Friday, June 8, 2012

Astrobiology 101

On Wednesday Vera visited the elementary to kick off the astrobiology
unit and projects.  The idea is that the students have been studying
ecology on Earth all year, so here is a chance to put their
understanding to work in other environments.

Vera and I discussed how to kick this off: with a lecture with
pictures, a hands-on activity, what?  We concluded that it was best to
make it a conversation.  She went in with some questions designed to
elicit what they know and what they don't know about extraterrestrial
environments.  Depending on their responses the conversation could go
just about anywhere, BUT the plan was to stop and write down the more
complicated questions that came up, and use that as a list of possible
project topics.  For example, there might be a short discussion of the
various kinds of exoplanets which have been discovered, but if someone
asked, "But how do scientists discover exoplanets?" then she would add
that to the list of potential project topics rather than starting such
an open-ended new discussion.

Vera reports that it went very well.  She was surprised at how much
the kids knew, especially the younger kids.  But more important than
what they already knew is how curious they were, and how willing to
put together different pieces of their knowledge to come up with new
ideas.  In the nest two weeks, they will pursue projects guided by
Lorie, and then Vera will return in a sort of capstone session.

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