Using Tablets in Middle School Science - UNC School of Education

by Janice Anderson, Lana Minshew, and Samuel Brown

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ith the increasing popularity of technological advances such as cell phones and portable music devices, sound and sound waves are ever important to today’s students. The sound-inquiry activities described in this article act as an introduction to the concepts of sound and sound waves. The inquiries are designed to help students use their existing knowledge and explore, discover, and apply new information. The use of technology in the inquiries aids in student understanding of concepts related to sound. To help middle school students review or develop an understanding of sound and sound waves, we created a unit that consists of three mini–learning cycles. The unit was developed using Bybee et al.’s (2006) 5E inquiry model: engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate. Each phase of the inquiries within the unit is designed to develop students’ engagement with

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Using Tablets in Middle School Science

FIGURE 1

Sound inventory inquiry

Materials • iPad with Decibel 10 app (see Resources) • Science notebook sheets (see online data sheets) Place students in group of three or four. Each student should be assigned a role/job: data collector, data recorder, note taker, and note taker 2 (if needed). Procedure 1.

and understanding of the disciplinary content associated with sound and sound waves. The following sections describe mini–learning cycles or inquiries that frame this unit (see sidebar on p. XX). Students should have previously engaged in studies about the properties of waves (Next Generation Science Standards [NGSS] disciplinary core idea PS4.A) in elementary school (NGSS Lead States 2013) (see sidebar on p. XX for more standards information). Sound is found in two major NGSS middle school standards: Energy (MS-PS3) and Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer (MS-PS4). These activities can be structured to fit within both of these standards.

Groundwork for implementing the learning cycles To lay the groundwork for beginning the first mini– learning cycle, it is important to have an understanding of students’ prior knowledge of concepts of sound. To begin these inquiry activities, we introduce the KLEWS chart (Know, Learned, Evidence, Wonderings, Science Connection; see table with the online version of this article at www.nsta.org/middleschool/connections.aspx). A variation of the KWL chart, the KLEWS chart helps students develop argumentation strategies through the Claims Evidence Reasoning (CER) framework. This type of argumentation allows students to make connections between their claims and the data, or evidence, they collect during an inquiry while also offering them the opportunity to refute other emerging ideas. A claim, made by students, emerges from what the students learn from participating in the inquiry experience—the “L” in the KLEWS chart. What they

In your groups, make a prediction about the areas with the loudest and quietest sound levels, in the school building.

2. Record your group’s prediction about the loudest and quietest locations on your data sheet (see Data Sheet 1 with the online version of this article). 3. As a group, visit each location that is designated as a collection site. 4. At each site, use the Decibel 10 app to take a sound reading. 5. The data collector should record the measurement on your data sheet (see Data Sheet 2 with the online version of this article). 6. The note taker(s) should record a description of the environment during the sound reading (i.e., location, number of students present, what was happening). 7.

Repeat this process at each designated location in your school building.

8. Upon returning to the classroom, analyze your data with your group members. Review your original predictions. Were you right? Did something interesting happen or something you were not expecting? 9. What final claims can you make from the evidence provided by your data? Record your claims and evidence on your data sheets. Be prepared to share your answers with the class.

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EXPLORING SOUND! USING TABLETS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE

FIGURE 2

Analyzing sounds inquiry

Materials • Raven Lite software • Sound clips from locations around school • KLEWS chart (see the online version of this article) Procedure Prior to class, the teacher should collect sound clips from various locations in the school for students to analyze. 1.

Have students fill in the “Know” column of the KLEWS chart. They should focus on how they think sound waves look.

