The table groups in E2 took the first several days to go through the process of creating energy diagrams, sharing these diagrams with the class, identifying representations that were common and dissimilar between groups, and then refining the diagrams. While taking field notes it was hard for me to actually see what the groups were drawing during this process, so I wanted to look back at the photos of the diagrams. I choose to look at Group 4's diagrams for the first 3 days (also on Day 4 the groups were rearranged), since this group was the one that had such a strong reaction to using color on Day 1 (see post on Negotiation of Color Use in Energy Diagrams).
The ET scenario for the first day (Monday, Week 1) was a ruler hitting a ring across the floor. Group 4 designated each object by using one color to both to outline it and to write its name (ring, air, etc.) They used brown squiggly arrows and black straight arrows to signify energy transformation and transfer, respectively. The energy units are indicated by different letters (or letter combinations) and each energy letter is a specific color. All letters are enclosed in box. There are seven individual energy units that participate in transfers or transformations in their diagram, which is the same as the number of people who performed the energy theater.
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| Day 1 - Group 4: Scenario #1 is ruler hitting a ring |
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| Day 2 - Group 4: Scenario #1 is a bowling ball hitting the ground |
The second day's (Tuesday, Week 1) energy theater
scenario was a bowling ball dropped from a height that hits the ground.
In this diagram, the objects (names and outlines) each still have their
own color, as do the different energies. The boxes around the letters have been
left out, though. It is not clear from the diagram what the arrows represent
(there is no key like in Day 1). The arrows are all straight but are different
colors, which seem to be the color of the energy unit that the arrow is coming
from. Other groups are using color to mean different types of action (for
instance, Group 5's diagram has a key and uses green for deformation, red for
impact, blue for motion, etc.). Group 4 also included an energy change
table at the bottom of their diagram, which is all one color for letters and
arrows.
The Day 3 diagram was of an energy theater where a
hand crushes a cold pack. Group 4 made an original diagram and then refined it,
including the energy transfer table. This diagram is similar to Day 2's, except
in this diagram, single units of energy are shown both transferring and
transforming (squiggly and straight arrows) to another type of energy. In the
refined diagram, the group has stopped including every single unit (or person)
of energy and is now showing just the pathways of energy transfer, using only
straight arrows.
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| Day 3 - Group 4 - First diagram: Scenario #1 is hand crushing cold pack |
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| Day 3 - Group 4 - Refined diagram: Scenario #1 is hand crushing cold pack |
In the second Day 3 scenario (penguin walking
uphill), Group 4 only uses one color for the entire drawing. Sid in the group
realizes this and points it out to Rachel during the group share-out right
before lunch. They only made one diagram, so did not refine the pathways in the
penguin further to eliminate redundant paths (although they did this in the
table).
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| Day 3 - Group 4: Scenario #2 is a penguin walking uphill |
This is a great documentation of their changing diagrams, especially their changing use of color. What do you think the changes mean??
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