When I started this class, I was uncertain how to make science fun for all students. I had some experience in my practicum last year teaching a grade 4/5 class light and sound. What I have learned is that science is a great subject to read fictional books about and is super easy to make fun and exciting.
When I started this class, my perceptions of science was filtered by the real world jobs people I know have. Leaving this class, my eyes have been open to all the relatable jobs that people have in the sciences. Young students should not feel intimidated by science or what science is. Science is everywhere and what makes someone a scientist is what they do, not how old they are or what they look like. This is a really important part of teaching students science when they are young.
I also learned new tools like interactive notebooks and other tools that move the learning to the students and engages them more directly. This is another way that the barriers around science can be broken down for young students. Everything is moved into work that they can explore and allows them to interpret science in their own comfort zone. Using tools like the Think-Tac-Toe tool, students can write poetry about science. This makes science into a more familiar subject and allows the students to creatively express their learning.
After this class, I feel as though some of the fears I had about teaching science to young students have been eased. I now understand how to convey the wonders of science to young children and how to teach them to love the subject instead of hate or fear science. I feel more secure in teaching students about different types of science and scientists.
Thursday 6 November 2014
Week Nine: Differentiation
Think-Tac-Toe
Learning Outcome: 2-2-14
I created a Think-Tac-Toe because it seems like an activity that can easily be used in my classroom at some point.
Learning Outcome: 2-2-14
I created a Think-Tac-Toe because it seems like an activity that can easily be used in my classroom at some point.
Logical/Mathematic
Diagram how water changes from a solid to a liquid.
|
Verbal/Linguistic
Tell a story of a solid turning into a liquid. Include how
it felt as it changed.
|
Bodily/Kinaesthetic
Create a dance in a group of 3-5 of a solid changing
states.
|
Visual/Spatial
Draw a story board of the an ice cube changing states from
a solid to a liquid.
|
Interpersonal
Interview a friend about their prior knowledge of solids
changing into liquids and then create flashcards to quiz each other with.
|
Intrapersonal
Reflect on what you learned and what you knew before hand.
Include 3 examples of solids changing states in your daily life.
|
Musical
Write a rap about a solid changing states.
|
Bodily/Kinaesthetic
Create a five minute play with 2 friends about a solid
changing into a liquid.
|
Naturalistic
Create a time-lapse video of an ice cube melting using PhotoStory.
|
The time-lapse video would require some support from the teacher or another adult, but the support can be lessened if the class as a whole learns how use PhotoStory before hand. All the group activities can be recorded if that is easier for the teacher to evaluate. The idea is to give students the opportunity to pick something that they want to do to show their learning and they will also be pushed to expand their horizons beyond what they feel comfortable with,
The Think-Tac-Toe also allows for students to be able to control their tasks, giving them more independence and responsibility in their learning. It allows the students to have more control and feel like they have the power when it comes to their learning, even when they do not and you have full control over their work.
Differentiation is something that can help all students find success in school. It is also a way for the teacher to give more freedom and responsibilities to the students, giving them more incentive to act more mature and take ownership of their learning. It's a two way street and handing over a bit of the responsibility to the students, making everyone better in the long run.
The Think-Tac-Toe also allows for students to be able to control their tasks, giving them more independence and responsibility in their learning. It allows the students to have more control and feel like they have the power when it comes to their learning, even when they do not and you have full control over their work.
Differentiation is something that can help all students find success in school. It is also a way for the teacher to give more freedom and responsibilities to the students, giving them more incentive to act more mature and take ownership of their learning. It's a two way street and handing over a bit of the responsibility to the students, making everyone better in the long run.
Tuesday 4 November 2014
Week Eight: Text Talks
Grade One: 1-1-06, 1-1-09
African Animals: Giraffes
By Catherine Ipcizade
Vocabulary Words:
Savana
Pattern
Stretch
Between
Danger
Calves
Enemies
Questions:
What does the weather remind you of?
Do you like hot weather?
Besides fingerprints, what are some other things that is not exactly the same?
What other animals can go a long time without drinking water? Can you?
