Stephanie and Science Fairs

In Chapter 7, I read about science fairs and the general guidelines that a teacher should follow in order to begin sponsoring such a fair.   Our textbook authors suggest that students need  at least six weeks in order to complete their projects.  This reading reminded me of being in elementary school and how excited I was to do my science fair project with my parents. I did mine on the solar system.    All of fourth graders presented their projects in the gym. We presented our projects to the  whole school during the day and then our parents came in the evening to see all of our hard work. I was so excited to see everyone’s projects and to have them see mine.

Thus.............my question to each of you is this:

Did you ever take part in a science fair when you were elementary school? Or did you see one during your observation hours? Would you consider setting up a science fair when you become a teacher? Would you attempt to involve the other teachers? What are some  of, the tips that were mentioned in Chapter 7 that you would consider before you attempted to sponsor a science fair.     Do you feel that there is any educational value to encouraging your students to take part in a science fair?   What is that educational value?    

Jessica and Science

My favorite part of Chapter 5 of our class science text came toward the end of the chapter when the authors discussed students and their natural curiosity.  The authors described how children use all of their senses to learn about new things  throughout their day.  The authors suggest that teachers need to be the ones who spark a student’s interest, if it is not already there, and let them explore.  We should give students plenty of hands-on activities because it helps keep their interest and allows them to learn science naturally.  Teachers should create a classroom filled with challenges and excitement  that encourage students to learn all  subjects.  We should find ways to help students make connections and really get involved.

Have you had teachers who sparked your interest in school?  What did they do to catch your attention?  What is your least favorite subject and how do you think you could turn it around to make it fun for your future students?

Burcu and Being Prepared in our Classrooms

I have learned a great deal from my cooperating teachers during the past two and one-half years.   This semester, in particular, I have learned a great deal from my cooperating teacher, Mrs. Falcicchio.   One of the most important things I have learned from her is that, as a teacher,  you have to be prepared for anything to happen in the classroom.. While you may have one thing planned you have to make sure you have backup lessons or ways to improvise if something goes wrong. Even though you cannot always be prepared for everything that can occur, you must be able to think quickly on your feet.   If you cannot think quickly and change direction quickly, it is possible that your students will  get out of hand.

 
           One experience in particular occurred during the recent hurricane.   Hurricane Sandy had put the school in which I observe out of commission for a full week. When the students came back after that week Mrs. Falcicchio made sure to address the storm and to then ask the students  how they were affected by the storm.   She realized that some of the students were greatly affected by this natural disaster.. Aside from the devastation of the storm itself, the school continued to lose electrical and Internet power for many days after the storm.  Mrs. Falcicchio was always prepared with extra work material for when the Smartboard stopped working and when the lights went out. She was prepared with flashlights and candles. It was obvious that as soon as something would go wrong in the classroom, the students would panic and get a little out of hand but as soon as they saw how Mrs. Falcicchio just kept moving on and paid little attention to all of the inconveniences that they had to endure, then the students adapted and adopted her “get busy and do my work” attitude.   I realize that situations like this don’t occur every day, but I have learned something from Mrs. Falcicchio………………………as future teachers we have to make sure that we are prepared for any situation because we have to be responsible not only for ourselves but for our students as well.

Have any of you experienced situations in which your teachers showed that they were well prepared and able to take full control?   Have you seen the opposite…………a situation where the teacher was not prepared, not flexible and lost control of her/his class? How important do you think it is for a teacher to always be flexible and be prepared? 

Alexandra and Assessment and Science

As I was reading Chapter 4, Inquiry and Assessment I found some useful information on how to assess students informally as well as formally. One form of assessment I really want to consider is interviewing students.   I believe that this approach to assessment can really give you an insight as to how well your students are grasping what you are teaching. I also liked the suggestions that were made as to how one should approach students when interviewing them, such as sitting on the floor, talking in a cheerful tone, and only intervening to guide students to the next question. I thought this approach to assessment and interviewing would be especially helpful for younger students since it is harder for them to write what they're thinking.  It is easier for younger students to actually tell you what they are thinking.  I have never seen this method used  in the classroom, but I have seen the  teacher that I am observing ask questions like,  "What did you like about this lesson? What could we do next time to make it better?" at the end of some lessons.   She asks these questions in order  to get students input. I think this is a great way to get students involved especially with subjects in which they may have little interest.  

