Monday, April 13, 2009
How are things going now that it's April 17?
Gosh, can you believe it? Two weeks of class to go, then the final project presentation on exam day! That's all! I can't believe the semester has flown by sooooo fast. Since your last blog comments we've gone to Swem and learned about editing video, we've worked through several ideas about teaching "Green" and we've also done some analysis of the data from our ketchup experiment (were you surprised?). We've talked about your literature "finds" and how they might be used in teaching science and we've also practiced with the digital microscopes. You had a guest speaker, Mr. Bill Williams, on Wednesday, and did some more work with experiments and meeting that daunting SOL for every grade level "The student will INVESTIGATE . . . .". What are your thoughts?
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I cannot believe that we only have two weeks left!! That is absolutely insane.
ReplyDeleteI haven’t been able to get to my school this week, and last week was their spring break, so I don’t have anything to comment on from my practicum, but class has certainly given me enough to comment on.
I was really glad we got a chance to learn about editing video as a class, rather than trying to figure it out on our own. The thought of going in and actually editing our video is still a little intimidating, but I feel a little more prepared after that. As a technology-related side note, the digital microscopes were so cool! Is there any way I could come by and install the software on my computer before the semester ends?
I was surprised by the results of our ketchup race – we were all so convinced that warmer ketchup would flow more easily than cooler ketchup! I’m glad we got a chance to experience what our students will do when we have them design experiments. It’s a unique perspective on things, and it gave me a lot of ideas about what to look out for when I have my kids do experiments. I had never thought of having them design the experiment themselves (with some guidance, obviously) because so many of my science labs were pre-written and half of your grade was based on whether you followed the directions. Just seeing how emotionally invested we were in our results, I can imagine that kids would be much more engaged by designing their own experiments than just following our instructions. I realize that I would need to guide their experimental design, as Dr. Matkins did for us, and keep a close eye on what is going on around the room as the students conduct their experiments. I really liked the four-question strategy that Mr. Williams walked us through on Wednesday. I think it lays out the logic of experimental design really nicely for kids (as well as for us!)
I LOVED our Literature Connections assignment, although I wish I had gotten a copy of “Picture Perfect Lessons” before I did it – that seems like an awesome resource! I really like the idea of using stories to get students engaged in science, math… anything you’re going to teach them. Stories have a universal appeal, and it can be such an easy way to create a great lesson.
Andriana and I will be teaching both our learning cycle lesson and our science circus with Gina this week! I’m a little nervous about teaching in a class where I don’t know the kids at all, but I hope they will be excited enough that it won’t matter. I’m also working something out with my teacher to teach a new activity that gives me a chance to lead on my own. We’ll see how all that goes!
The past few weeks in science have been very helpful. Learning how to edit videos was perfect timing, since it was right after Therese and I finished both our circus and lesson. We’ve started editing, and it’s a challenge to find all the right sections we want to show! It’s very interesting watching ourselves teach, because sometimes we say some really weird things that we can shrug off at the time, but that seem ridiculous when we watch them over and over again. We also appear to have said something in unison, which was pretty weird.
ReplyDeleteI had mixed feelings about learning the experimental design diagram with Mr. Williams. I remember doing the exact same “EDD” worksheet ALL the time from about fourth grade through middle school (and then, every so often, in high school too). I never once enjoyed making one, and I always thought they were horribly boring. When we did it in class, it didn’t seem bad at all, and I honestly am not sure which parts I didn’t like as a child, which is frustrating because it means I don’t know how to make it better. I really liked at the beginning of the semester when we were talking about how there was no “one” scientific method… but then we learned that yes, there is a format for doing experiments, and you have to follow it. I’m not sure how to reconcile these two ideas. I’m also not sure what I can do to make sure my students aren’t as bored with the EDDs as I was. I did like the Four Question strategy we used, though.
