Tag Archives: environmental science

Welcome!

Source: WikiJournal of Science

I’ve created this site for my students as well as teachers and learners of science around the world. My intention is to share engaging content-specific resources as well as general guidance for science learning and scientific communication. The tabs across the top of the page take you to pages dedicated to IB Biology, IB Environmental Systems and Societies, and MYP Integrated Sciences. Much of the content on those pages also applies to science classes which are not a part of the International Baccalaureate Organization structure, though the assessment criteria are specific to the IBO’s Diploma Program and the Middle Years Program.

Below, you’ll find a few resources which I think are some of the most valuable for my students, and which I want them to come back to regularly. This is where you’ll find guidance on writing lab reports, creating data tables and graphs for data analysis, and developing presentations to effectively communicate about science. You’ll also find a list of digital resources for science, which I update regularly as I unearth new tools that I think will benefit students’ learning, as well as previous blog entries (from the days when I had more time to write).

How to Write MYP Science Reports

How to Create Scientific Tables and Graphs

How to Effectively Communicate Scientific Knowledge

Digital Resources for Science

Happy learning!

Mr K

Ecology resources for students: Part 1

Good afternoon!

I’m back with another set of bookmarks for students and teachers. Because I’ve taught the IB Environmental systems and societies course for several years, this set of online resources is closest to my heart. Some of these links are here simply because I think they’re cool or fun. Many may also be applicable for studying biology and chemistry as well. Let’s get to it:

Happy learning!

Cheers,

Mr K

Video

Grow a Tiny Forest Anywhere!

This video recently came through in my daily feed from TED. I love trees. If I have a logo, it’s a tree. Specifically, my logo would be a baobab (Adansonia digitata), which is probably the coolest tree I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world. I camp under an amazing one in Mikumi National Park, about 5 hours from Dar es Salaam, every May. Same tree, year after year.

But I digress. In the video below, Shubhendu Sharma describes how his firm has applied industrial manufacturing processes learned from Toyota to the planting of biodiverse forests. It’s pretty cool what they’re able to accomplish in a short period of time in tiny little spaces.

Image

Abiotic Factors at IST

IST science garden - south side

IST science garden – south side

We’ve spent the past few lessons working in the garden outside the science building, and you should have collected enough data at this point to reliably determine a correlation – or lack thereof – between 2 different abiotic factors in that space. Below you’ll find a PDF map I created of the garden space. Please note that this version is an unfinished draft. I will complete the final version while I’m in Jordan next week for the Model UN conference. You can download a PDF version of the garden map here. And of course, please make sure you’re following the instructions in the Google doc I shared with all of you!

Good luck, and remember that you must upload a PDF version of your full lab by midnight on Tuesday 29 October 2013! The class ID at Turnitin.com is 6700442, and the password is ‘science’.

The Habitable Planet

I just stumbled upon this course at Learner.org, called “The Habitable Planet: A Systems Approach to Environmental Science.” I haven’t had the time yet to fully explore it, but it looks to be a tremendous resource for our class. I recommend you bookmark this page in your browser and come back to it whenever we start a new topic (or when you’re revising for mock exams, topic tests, and/or the IB Exam. I will definitely be consulting it for some activities in future lessons.

Here’s a screenshot of the major topics you’ll find. Screen Shot 2013-10-02 at 09.29.23