2. Students then make a prediction of what they think the waves they collected the day before look like. They should record their thinking on a data sheet (see Data Sheet 4 with the online version of this article). 3. The teacher leads the class discussion about sounds waves. Use the following questions to help guide the discussion: • What does the sound wave look like? What is similar or different compared with the spectrograph image of the wave? • How do the waves from the different areas of the school compare with each other? • What do you notice about the waves when the sound becomes louder? Softer? • What happens to the sound waves when the pitch becomes higher? Lower? 4. Have students return to their KLEWS chart periodically throughout the discussion so they can think about what they have learned and the evidence and science concepts to which they can make connections.

have learned should be supported by the evidence that students have collected during the inquiry. This is the “E” of the KLEWS chart. The reasoning relates to the scientific knowledge, or the “S” of the chart. Finally, the “W” gives students the opportunity to document ideas and questions that they may wonder about that arise

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What are learning cycles? Learning cycles are grounded in a constructivist approach to the teaching and learning of science (Martin 2012). Within learning cycles, students can independently explore and construct a disciplinary concept—in this instance, sound waves. We use a five-step approach within this learning cycle based on Bybee et al.’s (2006) 5E model. In the engage phase, students share their prior knowledge around sound and waves. Using the KLEWS chart, we organize their ideas and determine a driving question. In the exploration phase, students engage in inquiry activities that allow them to collect data and form a pattern of evidence to make a claim. They develop a generalization during the explanation phase and construct the concept during the elaboration phase. During the evaluation phase students can generate an argument about the concepts that have emerged from their inquiry from the evidence (data) that they have created.

from the inquiry. This is an excellent activity to do as a whole-class exercise. Beginning with K, “What do we know about ___?,” students can contribute their ideas about the topic—in this case, sound. The length of the activity will vary depending on individual class needs. Alternatively, you can break students into smaller groups of three or four and have them brainstorm within the smaller group. After a brief brainstorming session, lasting approximately five minutes, you can then bring the groups together to create a class list of ideas. After developing an understanding of students’ prior knowledge and what they wonder about sound, as a class, formulate an overarching question that will guide all three of the mini–learning cycles exploring sound. This can be accomplished in one of two ways. First, students can help generate the question on the basis of the discussions that emerged from exploring what students know about sound, the “K” on the KLEWS chart. By formulating the overarching question to be explored, students take ownership of their learning experience. When multiple questions arise, teachers, through the discussion, can help students narrow their focus. Alternatively, teachers can present a predetermined question, such as “How do sound waves relate to pitch, frequency, and levels of sound?” or “How does the energy found in these waves transfer through and between objects?”


FIGURE 3

Example of sound recording shown in Raven Lite software

Mini–Learning Cycle 1: The Sound Inventory

data collector. The note taker’s responsibility is to record descriptions about what events are occurring in the area where the data are being collected. The data recorder writes down the numbers generated by the decibel meter. The data collector operates the decibel meter and gives the information to the data recorder. Students move around the school, collecting their sound data by using the decibel meter. Teachers implementing this inquiry should be aware of the guidelines for their individual schools for students engaging in inquiry work outside the classroom. Ideally, student groups would explore independently; however, if needed, this could be done as a class. Although our students had the flexibility to collect data from areas of their choice, we recommend having at least one area within the school building that is common to all groups. Doing so facilitates larger, whole-class discussions. Some areas that have provided interesting discussion have included the cafeteria, gymnasium, and the hallway. When students return to the classroom after collecting data (time will vary between individual classes), they should discuss their findings within their small

Students in each group begin by by discussing what they think the quietest and loudest areas of the school are.

After completing the groundwork outlined above, students can apply their knowledge by investigating sound levels within the school (Figure 1). Their objective is to make a claim about the sound levels in different locations throughout the school. We chose to use the Decibel 10 app, which is available as a free download from the iTunes store (see Resources). In this implementation, we were working in a school with a 1:1 iPad initiative that provided students with iPads. Similar apps are available for other devices, including Windows, Android, and Google devices. Technology plays an integral role in the implementation of these inquiry experiences. Students are organized into groups of three or four to collect data, with each group using their own device. Students in each group begin by discussing what they think the quietest and loudest areas of the school are. After coming to a consensus, the group records its predictions (see Data Sheets 1 and 2 with the online version of this article). Students also determine their roles within the group, such as note taker, data recorder, and

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FIGURE 4

Waves, pitch, and frequency inquiry

Materials • Computer preloaded with Theramin (see Resources) • Tablets preloaded with Sound Scope Space and GarageBand apps (see Resources) Procedure 1. The teacher should begin the discussion of pitch and frequency by using the Thermin app.

