Code breakers and role models

Here are the lucky winners of the click4biology qr decipher competition.

Deciphering codes and patterns is a common theme in Biology perhaps exemplified by Watson and Crick in 1953 but going onto outstanding examples of code breaking in modern day scientists like Kay Davies.

Young people, young women need positive role models and Kay's story is both inspiring and humbling.



For my students about to go to interview at Oxford and Cambridge and other prestigious universities around the world take heed you are about to walk with the giants. Aspire to stand on their shoulders.

Give the students a voice

Real simple:

Provide a way for student to register their questions, thoughts or comments as the lesson progresses.

Some students are not comfortable with putting up their hand and bring attention to themselves. Others still will feel they are interrupting the flow of the lesson.

You need to find a way to aggregate all these comments, which is where technology is so useful.

A simple chat room, opened up for the duration of the lesson s a nice way to start the process.

It might be possible for you to use something like Twitter of a Social Network site, even Facebook.

How and when you answer the questions is up to you. Play with the idea and see how things go.

Here's a pretty good video on the topic by Cliff Atkinson

Its cool 2 achieve

John

Metacognition with cheese sticks!

Great work from the students of GSIS South Korea

Quality links and some fun.

First an IB Biology site with quality links and a great news letter by Steve Harton (International School of Lyon). If you are an IB Bio teacher you really need to be on the mailing list.

10 reasons to ban ball pens and pencils in the classroom this article by Katie Stansberry will make your day.

it's cool 2 achieve

John

How to write up your IA/PSOW

Writing up a Biology experiment is challenging at the best of times.

The format for the IA IB Biology assessment is not a secret and should be openly shared with the student.



The student needs to then plug their own research, data, analysis, conclusion and evaluation into this format.

The following writing frame has been successfully used with my students and provided here for your use.

Say it with flowers

Selecting flowers for the dissection of structure.

The samples will be compared with theoretical structures to secure our knowledge.

This is an opportunity to discuss micro propagation (cultivation method), variation and adaptation.

Also a great opportunity to discuss selective breeding.

Secret Message

9.3 Flowers in Amazing Thailand

We got up early today and went to the Pak Klong Talad flower market here in Bangkok.

This week we will be looking at plant reproduction (9.3) and in the particularly the structure of the dicotyledonous flower.



We filled the  back of the car with flowers for 12 classes of students and had change from $30 to enjoy breakfast with the locals.

Amazing Thailand!