 

        Have you seen any assessment interviewing being done in the classroom in which you are observing?    Would you use this method in your classroom? What are some other assessment strategies that were mentioned in Chapter 4 that you felt were worth considering

Gabriella and the inquiry method as well!!!

The reading assignment for the week focuses on teaching science through inquiry.  The inquiry method has evolved due to the fact that leaders in the field of science have recognized the need for the subject to be taught in correlation with actual methods used by scientists.  The chapter emphasizes what is known as the 5E learning model which is considered effective in encouraging inquiry. The model incorporates engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation. The textbook tells us it is being included in science curriculums on all levels of education.

                 I feel that the fact that the world of education is embracing this technique is exciting.  If a child is taught science at the elementary level using methods that correspond with genuine scientific methods, it could open doors for children to pursue the field of science later in life.  Too often children are turned off by being fed facts to be memorized,  for test taking purposes only. It is only natural to wonder how many of us in this class could have had futures in the field of science had their interest not been snuffed out at an early age with boring teaching.  Since it is a field that is sorely lacking in America, incorporating inquiry into curriculum is, I believe,  the right way to go. 

What do YOU think are the advantages to teaching science in this way?    Did you have a science teacher who approached the teaching of science using this inquiry method?      

Monica and the inquiry method of teaching

             The reading for this week was about students learning science through inquiry. This means that the students initiate the unit of study and want to learn because of their own questions or because of their own frustrations. I agree with this way of teaching and learning because then the students are more inclined to pay attention and really learn science concepts.    For example, if you show the students a science experiment in which you ask them to drop an egg wrapped in different materials and then give them the challenge of it not breaking it, they will do their best to protect their egg. They will want to try different materials in order to protect that egg and will,  hopefully,   ask why certain containers or certain materials won't work. This approach will allow students to be the instigators of the lesson. They will  then be required to explain the different materials they chose and why they chose them. If their egg breaks, they will have to explore why that happened and how they could change it to better protect the egg in the future. I think this is a very good lesson for students because they learn about many different aspects of science such as inertia, motion, and gravity. Did you have any teachers who allowed you to learn in this way?    Do you agree that the inquiry method is  a good way to teach students? Do you believe that this is how they can be  hooked from the beginning?   Why do you feel that way?    How did you experience science when you were in elementary school?   Did any particular teacher spur your interest in science?   How comfortable are you with the idea of teaching science?    

 

 

 

Jessica poses a question about teaching geography

 

 

This week we read Chapter 11 on geography, specifically discussing the five themes: location, place, interaction, movement, and region.  Much of the reading covered different approaches to teaching about maps to children.  It gave examples of all types of maps a teacher could incorporate and suggested some activities.  One of my favorite examples was the aerial photographs/maps along with a bird’s-eye view.  I like how in explaining what that map might look like the author suggested showing your class a picture of a bird in flight and then asking them what the bird would see from its vantage point.  This approach gets the student thinking and using their imagination.

            Currently, in the school in which I am observing,  the students have been learning about maps.  My cooperating teacher taught a neat lesson on longitude and latitude that involved a treasure hunt game on the SmartBoard.  The students loved the game and it got them using map skills while also having fun. Also, I got a chance to teach the students about map scale.  To do so I decided to create a map of their classroom.   I created the map so that that it was to scale.   It took some time to measure everything correctly and then come up with a proper key, but it was well worth it.  It worked so well because it gave the students a better understanding of map scale.  After I asked the students a question about finding the difference between two points using the scale, I could then visually show them by whipping out my measuring tape and showing them its accuracy.

            What kind of map activities have you observed being used in a classroom?  What did you like about it?  Did it work well?  What changes would you have made?  Have any of your former teachers in elementary school used creative ideas for teaching geography?  What ideas have you come up with for teaching about maps after reading Chapter 11?  What kinds of maps can you see yourself incorporating into your lessons?