Active Learning Strategies in the
Biology Classroom
DJ West
Sr. National Science Consultant
McGraw-Hill
dj_west@mcgraw-hill.com
http://science-
teachers.blogspot.com
MCCB Fall Conference
October 22-24, 2010
How To Vote via Texting
TIPS
One of the major problems
Quick Write / Pair Share
Greatest Challenge
Summary of Active Learning
Strategies
 Inquiry Activities
 Presentation Strategies
 Reading Strategies
 Conceptualization
 Writing Strategies
 Technology Connections
 Connections to the Real
World
 Modeling
 Active Assessment
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 Labs:
Inquiry Strategies An Integral Part Of The Lesson
Labs, Labs, Labs  Labs are not separate from the lesson.
 Launch Labs
 Incorporate labs at the point of
 Mini Labs
learning.
 Full Labs
 Data Analysis  Use labs constantly.
 Virtual Labs  Analyze the data.
 Stations
 Incorporate the data and conclusions of
 Lab Practicals
the labs into the subsequent learning
 Have students design their own
experiments

Follow-up on Labs EXAMPLE

 Check for 1. Analyze your data by constructing a graph.
(What is the best way to graph your data?)
understanding on
2. What are some possible sources of
the lab. unavoidable error in your design?
 Give a lab quiz. Let 3. Why were they present?
students use their 4. How did your manipulation of the independent
variable affect the results?
lab papers.
5. Connect the concepts and results to at least
 Ask top-down two things in your daily life and explain the
questions. connection.

Presentation Tools Tech to Try: Presentation Tools

 There are
some cautions
to be aware of
when using
presentation
software.

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Presentation Tools - Hyperlinks Presentation Tools – SWF files
Method One: Insert Hyperlink

Method Two: Go to AutoShapes and Insert an

Action Button. It will allow you to insert a
Hyperlink

www.teachersdomain.org

 Videos (Downloadable and Streaming)

 Activities
 Lesson Plans

www.merlot.org Active Reading / Note Taking

Strategies
 Videos (Downloadable and Streaming)  KWL
 Activities  Word Splash
 Lesson Plans  Anticipation Guides
 Combination Notes
 Cornell Notes
Active Reading Strategies
create anticipation for
reading selections and
reflection on what students
have read.

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KWL –Know –Want to Know-Learned KWL –Know –Want to Know-Learned
Have students read a section of the text KNOW WANT TO KNOW LEARNED
or a related article and have them
answer the following questions:

 What is something I Already Knew?

 What is something I Want to Know?

 What is something I Learned?

Word Splash Word Splash – Your Turn

A word splash is a collection of key  Before you read Article #1, pick three of the
following words and write down how you think the
words or concepts chosen from a three words relate to each other in the article.
passage or chapter that students are
Period 3
about to read. This strategy gives gene
students a chance to relate the new
words or concepts to the main topic of
Truck Driver
the reading.
Long

Anticipation Guide Anticipation Guide

In a an anticipation guide activity, you predict
the answers to a series of statements before
you read a selection. After reading you go
back and see how accurate your prior
knowledge was.
1. This is a great pre-read strategy.
2. It deals strongly with misconceptions.

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Combination Notes Combination Notes
Combination notes are particularly useful for Additional Formats:
students who learn well through visuals. By adding a
sketch to an informal outline, students draw a picture Column One Column Two
to help them understand and recall information. Major Points Minor Points

Outline Examples

General Detail

Key Words: Outline: Key Words: Outline:

Cornell Notes Cornell Notes
 In the right hand  In the right hand
column of the chart, column of the chart,
write an outline of the write an outline of the
section. section.
 After writing the  After writing the
outline, list key words outline, list key words
from the section in the from the section in the
left hand column. left hand column.
 At the bottom of the  At the bottom of the
page, write a summary Summary: page, write a summary Summary:
of the outline. of the outline.

Conceptualization Strategies Main Idea Web

 Main Idea Webs A main idea web connects
 Y Diagrams important concepts and details.
 Sequence Diagrams Students can increase the
 Concept Maps number of boxes to include
 Foldables (A Glencoe Exclusive) more information as needed.

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Main Idea Web Your Turn!
Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic cells have key
Carbohydrates / Polysaccharides Proteins
differences.
Develop a main idea web with the first
sentence above as your main idea and boxes
Types of Organic Macromolecules
to show two differences for eukaryotic cells
on the left and two differences for prokaryotic
cells on the right.
Lipids Nucleic Acids

Foldables
Foldables are a physically created graphic
organizers that are used to involve students in
an active search and organization of main
ideas of a concept or concepts.
They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and
have been shown in research to engage
students in science concepts and to increase
achievement.

Y Diagrams Sequence Diagrams

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Concept Maps Concept Maps
Four ways that information can clarify a concept
are by
 • explaining a process

 • identifying effects

 • providing examples

 • dividing a concept into parts

Writing Strategies Quick Write / Pair Share

 Quick Write / Pair Share  Think and write down what you know or have
learned about a particular topic.
 RAFT Summary  After you have written down your thoughts and the
 Content Frames facilitator have given the signal, “pair” with another
person with another person and share your thoughts
 Analogies on the topic.
 Position Papers  When the facilitator gives the signal, “pair” with
another “pair” and do the same.
 As a foursome, come up with a summary list of your
thoughts.

