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This Week in Nature (Ages 10 To 14)

Completed by 15 learners
Ages 10-14
Live Group Class
Students will learn about biology as they engage in studies of pets, wildlife, and plants in their own backyards. We will explore ecology as we engage in scientific research and experiments.
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(157 reviews)

Live video meetings
1x per week
1-6 learners per class
45 min

What's included

1 live meeting
45 mins in-class hours per week
Homework
1 hour per week. Optional homework will vary depending on the project we are working on and the student's interests. It will mainly be of two types: 15 minutes to 1 hour spent outdoors or looking out a window to conduct a nature investigation. 15 minutes to 1 hour spent on reading or viewing assignments for later classroom discussion.
Assessment
My assessments are informal, friendly, and completely supportive of learning. I teach the students how they can evaluate their own understanding of a topic, where they can decide how much more of a topic they need to understand to gain mastery.

Class Experience

US Grade 5 - 8
Welcome, current and future nature lovers and naturalists! Do you love or are you curious about nature and want to help make the world a better place? This course is for young naturalists who want to learn the basics of biology while applying their learning by making scientific observations and sharing with others from around the world. 
The teacher will draw from current events in natural sciences and immediately involve the students in collaboration. 
This ongoing class is open to students from around the world and that means everybody will have a unique habitat they can report from and share their knowledge from. Students will become teachers themselves in this process!
For this course, learners are free to bring a notebook or blank journal and something to write with. Or not! The teacher also provides PDF print-outs in case we're doing a lab or want to read and discuss an article. 
Below is an example of what a class session could look like:
5 minutes– Introductions and gathering materials
20 minutes- The teacher will give a presentation on a current event in science and ask a leading question. 
10 minutes- Students will ask questions for clarification or lead the discussion and share their thoughts, ideas, and findings as we look at nature in their own location.
10 minutes- Invitation to Investigate- Students can come up with ideas of their own or follow suggestions from the teacher. They'll be encouraged to share their work for class discussion.
Weekend Homework (optional)- 15 minutes to 1-hour per assignment.

My teaching style is laid back and welcoming. We will be very open to discussion and questions as we explore and share students' discoveries and take an active approach to learning. Much of the direction we take will be informed by student interest in a particular topic, especially as it pertains to their local ecology.

We will learn and study more concepts in ecology and biology based on current events in the news or, better still, learners' interests. I like to follow the students' leads on this and will announce upcoming labs or events as they occur or become available.

Week 1-
We find out what a "bioregion" is and get introduced to each other's bioregion. The teacher finds resource materials such as guides to identifying plants and animals for that region and then we discuss a topic such as, "why do some frogs bark?" or "how do bats see in the dark?". The topics will vary from week to week and new students are welcome to jump in at any time.

Week 2-
Students are encouraged to participate in a lab experiment such as, 'The Bird Beak Lab' as we explore and talk about different animal adaptations in nature. Handouts in the form of PDF files are provided or students can fill out their own journals with observations and data taken from this week's lab.

Week 3-
Learners may be well on their way with an experiment or series of observations of their own by now and are encouraged to follow their curiosity as well as share what they're discovering. New students are always welcomed and the topics can change from week to week, depending on each learner's interests. There are always new vocabulary terms or concepts to explore every week.

Week 4-
We'll announce each week's topic and share reports on each learner's findings and discoveries to date. For instance, one student accidentally discovered weevils in her breakfast cereal but instead of throwing it all out, she turned it into a grand science experiment! Another student is reporting on the arrival of geese at a nearby pond in their area while another is sharing their butterfly collection. Every day, there's something new, and Mr. Jorgensen will draw on that for a biology lesson.

Learning Goals

Students will learn how to study nature and animal behavior, and keep a nature/ science journal as they take and draw notes from class. We will learn the scientific methods of observation, data collection, and interpretation as well as be introduced to peer-review studies. 
We will have class discussions as students review literature and videos on the subjects of wildlife, biodiversity, and nature conservation in their own regions of the world.
Every student has something to contribute as they become experts in their own habitat and local nature!

Other Details

Parental Guidance
Parental permission is advised for collecting any samples such as plant parts or small invertebrates (insects, worms). We don’t want to accidentally collect poison oak or ivy! Parents may choose to opt-out of providing the name of the state or province their learner resides in. I only ask about their state or region in order to provide resources from that area of the country or world. If we view any videos from YouTube, a link will be provided. An account is not required to view a YouTube video.
Supply List
Have a notebook and pen or pencil for note-taking and your nature journal.
None of these items will be mandatory for the class but many of them may be helpful: a magnifying lens, a pair of binoculars, a bag of birdseed, and a pack of wildflowers native to your area.
Some students may choose to record wildlife or nature using a camera or device with a built-in camera. This is always optional and is not a requirement for the class.
We will have occasional labs with common household items such as paper cups, tweezers, straws, spoons, and the like. Complete materials lists will be provided well ahead of class time. 
The main item to bring is your curiosity!
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
Links to educational videos from YouTube will also be provided for students to review and discuss. I will be using learning materials from educational-scientific organizations such as the Cornell Ornithology Lab, the Audubon Society, the Royal Society, and the National Butterfly Center. Students' own state wildlife agencies and conservation districts will also be useful resources and I make it a point to provide each student with a guide or a resource from their own area of the world. No memberships or accounts are required to use any of these PDF printouts or resources for educational purposes.

Meet the teacher

Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
I have my Bachelor’s Degree in Ecology/Evolutionary Biology. I was an AP Environmental Sciences Teacher for many years and have also been a Wildlife/ Biological Technician (GS-4) with the U.S. Forestry Service, and a research assistant with the Biosphere II Center in Arizona. I was also a classroom science and mathematics instructor in both public and private schools for nearly two decades.

Reviews



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