groups, comparing their data with their predictions. Through this discussion, students can explain and elaborate on their ideas about sound. You can then guide students in the development of their argument, asking them to make claims about sound levels by using both quantitative (the decibel readings) and qualitative (the descriptions of activities occurring) data to support these claims. For example, students collected data that showed the sound level in the cafeteria had a reading of 110 db, whereas the media center had a reading of 35 db. From these data, students can claim that the cafeteria is louder than the media center. Also, from a qualitative perspective, students can add to the evidence by stating that the reason the cafeteria was louder was because lunch was being served, whereas in the media center, students were reading quietly. This mini–learning cycle sets up Mini–Learning Cycle 2: Analyzing Sounds.

Mini–Learning Cycle 2: Analyzing Sounds In the class period following the first mini–learning cycle, we bring students together to revisit the KLEWS chart begun during the previous inquiry. This allows students to share their evidence and claims about what they learned with the rest of the class. This approach also allows teachers to frame the next inquiry in the context of these experiences. We begin by using the free sound-analysis software Raven Lite to analyze sound collected from different locations in the school (Figure 2; see Resources). This program allows users to record, save, and visualize sounds as spectrograms and waveforms (see Figure 3 for an example). Raven Lite displays the compressions and rarefactions as well as the amplitude of the sound wave. By playing their sound clips through the software, students visualize the sound, making both observations and inferences about its properties. Upon visualization, students can correlate their observa-

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2. After a brief discussion, allow students time to explore the Sound Scope Space and the GarageBand apps. 3. Students should use their data sheets (see Data Sheet 4 with the online version of this article) to record observations and make additional notes. 4. After students have had ample time to explore both applications, bring students back to the whole group to share and discuss their findings.

tions to their findings in the sound-inventory learning cycle. These visualizations of sound enable students to qualitatively describe the differences observed between the school locations in both the sound-wave and spectrographic forms. Students examine all their locations and add further observations that allow them to strengthen or modify the argument that they created in the first learning cycle (see Data Sheet 3 with the online version of this article).

Mini–Learning Cycle 3: Understanding Pitch and Frequency As a follow-up to the sound analysis conducted during the second learning cycle, we again bring students together to revisit the KLEWS chart, adding information to both the Learned and Evidence columns. Typically during these discussions, students, through their qualitative observations, notice the differences in the sound waves when they are visualized using the Raven Lite software. This process allows for the introduction of the concepts of pitch and frequency, which in turn allows for the exploration of this aspect of sound (Figure 4). To further explore these differences, we use a SmartBoard app called Theramin, which is available for 99¢, and a free iPad app called Sound Scope Space to allow students to explore both pitch and frequency.


Connecting to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States 2013) Standards MS-PS3: Energy http://www.nextgenscience.org/msps3-energy MS-PS4: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer http://www.nextgenscience.org/ msps4-waves-applications-technologies-information-transfer Performance Expectation The materials/lessons/activities outlined in this article are just one step toward reaching the performance expectation listed below. MS-PS4-2. Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials. Dimension

Name or NGSS code/citation

Science and Engineering Practice

Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Matching student task or question taken directly from the activity Students use the Decibel 10 app to collect technical information about sound and qualitative observations about the context of the data reading. Students collect data that is recorded onto data tables and charts (see online data sheets).

Disciplinary Core Idea

PS4.A: Wave Properties • A simple wave has a repeating pattern with a specific wavelength, frequency, and amplitude.

Students explore sound with the Sound Scope Space app to visualize pitch and frequency.

• A sound wave needs a medium through which it is transmitted. Crosscutting Concept

Patterns

Students make claims about sound levels using both quantitative and qualitiative data to support the claims.

