5-E CLASSROOM STEM ACTIVITY: UNDER PRESSUREBy Dr. Alexandra Owens

16 EARLY SPRING 2018 // STEMJOBS.COM

JEWELRY // DR. TAO HSU

A GEM OF A CAREER

It might seem that the only jobs in the jewelry industry are for salespeople who stand behind glass cases, examining gems using one of those tools that resembles a handheld microscope—which is technically called a loupe. There are many more career opportunities for students who love jewelry and gems. At GIA (the Gemological Institute of America), Dr. Tao Hsu uses her knowledge of the science surrounding gems to educate peers through Gems & Gemology, a peer-reviewed publication from the institute, and guide gemology instructors. Through her two positions—manager of global professional development, gemology and technical editor of Gems & Gemology—Hsu educates professionals and aspiring professionals in the gemology industry.

“Overall my goal is to act as a content creator and an educator at the same time,” says Hsu. “This means that I am highly involved in creating gemology educational course content and carrying out trainings to empower teachers all over our global locations.”

Hsu has shown a lot of determination to reach her goals in a gemology career while earning a doctorate degree, but she has also received training from other programs. To make sure she excels in her chosen profession, Hsu studied to become a trained gemology professional who has been educated in nearly every area of the industry.

“In addition to my college education, all of my professional training outside of school also played a very important role,” according to Hsu. “As a jewelry professional, other than school education, professional training about gemology from accredited institutions such as GIA is necessary. Before I started working for GIA, I already completed several professional certification programs from multiple accredited gemology institutions, including GIA.”

The many years of education inside the college classroom and with certification programs show Hsu’s dedication to being the best gemologist possible, but her dreams of working in gemology started with a love

of STEM. Talking about her childhood, Hsu explains how her interest in science as a young girl led to the perfect career in adulthood.

“Since I was a little kid I have always been interested in our planet. Right before my college entrance exam in China, I decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in gemology. It was a simple decision because I love anything related to earth science and gems are the most beautiful materials I could think of at that time.”

Just as Hsu was thinking about science and gems as a child, she feels that students who are interested in these subjects should start thinking about their careers now. By taking the appropriate classes to prepare kids for a career in gemology, Hsu says they will start on an excellent path to succeed in these jobs.

“Geology, physics, or chemistry are what the majority of our potential candidates major in. Jobs include research scientists, staff gemologists, technicians of different research instruments, and more. As for education, gemology instructors with science backgrounds are highly appreciated, the same is true about editors for Gems & Gemology.”

Though these classes are important, Hsu also believes there are skills that aren’t always easily learned in the classroom, but are great for students to obtain early.

“My advice for high school students who want to pursue a career in this industry is to be a careful observer and an adventurous explorer. Observation is key for gem professionals and it is also important for you to gain knowledge from your surroundings in general. There are so many questions that have not been solved in gemology. One who wants to thrive needs to stay curious and courageous to explore.”

The mysteries of gemology that Hsu mentions show students that careers in this industry can lead to new discoveries and great adventures. With a strong desire to learn and discover, students can reach new heights studying the Earth’s treasures.

Studying Earth’s Precious TreasuresBY DOROTHY CROUCH

STEMJOBS.COM // EARLY SPRING 2018 17

DR. TAO HSU MANAGER, GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, GEMOLOGY; TECHNICAL EDITOR, GEMS & GEMOLOGY DEGREE: PH.D. IN GEOLOGY YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY: 6 STEM TYPE: INVESTIGATOR

“BE A CAREFUL OBSERVER AND AN ADVENTUROUS EXPLORER. OBSERVATION IS KEY FOR GEM PROFESSIONALS AND IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE FROM YOUR SURROUNDINGS IN GENERAL.”

5-E CLASSROOM STEM ACTIVITY: UNDER PRESSUREHere are some ideas for how high school teachers could use this story as a launching point for integrated STEM learning. Our activities follow the 5-E Learning Cycle Model.

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Spark students’ interest with a discussion about birthstones. Display some photographs of various birthstones if the students are unfamiliar with their birthstone. a. What is your birthstone? b. What does it look like? c. How do these gemstones form?Have students read the article “Studying Earth’s Precious Treasures” in STEM Jobs magazine. Discuss the following questions: a. What are some various careers in the jewelry industry? b. How is the study of gemstones a facet of physics and chemistry, in addition to geology? c. Why is observation a key skill for someone in the jewelry industry?Show the video “How Do Gemstones Form?” found at edu.STEMjobs.com/teacher-resources to teach students more about the formation of gemstones and how they relate to many science disciplines.