Why do you think giraffes can go a long time without drinking water?
How do your parents make sure you stay safe?
This book would be a great way to start help students understand that there are animals all over the world and those animals adapt to their environment to meet their needs. You can tie the reading into local animals and how giraffes are different from Manitoban animals.
There is also the opportunity to read a second book that is of a Manitoba animal and comparing the two animals. Students can start to make connections to what they already know about local animals and what they have learned about giraffes. Help the students look for similarities and differences.
African Animals: Giraffes
By Catherine Ipcizade
Vocabulary Words:
Savana
Pattern
Stretch
Between
Danger
Calves
Enemies
Questions:
What does the weather remind you of?
Do you like hot weather?
Besides fingerprints, what are some other things that is not exactly the same?
What other animals can go a long time without drinking water? Can you?
Why do you think giraffes can go a long time without drinking water?
How do your parents make sure you stay safe?
This book would be a great way to start help students understand that there are animals all over the world and those animals adapt to their environment to meet their needs. You can tie the reading into local animals and how giraffes are different from Manitoban animals.
There is also the opportunity to read a second book that is of a Manitoba animal and comparing the two animals. Students can start to make connections to what they already know about local animals and what they have learned about giraffes. Help the students look for similarities and differences.
Week Seven: STSE
Learning Outcomes: K-0-1a, K-0-3, K-0-7a, K-0-9a, K-0-9c
What are scientists and what do they do?
Take a field trip to St. Boniface Research Centre or have someone from there come and speak to the students. Let the students indulge in their sense of what a scientist is, as well as be introduced to female scientists and scientists of colour. There is a perception that scientists work off in some far off places and do scary work in labs. Kids should know that scientists who work in labs do work that helps us and that they wear lab coats and goggles to stay safe.
Read the book What's Out There by Lynn Wilson. Ask students if they think space is science. Ask them if they know of any astronauts. Space is something a lot of kids love to learn about and introducing it as a science can make a scientist seem like a cooler job than what they think it it. Depending on the group, you can also show the class some of Commander Chris Hadfield's YouTube videos from the International Space Station.
Finally, have the students talk to a field biologist, either by Skype or an in class presentation. This allows them to talk to someone who works out in the science field in a setting that is not seen as a stereotypical settings in the minds of young students. To further extend this thought process, take the class to Oak Hammock Marsh and have them conduct some field research themselves to further impress upon the point that scientists do not just exist in a lab, they exist everywhere in this world.
It is important that students get a normalized view of what a scientist is and what they do. It is also important that science experiences are fun from a young age. The more interactive the experiences, the better. The more diverse the experiences, the better. Teach students from day one that science can be fun and at some point they will probably see it as fun, even if they initially thought science is scary.
What are scientists and what do they do?
Take a field trip to St. Boniface Research Centre or have someone from there come and speak to the students. Let the students indulge in their sense of what a scientist is, as well as be introduced to female scientists and scientists of colour. There is a perception that scientists work off in some far off places and do scary work in labs. Kids should know that scientists who work in labs do work that helps us and that they wear lab coats and goggles to stay safe.
Read the book What's Out There by Lynn Wilson. Ask students if they think space is science. Ask them if they know of any astronauts. Space is something a lot of kids love to learn about and introducing it as a science can make a scientist seem like a cooler job than what they think it it. Depending on the group, you can also show the class some of Commander Chris Hadfield's YouTube videos from the International Space Station.
Finally, have the students talk to a field biologist, either by Skype or an in class presentation. This allows them to talk to someone who works out in the science field in a setting that is not seen as a stereotypical settings in the minds of young students. To further extend this thought process, take the class to Oak Hammock Marsh and have them conduct some field research themselves to further impress upon the point that scientists do not just exist in a lab, they exist everywhere in this world.
It is important that students get a normalized view of what a scientist is and what they do. It is also important that science experiences are fun from a young age. The more interactive the experiences, the better. The more diverse the experiences, the better. Teach students from day one that science can be fun and at some point they will probably see it as fun, even if they initially thought science is scary.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)