AI & ME

These course guides were made using ChatGPT with Next Generation Science Standards in mind.   Students are encouraged to seek out their own explanatory materials, problem sets, lab challenges, and other learning activities when they are able to connect their learning style and curiosity to the lesson plan.  These guides are intended to be used in consultation with someone who has strong content knowledge, is able to assess learner progress, and can generate appropriate learning activities.  The assessment approach involves a digital portfolio, Marzano-style grading, and student metacognition around competency.

And many of those skills go unmeasured in academic settings!  By working with no more than 6 students at a time, I can assess your progress and adapt learning materials more quickly and precisely to fit your learning styles, goals, and interests.  Also, by relieving some of the stress of peer judgment that comes with schools and larger classrooms, you are freer to focus on trying and learning from mistakes rather than avoiding making any in the first place.

I will prompt you with many questions, but to learn, you ultimately have to develop your own questions and answer them.  This is obvious when a student asks something and an instructor replies.  However, deeper learning is silent and internal.  You may not even realize you are asking and answering questions in your mind, but being intentional about trying to formulate better questions will only help you become a better learner.

Science is a process of testing predictions through measurement and comparison.  Scientists use a system of measurement called the International System of Units (SI Units) based on 7 base  units (second, meter, gram, mole, kelvin, ampere, candela) that can be combined to form a slew of other units.   The more you understand what you are measuring, the more science will make sense.   It is not meant to be a great mystery, in fact quite the opposite; but it is easy to get lost in numbers, symbols, and technical vocabulary.

I was raised in a devout Catholic family, educated by Jesuits, and reformed by science.  Then I married a Congregationalist.  Personally, I do not see much conflict between science and living in relationship with God, but perhaps that goes with being a skeptic.  I take an agnostic approach and do not profess any particular religion as a teacher.  I am sensitive to parent concerns and welcome dialogue before covering potentially controversial content with kids.  My goal as a science educator is to help nurture more scientifically-literate critical thinkers.

What is life?  Or, at least, how is life defined in scientific terms?   Are you curious about how cells and DNA work?  How do we get nerves, muscles, skin, etc. when the cells in our body have the exact same DNA?  Do you wonder what science might reveal about the origin of life?

When did genetic engineering begin?  How is selective breeding different than genetic engineering?   What is recombinant DNA and why was it so controversial in the 1970's?  Should it still be?  What are some major accomplishments that have come from genetic engineering?  What is the difference between biosafety and biosecurity?  What are some bioethical issues experts are currently debating?  What are some bioethical issues you think are important?

How good are those DNA tests at determining my ancestory or predicting my medical fate?  What type of medical issues can DNA sequencing help doctors address?  When might I want to consult with a genetic counselor?

What's with all the "omics"?  How do they apply to ecology?  Is anyone interested in building a biosphere?  Of what use might one, or a hundred, be?

Jeff Bezos wants to relocate damaging industries on the moon to avoid wrecking Earth.  Who else is in the race?  What biotechnologies might hitch a ride?  Biosafety Level 4, 3, 2, 1 ...

Could we fund a $200 million ecological study that fosters high school-university partnerships connecting 50 communities throughout the country?  Could high schoolers help curate 4 biodomes at or near their school, one control and three experimental (CO2, heat, and fertilizer), and assist college students and professors collect samples to process at a university lab?  I'm asking for a friend.

$1000 for 25 sessions or $1200 for 30 sessions - 90 minutes (at least once per week), and additional time as needed at $50 per session (6 students max).  10% discount for families able to form a class of 4-6 students.

There is a lab component to my courses!  I can fit basic equipment, kitchen chemicals, and digital sensors in the trunk of my car.  I am open to visiting homes or a gathering space arranged by student families.

Course time alone is not sufficient for students to prepare for college work.  Independent practice and research needs to occur between sessions.  During sessions, we will mix mini-lectures with Q&A, homework review and planning, skills practice, lab work, and assessment.

$50 per hour - Physics, Chemistry, and Biology

$50 per hour (plus expenses if applicable)

$50 per hour