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Energy
Most of what goes on in the universe—from exploding stars and biological growth to the operation of machines and the motion of people—involves energy being transformed from one form into other forms.
The eCYBERMISSION STEM Competition Asks: What’s Your Volunteer Type?
By Korei Martin
Posted on 2015-09-25
“From my perspective as an advisor, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the interest and motivation eCYBERMISSION generates in my students. I use many of the website RESOURCES and videos to teach methods. The real learning comes from seeing a project of your own creation through to completion.” –2015 Team Advisor
Volunteers for the eCYBERMISSION STEM competition help create experiences for 6th-9th grade students all over the country. Last year, they mentored teams who used the kinetic energy captured through gears to power LED lights and measured air quality of homes within their community—just to name a few! How can you nurture such creativity? Let us help you figure out your volunteer type, so you too can help students unleash their creativity and have similar experiences online.
What is eCYBERMISSION?
As one of the Army’s Educational Outreach Programs, eCYBERMISSION enters its 14th year, bigger than ever with new features in the registration process and a fresh outlook. It’s also that time of year, when STEM professionals all over the country are eager to participate in the eCYBERMISSION competition. Unlike any other STEM competition, eCYBERMISSION offers an enriching opportunity for volunteers—you’ll use our online portal to grow professionally as you connect them with students and teachers in grades 6-9.
Volunteers are vital to success of the eCYBERMISSION program; the competing teams depend on the valuable resources provided by volunteers to help in the STEM learning process.
If you are looking for a fun and meaningful way to give back to the STEM community, a project for your workplace to get behind, or a way to get introduced to the eCYBERMISSION competitions, then we have options for you! All of our volunteers receive online training, tools, newsletters, and support to help them throughout the year.
Getting Started
See what volunteer type you are!
- Ambassador – Promotes the program by visiting schools in their community to encourage participation, reaching out to STEM or like-minded organizations, and recruiting colleagues and friends to volunteer.
- CyberGuides – Support student teams online using discussion forums, CyberGuide live chats, and “Team Talk” instant messaging.
- Virtual Judge – Scores team projects (Mission Folders), has a background or interest in STEM or education, and provides constructive feedback for students.
- Student Virtual Judge – Scores approximately 5 team projects (Mission Folders), is enrolled in college or a university program, and provides constructive feedback for students.
Once you’ve taken the test, the hard part is over. Now you can sign up and help build students’ interest in STEM! We’ll see you online soon.
For more information on volunteering and to register, visit http://ecybermission.com/Register.
View our Facebook albums from the 2015 eCYBERMISSION National Judging & Educational Event
If you’ll be at the NSTA 2015 Reno Area Conference, visit us at Booth #324. We’ll be answering all your questions.
Follow eCYBERMISSION on Facebook , Twitter @ecybermission, and Instagram @ecybermission.
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“From my perspective as an advisor, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the interest and motivation eCYBERMISSION generates in my students. I use many of the website RESOURCES and videos to teach methods. The real learning comes from seeing a project of your own creation through to completion.” –2015 Team Advisor
The TOMODACHI Experience
By Guest Blogger
Posted on 2015-09-23
Over the course of a day, 350 million photos are uploaded to Facebook. 6,000 Tweets are sent each second, and young adults send or receive about 100 texts per day (hopefully not all of them during class time!). Together, this creates 2.5 quintillion bytes of data—so much that 90% of the data in the world today has been created in the last two years alone.
Along with creating data, our students will be asked to interpret and use the data in the workplace. How do we prepare them for this quickly changing future?
Leadership and Learning
In August, U.S. and Japanese teachers and students worked together at the TOMODACHI Toshiba Science & Technology Leadership Academy in Tokyo to practice learning experiences central to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and engineering design process. Members and leaders from the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) were on hand to work with the students and gain new perspectives on science education.
Over the week, student teams were given two challenges: To design, build, and test a tower that could withstand a hurricane (wind from a fan), tsunami (water sprayed on the structure), and earthquake (the tower was on a base that was shaken on the test table), and to create a plan disaster resiliency plan for a city of the future.
The week was a mix of work, cultural experiences, and visits to museums and Toshiba sites. There wasn’t enough time for the American participants to be jet lagged!
As a teacher, things I learned were to not be afraid to challenge students with rigorous assignments, to give students scaffolding and support for these assignments, and to relate learning to the world around us.
