Erin Marcus’ observations of the

9:15 am SciTech class

Teacher:  Ms. Ruch-Flynn

Room set-up:

There is a very large classroom that is broken into three parts.  One section of the classroom resembles a typical classroom setting.  There are rows of desks and chairs and a blackboard positioned in front of them.  The middle of the classroom was much larger and its perimeter was covered with computers.  There were posters on the walls above the computer stations that displayed information about computers, physics, and famous scientists.  There was motivational sayings displayed on the walls of the classroom as well.  The third and largest portion of the classroom was a workshop that resembled a typical high school woodshop workroom.  There were many mechanical devices and measuring tools. 

            In the first part of the classroom on a different blackboard, Ms. Ruch-Flynn had the week’s itinerary displayed for her students.  The left side stated the assignments that were due that day and the right side displayed a general overview of the project.

Left Side Information:

“DUE DATES: 

3.     M_TRAP formal write-up (with partner’s names) – Fri. 2/8

4.     Figure 5 CADD with layers – Fri. 2/8

object

dimension

Projection”

Right Side Information:

“*Group concept must be approved by teacher

Formal GCP – before starting on formal GCP

*All in third person

-No layers or border or dim

1)    1 view CADD of each ICP typed description of function CADDed EFC pros/cons

2)    Paragraph or page describing evolution from ICP to GCP

3)    3 view CADD of Group Design with layers

-       dimension

-       friction points labeled

-       Ports labeled

4)    Paragraph or page describing how GCP functions

5)    Description of friction points, with abatement and enhancement ideas

6)    EFC, both types GCP”

PRJECT DESCRIPTION

            I was taken into the back workroom and showed a table that was about the same size and design as a ping-pong table.  At one end there were two squares painted red and gold.  They were at either corner and they were about 1ft x 1ft in size.  In the middle of the table there was an archway from which a small whiffle ball was attached.  The whiffle ball was connect to the arch by a string connected to a magnet.  At the other end of the table there were three baskets arranged.  One to the right, one to the left, and one at the head of the table; they were labeled Curly, Moe, and Larry respectively.  The baskets were supported up about six inches.

Workroom Table:

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The students were working on a project that requires them to create a mechanism that can be no larger than six inches tall, powered only by 2 mousetraps, cost no more than $5.00, and can remove the ball from the arch and place it in the baskets of either Larry, Moe, or Curly. The students must be able to roll a dice (with sides L, M, and C) and set-up their mechanism within one minute and then successfully complete the obstacle.  After the project is finished, the students turn in a binder filled with their data.

CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS

The students enter to room and each student takes his or her seat.  After the bell has rung Ms. Ruch-Flynn walks to the front of the class and says, “Sshhhh…” The students quiet down and Ms. Ruch-Flynn begins her lesson.  She reminds the students that they have two assignments due by the end of the class period.  Students ask questions about specific aspects of the assignment and Ms. Ruch-Flynn responds.  Ms. Ruch-Flynn then walks over the board where she draws a diagram to point out mistakes that the students have been making in their work. 

(What she draws)

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            Thick object lines (solid)

            Thin hidden lines (dotted)

            Border

Ms. Ruch-Flynn uses the diagram drawn to indicate how she wants the students to set up their Figure 5 with layers.  She then tells the students that she has graded an old project, and she explains how she graded them.  Ms. Ruch-Flynn then introduced the UTeach students to her class.  The students are then allowed to work at their computers.  The students begin to work on the two assignments immediately. 

            A student approaches Ms. Ruch-Flynn with a question and she asks another student to explain.  The students are talking to each other a lot and they are asking a lot of work-related questions.  Some students are working on a formal lab write-up, but several of the students are just beginning the write-up, while others appear to be almost finished.  The write-up includes a purpose, materials, many data tables designed on spreadsheets, and procedures.  The lab report that they are working refers to a physical lab done earlier in the semester.  In the lab they tested many different physical aspects of a mousetrap and they were now reporting their data. 

            The other students in the class who were not working on their lab write-ups were concentrating on their Figure 5 projects.  The students were given a diagram drawn on a piece of paper.  They needed to draw the same diagram, with the different layers, onto the drawing program CADD. 

(My best attempt to recreate the diagram)

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The reason why the students were drawing the diagram was to practice using the CADD program.  The students would need to use this program in a similar manner when they created their “Mouse Trap Mechanisms”.  The students were asking a lot of questions as they completed the CADD drawing.  Ms. Ruch-Flynn was constantly assisting a student or a group of students.  As I walked around and observed them working, students even asked me for help. 

            The students also have journals laid out before them as they work.  There are several journal entries visible and they state frustrations with their groups, their progress, and their goals for the project.  Ms. Ruch-Flynn offered up a journal for me to look through.  It contained personal entries, data entries, and other information related to the class project.

            As the class wore on, students began to finish their assignments for the day and begin to draw their ICPs and GCPs on the CADD program.  The students would include a description of the plan underneath the drawing.  Other students begin to meander about the classroom and “goof off”.  Ms. Ruch-Flynn reminds the class that there is a lot of work to get done and that the students should focus.  She states, “If you don’t have something to do, I’ll give you something to do.”

            The students who are still working on their drawings and lab reports are asking each other a lot of questions and seeking a lot of help from Ms. Ruch-Flynn.  Often times 3-5 students are crowded around one computer trying to see how a classmate completed a particular part of the assignment.  Collaboration is allowed, but the students must submit individual work.  Ms. Ruch-Flynn reminds the class that the deadline is approaching and that she needs to have all of the work turned in.  Some students begin their journal entries and others prepare to leave class.  There were about five students still working on their assignments when the final bell rang.  Ms. Ruch-Flynn allowed them to stay and complete their work while she went to lunch.

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