickly review the story at the beginning of the period over the
next couple days and that’s usually all it takes!
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 56 of 75
Happy Meal Smoothie
A Gross (and Memorable!) Demo of Fat Content in Fast Food
This demonstration has done more to improve student eating-habits than any video
or lecture I’ve got – even more than my hemorrhoids & fiber lecture! I cover nutrition
in my biology class, and because every kid has eaten a Happy Meal in their life this
one really hits home. I can’t tell you how many times students, friends of students,
and parents have commented on this to me outside the classroom, so you can rest
assured they’ll talk about it after they leave. (I think it’s the orange and gray, fatty
“sludge” that gets them.) The video, Supersize Me, is a natural follow-up. Make
room for this one in your curriculum if you can or pass it on to a health teacher!
Abstract:
A complete MacDonald’s Happy Meal is blended
in a blender. Its fat then rises to the surface to
provide a gross estimate of its percent fat-content.
Class Time Required:
10 minutes; observe over the course of the period
to watch more fat rise to the top.
Materials:
Microwave, MacDonald’s Happy Meal, blender,
hot/warming plate, large beaker (1000ml).
Teacher Preparation Time:
Getting the Happy Meal from MacDonald’s and
heating it in a microwave just before class.
Prior Student Knowledge:
None
Frame Suggestion:
“How many of you have eaten at a fast-food restaurant before? Looks like
everyone! What’s the biggest concern nutritionists have over people eating at
MacDonald’s too much? Yeah, fat. What percent fat content do you think
would be pretty high in food: 5%? 10%? 20%? Remember, this is the
portion of food that is just plain fat. Let’s take a look at how much fat there is
in fast food by doing one of the grossest demonstrations we’ll do all year.”
Anticipation! [Play music while you get the Happy Meal from the microwave.]
Demo Preparation:
For this to work well, the Happy Meal – burger, fries, and soda (get Sprite
because it’s clear) – all have to be very hot. Hot enough so that most of the fat
will melt to oil and therefore rise to the top of the “smoothie.”
To do this, I transfer the soda to a beaker and put the whole meal in the
microwave and heat them up just before class starts. There’s not enough soda
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 57 of 75
to allow the fat to rise through all the food, so I make sure I have a half-liter or so
of (close to) boiling water available during the demo, too.
After I finish the frame (above), I dash to the microwave, heat the meal for
another 30 seconds, put the soda back in the cup and the meal into the bag, and
bring them into the classroom in a plain brown bag.
Demo

“How many of you have eaten at MacDonald’s before? Wow, still everybody.
When you were a little kid – and maybe even now – what did you always
order when you went to MacDonald’s?” A Happy Meal! [Pull out the Happy
Meal.] “I just so happen to have a Happy Meal right here.” [Take out bag.]
“After the prize [pull out the prize and set it on the counter], what was the first
thing you ate?” Fries! “After you picked up a handful of fries what did you do
with them?” Eat ‘em! “Well, we can’t really all eat these fries, so we’ll have to
find something that can demonstrate eating them.” [Pull out the blender.
Eyes widen!]

[Put fries into blender.] “Of course, you often slup up some soda while the
fries are still in your mouth, right?” [Pour all of soda into blender.] “And what
do you do once everything is in your mouth?” Chew?! “Yeah, chew!” [Turn
on the blender.] “Of course, you don’t stop with just one fry …” [Toss in
some more fries. Turn off blender.]

“What’s the other part of the Happy Meal?” The burger! “Well, I guess we’ll
have to demonstrate eating that, too.” [Break off a piece, place it in the
blender, and turn it on.]

At about this point, kids will start commenting on how gross it is. Just point
out that this is exactly what’s in your mouth when you eat! Continue adding
fries and pieces of burger. You’ll likely need to add VERY HOT water to allow
it to blend.

Sometimes, for added drama, I’ll stop the blender and comment that
sometimes this food makes me sick. I’ll then fake-wretch while pulsing the
blender – they love it!

After the entire meal is blended, transfer the “smoothie” to a large beaker and
place it on the hot place (set to keep it slightly hot, but not boiling). At this
point, there’s usually a fair amount of orange/gray fat as a top layer. “What’s
this stuff at the top?” FAT! GROSS! “Well, let’s just keep an eye on this for
the rest of the period.”

