GK12 STAMP Program GK12 STAMP Program 2004-20052004-2005

Jessica Penchos & Lance PearsonJessica Penchos & Lance PearsonTimilty Middle School (Grade 8)Timilty Middle School (Grade 8)

Timilty MS StatsTimilty MS Stats Over 95% minority students, over 90% free or Over 95% minority students, over 90% free or

reduced lunch students.reduced lunch students. Approx. 650 students, grades 6-8Approx. 650 students, grades 6-8 ““Project Promise” means an extended school Project Promise” means an extended school

day (7:30-3:45), uniforms, and extras like day (7:30-3:45), uniforms, and extras like Science Family Activity Night and Promising Science Family Activity Night and Promising Pals (pen pals in the community).Pals (pen pals in the community).

Students must apply to the Timilty; Random Students must apply to the Timilty; Random selection process but students have higher selection process but students have higher commitment to education than typical BPS MScommitment to education than typical BPS MS

88thth Grade Science in BPS Grade Science in BPSTopics covered in 8Topics covered in 8thth grade integrated grade integrated

science:science:ChemistryChemistryPopulations & EcosystemsPopulations & EcosystemsPlanetary SciencePlanetary Science

88thth grade Science MCAS in May! grade Science MCAS in May!Timilty has a partnership with MGH = Timilty has a partnership with MGH =

mentoring programs and assistance with mentoring programs and assistance with science fair (100% involvement goal!)science fair (100% involvement goal!)

Goals for the YearGoals for the Year Address all state Sci/Tech standards prior to Address all state Sci/Tech standards prior to

MCAS testing (May).MCAS testing (May). Increase student interest in science through Increase student interest in science through

interesting and relevant activities and interesting and relevant activities and discussions.discussions.

Use inquiry-based methods to develop students’ Use inquiry-based methods to develop students’ understanding of science concepts.understanding of science concepts.

Students should be able to apply the scientific Students should be able to apply the scientific method when tackling a problem or starting an method when tackling a problem or starting an investigation.investigation.

Specific Areas of Fellow Specific Areas of Fellow InvolvementInvolvement

Develop context-related design & technology Develop context-related design & technology lessons throughout the year.lessons throughout the year.

Develop extensions to the Develop extensions to the Populations/Ecosystems curriculum:Populations/Ecosystems curriculum: The technology of forensicsThe technology of forensics Field trip to Harbor Islands for ecosystem study Field trip to Harbor Islands for ecosystem study

(water and soil sampling)(water and soil sampling) Develop and be the lead teacher of a unit Develop and be the lead teacher of a unit

covering the brain and perception:covering the brain and perception:““Things aren’t always what they seem.”Things aren’t always what they seem.”

Grant application collaboration.Grant application collaboration.

Things aren’t always what they seemThings aren’t always what they seemOverview of Major ObjectivesOverview of Major Objectives

Students will be able to explain that there is a Students will be able to explain that there is a difference between reality & perception and give difference between reality & perception and give several examples.several examples.

Students will understand the basic role of Students will understand the basic role of neurons and some systems in the brain that are neurons and some systems in the brain that are responsible for visual perception.responsible for visual perception.

Students will define “perception” as an inner Students will define “perception” as an inner view of the world as obtained by neural view of the world as obtained by neural processing of sensory input.processing of sensory input.

Students will develop a sense of excitement Students will develop a sense of excitement about the developing field of brain research, as about the developing field of brain research, as well as its relevance and accessibility.well as its relevance and accessibility.

Things aren’t always what they seemThings aren’t always what they seemOverview of Lesson PlansOverview of Lesson Plans

Day 1 – Experiment and demonstrations Day 1 – Experiment and demonstrations concerning the difference between reality and concerning the difference between reality and perceptionperception

Day 2 –Individual differences in perception; Day 2 –Individual differences in perception; Perception Thought experiments; Perception Thought experiments;

Day 3 – Formally introduce “Perception” and Day 3 – Formally introduce “Perception” and “Sensation” based upon Day1 and Day2 “Sensation” based upon Day1 and Day2 inquiries; Introduce Neurons & Brain Activityinquiries; Introduce Neurons & Brain Activity

Day 4 – Zoetropes; Thought experiment & Day 4 – Zoetropes; Thought experiment & forced-choice activity; Discussion of “What forced-choice activity; Discussion of “What scientists still don’t know…”scientists still don’t know…”

Day 5 – AssessmentDay 5 – Assessment

Lesson OneLesson OneLight Refraction Experiment (25 minutes)Light Refraction Experiment (25 minutes)

(1) Students make experimental observations (e.g. (1) Students make experimental observations (e.g. drawings) of light refraction of pencil in water from drawings) of light refraction of pencil in water from different angles; different angles; (2) Propose additional methods of testing whether pencil (2) Propose additional methods of testing whether pencil is really bent (e.g. use sense of touch, remove water, is really bent (e.g. use sense of touch, remove water, replace pencil with another object)replace pencil with another object)

Still Visual Illusion Slideshow (30 minutes) includes forced-Still Visual Illusion Slideshow (30 minutes) includes forced-choice based discussionchoice based discussion

McGurk Effect DemonstrationMcGurk Effect Demonstration

HandoutsHandouts

Students will be presented with a handout to Students will be presented with a handout to guide them through the refraction guide them through the refraction experiment and provide a place to record experiment and provide a place to record datadata

Students will be given a handout with all of Students will be given a handout with all of the questions accompanying the the questions accompanying the slideshow which they will fill out as we slideshow which they will fill out as we move through the demonstration move through the demonstration

Hermann GridHermann GridDo you see any black circles?

