Human Energy Systems | Activity 2.2

Target Student Performance

Students in expert groups investigate multiple representations of the four variables in and the Earth systems that they measure, generating explanations and questions.

Resources You Provide

Jigsaw Cards (already distributed during previous activity)

Resources Provided

2.2 Expert Group A Worksheet (1 per student in Group A)
2.2 Expert Group B Worksheet (1 per student in Group B)
2.2 Expert Group C Worksheet (1 per student in Group C)
2.2 Expert Group D Worksheet (1 per student in Group D)
2.2 Assessing Expert Group A Worksheet (1 per class)
2.2 Assessing Expert Group B Worksheet (1 per class)
2.2 Assessing Expert Group C Worksheet (1 per class)
2.2 Assessing Expert Group D Worksheet (1 per class)

Setup

Print one copy of the Expert Group Worksheets for each student in each expert group. For example, print one copy of 2.2 Expert Group A Worksheet for each student in Group A. Reserve or provide one computer with an Internet access for each expert group. You may choose to have duplicate groups (e.g., Expert Groups B₁ and B₂) and if so, you will need to prepare extra materials and a computer for each group.

Directions

1. Have students recall their home groups.

Have students regroup in their home groups from the previous activity. Each student should have a jigsaw card with the same picture and different letters. Review briefly the difference between “generalizability,” “representation,” “short-term variability,” and “long term trends” from the previous activity.

2. Have students find their expert groups.

Tell students to find members in the class who have the same letter on their jigsaw cards.

For example, all students with A₁ on their card should form a group.
Their expert groups should be no larger than 3 and no smaller than 2.

3. Set up the space for the activity.

Give each student a copy of the 2.2 Expert Group Worksheet for their assigned group. Make sure they have adequate collaborative work space and access to the internet. Tell students that in their expert groups it will be their job to become “experts” on one phenomenon. It will be their job in the next activity to explain their phenomenon to their home group. Each group will be responsible for reading about their data (labeled in the reading by expert group letter), watching a video, looking at a graph, and answering questions about the four considerations for each: “generalizability,” “representation,” “short-term variability,” and “long term trends.”

Note: Groups A and D require downloading a short (less than 2 minutes) video before watching. These videos are included in the curriculum materials if you’d like to provide the students with the videos ahead of time.

4. Have expert groups complete their tasks.

Give the expert groups 30-40 minutes to complete their expert group worksheets. Circulate during their work and check to see what questions arise. The main objective for the worksheet is to support students in addressing the four considerations for large-scale data: representation, generalizability, short-term variability, and long-term trends. Encourage students to discuss their ideas in their groups and to support their claims with evidence. Emphasize that the goal is not to complete the worksheet but rather to be able to explain their phenomena and the graph that represents it to other students.

Emphasize that students in their expert groups may have questions that they are unable to answer simply from looking at the graph.
Encourage students to reach consensus for each question, using evidence to support their ideas.

Assessment

Before leaving their expert groups, each individual should be able to address the four considerations for large-scale data for their particular phenomena and be ready to explain it to others. Use the 2.2 Assessing the Expert Group Worksheets to assess the student’s ideas. At this point, the students may have questions about the phenomenon in their groups, and at the end of the activity they will have had no formal support from you as a teacher in understanding these phenomena. We recommend looking over their worksheets to see how well they were able to navigate the data in their expert groups. You will also have a chance in the next activity to formatively assess their ideas when they share their expertise with their home groups.