From: L*y Marske <lmarske@mtc1.mtcnet.net>
Subject: PET
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 1996 22:51:03 -0800
I too have started the PET activity with my 6th graders. One day we spent discussing what information we would need to let others know what it was like to live in Sioux Center, IA. Then we tried to figure out what instruments and equipment we would need to gather that information and send it. Some questions I'm having are: 1. What will the mode of sending the information be? Will it all be over the internet, or can we send it somehow through the mail, or is that feasible? 2. For our box of equipment, not to exceed $200, I'm assuming our computers, our general mode of communicating data, does not enter in here. Today I handed out a sheet with all of the instruments on the Global Surveyor, and we read about all of them on the Mars Navigator CD-ROM. I'm hoping that tomorrow they will use that information along with other information to come to some decisions as to what they think should go in the shoe box. I will be interested to see how discussions go tomorrow. The next step, I guess, is to prepare them to debate their ideas and to give them a format for discussion. Who might be ready to do that shortly? In the mean time I'm teaching my curriculum and integrating wherever it seems appropriate, which is a lot of places, some in little ways and some in bigger ways. I, too enjoyed getting my LFM kit. I will share the contents with my students tomorrow, as well as the #2 Challenge question. I guess we missed out on the first one. I also agree that my 6th graders have limited information and skills to figure out the questions, but I guess we'll just try with the information and skills we have, including mine, which sometimes is limited too. We all learn together. Lucy Marske Sioux Center Middle School Sioux Center, IA 51250