Skaggs,+Erik,+Peer+Interactions

** Introduction: Self/Teaching/Topic ** Howdy folks. My name is Erik and the other sweaty kid in the picture above is my younger brother Kyle. For one reason or another many brothers I know just simply don’t see eye to eye. Kyle and I never suffered from this ocular affliction, as we are exactly the same height. We seem to get along quite cordially and could even be considered pretty damn good friends. Maybe this is because we grew up together in a small town in rural New Mexico and were forced to become good friends only because of the small peer pool. Regardless, he is my only brother, a good person, peer and most importantly, a good friend. I believe community and friendship is something that we must foster in the classroom and the interactions between peers is an area, where we as educators, can have meaningful influence. Perhaps the desire to manifest this positive change is the catalyst for my impending foray into the world of education. It seems to me that the education process often times places too great a significance on the amount of knowledge transpired and often forgets important social edification. My desire is to encourage students to thrive on curiosity, open-mindedness and practice informed skepticism. These habits of mind will lend themselves to practical applications for the remainder of the students life...even if they choose not to venture into a science career. Enabling students to observe, think and analyze will hopefully allow them to face challenging situations with poise. For example: we can all remember a time when something was challenging or difficult. As student teachers we face challenges almost every day. Just the other day I felt as though my firm grip on forty middle school students was slipping rapidly through my hands like fine grains of sand. The short vieo segment I had planned as part of the daily lecture failed to load. The icy grip of panic crept into my mind. Luckily, I was able to not panic, reign the class back in and proceed with only a minor fluster. Sometimes these challenges seem monumental and potentially insurmountable but we always manage to find a some channel through which the experience can become one of learning and not completely negative. Our students must learn to have the same tenacity. If they can understand that an amazing amount of knowledge comes from getting things wrong or not initially understanding something, they will be ready to face the challenges that life will unquestionably pose. Through this inclusion class I have already dramatically increased my understanding of equity in terms of students with learning disabilities, learned much about the processes and safeguards of IDEA and realized the importance and necessity of accommodation strategies. Investigating the interactions of peers in the classroom will be nice addendum to the other knowledge presented throughout this course. Being a general education teacher I will undoubtedly need an excellent strategy that allows for a learning environment that is fair for all my students. I am sure my classroom will have positive and negative moments but I hope to locate that common vein of humanity that courses through all our bodies. If we can tap into this innate sense of commonality then perhaps a sense of community can be fostered, as it should be, via peer interaction.
 * Top 5 Things I learned: [[image:group1.jpg width="274" height="182" align="left"]]**
 * 1. Students spend more time with their peers than they do with their family.**


 * 2. Peer interaction is key for cognitive, social and language development.**


 * 3. Students with learning disabilities and behavioral disorders often benefit greatly from increased peer interaction.**


 * 4. Creating a healthy classroom community is key for positive peer interactions.**

**Peer Interactions Resources (5 out of 5= Best Possible Resource)** **1. Symbiotic Relationships of birds and beast. (5 out of 5)** media type="youtube" key="Qqa0OPbdvjw" height="219" width="420" align="left"
 * 5. Experiential environmental education often fosters positive peer interactions.**

It doesn’t get any better than modeling peer interaction and community with the Oxpecker bird. As I discussed previously, the importance of instilling a sense of community while simultaneously recognizing that we are all very different individuals with unique skills is essential for students to comprehend. Perhaps the Oxpecker/hippo/giraffe reference is a bit unorthodox but hey, it's science! Any resource that models positive peer interaction, in this case mutualism, is top notch in my book...and it provides a great introduction for many ecological principles.

**2. Polar Bear Vide****o: (4 out of 5)** media type="youtube" key="JE-Nyt4Bmi8" height="186" width="388" align="left" This video may seem somewhat unrelated to peer interaction but it really provides a great insight to the interactions between organisms that DO NOT normally coexist peacefully together. In a science class this also provides a great Segway into other ecosystem discussions.

**3. []: (3 out of 5)**

This article discusses how students with a learning disability (autism) took part in a study that provided affection activities. Both the students with learning disabilities and students without disabilities ended up functioning together in a more cooperative capacity. 4. [] (3 out of 5)

This study looked at the use of music at a tool for increasing positive peer interaction. 5. [] (4 out of 5)

This article from rom Autism Blogger (great resource for autism in general) outlines the importance of using games to promote positive peer interactions in students with disabilities and autism more specifically.

6. [] (4 out of 5)

Using environmental strategies to promote positive social interactions is the main focus of this article. Essentially this resource focuses on accommodating the environment by changing group compositions, classroom activities and classroom materials.

7. [] (4 out of 4) Peer mediated interventions are a great way to increase the involvement in a classroom and encourage both positive interaction and student based mediation.