Part 1: Engage

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Break students into groups of three or four. Explain that in this lesson, each group will be researching a specific type of gemstone and its chemistry. Allow students to select a type of gemstone of interest, or assign a gemstone to each group. Ensure that no two groups are researching the same type of gemstone. Types of gemstone include, but are not limited to: a. Diamond b. Sapphire c. Emerald d. Ruby e. Aquamarine f. Amethyst g. Garnet h. Opal i. Topaz j. Turquoise k. Citrine l. Jade Ask students to research their gemstone, including how it is formed, source locations, chemical composition, history, and any interesting facts or stories. During the research portion of this lesson, students may work on their own device if available. Provide time for students to research and share with their group members.

Part 2: Explore

Part 3: ExplainHave groups create a short presentation of their research to share with the class. Presentations should include how the gemstone is formed, source locations, chemical composition, history, and any interesting facts or stories. Each member should share the information for which they were responsible. Students should use presentation software such as PowerPoint or Google Slides. Encourage students to include models of the chemical structure on an atomic level.Once presentations are complete, have students share with the class. Allow students to ask any clarifying questions of group members.

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Students will be evaluated for their presentations and proposals using the following rubric. Provide the rubric at the beginning of the lesson to clarify expectations and objectives. Each group will be graded, therefore all students in the group will receive the same score.

Part 5: Evaluate

Following the presentations, ask student groups to consider the best place in the world to hunt for gemstones. They may consider the gemstone they studied, or another that was presented. What location may give them the best chance of finding their selected gemstone?Have students create a proposal that includes costs and time for their gemstone expedition. Students should include travel, lodging, equipment, and manpower. What would they have to find to make the trip profitable given current markets?If time, have students share their proposals with the class in a persuasive speech to convince their peers to select their location for a hypothetical class trip.

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Scoring Rubric

_____ /20 Gemstone Chemistry Was accurate information presented? Did the presentation include the formation, source locations, chemical composition, history, and any interesting facts? Was the presentation clean and easy to understand?

_____ /20 Gemstone Hunt Proposal Was the proposal inspired by the gemstone presentations? Did the proposal include a budget that was accurate? Did the proposal include details of time needed?

_____ /10 Participation Did each student contribute to the overall project? Did each student assist in research, presentation, and proposal creation?

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Under Pressure

Common Core State Standards - Math

Common Core State Standards - ELA

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills - Math

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills - Science

Next Generation Science Standards

Standards Addressed:

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4 Model with mathematics.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 9-10 texts and topics.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.7 Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g. quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9 Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10/11-12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10/11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

A.1.A Apply mathematics to problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace.A.1.B Use a problem-solving model that incorporates analyzing given information, formulating a plan or strategy, determining a solution, justifying the solution, and evaluating the problem-solving process and the reasonableness of the solution.A.1.D Communicate mathematical ideas, reasoning, and their implications using multiple representations, including symbols, diagrams, graphs, and language as appropriate.

C.4.C Compare solids, liquids, and gases in terms of compressibility, structure, shape, and volume.C.4.B Use the Periodic Table to identify and explain the properties of chemical families, including alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, halogens, noble gases, and transition metals.C.7.B Write the chemical formulas of common polyatomic ions, ionic compounds containing main group or transition metals, covalent compounds, acids, and bases.

HS-PS1-1 Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.Disciplinary Core IdeasPS1.A: Structure and Properties of MatterEach atom has a charged substructure consisting of a nucleus, which is made of protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons.The periodic table orders elements horizontally by the number of protons in the atom’s nucleus and places those with similar chemical properties in columns. The repeating patterns of this table reflect patterns of outer electron states.Crosscutting ConceptsPatterns. Different patterns may be observed at each of the scales at which a system is studied and can provide evidence for causality in explanations of phenomena.

HS-PS1-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.Disciplinary Core IdeasPS1.A: Structure and Properties of MatterThe structure and interactions of matter at the bulk scale are determined by electrical forces within and between atoms.PS2.B: Types of InteractionsAttraction and repulsion between electric charges at the atomic scale explain the structure, properties, and transformations of matter, as well as the contact forces between material objects.

HS-PS2-6 Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.Science and Engineering PracticesObtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information. Communicate scientific and technical information (e.g. about the process of development and the design and performance of a proposed process or system) in multiple formats (including orally, graphically, textually, and mathematically).Crosscutting ConceptsStructure and Function. Investigating or designing new systems or structures requires a detailed examination of the properties of different materials, the structures of different components, and connections of components to reveal its function and/or solve a problem.

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