Mr. Freeburg's Forensic Science Class
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
The Justice Project: John Willis' Story
Summarize the main idea of John Willis' Story. Publish your writing in a blog comment below!
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Science Fair Reflection
We learn by doing, if
we reflect on what we have done.
–John
Dewey
In a comment on this blog post: Respond to 1 question from each of the 4 categories of Reflection Questions: Resilience, Pride, Reflection on Learning, and Goal Setting.
A. Resilience
What
did you learn from your mistakes?
What
risks did you take?
What got in the way of your learning?
What problems did you encounter while you were working on this piece? How did you solve them?
What problems did you encounter while you were working on this piece? How did you solve them?
What
did/do you find frustrating about it?
B. Pride
How
does this work reflect your success?
What helped your learning?
What
was especially satisfying to you about either the process or the finished
product?
What part of the project did you do your best
work on?
If you were the teacher, what comments would you make about this piece? What grade would you give it? Why?
If you were the teacher, what comments would you make about this piece? What grade would you give it? Why?
What
the one thing you particularly want people to notice when they look at your
work?
What
do your classmates particularly notice about your piece when they look at it?
What
were your standards for this
piece of work? Did you meet your standards?
How
do you feel about this piece of work? What parts of it do you particularly
like? Dislike? Why?
C. Reflection on Learning
If
on in a group of 2: How did you participate as a team player? How did you partner
participate?
Did
you enjoy this? Why/why not?
What
process did you go through to produce this piece?
What resources did you use while working on this piece? Which ones were especially helpful? Which ones would you use again?
What resources did you use while working on this piece? Which ones were especially helpful? Which ones would you use again?
What
did you learn about yourself as you worked on this piece?
Have
you changed any ideas you used to have on this subject?
Did
you do your work the way other people did theirs? In what ways did you do it
differently? In what ways was your work or process similar?
What's
the one thing that you have seen in your classmates' work or process that you
would like to try in your next piece?
What is the most important thing you learned in
this project?
What did you learn? How do you know you learned it?
What did you learn? How do you know you learned it?
D. Goal Setting
What do you wish you had spent more time on or
done differently?
How could I change the project to make it better next time?
What skills do you feel you have improved on during the course of the year?
How could I change the project to make it better next time?
What skills do you feel you have improved on during the course of the year?
What skills/strategies do you hope to continue
to practice next school year?
How might you want to extend this research?
How might you want to extend this research?
In
what ways have you gotten better at this kind of work?
In
what ways do you think you need to improve?
What
were your goals for meeting this piece of work? Did your goals change as you
worked on it? Did you meet your goals?
What's
one goal you would like to set for yourself for next time?
What
would you change if you had a chance to do this piece over again?
What
will you change in the next revision of this piece?
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
The Fog Lifts: The Way to Blended Learning
The Fog Lifts: The Way to Blended Learning
Saturday was the 8th coldest day on record in Syracuse. At 20 below zero, I could see my breath turn into snow. Conveniently, this weather lands on the beginning of midwinter break for the Syracuse City School District. So, naturally come Monday morning rather than begin working, I finished a Netflix movie I fell asleep to the night before. The Way, written and directed by Emilio Estevez, is about a man who finds himself travelling the Camino de Santiago. Also known as the way of St. James, the Camino is a pilgrimage across France and Spain. The main character, played by Martin Sheen, doesn't fully identify his purpose for travelling the Camino until he arrives at his destination. While I don't claim to be on a sacred journey, I find his spiritual discernment resonates with my own recent professional reflection.
The last week has been overwhelming. For 2 days, I attended the SyraFuse (amalgamation of Syracuse + Fuse Fellowship) Blended Learning (BL) bootcamp, facilitated by the Highlander Institute. It really felt just like that: Bootcamp. The first cohort of "Lighthouse" teachers were recruited to become 'blended learning experts' and examples to other teachers in the Syracuse City School District district. The first part of our training was an immersion into the BL world with the unlimited expanse of the digital world at out fingertips. While I anticipated to attend this training, I felt like Martin Sheen's character as he arrives at the beginning of his 500+ mile journey not having opened the guidebook once.
Inundated with instructional resources, new apps, and innovative pedagogy, I felt excited at the challenge to grow professionally. However I also felt overwhelmed, just like our students when faced with an authentic open-ended task. A week later, I am still navigating a maze of ideas and reflections from the Bootcamp! And, while we were thankfully provided a roadmap (actually a Bingo Board & Blendspace playlist), we were not given a fixed destination. Each teacher's students, resources and classroom looks different, so were given the freedom and CHOICE to create a PERSONALIZED plan. This past week, I have gathered and curated digital resources and apps, evaluated instructional tool for their effectiveness and utility in the classroom. I have mulled over different iterations for what blended learning could look like and how students should experience it in my classroom.
I feel only slightly closer to defining this vision with certainty, but as I reflect on the immersive approach of the Bootcamp I am reminded of the quote, "the journey is the destination." I may not have a clear focus of the end goal, but I can begin to work towards professional learning goals. Along the way things may change and I may have to redirect my efforts as I clarify my vision. It is still overwhelming to envision the end-goal, but I can begin with small actions. Like this blog posting; while this blog many not be the best and ultimate platform for my own personal reflections, but it is a beginning on the way.
