Clouds

Unit eight is now firmly centered on weather, climate, and El Niño. Day one begins in MITC with a cloud video focused playlist. Day two is spent setting up the El Niño presentation groups for Friday. Day three begins in the computer laboratory with an updated climate change video playlist. The sequence well sets the stage for drawing a scientifically accurate image of a cloud - the Luke Howard video is especially useful, as is a slide show of clouds of Pohnpei shared after the climate change videos.

Cloud drawings, sequenced

Myreen working on a cloud drawing

Yostrick

Mike and Elymore

VanDamme, Ardy, Elisa

Justice

Amy-Lang, Melsina

Mayleen Araisang, Dee-L

Amy-Lang, Melsina

Johsper

Phillip

Sunet, Mayleen


The reaction of the judges was that overall the quality of the drawings has slipped. Speculation included the possibility that smartphone usage from a younger age has negatively impacted coloring capabilities.

The rubric for this particular laboratory has been dropped. Students had complained bitterly over the years that the rubric was giving them poor marks on the assignment. The assignment is now marked in tiers. Top row is 20, second row 19, third row 18, fourth row 17,... which means that the assignment is back to being marked based on perceived quality. And one is back to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and the question of what is quality. One is left back somewhere near a position Justice Potter Stewart once took on a different topic - I cannot define quality but I know it when I see it. Ultimately one should be able to clearly identify the cloud type from the drawing, without ambiguity. These drawings are not easy, but observation is a scientific skill too.

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