I recently began my heredity unit (using the Alien Genetics activity) and was at a loss for what kind of homework to assign. A colleague was in the room as I was thinking out loud about it, and she offered a suggestion which lead to my thinking of another idea alltogether that I thought was pretty good. It wasn't a spectacularly original idea (write an autobiography of your alien persona, complete with hereditary information and "reproductive strategy," see my instructional log for more details), but it was meaningful and some of the students will take off with it and have fun doing it.

What struck me, though, was how quickly the idea came to me when someone else was involved in the thinking process.

How many others struggle individually on a daily basis to come up with ideas for homework, activities, or assessments? See where I'm going with this?

The Middle School Science Discussion Forum. Ask for ideas. Offer suggestions.

-- Michael Gatton (mg143@aol.com), November 11, 2001