I did enjoy doing my literature connections project. I spent a few hours in the Williamsburg Public Library looking through the children’s section, and I found a lot of great resources. I love reading and rereading children’s books. I thought it was funny how vividly I remembered the “Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth” book from when I was a kid—I recalled specific pictures and even phrases. I also enjoyed making the module. It was rather stressful, and I’m grateful that it’s over, but it’s nice to see that I’m capable of making an entire science unit, and I think we did a pretty good job on it.
I haven’t done a lot of science in my cooperating teacher’s classroom recently. One of the only thing I’ve been there for is a Venn diagram of whether particular animals were “born” or “hatched.” It’s interesting to see how this contradicts just about everything we’ve learned in science. There’s no hands-on, exploratory activity. The students did participate “hands on” in making a giant Venn diagram, but they definitely didn’t explore… but then again, how would they have “explored” animals being born or hatched? I know we’re getting chicken eggs soon, hopefully while I’m still observing, so I’ll be able to see how my teacher ties that in.
I did observe for awhile in a third grade science class yesterday. We went outside to plant a bird garden. This was definitely much more “exploratory,” and it was really fun to see the kids obviously using what they’d learned—“Look! This brown part is the topsoil, and then there’s clay underneath!” “Look, a worm! Another worm! A baby worm! [There were a lot of worms, and it never ceased to be exciting] Where can I put it to help the plant grow?” Other third graders were also going into the woods to find decomposers, and observing soil erosion on the side of the school, and then discussing and recording their observations in their science journals. This seemed like a really great class to me, and the kids obviously loved it. I was wearing horrible shoes for gardening, though.
I can’t wait to see what we do for the last two weeks of class!
It seems so crazy to me that we only have two weeks left! I feel like I've learned a lot in a short time, though. I really enjoyed our ketchup experiment. I think it's really great when we get to carry out experiments we could use with our students. It really gets you thinking -- not just about the correct answer, but about the way the world works and why it works in such a way. It really reminded me of my younger, more fun years in science. High school science was miserable for me - all memorizing equations and bones and such. I remember doing such fun experiments in elementary and middle school, and the ketchup experiment we did really reminded me that I used to like science! I want to keep that inquiry/investigate-type science learning in my classrooms because I want my students to explore rather than memorize.
ReplyDeleteToday my third graders learned about gardening in the Matthew Whaley garden. It was so fun to see them asking questions and exploring the garden. The gardeners were really great in teaching and asking them questions. They knew more than I thought they might! One girl even knew the difference between perennial and annual flowers! Everyone was very impressed :) They then got to plant their own flowers in little pots (zinnias, I think), which they're going to bring home to their moms for Mothers' Day. We reviewed what plants need to grow, and Dr. Matkins, you'll be glad to know that the gardeners really emphasized the seeds' need for air! They also showed how pounding down the dirt to tight can keep the air out, which I thought was a really good reminder because kids so often mush their seeds down in their and pack the soil too tightly.
Can't wait to see what's coming up in the next couple weeks!
Two more weeks of class! Oh my goodness I cannot believe it! I am excited but extremely nervous at the same time! I am very nervous about getting my practicum in science! It has been absolutely difficult to get enough hours because my teacher rarely does science; she does most of her science experiments/lessons in the fall. But she has realized that I am short on these hours, so she's been working with me so that I am able to get them. I have also been observing a third grade class at Clara Byrd Baker so that has helped a bunch!
ReplyDeleteToday in my practicum, I helped my CT teach a lesson on magnets. This was so much fun because the kids love magnets and think they are the coolest thing ever! First, I read them a non-fiction book on magnets, which was very interesting. We then gave each student a worksheet with a list of objects( nail, cotton ball, wooden stick, coin, tack, shell, etc) and they had to predict whether they thought the magnet would attract or not attract the particular object. This prediction exercise was great because it definitely got the kids thinking! After they made their predictions, we had some of the students come up and test their predictions. It was really cute because I said I would only call on the quiet students, so they would all look at me with this cute puppy dog face so that I would call on them. This activity was so much fun! Then later on, we broke up into smaller groups. My group worked on another activity on figuring out which objects would stick to the magnet. The kids love being able to experiment with objects like these!