Hering IllusionHering IllusionAre the Two Vertical Lines Straight or Curved?

Café Wall IllusionCafé Wall Illusion(a) Are the Gray Lines Below All Parallel? Are the blocks all the same size? Are the blocks moving?

(b) Are the Gray Lines Below All Parallel? Are the Blocks Rectangles?

Checker-ShadowChecker-ShadowWhich Square is Darker,A or B?

Do you agree thisbar is the same Luminance(shade of gray)from top to bottom?

Neon Color SpreadingNeon Color SpreadingDo you see a Red Ball when there are no Black lines?Do you see a red ball when the Black lines appear?

Retinex Theory of ColorRetinex Theory of ColorWhat colors do you see below? How about here?

Retinex ColorRetinex ColorHow many colors do you see? List them.

McGurk EffectMcGurk Effect

Watch the video a couple of times. What is the man saying?

Watch with your eyes closed. Now what is the man saying?

Students are then led Students are then led through the slideshow again through the slideshow again

Student discuss their answers about their Student discuss their answers about their perception of these phenomena and perception of these phenomena and propose ways to verify their answers (e.g. propose ways to verify their answers (e.g. use a meter stick to check for linearity)use a meter stick to check for linearity)

Students are prompted to explore the Students are prompted to explore the implications these demonstrations have for implications these demonstrations have for the confidence they should have in their the confidence they should have in their senses senses

Lesson TwoLesson TwoColor Blindness Testing (15 minutes)Color Blindness Testing (15 minutes)

Blindsight and Neglect Illustrations (10 minutes)Blindsight and Neglect Illustrations (10 minutes)

Rose-colored Glasses Thought Experiment (with Rose-colored Glasses Thought Experiment (with hypotheses) followed by Experiments hypotheses) followed by Experiments (30 minutes)(30 minutes)

What is it Like to be a Bat or a Fly Thought What is it Like to be a Bat or a Fly Thought Experiments (20 minutes)Experiments (20 minutes)

Handouts and MaterialsHandouts and Materials

Red, Blue tinted glassesRed, Blue tinted glasses

Handouts with space provided to answer the Handouts with space provided to answer the inquiries during the color blindness and inquiries during the color blindness and neglect sectionsneglect sections

Take home handout to explore the Blindsight Take home handout to explore the Blindsight exampleexample

What Numbers Do You See?What Numbers Do You See?

Are any of these objects Are any of these objects in the big picture? Which one(s)?in the big picture? Which one(s)?

Drawings by Drawings by Spatial Neglect PatientsSpatial Neglect Patients

What is different between the drawings on the left and the copyon the right?

Patient asked to cross out all linesPatient asked to cross out all linesDo you see a pattern in which lines are crossed out? What is it?

Mysterious Case of BlindsightMysterious Case of Blindsight

Person has an injury to the parts of the brain that Person has an injury to the parts of the brain that processes most visual information from the eyes processes most visual information from the eyes (but eyes are fine).(but eyes are fine).

When asked whether they can see anything, the When asked whether they can see anything, the person reports they are totally blind.person reports they are totally blind.

Amazingly, when the person is told to guess what Amazingly, when the person is told to guess what they were shown he/she does much better than they were shown he/she does much better than chance.chance.

Essay HW question:Essay HW question:How can this be? What does it tell us about the How can this be? What does it tell us about the role the brain plays in perception?role the brain plays in perception?

Lesson ThreeLesson Three

Key points to be illustrated from previous demos: Key points to be illustrated from previous demos: (1) Brain cells (neurons) process information the (1) Brain cells (neurons) process information the

get from the sensesget from the senses(2) Neurons take time to process this information(2) Neurons take time to process this information(3) Sensory system only equipped to view certain (3) Sensory system only equipped to view certain

types of information in the worldtypes of information in the world(4) The sensory system processes information in (4) The sensory system processes information in

ways that do not necessarily give an accurate ways that do not necessarily give an accurate picture of the worldpicture of the world

(5) Previous experience (our expectations) (5) Previous experience (our expectations) influences current perceptioninfluences current perception

MaterialsMaterials

Physical model of brainPhysical model of brain

Physical model of neuronPhysical model of neuron

Lesson FourLesson Four

Zoetrope-building Activity (30 minutes)Zoetrope-building Activity (30 minutes)

Other Apparent Motion Demonstrations Other Apparent Motion Demonstrations (15 minutes)(15 minutes)

Discussion of Persistence of Vision and Discussion of Persistence of Vision and Everyday Examples (15 minutes)Everyday Examples (15 minutes)

MaterialsMaterials

ZoetropeZoetropeConstruction paper Construction paper Thumb tacksThumb tacksPencils (colored and something with Pencils (colored and something with erasers)erasers)

AssessmentAssessment

See Sample QuizSee Sample Quiz