(Some free alternatives on iTunes are Fourier Touch, Theramin Motion Sensors, and SYnC SYnTHE; however, although these are free, they require in-app purchases, which is what led us to use the Theramin app despite its cost [see Resources].) Students were given the opportunity to explore pitch and frequency as they relate to sound in the context of these apps. The Sound Scope Space app allows students to manipulate the pitch of the sounds they are creating through the movement of their hands across the screen. Swipes to the left result in lower pitches and frequencies, whereas swipes to the right result in an increase in pitch and frequency. Frequency is observed through the movement of the waves that are visualized as the students move their fingers across the screen. After completing the exploration, students discuss their observations in

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their groups, adding again to the data that they previously collected (see Data Sheets 3 and 4 and the KLEWS chart with the online version of this article). After this exploration, we have students explore and apply the concepts of pitch and frequency by using the GarageBand app (see Resources). GarageBand is an app that allows students to interact with different virtual instruments, including guitars, violins, cellos, basses, and percussion instruments. After engaging with the various instruments, students can make observations about the sound created; for example, students can note the size of strings as they relate to the pitch of the sounds made or the size of the drum in relation to the pitch of the sound from the drum. GarageBand is currently available for free from iTunes. Other similar apps are available, but these have in-app purchases. This activity allows students to experience different instruments and examine their structure and sound. These experiences provide students with real-world applications, through music, of scientific concepts that build into their understanding, making science relevant, meaningful, and exciting.

Springs, CO: Biological Sciences Curriculum Study. Martin, D.J. 2012. Elementary science methods: A constructivist approach. 6th ed. Independence, KY: Cenage Learning. NGSS Lead States. 2013. Next Generation Science Standards: For states, by states. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. www.nextgenscience.org/ next-generation-science-standards.

Reflections

Windows apps Decibel Meter (free)—http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/ en-us/app/decibel-meter/ea108e13-4c1f-4891-8417ad390c77d422 ElectricPiano8 (free)—http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/ en-us/app/842e81bb-8f1e-45ac-b076-e549b66664ec Play Guitar! (free)—http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/enus/app/709fbd2d-dd64-46d3-9e1e-62faf469baa3 Theramin (free)—http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/ app/woomerin/35ae9145-4e00-44f8-8fb4-61133ee95baa

The inquiry activities embedded within the learning cycles could be completed independently, but our experience suggests that cooperative learning within these smaller groups leads to greater understanding by individual students. A fourth mini–learning cycle could also be included as a final summative evaluation. In this activity, students construct a Stop-Action Motion (SAM) animation to demonstrate the properties of sound that emerged from the mini–learning cycles. Using the myCreate app ($4.99), students develop and implement a storyboard that demonstrates concepts related to sound and sound waves (see Resources). SAM allows student voice-overs to narrate the video and demonstrate student knowledge about sound. This inductive approach to instruction through the use of the mini–learning cycles allows students to participate in doing science rather than just observing science. In our implementation of this unit, students were excited about the information they were learning and how it applied to their lives. Sound and its applications had new meaning and these topics were connected to real-world applications that were both important and relevant to students. ■

References Bybee, R.W., J.A. Taylor, A. Gardner, A., P. Van Scotter, J.C. Powell, A. Westbrook, and N. Landes. 2006. The BSCS 5E instructional model: Origins and effectiveness. Colorado

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Resources Software Raven Lite (free)—www.birds.cornell.edu/brp/raven/ ravenoverview.html Theramin (99¢)—www.aartpack.com/interactive/index.php iPad apps Decibel 10 (free)—https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ decibel-10th/id448155923?mt=8 GarageBand (free)—https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ garageband/id408709785?mt=8 myCreate ($4.99)—https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ mycreate/id566673733?mt=8 Sound Scope Space (free)—https://itunes.apple.com/us/ app/sound-scope-space/id321159416?mt=8

Google and Android apps Decibel 10 (free)—https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.skypaw.decibel&hl=en Walk Band (similar to GarageBand; free)—https://play. google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gamestar. pianoperfect&hl=en

Janice Anderson ([email protected]) is an assistant professor of science education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Lana Minshew is a doctoral student in learning science and psychological studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill North Carolina. Samuel Brown is a middle school teacher at Reedy Creek Middle School in Cary, North Carolina.