On the other hand, class time has been very useful. I am really glad we were able to go to swem for an editing session, otherwise I would have been lost! I will probably still have trouble with some of the editing but at least I will have a better idea.
I also enjoyed the class with Mr. Bill Williams this week. The experiment he set up for us to do, really struck my curiosity! Erin and I were working together to figure out if having more weights on the pendulum would increase the amount of swings. Our first trial seemed a bit odd so we HAD to run another trial, unfortunately we ran out of time! And I am still thinking about it!! Ohhh science!
Since DJ Montague has failed to meet annual yearly progress two years in a row, we have gone into overdrive trying to prepare the students at the end of this year. Most of their classwork is being done out of SOL prep books...and the students are definitely not enjoying it. They have a prep book for all four core subjects, and they argue every time we ask them to pull it out. I know it is critical that they do well on their SOLs this year...but watching this makes me think, there has to be a better way for them to review. Personally, I am bored as we read through the books and find myself becoming restless. I know the students must be feeling even worse. Although I am not sure what the solution should be, I would love to investigate further into interactive reviewing strategies...especially in science. A few times, the students play games similar to jeopardy using SOL trivia, but I would really like to see students exploring still using all of the knowledge they have acquired throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteGinny and I have been video editing the past two weeks, and that has been quite an experience. I honestly didn't think I would be able to see too much more than I already realized about my teaching through the video, but I was very wrong. I have learned so much already...staring with, when I get excited I talk in a VERY high pitched voice. I need to work on this. The most informative thing to me thus far has been being able to sit back and watch all the students while we taught. At times when I thought the whole class was engaged, I can see students fidgeting in their seats and not paying attention. I need to work on ways to keep the entire class focused, and I also need to work on actually seeing the entire class while I am talking.
There are a few common things so far between the tapes that I would like to improve as well. For example, during both lessons, we started the groups and I realized I had forgotten a small instruction I wanted to include. I had to go back during both lessons, get the class' attention, and give one more instruction. As a new teacher, I think it would be helpful if in the future...I made a list of points I absolutely needed to address before dismissing the class. This would help keep the instructions guided and specific.
I have really LOVED learning how to edit the videos, however! I think this will be such a useful skill to have throughout my teaching career. I can already see myself making movies with my class throughout the year. Instead of a class "yearbook", I really think students and parents would enjoy a class "movie" to remind them of what it was like in Ms. Killion's class :)
This past week in my class room has been very eventful. The students just got two baby ducklings for the classroom, so all of the students are very excited. Actually having the ducks in the room has really caused the students to be more engaged when learning about life cycles. This reminded me about the article that one of the groups read about having a class room pet. The ducks will not permanently be in the classroom, however while they are there the students will actually be able to see how they grow because ducks grow so quickly. I feel that this will really help them get a better understanding of this concept.
ReplyDeleteHaving the students return from spring break this week, it was really good to see how my cooperating teacher eased them back into their daily routine. She had them write stories about their spring break adventures and allowed them to share them with the class. However, she also let the students know that after this they needed to get to work to prepare for their “special visitors”. This worked really well. She was also sure to give the students a lot of hands on activities to help with the transition.
I also feel like my teacher has allowed the students to work in groups much more frequently since the science circus. I also feel like there is a little less instruction, which the students seem to really enjoy. I really want to introduce the idea of experiment teams to my class. I feel that my students will be really excited about having different jobs. I also think this will help the students solve problems within their groups rather then just asking for an answer from the teacher (a lot of my students seem to be so focused on getting the right answer that they don’t really try to do the work themselves). I am really surprised at how fast this semester has gone by and I plan on spending as much time as possible with my students to experience everything I can in this short time.
Therese,
ReplyDeleteI've been talking to my teacher a lot about what their SOL prep is going to look like, and it seems like Matthew Whaley's is going to be much more interactive (maybe because they don't have to worry as much about bringing up their scores?) I'll let you know if I see any good review activities though!
I am so excited that we only have two more weeks of class. The semester has flown by, and time flies when you're having fun, right? So thats a good sign.