Continue with another lesson, but save 6-7 minutes for the end of the period.
Come back to the beaker. “What’s happened?” Lots more fat! It’s usually
around 30% of the volume. Explain what’s going on and that there’s still a lot
of fat that hasn’t liquefied and/or made its way to the top. I often add
comments like, “And this is the amount of fat a 5-year old should be eating?!”
Point out that a Happy Meal ain’t so happy because 37% (36.7%) of the solid
food calories comes from fat and 30% of the total meal’s calories comes from
fat. This might not seem so bad, but remember that this is the SMALLEST
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 58 of 75
meal they offer and is targeted at tiny kids! By the way, when did a 12ounce soft drink become “child size?!”

I guarantee kids will return weeks later and tell you that this has changed their
eating habits. Some will be defiant, but at least it gets them thinking about it,
and that’s all I can really hope from this age group!
Protein (g)
0
Sugars (g)
0
% Daily Value (Dietary
fiber)
0
Dietary Fiber (g)
110
19
9
0
% Daily Value
(Carbohydrates)
12 oz
4
1.5
0
Carbohydrates (g)
16
15
% Daily Value (Sodium)
10
10
Sodium (mg)
% Daily Value (Total Fat)
90
90
% Daily Value
(Cholesterol)
Total Fat (g)
280
210
% Daily Value (Saturated
Fat)
Cholesterol (mg)
Calories from FAT
105 g
68 g
Saturated Fat (g)
Calories
Hamburger
Small Fries
Sprite
(Child)
Serving Size
Happy Meal Nutritional Information*
30
0
10
0
560
135
23
6
35
26
12
9
2
2
8
10
7
0
12
3
0
0
40
2
28
9
0
0
28
0
* From the brochure, MacDonald’s Nutrition Facts (2003), available at any MacDonald’s.
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 59 of 75
Mitosis Dance
A Truly Kinesthetic, Introductory Lesson to Mitosis – and Meiosis!
This is a lesson for which I get rave reviews – by students! This is a truly kinesthetic
activity, where there movement is integral to the learning process. In other words,
it’s not just a “moving lecture!” This requires a larger open area (for movement!), so
if you can’t move chairs in your classroom, use the hallway, the gym, or go outside.
There are lots of new terms and the auditory cues are specifically designed to
help students recall them, so vocal italics and clarity are critical here. I also repeat
this activity when teaching meiosis, so follow the steps and cues closely if you want
to be able to use it later. And as always, don’t forget the music!
Abstract:
A kinesthetic lesson to learn the names of the
stages of mitosis, the movement and properties of
chromosomes in each stage, and the names of
some chromosome and cell parts.
Class Time Required:
20 minutes
Materials Required:
None!
Teacher Preparation Time:
None!
Student Prior Knowledge:
None! This is an introduction to mitosis.
Some Brief Comments About Kinesthetic Activities
As proponents of the “constructivist” approach to teaching, we often promote
kinesthetic activities in learning. Unfortunately, new teachers and even some
veterans often misunderstand this concept and equate student movement with
student learning. Applied incorrectly, kinesthetic activities simply become “moving
lectures” at best and irrelevant or confusing distractions at worst. The key to good
kinesthetic activities is a focus on how the brain incorporates movement into the
learning process: how movement helps process, retain, and recall the information.
In the end, a kinesthetic activity should allow a student to recall information by using
body movements or postures with auditory cues as reminders. So how do you take
movement and make it memorable? I’ll use a classic “kinesthetic” lesson from basic
biology to illustrate.
Mitosis is a topic in every biology classroom and there are several articles in
teaching magazines extolling the virtues of having students portray chromosomes
through the mitotic process. This usually occurs with the teacher calling out the next
phase and directing where the students should move. Granted, this is technically
kinesthetic and often does increase learning slightly because it makes it tangible, but
its impact is very limited and the students feel like they’re simply walking around in
the classroom. Admittedly, I did it that way myself once! However, imagine adding
some simple auditory cues to the mix, thus empowering the brain to make a much
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 60 of 75
more concrete connection with the body during learning. (Believe it or not, this has
most kids (and adults!) able to correctly identify photos of the different stages of
mitosis within 15 minutes!)
Frame & Activity (Script)
1. Gather all your stuff – Stand up – move your chairs & stuff to the side of the
room. Form one, large circle of chairs and stand behind your chair. [Music!]
2. Form a medium-sized group of 3-4-5-6. [Music]
3. Here’s the word: “Scar.” Discuss with the people in your group any relationship
you’ve had to the word “scar” during your life. [Music]
4. I have a scar. (Very brief example.) But if I was cut there, why isn’t there a big
hole? We’re going to go through a demonstration that will explain why scars
form.
5. For the next few moments I’ll be rotating some people inside and outside the
circle. During this time I’ll be giving everyone vocal cues that you’ll need to
repeat. You want to learn these cues. Again, this might not make sense while
we’re doing it, but I guarantee it will at the end!
