December 2024
The Regents Biology Working Group, an evolution of the Living Environment Working Group, continued its efforts to support educators teaching the new New York Biology Regents. Meeting throughout the Fall, the group offered virtual support sessions and hands-on, in-person labs. On December 14, the group convened for the “Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: For the Birds – Designing Solutions” lab, which focused on ecological problem-solving through systems thinking and engineering practices. Participants engaged in the lab as students, allowing them to experience potential challenges firsthand and refine their instructional approaches.
The “For the Birds” lab tasked participants with designing and testing solutions to ecological problems affecting bird populations and habitats. Teachers explored strategies to connect human activities to changes in ecosystems and encouraged creativity through open-ended engineering challenges. To address potential classroom obstacles, the group discussed chunking activities, pre-labeling materials, and scaffolding tasks with guided templates to support student success. The lab also emphasized avoiding premature validation of student designs, encouraging evidence-based testing and iterative problem-solving.
Through this experience, teachers gained insights into managing student frustration, preparing materials, and fostering independent thinking. They highlighted the value of preparation and reflection in enhancing the lab’s effectiveness and engaging students in real-world ecological issues. The session underscored the importance of connecting biology content to engineering practices and ecological interdependence, equipping educators with tools to inspire curiosity and systems thinking in their classrooms.
By blending ecological concepts with problem-solving and design, the Regents Biology Working Group continues to provide valuable resources and strategies for teaching the new curriculum, ensuring students develop a deeper understanding of biology and its applications to real-world challenges.
Note: summaries are written with aid of AI text software