When curiosity is sparked...

Much like during distance learning I will be using one Google Doc for each class to serve as an interactive lesson plan.  This "view only" document will house not only all learning cycles, including student links, Padlet drop boxes, lab/activity templates, etc., but it will also be the location for links students will use constantly throughout the semester such as the course syllabus, periodic table, past quiz archives, reference videos, etc. 

Keeping the above in mind, because a Google Doc is not a website, what I am gaining in ease of editing and student interaction/access, I am losing in lack of access to organizational structures such as drop-down menus, tabs, etc. In order to bridge the gap between Google Docs and a traditional website, I will be including links that students will need to access regularly in the "Header", which is repeated at the top of EVERY PAGE. A simple solution, yet very useful solution.

Click here for an example of an interactive Google Doc notebook for my upcoming chemistry class (note: this document is very much still a work in progress). Additionally, see screenshots below. 

I was honored to be chosen by the graduating class of 2021 at my school to give this commencement address. My goal was simple: Celebrate the "...unwanted Hero's Journey" that my students found themselves in and remind them that the have persevered and grown through a moment in history unlike any other students before them.  See the video below if you would like to view the speech. ​

My "Engineering for Social Good" class just completed a three-week design cycle leveraging the MakeyMakey in the 100% distance learning setting. I have written about similar projects before, and I am, yet again, amazed by the power of the the "shelf" feature in Padlet for student public showcase, collaboration, and tracking of the design cycle. See embed the entire cycle below. 

I recently discovered this amazing YouTube channel that proposes, WELL PRODUCED, video scenarios about perplexing "What if..." scenarios and then animates/describes what would occur? For example: "What if the oxygen disappeared from the world for 5 seconds?" or "What if the moon exploded?", etc. 

Keeping "What if" in mind, I have been struggling with hands-on labs during distance learning, and have recently been experimenting with leveraging the scenarios described in on the channel to empower "Thought Experiments" rather than forcing distance learning labs while student are not in class. I did two "What if" thought experiments this week, one in my Chemistry class, and one in my Biology class. Students  LOVED THEM! 

The went like this: 

1. Place students in Zoom Breakout rooms.
2. Broadcast the "What if" scenario to their room. For example, "What if oxygen in the earth's atmosphere was doubled?". 
3. Given student 10 minutes, in groups, to develop a many answers to the hypothetical scenario as possible without looking online for a solution.
4. Bring students back and elect one member to type their answers into the public chat. 
5. Allow all students time to read the responses and reflect on their favorite. 
6. Play the "What if" solution video! THIS IS THE BEST PART. For example, the below video answers the above "What if" scenario. 

Use "What if" thought experiments to spark curiosity about an upcoming unit (as I did above prior to a unit on Cellular Respiration), or challenge student's ability to apply learned content to a new, hypothetical situation. Either way, "What if" thought experiments have transformed engagement in my online classes this week.