6. I need a volunteer – center of the room – her name is “Chrome.” What is her
name?
7. Chrome likes to wander, so she wanders around on the INTERstate. Where
does she wander? Right, on the INTERstate. Chrome, please wander around
within the circle.
8. Chrome gets lonely wandering around all by herself, however, so she decides to
PROduce a twin. She gets lonely and wants to what? Produce a twin. (She
selects a partner. Have them lock elbows.)
9. They continue to wander, and eventually they MET AT THE MIDDLE – chromes
come face me here. [Have arms outstretched and move them stepwise together
with each syllable. Repeat mnemonic.]
10. Then, they turned – chromes release your arms – and faced each other.
11. They’ve finally become annoyed with each other, so each lightly steps on the
others’ big toe. Naturally, each says, “Hey, that’s MY TOE, SIS!”
12. Now, if someone stepped on your toe, would you want to be near them? No, so
they back away and separate. As they back away from each other – chromes
please back away – they wave good-bye. So repeat, ‘AN’A wave was given.’”
[Wave hand with instruction.] Let’s repeat that movement. Chromes please
come and face each other again. As they separate, ‘ANA wave was given.’
Relax your hand.
13. They’re still sisters, however, and want to remain friends, so they TELEphone
their twin goodbye. [Hand motion of talking on a telephone.]
14. Pause right there and thank you. Please give these two a hand!
15. Let’s crank it up! Three, four, five, or six people in the middle. [Music]
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 61 of 75
16. [REPEAT WITH 3-4-5-6 students in the middle. “They all have the same name,
‘chrome’.” When they “met at the middle,” instruct them to stand in a stacked
line, all facing you.]
17. [REPEAT WITH 8-9-10 students.]
18. Let’s add a little more to this and make it the ‘advanced version’ of this! I need
one volunteer standing at this end of the circle and one at this end. [Opposite
ends] Both of you cross your arms. Everyone now cross their arms, as these
are the ‘Sentries who are OLD and wise’.” [Repeat.] Sentries, you’ll have more
of a job later, but right now just guard the action.
19. Please, at least three people in the middle.
20. [Go through steps until they have locked elbows.] See where they’re connected
right here? [Point to your elbow.] Everyone, dramatically point to your elbow. It
is the center between them, so the are joined at the CEN-TER HERE. [Repeat.]
21. [Continue until ‘Ana wave was given.’] Pause there. Sentries, please make a
motion like you’re reeling in a fish. It’s as if you have a line that connects to each
of their belts. What the sentries are using to pull them back is a SPINDLE-OFFIBERS. Everyone repeat with the fishing motion, SPINDLE OF FIBERS.
Chromes, bend at the middle as if you’re being pulled at the waist. [Continue
with “wave” and “telephone” steps.]
22. Okay, here’s the final version. [Repeat all with 6-7-8-9 people in the middle.
Assign two as sentries and have everyone repeat their names. Also repeat
“center here” for elbows. After “telephone,” have everyone pause and have the
circle of students form a circle around each of the two sets of chromes.]
23. I just have to double-check something. [Point to each of the chromes in one of
the circles and ask each, ‘Where’s your twin?’ They should point to someone in
the other circle. Repeat with the chromes in the other circle.]
24. If everyone’s twin is in the other circle, what can be said about these two circles?
They’re identical. Great! Everyone back to your seats!
Student Debrief:
25. Please form a group of a pair or trio. [Music]
26. In each group, ONE person needs a sheet of paper and a pencil. [Music]
27. The person with a pen & paper ready, we’re going to create something. The
other person(s) in your group will provide encouragement and will complement
you on your artistic ability. So let’s get started.
28. Make two lines all the way across the top of you paper. Be sure to complement
your artist! [Pause to give them time to copy]
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 62 of 75
29. Make two more divisions this way down the paper. [Pause]
30. This bottom section we’ll divide so that it has four pieces. [Pause]
31. There’s one word that’s useful to add … “phase”
phase
32. And the cool thing is, it’s the same word in the boxes below! [Pause]
phase
phase
phase
Phase
Phase
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 63 of 75
33. Complementers, this is your last chance to complement your artist! Artists,
please turn your paper over so that everyone’s hands are free. We’ll come back
to it in a little bit.
34. Everyone, watch only, please. Let’s see what’s in your memory.
35. What did the twins say when they stepped on each others’ toes? Hey that’s my
toe, sis! What we’re talking about is the process of cell replication called mitosis.
[Write “mitosis” into widest row.]
phase
Mitosis
phase
phase
Phase
Phase
36. The circle of chairs represented what? Right, a cell membrane or cell wall.
[Draw a circle in the upper-right box representing the cell membrane.]
37. There were some people in the middle. What did they represent?
Chromosomes. [Draw two lines in for chromosomes in the circle.]
38. When they were wandering, they were wandering on the inter-state. When cells
are doing what they normally do, that phase is called the interphase. [Write inter
in the upper-left box.] Inter means between, so this is the phase between times