The symbol of the Camino is a yellow scallop shell. Signs and pilgrim hostels (also called albergues) are marked with the scallop to guide the pilgrim on their way. The shell also acts as a metaphor for the journey. The many grooves in the shell represent the various routes pilgrims travel on their way to Santiago. While my exact journey may be unknown, my goals for a blended learning classroom and the landmarks on the way:
1) My goal is to develop authentic real world learning experiences that allow students choice and freedom to personalize their learning. In order to do this, I plan to fully embed EDpuzzle, Padlet, and TBD peer communication & collaboration tools. Student-centered projects will require students to communicate, think critically & problem solve, demonstrate proficiency of performance skills, and practice digital literacy.*
*This is the meat of students' work. I expect students to develop, master and demonstrate NGSS-defined Scientific Practices, Common Core reading and writing skills, and Career Ready Practices
2) In order to achieve this goal: I will regularly incorporate TBD digital assessment tools to provide students with immediate feedback and collect student data to inform lesson planning. This will allow me to differentiate instruction to meet individual students at their zone of proximal development (I know I need help here). I will encourage self-reflection (TBD format) and peer coaching.
3) On this journey, I will chronicle my professional and personal growth. I will write regularly (at least once a month) about my teaching practice, challenges and successes. I will work to build a professional learning network, locally and digitally. I will curate a digital portfolio of my classroom (to include Twitter and a 'blogging' presence on a TBD platform, along with student work and curriculum.)
Monday, November 9, 2015
Friday, October 23, 2015
Eyewitness Testimony
Should we trust eyewitness testimony in criminal court cases?
Step 1: First, answer the question above. Defend with evidence from the reading, video or class activities.
Step 2: Next, scroll down the page to the comments posted and read 5 to 6 of the comments.
Step 1: First, answer the question above. Defend with evidence from the reading, video or class activities.
Step 2: Next, scroll down the page to the comments posted and read 5 to 6 of the comments.
Step 3: Then, answer ONE of the questions below:
1. Select a student's comment and explain why you agree or disagree with the selected comment. Copy and paste the student's comment in your response to this post.
2. What surprised you about the comments you read?
3. Do you have a different opinion of one of the Anticipation Guide statements after what you learned from the reading, video, or class activities? Explain how your opinion is different and why.
4. How do you think an eyewitness and crime victim might respond to the question above?
1. Select a student's comment and explain why you agree or disagree with the selected comment. Copy and paste the student's comment in your response to this post.
2. What surprised you about the comments you read?
3. Do you have a different opinion of one of the Anticipation Guide statements after what you learned from the reading, video, or class activities? Explain how your opinion is different and why.
4. How do you think an eyewitness and crime victim might respond to the question above?
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Welcome to Open House!
Forensic Science
Mr. Freeburg
SCSD Email: cfreeburg@scsd.us
Gmail: misterfreeburg@gmail.com
Mr. Freeburg
SCSD Email: cfreeburg@scsd.us
Gmail: misterfreeburg@gmail.com
Friday, September 11, 2015
Identifying 9/11 Victims
Video: Identifying 9/11 Victims
From: Identifying Remains: Lessons Learned From 9/11
Will every person or every fragment be identified?
The answer to this question frames the scope of the entire identification effort.
For example, after the 9/11 attacks, Rudy Giuliani, the mayor of New York City, directed the medical examiner to identify every fragment of human remains.
If the goal is to identify all human remains—as opposed to every victim—the identification effort will take longer and be more costly.
On the other hand, if the policy is to identify all the victims, the DNA identification effort would stop when the last victim is identified. This could mean that some human remains would not be analyzed or returned to the families.
Everyone—the public, policymakers, and laboratory personnel—must understand the answer to the important question: “When are we finished?
Discussion Questions:
1) What is the difference between a "goal to identify all humans remains" and a "policy to identify all the victims"?
2) What are some trade-offs (pros and cons) between the 2 goals described above?
2) When, if ever, should the victim identification effort stop? Why?
From: Identifying Remains: Lessons Learned From 9/11
Will every person or every fragment be identified?
The answer to this question frames the scope of the entire identification effort.
For example, after the 9/11 attacks, Rudy Giuliani, the mayor of New York City, directed the medical examiner to identify every fragment of human remains.
If the goal is to identify all human remains—as opposed to every victim—the identification effort will take longer and be more costly.
On the other hand, if the policy is to identify all the victims, the DNA identification effort would stop when the last victim is identified. This could mean that some human remains would not be analyzed or returned to the families.
Everyone—the public, policymakers, and laboratory personnel—must understand the answer to the important question: “When are we finished?
Discussion Questions:
1) What is the difference between a "goal to identify all humans remains" and a "policy to identify all the victims"?
2) What are some trade-offs (pros and cons) between the 2 goals described above?
2) When, if ever, should the victim identification effort stop? Why?
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