**8. YouTube: Playing for change (5 out of 5)** media type="youtube" key="Us-TVg40ExM" height="250" width="336"

Music spans the world and spreads the importance of community. The Playing for Change Project brings a first hand eye and ear to the amazing bonds formed by individuals existing thousands of miles apart. Modeling community for students is of paramount importance when trying to build community within the classroom.

**9. [] (4 out of 5)**



As a huge proponent of experiential learning I believe a large part of many negative peer interactions are influenced by the surrounding environment. Getting kids outside and engaged in either a service learning project requiring teamwork or an experiential learning trip calling for collaboration would be my ideal mechanism for increasing peer interaction. **CBL Project** Erik Skaggs


 * Materials:** Photograph Worksheets, Food Web Diagram, And Dry Erase Markers.


 * Estimated Time:** 55 minutes


 * Rationale:**


 * Focus and Purpose:**

The main point of this lesson will be to introduce abiotic and biotic factors of an ecosystem. It will be important for students to understand that biotic and abiotic factors are not mutually exclusive and that the interaction between the two is constant and variable.

Given a picture (photograph worksheet) displaying real-world relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem students will be able to infer (hypothesize) as to what is going on and why. Given a hand out diagraming biotic and abiotic factors within an ecosystem (qualitative data), students will be able to reform their hypothesis regarding the original scenario.
 * Objectives**

Based on observation and science principles, formulate a question or hypothesis that can be investigated through the collection and analysis of relevant information.
 * C. Oregon Content Standards:**

Explain how ecosystems change in response to disturbances and interactions. Analyze the relationships among biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems.

Explain how energy and chemical elements pass through systems.


 * D. Instructional Strategy: Inquiry/Investigative **

Inquiry/Investigative will be used for this lesson, as students will be asked to propose initial hypothesis based on preliminary data presented (in this case several pictures will serve as the “hook” and initial qualitative data). More data will then be presented and students will have a chance to revisit their initial hypothesis and revise where appropriate.


 * E. Teaching to Diverse Learners: **


 * 1) Intrapersonal learning (initial inner thought process of pictures). Interpersonal learning (discussing hypothesis with peers). Visual (picture).
 * 2) Comprehension (understanding energy flow). Synthesis (creating hypothesis). Applying (fitting organisms in the local environment into a food chain).


 * Procedure: **


 * 1) ** Anticipatory Set ** : Students will be given a photograph depicting an interaction of several biotic and abiotic factors within an ecosystem. This photograph will double as a worksheet on which there will be a “Initial Hypothesis” heading and a “Revised Hypothesis” heading.


 * 1) ** Forming Hypothesis ** : Students will be asked to record an explanation of what is going on in the picture under the “Initial Hypothesis” heading of their worksheet. Students will be asked to do this without consulting with their peers.


 * 1) ** Data gathering: ** Students will be given a diagram outlining specific biotic and abiotic factors and how they interact within an ecosystem.


 * 1) ** Revising Hypothesis: ** Having gained new knowledge in the form of the diagram (qualitative data) students will have the chance to make a revised hypothesis under the “Revised Hypothesis” section on their worksheets.


 * 1) Students will also be asked to review their hypothesis with a neighbor in a “pair-share” dynamic.


 * 1) ** Analyzing the process: ** The teacher will ask students to share their “Initial” and “Revised” hypothesis and inquire as to why changes were made (if changes were made). Possible discussion questions:


 * 1) What prompted the change in your initial hypothesis?
 * 2) Did the qualitative data provided influence your revised hypothesis?
 * 3) What are some abiotic factors in the Rogue Valley?


 * Supplemental Materials: **








 * Lesson Reflection:**

This lesson was written with specific consideration regarding several students in my 7th grade science class who have been identified with ADD. These particular students have a difficult time staying on task, completing the task and not distracting neighbors.

Suggested accommodations for students with ADD focus on maintain organization within the classroom, varying instruction models, blocking instruction and checking with the student(s) frequently for conceptual understanding.

In order to address the suggested accommodations this lab attempts to vary instruction style, block the lecture into brief sections, allow for controlled student movement. Although not directly stated in the lesson plan but of inherent understanding is the paramount importance to monitor student conceptualization and progress.

From personal observation, besides the recommended accommodations, I have realized that my students with ADD react positively to concepts presented pictorially. Knowing this I attempted to center much of the lesson on image based representations of the major concepts. I will also physically attempt to place students in an area where they can potentially have the greatest chance of being assisted by a resourceful and helpful peer.


 * Resources:**

This website offers resources for students, parents and teachers. I thought the personal blog and website link was especially interesting and potentially informative.
 * Addresource.com**

Website that offers a wealth of information for parents and students concerning ADD.
 * Add.org**


 * Additudemag.com**

This is an on-line resource as well as a quarterly print publication that looks into issues regarding ADD.


 * http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/story.aspx?id=51706**

National Science Teachers Association article for teachers that gives instructional strategy suggestions for a myriad of students with exceptionalities.