when the cell is dividing.
39. When mitosis actually begins, something else happens. [Draw its circle.] They
got lonely, and so they PROduced a twin. That’s called prophase [write pro in its
box], the phase when the chromosomes duplicate but stay connected at the
middle. [Draw a circle with chromosomes duplicated and attached at
centromere. Don’t mention centromere yet.] We’ll come back and make that
clearer in just a minute.
40. Eventually the chromosomes met-at-the-middle. This phase is therefore called,
metaphase [write meta], and here the chromosomes actually line up along the
middle. [Draw circle and chromosomes.]
41. They turned, ANA-wave was given. So the next phase is anaphase [write ana],
where the chromosomes start to separate. [Draw circle and chromosomes.]
Notice they’re bent just a little bit at the middle. We’ll come back to that, too.
42. Of course, they TELEphoned each other goodbye, so this phase is telephase
[write tele], where the cells actually divide. [Draw circles and their
chromosomes.]
43. But wait a second, we added another layer to this – the advanced version,
remember?!
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 64 of 75
44. Where were the chromes joined? At the center here. [Point to centromeres
you’ve drawn.] There is actually a structure on duplicated chromosomes called
the cen-tro-mere, or centromere. [Label centromere.]
45. What were these guys called? [Draw dots for centrioles.] Sentries who are ol’
and wise. There’s a structure in the cell that controls the chromosomes, called
the cen-tr-ioles, or centrioles. [Label centrioles.]
46. What were the sentries using to control the action? A spindle of fibers. And that
is almost the actual name: spindle fibers. These actually guide the
chromosomes toward the centrioles along their centromeres – that’s why they’re
bent at the middle!
47. In your groups, have one person start by saying, “Let me tell you about mitosis,”
and explain to your group the steps involved. Take 2-3 minutes and Use actions!
The instant they’re done, another person in the group do the same thing!
[Remind them to use actions while explaining.] [Music]
48. Artists, grab the chart you made earlier. [Dramatically ripe down chart.] How
much of that chart can you fill in? You can do it – just one person in each group
needs to fill it out, but work together. Go! [Music]
49. Celebrate if you filled in most of the chart!
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 65 of 75
Follow-Up Lesson(s):
 Overhead / photographs of stages (reviewed first as a class or in groups)
 Reading assignment
 Lab analyzing stages in onion root-tips. I have far fewer questions during lab
now that they know what the chromosomes are doing in each stage!
Part II: Meiosis
When we study meiosis, I have the students quickly repeat the above activity up
to metaphase. Instead of the “sisters” stepping on each others’ toes, you inform
them that here, they want to stay together. Therefore, they want to say with “My
‘ol sis” [mei-o-sis] (slur the “l” to eliminate it) and remain attached through
anaphase. The movement of sister chromatids is the critical difference between
mitosis and the first meiotic division, so this cues them that the chromatids
separate in mitosis (“Hey that’s my toe, sis!”) but remain together in meiosis (“My
‘o sis’). You then proceed through the second set of divisions and point out that
the cells are NOT all identical! Good stuff!
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 66 of 75
Kiddie Catch & Release
Population Estimation WITHOUT The Beans!
Most biology teachers have done or at least seen the population-estimation lab
where students take handfuls of beans, count & mark them, return them to the pile,
and repeat the process. Ratios are then used to estimate the total “population” of
beans. Boring!! Don’t turn your kids into “bean counters” – marking kids is much
more fun!
This activity uses marked students to estimate the population of your school. My
students hated the bean lab, so I came up with this much cooler spin that
incorporates lots of kids in the school. It’s great for its novelty, frame (it applies to
them and is easily applied to wildlife studies), and inquiry-based approach. I’m
always asked for the raw data by our math department for use in their algebra and
statistics classes, so share this one with your math colleagues! For you wildlife
biology folks, this is of course the famous Lincoln-Peterson Index.
Abstract:
A large number of students are marked (e.g.,
orange flagging, temporary tattoo) in first-period
classes and they wear the mark throughout the
day. In each of my students’ classes, they
consider all students present to be “captured” and
collect sample data of marked/unmarked students.
All data from all classes are combined the next day
during biology class.
Class Time Required:
Day 1 – Intro to lab and data to be collected (15
min)
Day 2 – 0 min
Day 3 – Data compilation & analysis (10-15)
Materials:
Orange flagging, temporary tattoo, or some other
conspicuous marking that kids will wear.
Teacher Preparation Time:
30 minutes the morning of activity if you “mark”
students; 0 minutes if you have other teachers do
it!
Student Prior Knowledge:
Very basic algebra. This lab also occurs after
we’ve already started a section on population
ecology.
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 67 of 75
Activity
Day 1