The students worked hard. They were up at 7:00, busy by 8:00, and didn’t get excused for night often until 10 PM. Meals were sometimes eaten on a bus as we traveled across the city. At night, they were given new tasks to do. The students rose to the challenge, and seemed to thrive on the work.
The places we visited were carefully selected to both give us a cultural experience and to relate to the assignments. As we worked on the tower challenge, we visited Sky Tree Tower. At 634 meters tall, Sky Tree Tower is the tallest structure in Japan, and, at the time of its completion, the second tallest structure in the world. We met with Tower project engineers, and learned the details of the design and building of Sky Tree Tower. The Toshiba elevators in the Tower are alone worth a visit. Each is artfully designed to reflect the beauty of the seasons. The elevator engineering is remarkable. Traveling at speeds up to 600 meters per minute, the elevators move so smoothly that a quarter placed on its side at the start of the ride will still be standing on edge at the conclusion of the ride.
Back in the workroom, students thought back on the structure of Sky Tree Tower for inspiration in designing their own tower.
To get information about planning a disaster resilient city, we visited related sites.
We learned about using big data to build “smart” homes, cities, and businesses. The Toshiba Smart Home gives examples of how data can be used to make our lives comfortable. Imagine that your house will recognize each member of your family, and know what room temperature and light level each prefers. That’s what the Smart Home does. An LED light in the master bedroom can change color hues to enhance concentration when studying, wakefulness in the morning, and relaxation at night. I’d love to have these features in my house.
We visited the Disaster Preparedness Center and experienced hurricane force winds and rain, earthquake jolts, and simulated smoke from a fire. At the Toshiba Science Museum, we learned how technology has changed over time and may be used in the future.
By combining a feel for the impacts of natural disasters with information about how data can be used to make life more pleasant and efficient, students were given tools to use in their report planning.
Student teams were asked to describe how a city of the future could utilize technology and data to prepare for possible natural disasters. The teams presented their proposal to an audience that included the TOMODACHI group, Toshiba executives, NSTA Executive Director David Evans, Bill Nye, and representatives from the U.S. Japan Council and U.S. Embassy.
All students handled themselves with poise. Some Toshiba engineers took notes on the student ideas, showing that high school students can find solutions to big problems.
While the TOMODACHI Toshiba Science & Technology Leadership Academy experience included a unique chance to travel, the lessons learned can be applied in any classroom: challenge your students, give them tools for success, and you will see them thrive.
NSTA guest blogger Regina Brinker is a teacher on special assignment supporting STEM education. Brinker taught high school science/engineering through inquiry, creativity, and connections and now focuses on climate change, polar science, STEM careers, and PLTW engineering. Follow her on Twitter @brinkerscience.
The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.
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Over the course of a day, 350 million photos are uploaded to Facebook. 6,000 Tweets are sent each second, and young adults send or receive about 100 texts per day (hopefully not all of them during class time!). Together, this creates 2.5 quintillion bytes of data—so much that 90% of the data in the world today has been created in the last two years alone.
Building STEM careers
By Robert Yager
Posted on 2015-09-21
Emory University freshman Alexa Dantzler maintains the temperature of a solution that, after reacting it with several chemicals, will allow her to determine how much calcium carbonate exists in an antacid tablet.
As we work our way through the year 2015 (which is nearly three-fourths over!), STEM efforts are a focus in almost all classrooms across the U.S. and around the world. STEM included Science and Mathematics as major parts of the curriculum, and it also includes Technology and Engineering. The classrooms of today, as well as in the future, must include Technology and Engineering as equal facets of the new curriculum. STEM is expected to make changes involving teaching and hopefully encourage more students to pursue STEM careers. It will also provide students the experience of actually “doing” science.
STEM students need to be creative thinkers, as well as critical thinkers. Students need to make decisions based on information, not just guessing what needs to be done when trying to solve problems. Both teachers and students will make mistakes as they try to solve problems. But from these mistakes learning can be achieved!
STEM is a process of students working together as team players. Team efforts help build tolerance, respect for others, and valuing what others think. These STEM efforts will help students move from “individual thinkers” to “group thinkers” when working on problems which are personal, local, societal, and in some instances, even global problems.