RAFT Summary RAFT Summary – Your Turn

The goal of this Role Newspaper Role Family
strategy is to have Reporter Member
students think about
their perspective on Audience Newspaper Audience Passer bys
the topic and their Readers
audience. See the or
following examples. Format Obituary Format Epitaph

Topic CFC’s Topic Charles

Darwin

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Content Frames: Chemical Bonds Content Frames: Organic Molecules
Group Atomic Monomer/Base Sub Groups Description Functions Examples
Elements Unit
Carbohydrates Monosaccharide/
Bond Type Nature of Bond Example Relative Simple Sugar
strength
Disaccharide/
compared to Compound Sugar

other types of Polysaccharide

bonds
Lipids Unsaturated Fats
Ionic Bonds
Saturated Fats

Covalent Bonds Steroids

Proteins No subgroup

Hydrogen Bonds Nucleic Acids DNA

RNA

Analogies
An analogy is an extended comparison between two
subjects. It is often used to help explain unfamiliar
concepts, theories, and words by comparing them to
more familiar ones.
For example, one can compare Earth’s layers to the
layers of a hard-boiled egg. After students gain
experience in using analogies, ask them to list
another process, concept, or theory and think of their
own analogies.
EXAMPLE
Suppose that photosynthesis or cellular
respiration takes place in a factory. You are
a tour guide at the factory, explaining each
step of the process to a group of visitors.
Using analogies, describe what happens at
each step or “in each section of the factory.”
Be sure to include important details of the
process you select.

Position Papers Position Papers: Examples

Position papers allow the students to do  Stem Cell Research
research on a controversial or debatable topic
 Global Warming
and then write their position on the topic
based on their research and on their personal  Deforestation
opinions.  Genetic Engineering
Guidelines should be given along with rubrics of Food Sources
so students have a clear idea of the teachers
expectations.  Intelligent Design as
Science

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Technology Strategies Virtual Labs
 Virtual Labs Virtual Labs do not replace hands-on
 Creating Websites experiences but a valuable tools for the
following:
 Classroom Blogs 1. To engage students
 Online Partnerships 2. To allow students to experience lab situations
 Interactive Websites that are too dangerous for the classroom or
impractical because of equipment.
3. To allow students enrichment experiences.
4. To make up a missed classroom lab.

Virtual Labs Classroom Blogs

A Blog is a web log that allows topics to be
posted and commented upon.

A good site to try for your first classroom blog is

www.blogspot.com

 http://science-teachers.blogspot.com

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Interactive Websites
There are a multitude of websites from
publishers, educational institutions and
organizations, and businesses that include
very valuable interactive formats that support
a variety of learning styles and topics.
Students often find these engaging as well as
adding to their understanding through
visualization and interaction.

DNA Interactive www.dnai.org

Other Interactive Websites
 Videos (Downloadable and Streaming) www.NSTA.org/ - National Science Teachers Assoc
 www.NABT.org/ - National Association of Biology Teachers
 Activities  www.Chemistry.org/ - American Chemical Society
 Lesson Plans  www.niehs.nih.gov/science-education/ National Institute for
Environment Health Science
 www.pbs.org/teachers/sciencetech/ - PBS
 http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/
 www.nsdl.org – National Science Digital Library
 www.nsf.gov – National Science Foundation
 http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/cases/case.html -
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science

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Connecting Science to the Real World
 News Links
 Case Studies
 Community and
Education Projects
 Webquests
News Links
Science News Links
ScienceDaily http://www.sciencedaily.com/ index.htm
CNN Science & Space News http://www.cnn.com/ TECH/ space/
ScienCentral News http://www.sciencentral.com
National Geographic News http://news.nationalgeographic.com/
Case Studies
These are problem based learning exercises. They
have been used for years in some disciplines like
medicine and law, but have been shown in
research to have a definite impact on learning
science. For further information go to The
National Center for Case Study Teaching in
Science
http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/cases/case.html
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science: http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/cases/case.html
News Links
There are a variety of sources for current
updates on science in the news. Many of
these feature short articles on the topics we
are teaching on in our classrooms. These
keep our teaching relevant and often engage
students. RSS feeds are available to update
you. Cooperative learning strategies and
active reading strategies should be used with
current news.
Science Daily
Case Studies: Example
Cloning Man's Best Friend
The Cleaver family of television fame faces a
dilemma—whether or not to clone their recently
deceased dog Spot. Written for a high school
introductory biology class, the case provides
students with an opportunity to discuss animal
cloning and its ethical implications. Students role-
play the viewpoints of the father and mother, Jack
and Grace Cleaver, and their son Ralphy as well as
the dog Spot and debate the various positions on
cloning. Eric Przykuta, Lancaster Middle School
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 Community and Education
Community and Education Projects Projects
These are hands on projects that students Examples:
choose to get involved in or that you set up as
 Rouge Rescue
a full class activity. Contact your local
Department of Natural Resources,
Community Government Office, University
Science Department, and Local Corporations.

Modeling Small Scale Modeling

 Small Scale
 Large Scale

Large Scale Modeling Active Assessment

Have students actually role play concepts. Quick Check – Card Responses
Examples: Quick Check – Other Forms
DNA Replication, RNA Transcription Quick Check - CRS
Predator/Prey Relationships

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 Summary of Active Learning
Quick Checks – Card Responses Strategies
1. Protein synthesis occurs at the Golgi Complex.  Inquiry Activities
2. Mitosis is the cell division that produces two identical  Presentation Strategies
daughter cells.
 Reading Strategies
3. Global Warming is a figment of the imagination and Al
Gore.  Conceptualization
4. Biology is the Science of the 21st Century.  Writing Strategies
5. Gymnosperms include evergreens and liverworts.  Technology Connections
6. Competition in generally occurs within an individual  Connections to the Real
population. World
7. Glencoe Science Rocks.  Modeling
8. Enough Already.  Active Assessment

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