The day before your actual population estimation activity (Day 2), frame the
activity and ask them how they would estimate populations from capture data.
“If you trapped and marked 60 geese and the next day you caught a random
sample of 60 and nearly all of them were marked, what would that tell you
about size of the population?” Many kids will begin to understand that the
closer the ratio (without using a loaded math word!) of marked to unmarked
animals is to one, the closer the sample size is to the capture number. In other
words, if everything you recapture is marked then you’ve probably marked the
entire population.

Many aspects of biology, especially wildlife management, are involved with
estimating populations. I give my students examples of different capture and
marking techniques for wildlife, then ask how we could use some of those
techniques to estimate the student population of the school. (Creative
responses here!) I then drop the bombshell that they’re going to be capturing
students!

Explain the ratio used to estimate populations from capture data (see
handout) and work through 2-3 examples. Do 2-3 more population estimations
that include multiple-capture data.

Ask students how you could estimate the population of the school. How could
they “capture” and tag students?

Ultimately, you will guide them to the notion that you could “capture” a
number of classes early in the day and mark all the students in them. Then, as
the day progresses, every time any one of your students sits in a class and the
bell rings, they have “recaptured” students. They count and record the number
of marked and unmarked students in the class. They continue to do the same
thing for the entire day. By combining all of your students’ data, you’ll have
numerous recapture events for an excellent sample.
Day 2 – Marking Students / Students Collect Data (No class time)

To mark students, ask a number of teachers to explain what’s going on and to
distribute orange flagging to their first-period students the day of sampling. I
reward students with a Hershey’s kiss or other candy for their cooperation, but
it must be clear that they must have the orange flagging (~1-2 feet/student) on
their person or book bag ALL day. Some will wear them as headbands, on
their wrists, in their hair, etc. I also send an email to the entire faculty warning
them that their students may look a little different that day. In my school of
1800, the assistance of 8-10 teachers (~25-30/class) worked very well. (My
students’ estimate of the school population one year was only off by 7!)

Each of my biology students collects “capture” data during each of their
classes this day. They do nothing with these data until Day 3.
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 68 of 75

Call the attendance office and record the total number of students in school
today!
Day 3 (and 4?) – Data Compilation & Analysis

Students compile the data. Analysis can start that day if you are only pooling
on class’ data set, but you’ll need to wait until a Day 4 if you want all your
classes to have all other classes’ data (i.e., much greater sample size). Doing
both gives them a chance to look at the effects of sample size!