A major goal facing science teachers today is making sure that students are ready for college and hopefully more interested in pursuing STEM careers after graduation from high school. But, we do not want students merely reading textbooks and following directions included in laboratory manuals. STEM teaching requires more than merely using typical teacher-directed lesson plans, textbooks, and lectures. Changes in science teaching will be slow because of expectations voiced by teachers, school administrators, parents, and likening typical teaching to mimic college teaching. How soon can we expect success with the needed changes? Will STEM efforts encourage today’s students to pursue STEM careers? Will future students be influenced by STEM efforts regarding their career goals? Can classroom efforts succeed with real learning that will be useful in dealing with everyday problems? Are these changes really helpful for students enrolled in college?
Robert E. Yager
Professor of Science Education
University of Iowa
Image courtesy of Isabelle Saldana, Intel Free Press.
Emory University freshman Alexa Dantzler maintains the temperature of a solution that, after reacting it with several chemicals, will allow her to determine how much calcium carbonate exists in an antacid tablet.
Ideas from NSTA September K–12 journals
By Mary Bigelow
Posted on 2015-09-20
Science and Children: Engineering and Design
Engineering and design are naturals for younger students. Just watch them play, invent things, and solve problems. The articles this month focus on these topics and how models (whether physical, two-dimensional, or mental) are important to the engineering and design process.
- Scampering Into Engineering! 5E learning-cycle mini-lessons in the library extend students’ experiences in designing and testing cars.
- Gimme an “E”! Here are seven strategies to support engineering practices in the classroom.
- Designing a Sound-Reducing Wall Extend studnets’ understanding of sound with a design challenge that fits in a shoe box. Science 101: How Do Acoustics Dictate the Design of a Concert Hall? has more information on the topic.
- The EDP-5E Adapt your 5E learning-cycle lessons, including Engineering as a substitute for Exploration.
- Engineering Encounters: Engineering Adaptations How can traditional science investigations be adapted to incorporate engineering design?
- Teaching Through Trade Books: Design Dilemmas Through stories and related activities, students in K-2 and 3-5 explore engineering and design processes used in solving problems and challenges.
- The Early Years: Integrating Design Students use their innate problem-solving abilities to create a system for moving materials from one place to another.
- Formative Assessment Probes: Where Do I Put the Switch? This probe examines students’ thinking about simple electric circuits.
- Methods and Strategies: Teaching in Real Time What does formative assessment “look like” during each step of the 5E learning cycle?
- Community-Based Engineering Students engage in “learning by doing” as they design and test solutions to a problem in a school garden.
[For more on the content that provides a context for these projects and strategies see the SciLinks websites for Inventions and Inventors, Simple Machines, Electric Current, Force and Motion, Sound Quality, Magnets, Magnetism, Mirrors]
Continue for Science Scope and The Science Teacher.
Science Scope: Three-Dimensional Instruction
As the editor notes,” It will take many lessons with various combinations and blendings of SEPs, CCs, and DCIs to get students to reach the competency goal of each performance expectation.” The NSTA journals show us many examples of how lessons and resources can incorporate the 3-Ds (Science and Engineering Practices, Cross-Cutting Concepts, and Disciplinary Core Ideas).
- The Controversy Over Pluto: Planet or Astronomic Oddball? The recent New Horizons mission is providing us with more data about Pluto. Remember when Pluto’s status was changed from planet to dwarf planet? Learn how studying scientific controversies can support scientific argumentation and increase science literacy.
- Botanical Heart Throbs: Heart Rate in Blackworms In this 5E learning-cycle lesson, students explore the effects of plant abstracts on the heart rate.
- Using Professional Noticing to Address Middle Level Students’ Alternative Conceptions of Lunar Phases How can we identify student misconceptions and help their understanding.
- Exploring the Science of Less-Familiar Forms of Animal “Flight” With these lessons, students explore other types of animal motion–falling, parachuting, and gliding.
- Everyday Engineering: Keeping It Together—Fascinating Fasteners In this 5E learning-cycle lesson, students design, construct and test types of fasteners.
[For more on the content that provides a context for these projects and strategies see the SciLinks websites for Planets, Space Exploration, Earth’s Moon, Moon Phases, Adaptations of Animals, Gravity, Design, Nervous System, Medicine from Plants, Earthworms]
The Science Teacher: Our Changing Earth
“Stability and Change” is one of the cross-cutting concepts in the NGSS. The editor raises the question about how much responsibility human activity has in changes that we see these days–in terms of population, urbanization, transport of invasive species, extraction industries, and pollution.
