WEBVTT

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[Music] Welcome to Cupcake Geology:
Using Models to explain Abstract Concepts

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My name is Deb Wickerham.

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I teach 5th grade at Chamberlin 
Hill in Findlay, Ohio.

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Today in the lab we are going to 
be looking at the layers of the earth

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and how to take core samples using
various different food items as models.

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The goal for my lesson is to teach 
the children how scientists use

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models to understand concepts
that are very abstract.

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By using concrete items it's easier
for them to understand the earth's

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layers, what the core samples show 
us, and how these layers

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from the soil samples are able to 
change or what causes them to change

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over various times.

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In this lesson I will be using a
hard-boiled egg, three different types

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of candy bars, and cupcakes 
that have been created

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so that there are different 
colorings in them.

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The materials I use are very easy
to get, but it enables them

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to see the layers of the earth.

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It enables them to see what 
a soil scientist does as he

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or she takes the soil sample.

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But it also makes them think
about what these soil samples tell

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the scientist.

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Are there layers?
What order are the layers in?

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What has caused those layers to form?

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And it can also talk
about the earth processes

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that can change the layers,
what causes them to be lifted or--

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earthquakes, volcanoes,
mountain building,

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or even man changing things.

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They can read about it in a book,
but to actually take the core samples,

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it helps them visualize what they are
seeing and lets them internalize

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the concept.

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The students need to predict what 
think they'll see

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and then actually do the core 
samplings and make drawings

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and record what they see.

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Then following that have them 
make a prediction

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of what the cupcake would be
if it were cut in a cross-section,

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and then they compare the results.

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When we get to the candy bar geology,
that-- in an essence--

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is a practice to show them how
to take a core sample,

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how to look at layers coming
out of the different candy bars,

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and that leads right into 
the cupcake geology.

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Geologic history is very abstract
for 5th graders,

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so during this lesson the students are
able to be reinforced with the concept

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that there are layers to the earth,
and they can visually see them using the

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hard-boiled egg.

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But it also helps them understand
and reinforce the idea

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that usually the lower layers are the
older layers and that as time goes

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on the layers build upon themselves.

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Models are very important in 
teaching science to-- especially--

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elementary children.

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Those abstract concepts are hard
for them to understand and internalize.

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But as a teacher, I need to 
teach them what limitations

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are, how that model is not exactly the
way it is truly out in nature

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and inside the earth.

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so we need to talk about the word 
limitation and what it means.

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Then, we need to ask them what are
the limitations?

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I use a chart on the board
or on an overhead

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and have the children list what is
correct about the model and then

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on the other side,
what are the limitations,

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what are not exactly correct
and what need to be understood

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that are a little different
in the real earth.

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For example, with the hard-boiled egg
and the earth's layers,

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yes it shows the shell as the crust,
the white part as the mantle

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and the yellow yolk as the core.

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But some of the limitations are 
the shape of the egg,

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the size of the different layers in 
proportion to what they really are, coloring.

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And so the children would be able
to look at the egg, tell me how it works

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to show the earth layers,
but they will also tell me the

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limitations that come with it.

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In this lesson, I have noticed
that the students' learning

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of the concept-- the scientific 
concepts presented was

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easier for them to understand.

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They could see it while 
they were doing it.

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I am using familiar objects
that are easy for them to understand

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but also easy for them to relate
to what are in the real core samples.

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They enjoy it.

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They have longer retention
with a better understanding,

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and I have noticed that they do better
on classroom and state achievement tests.

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To learn more about using models
to explain abstract concepts,

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please see the additional materials
on the Doing What Works website.