9/18 Earth Science class and homework due 9/25

Hi folks,

No recording this week since the majority of the time was spent doing activities.  If you missed class this week feel free to take a look at the "Communication" chapter of the eBook I sent a couple of weeks ago.  That should give a good overview of what we did in class this week.

This week we worked on a skill that is not only important for science but is also vital for just living, communication.

I attempted to show the students that we tend to make a lot of assumptions when talking to people and those assumptions can sometimes lead to poor communication. In a way, science is a "language" designed to ensure that miscommunications don't happen. It's a system that is familiar to everyone that, not only, speaks clearly to the reader, but also communicates instructions to repeat the same methodology. (At least that's the hope. Not all papers meet that mark.)

I also had the students play a great "game" where they were to set up a set of blocks in secret and then give instructions to the rest of the class on how to duplicate the same set of blocks. It's surprising how difficult this can be.

For homework this week,

1. Gather any three objects, toys, silverware, blocks, coins or a combination of all.

2. Lay those objects on the table in any way you wish. (If you can, take a picture of your set up.)

3. Attempt to write a set of instructions for how to set up those three objects. Your goal is to write your instructions so clearly that you can give them to someone and they can set up the objects in the exact same way you did. (Feel free to give the instructions and objects to friends or family to try it.)

4. Bring your instructions, your picture and your objects to class next week. We will be passing them around to see if folks can reconstruct your design from your instructions. (Be sure the picture is separate from the instructions.)

Good Luck!