- A Rising Tide Students model the effects of global warming on the Earth’s oceans and predict sea level rise due to thermal expansion.
- Ocean Acidification In these six lessons, students examine the causes of ocean acidification and use a systems approach to this global problem from the perspective of several stakeholders.
- The Resource Beneath Our Feet Students investigate how a diversity of soils supports a diversity of organisms and how changes in can affect biodiversity and the health of an ecosystem.
[For more on the content that provides a context for these projects and strategies see the SciLinks websites for Sea Level Change, Causes of Climate Change, Acid Precipitation, Carbon Cycle, Soil, Soil Types]
Science and Children: Engineering and Design
Legislative Update
What’s Ahead for No Child Left Behind?
By Jodi Peterson
Posted on 2015-09-19
What’s ahead for No Child Left Behind (NCLB)? That’s the question education advocates are asking as Congress returns to work following a five-week summer break faced with a full slate of issues to address, including the threat of a government shutdown on October 1 if no budget agreement is reached.
So what does a full Congressional calendar mean for the reauthorized NCLB? (Read what happened this summer here and here). Congressional leaders [House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN); Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA); Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN); and Senate Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA)] have met and are working to reconcile the differences in the House and Senate versions of their bills to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (NCLB). Rep. Kline will lead the conference committee, and additional conference members are expected to be named in late September or early October. The goal is to reconcile a bill that will pass both chambers and the President will sign by the end of the year.
The big issues still to be resolved include the cuts in federal programs; a provision that would let students opt out of testing; and portability. Accountability issues also continue to dominate the conversation. The House bill has no accountability criteria, and the Senate bill requires states to have accountability systems, but there are no federal safeguards to intervene or report out low performing schools. Many groups continue to push conferees to include stronger provisions that would hold states accountable for identifying and addressing educational disparities.
In related news, Rep. Kline has announced that he will not be seeking re-election, and is optimistic that Congress will finish a bill this year (he will continue in his current role thru the end of 2016). If the House continues under Republican majority after the 2016 election, possible successors include Representatives Joe Wilson and Virginia Foxx.
Both the House ESEA bill (the Student Success Act, H.R. 5,) and the Senate ESEA bill (Every Student Achieves Act, S. 1177), would retain current-law requirements for states to continue to assess student performance in mathematics and science and that states be required to adopt rigorous standards in these subjects.
The Senate Bill contains a provision (Title II-E) that would provide each state with dedicated resources focused on improving teaching and learning in STEM subjects. This provision would support partnerships between schools, businesses, non-profits and institutions of higher education which would support a wide range of STEM-focused objectives, including recruitment, retention, and professional development of educators, expansion of learning opportunities both in and outside the classroom, and closing achievement gaps for at-risk and high-need student populations. We are hopeful that the conferenced bill will contain this Senate language.
Government Shutdown in Sight?
Lots of crystal ball gazing this week as political pundits from the left and the right are speculating as to whether the federal government will shut down on Oct. 1 if Congress cannot pass a budget bill for the fiscal year.
A continuing resolution, (CR) would extend FY 15 funding for another year, which would be the best scenario for Department of Education programs which would see major cuts in funding in the FY 2016 spending bills proposed to date.
To wit, the House of Representatives (once again) eliminated funding for the Mathematics and Science Partnerships (Title IIB) at the U.S. Department of Education under the 2016 Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education appropriations bill, stating “these activities can be carried out under other authorities funded in this bill and through other federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation.”
The Senate education funding bill did provide continued support for the Math and Science Partnership program at the Department of Education, at the level of $141,299,000.
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) will be sending a joint letter asking members of Congress to support the Senate funding level for the Department of Education Math and Science Partnership program.
Another big issue for education this year is the effort to stop sequestration and take a more balanced approach to deficit reduction.
Nondefense discretionary (NDD) programs—ranging from education and job training, to housing and science, to natural resources and veterans services, to public health, safety and security—have been cut dramatically and disproportionately in recent years as lawmakers work to reduce the deficit. Many groups are urging Congress to replace sequestration with a balanced approach to deficit reduction that takes into account the deep cuts NDD has already incurred since 2010 and ensure sequestration relief is equally balanced between NDD and defense programs. Learn more here.
Stay tuned, much more to come in the weeks ahead.