Complete and review worksheet this period or as homework. This also lends
itself well to discussions of sampling bias such as tag loss (students removing
their tags during the day) or sampling only certain age cohorts (e.g. only juniors
tagged).
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 69 of 75
A Juicy Lab!
A New Twist To Any Experiment!
The most common complaint about labs in education circles is that they aren’t
inquiry-based. In other words, the kids go through labs without ever having to make
predictions or developing methodology. Sometimes, however, you just don’t have
time to develop an inquiry lab for everything and there are certainly enough
cookbook labs to fill your curriculum. With this in mind, here’s a little twist that you
can use with almost any lab that will help keep students on their toes.
The following is a “cookbook” lab on an enzyme, pectinase, which the
students all-to-readily do without question. The twist is that I allow the students to
go through the lab with little prior discussion and, after they’re done, ask them for the
hypothesis that the lab tested! Rather than using it when discussing enzymes, I use
it very early in the year, just after we’ve discussed experimental design. It’s a very
different from what most of them have experienced so I don’t’ expect a lot of correct
answers here, but it makes for great discussion and certainly wakes them up for
future labs!
Abstract:
Students test the effects of boiled vs. unboiled
pectinase on applesauce. They do the lab with
little prior discussion and must determine what
hypotheses were tested during the lab. (The
Twist!)
Class Time Required:
45 minutes
Materials: AT EACH STATION (I use 6 stations per class)
 3 - rings on 1 stand
 1 – 4oz. (113g) container applesauce
(“individual serving cup”)
 3 - plastic spoons
 Pectinase with eye dropper
 3 - 25ml graduated cylinders
 Boiled pectinase with eye dropper
 3 - 250ml beakers
 Water with eye dropper
 3 - funnels
 Electronic weigh-scale (2/class is fine)
 3 - coffee filters
 To boil pectinase, simply pour pectinase into a large test tube or small beaker
and place into a larger beaker of boiling water (double-boiler).
Teacher Preparation Time:
30 minutes
Student Prior Knowledge:
Experimental design: hypothesis formation,
in/dependent variable, control/experimental group.
Framing Suggestion:
None – this one is designed to catch them going
through the motions!
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 70 of 75
Name ______________________
Date _____________ Period ___
Pectinase is an enzyme that reacts with pectin, a long-chained carbohydrate found in many
fruits. Pectin is a fiber found in the cell walls of plants and helps hold the cell together. Fiber
is also an important part of your diet. Apples, along with citrus fruits, are rich sources of
pectin and vitamins (“An apple a day keeps the doctor away!”).
The word pectin comes from the Greek pektos (“peektose”), which means coagulated, or
jelly-like. Pectin is an important thickener when making jellies and preserves. It is also an
effective way to treat diarrhea! (Kaopectate™ gets its name from its two main ingredients,
kaolin(clay) and pectin.) Pectin is used in many medicines and is sometimes added to baby foods.
But enough about pectin. Your mission, since you’ve been forced to accept it, is to
determine why we’re doing this lab!
MATERIALS – Each Lab Station