ReplyDeleteOn the flip side, I have an enormous number of hours to get to complete my practicum, which seems absolutely absurd considering how much time I feel like I have spent at my school. I have been working with another teacher who finally made a plan with me and committed to a number of days, so that is helpful.
Learning how to edit movies was really fun. I've seen other students make videos for class projects or what not, but I never thought I could do it! I havent actually sat down on the computer and tried yet, but it looks much simpler than I expected. I think that will be a valuable skill to have in many places in life. (maybe something we should be learning in our technology class, perhaps??) Dr. Matkins, I don't know if you would want to mention something about it to Dr. Hofer, but it seems like that fits our technology class and then you wouldnt have to give up science time.
Next week I teach my learning cycle lesson and my science circus. I'm nervous but also excited about the experience. I wish I would have a little more time between them, but thats the way scheduling worked out, so I will take what I can get.
Speaking of the Learning Cycle Lesson, after completing the Lit connections assignment I am very excited about using literature to engage my students. They are pretty excited about learning to begin with, but I loved (and still do) childrens stories, so I hope they find them meaningful, too.
I LOVED talking about being "green" in the classroom. That is something I am already interested in, in life in general. Jenny and I wrote our module on the resources SOL, and my learning cycle lesson is their earth day lesson, so I get to talk about recycling and ways to be green! I am excited to complete these lessons and have a chance to reflect on them....so much to do in the next few weeks! Good luck everyone.
So many of everyone's comments spoke about the seasonal nature of teaching. I will truly miss this class because it has been a perfect opportunity to sharpen my skills and develop new ones. I tried another science circus so I have a reflection tape (and employers love to review them). Editing will be important - so I'm grateful to practice it on Monday. Whenever you do an activity the first few times, you see what you can improve. I did a solar system exercise where they made a solar system model with 3rd graders. I have tried independent scaffolding, but never circus style. It was fun but exhausting! One group calculated the distance from the sun from astronomical units to cm, another determined which balls represented the relative sizes of the planets, and the third was to place them on the tape. I wondered why some group looked stuck and they finally confessed that they had the wrong units on the tape measure (inches not cm). Then a girl suggested she use her ruler in a classroom after I prompted them how to solve it. I must confess that I would have told her how if I hadn't had our class... It took an hour which is a rare amount of time to spare in most classrooms, but it did bring on excellent discussion about how to model, evaluating what looks wrong, collaborating and discussing with scientists. I didn't have the task cards ready -- DO make those cards before school starts. Like Dr. Matkins says, your first year will swamp you and the better prepared you can be, the better you will feel.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ginny on the experimental design format - I have used several and it doesn't speak to most students and they find it confusing. On the other hand, the 4-question strategy was amazing. I have seen it and heard about it -- but this time it clicked in a new way for developing science fair projects. Perhaps that is the difference between things being given to you and being taught how to use them. I have struggled with students on developing their projects and often used titles of science fair projects as warmups a way to teach students to identify what is the IV, DV, control and constant and experimental design. I hope to work with that idea some more. Hang in there everyone.
OH BTW, Eyeclops (the TV screen scope) was on sale the very day after class for $30. It's back up to $50 at Target but keep your eye out.
ALSO IF YOU NEED HOURS, my son's school is hosting RiverDay on Wednesday.. they could use volunteers from 8:30 - 3. I'm going and could give you a ride down and to class when I leave (early).
Best to everyone! My schedule this week reminds me of how lake water and soil mixes up this time of year.. bring nutrients up and good things start to bloom, but it feels so crazy and cloudy!
What is River Day? Could we get science hours for it? I would definitely be interested in going if we got back in time for class... Technically I have class until 9:20 that morning, though... would anyone else who has a car be interested? (I feel bad constantly trying to bum rides off people...)
ReplyDeleteUse the same criteria as for a field trip. Yes you can use the hours. More comments in Wednesday's class. Best to all, San Diego and Anaheim were great professional experiences but I'm glad to be coming home (at the airport as I type and read).
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