Jodi Peterson is Assistant Executive Director of Legislative Affairs for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and Chair of the STEM Education Coalition. e-mail Jodi at jpeterson@nsta.org; follow her on Twitter at @stemedadvocate.
The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.
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Positive parent communications
By Mary Bigelow
Posted on 2015-09-17
When I taught at the elementary level it was easy to communicate with the parents of 25 students. Now that I’m teaching science at the middle school, I’m overwhelmed by the thought of trying to communicate personally with more than 150 parents. I’d like to go beyond quarterly progress reports or just posting grades online. —B., Massachusetts
Contacting and communicating with parents* is important in forming a positive relationship to benefit the students. With 150 students in five to six different classes and several subjects, even a goal of weekly contacts is challenging, given the other responsibilities of teaching science.
From my experience, it seems that secondary parents are not in the schools as much. They are not as involved in parent-teacher organizations or in participating in open house events or conferences as they might have been when their children were younger. And many parents cannot take phone calls during their work hours or take time off for school events. So at the secondary level you may have to rely more on other forms of communication.
It may be helpful to develop a plan for parent involvement. What information is necessary to distribute to everyone? What information is student-specific? How can you document both kinds of communications? How much time do you have to spend on this? What kinds of communication are available in your school?
At the beginning of the year, you can send a newsletter or syllabus with information about you, your expectations, and what students will learn during the year. At this time you could also include your Safety Acknowledgment Form for a parent’s review and signature. If your school does not provide parent contact information, this could be a way of getting e-mail addresses or phone numbers. Some teachers send an updated newsletter for the spring semester, too.
Share your school e-mail address (rather than a personal one) for a record of your communications with parents. You should carefully consider whether or not you want to give out your home phone or personal cell phone number to parents or students. (I know teachers who use a separate cell phone for school business. Their greetings provide the school phone number for emergencies and request that callers provide a reason for the call and a time when they are available for a callback.) Explain in your newsletter and phone greeting you can’t always return calls or respond to email or texts immediately during the day when classes are in session, but you will reply as promptly as possible.
Throughout the year, you could send a quick e-mail or text about television programs related to your subject or interesting events at local museums, libraries, or science centers.
Instead of waiting until there is a problem, take the initiative and contact parents with good news about their child through a quick e-mail or text. Share information about an activity the student is doing in class or a project he or she is working on. Some teachers forward photos of the student engaged in a classroom activity (I’d be cautious about having other students identifiable in the photo because of privacy issues). This may sound like a lot of work, but if you do a few messages each day, it becomes part of your routine.
My high school had a “Good News” project. Teachers were encouraged to send postcards (provided by the school and created by graphic arts students) to parents to share positive student events: participation in a class activity, successful projects, or interesting discussions. The school secretary would address and mail them. E-mail works, too, but getting something in the mail is special, and it’s helpful for parents who do not have e-mail or texting capabilities. It was worth a few minutes of effort on my part and a postage stamp: I had a call from a parent who said that her son was feeling down after not making a traveling soccer squad. When they got the postcard describing his outstanding project, she said her son was elated. Another parent called in tears—it was the first time she had heard anything positive about her daughter from a school.)
You’ll eventually find that you have several templates for these communications that can be customized for each student. And you’ve set the stage for additional communications, if or when there is a problem.
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*I’m using word “parents” here, but I’m aware that other adults may play important roles in students’ lives: guardians, step-parents, grandparents or other relatives, foster parents, and other caregivers. These ideas apply to all. The school should have information on the relationship and contact information.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/spcummings/361167519/
When I taught at the elementary level it was easy to communicate with the parents of 25 students. Now that I’m teaching science at the middle school, I’m overwhelmed by the thought of trying to communicate personally with more than 150 parents. I’d like to go beyond quarterly progress reports or just posting grades online.
Social Media Primer
By sstuckey
Posted on 2015-09-16
In this video, columnists Ben Smith and Jared Mader share information from their Science 2.0 column, “Social Media Primer,” that appeared in a recent issue of The Science Teacher. Read the article here: http://bit.ly/1OY0772
[youtube]https://youtu.be/_OUnckvPnnY[/youtube]
In this video, columnists Ben Smith and Jared Mader share information from their Science 2.0 column, “Social Media Primer,” that appeared in a recent issue of The Science Teacher. Read the article here: http://bit.ly/1OY0772
[youtube]https://youtu.be/_OUnckvPnnY[/youtube]
The Vernier Go Wireless Link: A Bluetooth Broadcaster for your Sensors
By Martin Horejsi
Posted on 2015-09-14
Vernier’s new Go Wireless Link is a small but effective solution to expand the scope and reach of over 40 sensors. Using a Bluetooth bridge between sensor and computer or tablet, and a usable range extending up to 30 meters, the Go Wireless Link provides an upgrade to existing sensors and a new frontier in what’s possible in data collection. For example, the increased distance between the sensor and student is helpful for many reasons including experimental opportunity, safety, and when measuring physical parameters inside a sealed container.