3 - rings on 1 stand

3 – plastic spoons

3 - 25ml graduated
cylinders

3 - 250ml beakers

3 - funnels

3 - coffee filters

1 – 4oz. (113g) container
applesauce

Pectinase with eye dropper

Boiled pectinase with eye
dropper

Water with eye dropper

Electronic weigh-scale
PROCEDURE:
1. Set-up ring stand, each with a ring, and funnel. Line the funnel with a coffee filter.
2. Place a 25ml graduated cylinder under each funnel so that the end of the funnel sits inside
the cylinder.
3. Place a 250ml beaker on the scale and spoon 30g of applesauce into it.
4. Repeat Steps 3 & 4 with your two remaining beakers.
5. Mix ONE of the following into each of your three beakers, using a CLEAN STIRRING ROD
for each:
a) 20 drops of pectinase
b) 20 drops of boiled pectinase.
c) 20 drops of water
6. Pour each applesauce mixture into a different filter-lined funnel.
7. After approximately 5 minutes, measure the volume of filtrate (i.e. the stuff that goes
through the filter) and record it in a data table you make in the space below.
8. WASH and RETURN your lab materials to their proper location.
9. Record and graph your results in the space below.
RESULTS:
TABLE
GRAPH
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 71 of 75
LAB QUESTIONS
1. You are really doing TWO experiments here. What is one hypothesis this
______________
_________________________________________
experiment was designed to test? (If…then…)
2. What is the other?
_____________________________
_________________________
Experimental group? _____________________________
What is the third group? __________________________
Is this an experimental or control group? _________________
3. Which is the control group?
4. What is the dependent variable?
What are the independent variables?
___________________
_________ _________
5. What are the controlled variables in this experiment? In other words,
what things are the same for all beakers? _________________
_________________________________________
6. Why was water added to one setup? ____________________
_________________________________________
7. Why couldn’t you use the same stirring rod for all three applesauce
__________________________________
_________________________________________
mixtures?
8. What is the enzyme in this lab?
______________
What is the substrate (i.e., With what does the enzyme react?)?
____
9. a) What do you think happens to enzymes when they are heated?
_______________________________________
b) What evidence do you have from this lab to support your answer?
_______________________________________
10. Based on your results, what are TWO conclusions from the experiments?
1.
2.
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 72 of 75
KEY
LAB QUESTIONS
1. You are really doing TWO experiments here. What is one hypothesis this
experiment was designed to test? (If…then…)
IF I add pectinase to
applesauce, THEN more filtrate will be produced.
2. What is the other?
IF I add boiled pectinase to applesauce,
THEN it will not produce as much filtrate.
3. Which is the control group?
Applesauce with water
Experimental group? Applesauce with pectinase
What is the third group? Applesauce with boiled pectinase
Is this an experimental or control group? Experimental
4. What is the dependent variable? Volume of filtrate
What are the independent variables? Pectinase, boiled
pectinase
5. What are the controlled variables in this experiment? In other words, what
things are the same for all beakers?
Amount of applesauce, all
equipment identical, time stirred, time filtered, etc.
As a control – if you add
liquid to one, you must to the other.
6. Why was water added to one setup?
7. Why couldn’t you use the same stirring rod for all three applesauce
mixtures?
Because you would have contaminated the other
mixtures with pectinase.
8. What is the enzyme used in this lab?
Pectinase
What is the substrate (i.e., With what does the enzyme react?)?
Pectin
9. a) What do you think happens to enzymes when they are heated?
They are destroyed (“denatured”)
b) What evidence do you have from this lab to support your answer?
The boiled pectinase had little (or less) effect on
applesauce.
10. Based on your observations, what are your TWO conclusions about the
experiments?
1.Pectinase breaks down (the pectin in) applesauce.
2. Boiling destroys enzymes (at least pectinase!)
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 73 of 75
Resources
Websites
www.educationillustrated.com
www.accessexcellence.org
www.exploratorium.org
www.howstuffworks.org
Books
Allen, Richard A. 2xxx. Impact Teaching.
McCormack, Alan J. 1990. Magic and showmanship for teachers. Idea
Factory Publications. Riverview, Florida.
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 74 of 75
About The Author
Rob Jensen started his science career as a wildlife ecologist. He graduated with
honors from the University of Montana, holding bachelor’s degrees in wildlife
biology, forestry, and zoology, and has worked for the U.S. Forest Service and U.S.
Fish & Wildlife Service. Rob was a Peace Corps Volunteer for three years, both in
Morocco and Cameroon, studying monkeys, leopards, elephants, bats, and national
park development. He returned to study monkeys in Morocco for his master’s
degree from the University of Minnesota and conducted research on wolves in
Idaho’s River of No Return Wilderness towards a doctorate while at the University of
Idaho. He also managed to make three trips to Antarctica during his graduate years
to study seals with the National Science Foundation.
Eventually, however, the call of teaching became too strong to ignore and he
entered Teach for America, a highly selective program where non-credentialed
graduates and professionals are placed in at-risk schools around the country. Rob
taught inner-city, high-school students in California for three years and night courses
to obtain his teaching credential from San Jose State. He also coached track,
founded an outdoor program for students, and quickly began giving science
workshops to other teachers. He returned to Montana in 2001 and currently teaches
earth science and biology at Hellgate High School in Missoula.
Rob was awarded a Fulbright Memorial Fund scholarship in 2003 to study Japan’s
educational system and takes students on annual trips to study sea turtles in Costa
Rica and the Galapagos. In his spare time he enjoys the outdoors of Montana and
is a certified whitewater-river guide.
Catalyst Teaching - Science Book, Page 75 of 75