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Meet the Maker: Laura Ramthun
Meet the Maker: Laura Ramthun
My name is Laura Ramthun, and I am a high school Chemistry and Biology teacher at Eisenhower. Maker culture is important because it helps students to learn how to problem-solve and think about the world in new ways.
My name is Laura Ramthun, and I am a high school Chemistry and Biology teacher at Eisenhower. Maker culture is important because it helps students to learn how to problem-solve and think about the world in new ways.
Provocation: How can we make something to represent the abstract and complex topic of bonding in a more accessible way?
Provocation: How can we make something to represent the abstract and complex topic of bonding in a more accessible way?
Maker Plan: Modeling Chemical Bonds - Ionic and Covalent
Maker Plan: Modeling Chemical Bonds - Ionic and Covalent
What we are making, Why we are Making, Who we are Making for:
What we are making, Why we are Making, Who we are Making for:
Students were provided a context for the project - understanding and visualizing bonding in matter is abstract and challenging! Our goal was to create products that could be used by teachers to educate other students or members of the community in educational settings that would make the challenging topic of bonding more accessible. They had to research different types of existing kits and background about types of bonds to propose new or modified versions of the existing products to support learning about characteristics of bonds.
Students were provided a context for the project - understanding and visualizing bonding in matter is abstract and challenging! Our goal was to create products that could be used by teachers to educate other students or members of the community in educational settings that would make the challenging topic of bonding more accessible. They had to research different types of existing kits and background about types of bonds to propose new or modified versions of the existing products to support learning about characteristics of bonds.
Maker Skill Builders & Highlights
Maker Skill Builders & Highlights
Modeling
Modeling
Students create a visual model of an item based on increasing evidence, modifying as new material becomes available.
Phenomodeling
Phenomodeling
Students create visual explanatory models to show understanding of what happens to cause colors to be emitted during burning of metal ions.
Rapid Prototyping
Rapid Prototyping
Students are presented with problem to solve and challenged to come up with a solution to test it.
Student Product Samples
Student Product Samples
Brainstorming and Planning - Design of the Prototype
Student Prototyping - Building Bonding Models
Student Prototyping - Building Bonding Molecules
Documenting Design Thinking - PowerSchool Wiki
Additional Teacher Resources & Reproducibles:
Additional Teacher Resources & Reproducibles:
Links below include evidence, student handouts, and photos of work.
Links below include evidence, student handouts, and photos of work.
- Phenomodeling Presentation and Sample Models
- Rapid Prototyping Rubric (Skill Builder)
- Part 1: Research
- Part 1: Research Rubric
- Part 2: Brainstorming
- Part 2: Brainstorming Rubric
- Part 3: Prototyping
- Part 3: Prototyping Rubric
- Part 4: Testing and Evaluation Rubric
- Part 5: Launch Solution Rubric
- Part 6: Individual Reflection Rubric
Must know tips for Teachers:
Must know tips for Teachers:
- Having a simplified document for students makes the process more accessible for students. When planning, I kept thinking about how to present my expectations most clearly for students to work on their own with limited guidance from me.
- Collaborative documentation makes it easier for teams to work together to report their learning. I have used a PowerSchool Wiki project this year, but will consider having students build a Google Site next time to offer more flexibility for presenting their information.
- Sometimes, the hardest part is coming up with the human connection. Once there is a clear way to get to the empathy of the topic, setting the goal of the project becomes much easier.
- I would have a clear goal of what you plan to assess ready from the beginning, even if you haven't worked out exact details of rubrics. This will allow you to show students the path to the end of the project, and you can clarify as you go.
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