Bluetooth is an ultra short wavelength radio transmission of limited range. The 2.4 to 2.485 GHz electromagnetic waves are quite sensitive to interference from metal and other objects in the line of sight between transmitter and receiver.
As high tech as Bluetooth is, the name actually was taken from a Scandinavian King a thousand years ago. King Harald Bluetooth likely had a conspicuous dental issue that resulted in a black tooth. The moniker “blue” meant dark back then. Bluetooth was chosen for reasons beyond the fact that Ericsson and Nokia (both Scandinavian companies) were instrumental the adoption of the Bluetooth standard. There is actually symbolism behind the name in that King Bluetooth unified Norway and Denmark and so does the Bluetooth wireless technology unites phones with computers (in 1995), and today Bluetooth unifies pretty much everything with anything else. Further, the logo and taskbar icon for the Bluetooth standard is a nod to King Bluetooth with the nordic runes of his initials of H and B.
The finger-sized Go Wireless Link uses the same successful design as other Vernier wireless sensors including the Go Wireless Temp and Go Wireless pH. For me, the proprietary charging interface is a mixed blessing. On one hand it provides a degree of security and durable simplicity necessary for classroom use. On the other, it the Go Wireless transmitter must be accompanied with its own special charging cable. Having carried the Go Wireless Link on several field adventures, on more than one occasion I used up the battery on the Go Wireless Link (which does take effort), but left the charging cable back on the lab bench.
Big Stuff
I’ve often wondered when popular culture will transition off the initial name of technology that stemmed from what it isn’t rather than for what it is. Wireless is without wires, yet in many uses of Bluetooth there was never a wired option in the first place. And worse, students today have lived their entire lives only experiencing the wireless version of the once-wired device.
By increasing the separation between measurement and recorder, the Go Wireless Link allows for greater motion due to the missing wires. In a similar leap of options, battery powered LED microscopes moved the function of the self-illuminated microscope more than two meters from the nearest outlet.
But Does It Hold Water?
For example, in order to measure the water speed of a paddle boarder, it was possible to use the flow meter attached to the paddle board transmitting the speed to the receiving iPad on shore. Moving upstream on a river, it was possible for the observer to walk the shore with the iPad collecting speed data as long as the sensor was within its ample range.
Stroke impulse was also easily measured with the speed changing slightly throughout the paddling motion. If one wanted to do some serious analysis, it would be possible to find the most efficient stroke to move the paddle board the fastest.
Resolution
Tiny multicolored LED lights in the center of the main face of the Go Wireless Link provides all the necessary feedback to the user. The light is blue when charging, and goes out when fully charged. A flashing red light indicates the Go Wireless Link is on and ready to pair. Blinking green means the Go Wireless Link is paired and connecting data. And no light means the sensor is off or the battery is dead. The sole control button lies in the center of the face. The north end of the interface connects to power, while the southern end is a receptacle for appropriate Vernier sensors. Of course there really is particular orientation to the Go Wireless Link, so the coordinates were aligned with Vernier’s logo.
The Go Wireless Link takes about two hours to charge, but the discharge rate depends on the sensor used since the internal 250 mA Lithium Ion battery powers both the Bluetooth transmitter and the particular sensor connected to it. And since different sensors have different power requirements, the battery runtime varies, but always seems to be measured in hours. For field work, you can charge the battery using its special cable and almost any external cell phone battery. In fact there should be plenty of charges within of a quality external battery since the 250 mA Lithium Ion battery draws only about one-seventh the power of an iPhone 6.
For those power-hungry or long-term data collections, I found the Go Wireless Link could both transmit data and be charged at the same time. I don’t know if there are any limits to the transmitting time or the X-axis on the default App screen but with external power, it’s conceivable that the Go Wireless Link could broadcast forever.
The sensor must talk to something and at the moment that includes the App named Graphical Analysis (available both on Google Play and the iOS App Store), and Vernier’s LabQuest App. Reading between the lines, this means that the Go Wireless Link works with iPads, iPods and iPhones running new enough software, as well as current Android tablets and phones. Check Vernier’s website to see if your device is Go Wireless Link-ready.
Resolve This
The Go Wireless Link has a 12-bit resolution. This means that 4096 or 212 different numbers can be converted from analog to digital. This resolution does not always mean you get 4000 choices, since it may take several numbers to indicate one data point. But for argument’s sake, we’ll do our calculations assuming one-to-one. And then there is the issue of data range. 12-bit seems plenty for this interface given the sensors it attached to, the software it talks with, and the nature of the data being collected. For instance, A 100 degree temperature range measured to the tenth of a degree would require 1000 possible values. A 400 degree range to the tenth would need 4000. And a 50 degree range to the hundredth of a degree would require 5000 possible values. Vernier’s interfaces address the resolution in a creative way by scaling the sensor’s accuracy with its resolution. For instance, the stainless steel temperature sensor varies its resolution according to temperature range along this scale: 0.17°C from –40 to 0°C; 0.03°C from 0 to 40°C; 0.1°C from 40 to 100°C and 0.25°C from 100 to 135°C. This translates to 235+1333+600+140 possible data points, or 2308 which is well below the 4096 resolution of the interface.
Extended Range
The Go Temp wireless sensor is an excellent tool as long as the measurement can be made within 11.5cm of the sensitive electronics. By using the Vernier’s standard stainless steel temperature sensor connected to the Go Wireless Link it is possible to get a wireless temperature reading 1.65 meters from the transmitter. Having well over a meter to play with gives plenty of safety for student and equipment. It also affords over a meter and a half of underwater temperature measurements which will capture local thermoclines.
But You Can See It From Here.
Although King Harald’s influence was extensive, the Go Wireless Link Bluetooth transmitter is limited to a air-filled sphere with a 30 meter radius. Anything but air diminishes the reach. As a test of the transmitter’s range, a paddle boarder slowly moved away with the flow sensor attached. An iPad collecting data remained on shore next to a Leica laser rangefinder. At the moment the signal was lost, the distance was measured. A full 30m was never reached, but a consistently strong signal was possible line-of-sight out to 27 meters. The missing three meters could be from the alignment of the iPads antenna or possibly the heavy iPad case. Either way, 27 is a good number.
Different materials have different effects on the Bluetooth signal. Metals are often deal killers for transmission, but other materials like plastic, glass, rubber, and wood have limited effect on the signal. Sometimes when metal is involved, if the connection is established between sensor and computer before the metallic barrier is in place, there seems to be a more robust connection between the two than when metal is encountered first.
But what would you put the sensor in? Say, for instance you wanted to insert a sensor into an inner tube that would then be inflated with a pump. The Go Wireless Link would have no trouble firing its wave/particle duality through the soft material. But if per chance you wanted to use a sensor within a metal container like a drum or garbage can, it might work, but most likely not.
Another application of safe distance between sensor and tablet is if one wants to wade out into fast currents to measure the speed of the water. With the iPad facing the user, it is possible to see the results on the screen when out in the river with the sensor.
The river that runs through my town (and happens to have the original “A River Runs Through It” join this river upstream) is also home to some manufactured waves. The standing waves are playgrounds for kayakers, surfers, paddle boarders, and other explorations in freshwater hydraulics. A lesson plan that has been rolling around in my mind is to attempt to measure the forces at work and quantify the events involved in riding a river wave. This would be especially topical giv
en the popularity of river surfing with high school students, and that another set of waves is planned in the river.
en the popularity of river surfing with high school students, and that another set of waves is planned in the river.
The “wave” is actually a complicated set of events that produces forces of different levels and directions. And like a skateboard park or roller coster, surfing a wave requires a complex dance balancing and unbalancing the forces. Having some data will put face on what’s actually happening. And using sensors to measure wave parameters is a great start.
Vernier’s free App called Graphical Analysis makes an excellent interface with which to capture and present data. Its uncluttered and autoscaled projection is powerful yet intuitive. Graphical Analysis uses obvious finger gestures to manipulate the graph making it lightening fast to inspect measurements on the fly, and dropdown-like menus appear when necessary. I’ve taken to grabbing screenshots of the graph as needed using the iPad’s built-in feature of capturing the screen at the push of its home button and I/O button at the same time. Data collection is not interrupted, and the images are immediately available for sharing and use within other apps like Explain Everything and Google Docs.
Whether you use the Go Wireless Link as a basic interface, or capitalize on its extended range, the world of rapid data collection just keeps expanding. The wireless students in today’s classrooms are not bound by the self-imposed limits of technology due to past experience. They expect to do everything and have it work 100% of the time. And the more I use the Go Wireless Link, the more I think they are right in their expectations. We should not require students to fight with marginal technology that steals time and effort from the instructional process. The limits of technology are not fixed. Instead they are dynamic limits that move forward every semester. And the Go Wireless Link is definitely one of those leaps forward. A giant leap in fact.
Tweet All About It: Happening Now @NSTA
By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
Posted on 2015-09-12
It’s been a busy week in the Twitterverse for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). Our favorite shout-out came from Science Friday, promoting great science books for kids; we were delighted to see one of our readers’ favorites on the list: Next Time You See the Moon!
Try reading some of these great science books to your kids tonight! http://t.co/MtKsl5HNOC pic.twitter.com/TsLCnpLiSE
— Science Friday (@scifri) September 12, 2015
Science teachers have an opportunity now to nominate themselves or a colleague for a prestigious position on our Board and Council, and if you missed the webinar mentioned in this tweet, never fear, it’s archived at the same link. Take a look, and consider one of the positions available!
Listening to a webinar on preparing an application for #NSTA Board & Council #PD #scichat http://t.co/uzb7bYI1Cm
— Celeste Payne (@cmpayne87) September 8, 2015
Some of you shared your back to school stories. What can we say, @chemteacher93, @TannaNicely, and @ms_calaniz? STEM and the NGSS are hot!
Nothing like a 90 degree classroom to do our first lab of the year!#STEMeducation #NSTA pic.twitter.com/ItPd8oO4hC
— Aimee Selby (@chemteach93) September 8, 2015
Think like a scientist! @southknoxelem learning about @STEM_Outreach thru stemscouts! @BeckyAshe @knoxschools @NSTA pic.twitter.com/f2LxWkh0dD
— Tanna Nicely (@TannaNicely) September 11, 2015
“Hot Air Balloon” Challenge #NGSS @EarlyImplement 2nd grade #science pic.twitter.com/lG2H1FTwOT
— Christina Alaniz (@ms_calaniz) September 12, 2015
#HASTA gave a warm welcome to our President, Carolyn Hayes, showing her how they nurture the next generation of scientists in their lovely state!
@NSTA president @caahayes observes #plankton with @kahikai @josephwilsonca on Hikianalia! @HokuleaWWV pic.twitter.com/gH6AUgKfgN
— Lauren Kaupp (@mySciHI) September 11, 2015
Carolyn Hayes, President of @NSTA at #hasta addresses the audience, presents teacher awards #stem @PunahouSchool pic.twitter.com/m0hC6H4Mu5
— Joseph Wilson (@josephwilsonca) September 12, 2015
ICYMI, we are indeed giving away free enhanced e-books to anyone who joins or renews their regular membership, through September 30, 2015.
#Teachers, join @NSTA or renew your membership by Sept. 30, and you’ll get a free e-book. Learn more about NSTA: http://t.co/ug05p4b7uz
— CityScience (@CityScienceOrg) September 10, 2015
Planning to go to our Philly conference, November 12-14? Take advice from @JarettKuhns and visit the Franklin Institute—all attendees get free admission!
In November I’m attending the NSTA conference in Philadelphia and visiting the Franklin Institute to explore the human brain #NSTA15 #stoked
— Jarett Kuhns (@JarettKuhns) September 12, 2015
And what better way to close out the list than with another book list, from District Administration, mentioning another of our readers’ favorites, NGSS for All Students?
#education news, via @DA_magazine | Ken Robinson’s “Creative Schools” tops reading list for education leaders http://t.co/UJWYyuLCR9 #NSTA
— NatSciTeachAssoc (@NSTA) September 11, 2015
The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.
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It’s been a busy week in the Twitterverse for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). Our favorite shout-out came from Science Friday, promoting great science books for kids; we were delighted to see one of our readers’ favorites on the list: Next Time You See the Moon!