Science Blogs and Reflections

9/4/14

This week in science we are learning about force and motion.  We watched a video on a female scientist that is a flight coordinator for NASA.  When we watched this video it reminded me of our “Draw a Scientist” discussion and our readings by Mcfarland and McCovvas.  The video showed the students that not all scientists are male and work in a secretive lab.  In the reading it told us that over 80% of students when asked to draw a scientist doing science drew a male in a secretive lab.  This video opened the eyes of students and showed them that there are all different kinds of scientists.  This particular scientist that they watched a video on was a type of engineer who studies force and motion.

What evidence do you have that the students eyes were “opened”?

9/11/14

We had a group discussion about the scientist and what we noticed in the video.  We had responses like “shes a girl”, “she works for astronauts”, “she does not work in a lab”.

Well first, I just wanted to say that I went to a science notebook training on Monday with my CT and learn many ways to use a science notebook in the classroom!  I noticed in my classroom when we were doing our “wind with sails” experiment that the kids were given choice of what sail they would want to use for their boat.  They then were able to think of their own way to add force to their sailboat to make them move.  The kids thought of blowing with a strong force on the sail to make it move without being told to do so.  Giving students a choice when experimenting in science was in our “How do you know Science is going on?” reading by Karen Sullenger. And when the kids were able to create their own way of making the sail boat move related to our “Ten myths of science” article by W.McComas. Woo-hoo! Lots of connections!! :)

9/18/14

Thanks:) Science is observing, inferring, predicting, measuring, and communicating while learning science content.  Science is learned and is being done when you are able to connect your experiences of doing science to a scientist and what a scientist does.  Science is being done when students ask questions and wonder about the natural world around them and then conduct experiments or investigations on that topic that they’re wondering about.  Science can be done everyday, at anytime, and anywhere.  Science is never finished; it is an ongoing process of trial and error.  Science is durable, yet always subject to change.  Anyone can be a scientist by creating, discovering, exploring, wondering, inquiring and interacting with the natural world around them.

 

10/30/14

Standards:SC.5.E.7.2 Recognize that the ocean is an integral part of the water cycle and is connected to all of Earth’s water reservoirs via evaporation and precipitation processes. 

LAFS.K12.W.1.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Today in Science class we did a lesson on the Water Cycle.  We were first asked, "What is a cycle and what are some examples of cycles in your life?"  I responded with, "A cycle is a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order.  And examples I put were: Period, water, plants, sleeping, life, learning, recycle, morning/afternoon/night, coaching.  This was a great lesson that implemented the 5Es lesson plan and integrated literacy throughout every stage. After we answered the questions the professor had us draw a picture of the Water Cycle (pre-assessment).(Engage) First, our professor read the book" A Waters Journey" which exposed us to different forms of land and water that we do not see everyday like reservoirs, glaciers, and streams. (Explore)  We then were given the chance to play the game of chance.  We traveled the journey of a raindrop.  An envelope was placed on every table with small sentence strips that told us where to go next.  The envelopes were labeled with pictures: Glacier, ocean, clouds, plant, animal, stream, ground water.  We traveled 7 different times.

The order of events I got was as follows:1. Roll Downhill and become part of the ocean.2. I evaporate into the air in the clouds.3. I fall as snow onto a glacier.4. I melt and become a part of the stream.5. An animal licks me up.6. I become urine and end up in the stream.7. I evaporate into the air in the clouds.

We were then asked to create a story of our journey as a raindrop, my story was as follows: (literacy) (Explain)When I was born, I was just a simple drop of water that quickly rolled downhill and became a part of the large ocean with several other droplets of water.  Soon after I evaporated into the air and relaxed in a bed of white fluff called a cloud.  Later, I fell as cold snow onto a ginormous glacier where I then melted because of the increase in energy and flowed into a stream.  While chill in in the stream an animal with large floppy ears licked me up to quench its thirst.  Later that day I turned a yellowish color and was peed out into a stream.  Finally, I made it back to my large white, fluffy bed after floating up from the chilly, rocky stream. (Science is imaginative and logical)

Then, we shared our stories and our experiences with other people in our group. (Science is social)

Next, we collected all our data from the class on where we went during our journeys as a rain drop.  We then made inferences using this data and came up with most of us traveled to the clouds and/or ocean and the cycle was not a circle. We then had to go back to our drawings and add to and/or cross out.  This gave us a chance to apply our new learning. (Extend/Elaborate)  

In the end, we had to reflect on what we learned about the Water Cycle by picking an image from google that shows the Water Cycle and evaluate its strengths and weaknessess. (Evaluate)

This was a great lesson on the Water Cycle that implemented the 5Es lesson plan (Engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate) that could be used i a fifth grade classroom.

This image of the Water Cycle shows the Water Cycle as a circular cycle. We learned in class that it is not circular. A drop of water can travel on many different journeys. Water does not only go from the ocean to the clouds to rain or snow to waterfalls. This image only shows one arrow, which point towards the sun. Water never goes into the sun. Heat from the sun causes water to evaporate and ice to melt but that is not what the image is showing. It also does not show different bodies of water like lakes, streams, ponds, glaciers and puddles. It does not show that animals drink water and the water leaves as pee or that plants use water to grow. It does not show the process of condensation of water. It does do a good job showing a wider variety of places that water is found compared to other images. It just does not show the processes that water goes through in a way that students would be able to understand.10/25/14

Standards:SC.2.P.8.1  Observe and measure objects in terms of their properties, including size, shape, color, temperature, weight, texture, sinking or floating in water, and attraction and repulsion of magnets.SC.2.N.1.2  Compare the observations made by different groups using the same tools.Essential Questions:

How can matter be observed? (size, shape, color, texture)How can you measure properties? (Matter is classified by its properties (qualitative and quantitative))Lesson:Engage:  Review the properties of matter.  (Video)Explore:  The 4 centers (writing down observations in Science Notebooks.)                       Size - Describe the size of matter using measuring tape, rulers.                       Texture - Feeling matter and describing what they feel.                        Shape - Describe the shape of matter.                        Color - Describe matter with colors.Explain:  Students will record their observations in their Science Notebooks and have conversations about their observations in their groups.Elaborate:  Students will then share their observations and discoveries in a group setting.Evaluate:  Students will reflect on what they have learned by explaining two ways they can describe properties of matter and provide an example.  (size, shape, color, texture)

In our Science class we have been learning about the 5 E's.  The 5 E's are engage, explore, explain, elaborate and evaluate.  The purpose for the ENGAGE stage is to pique student interest and get them personally involved in the lesson, while pre-assessing prior understanding.  The purpose for the EXPLORE stage is to get students involved in the topic; providing them with a chance to build their own understanding. The purpose for the EXPLAIN stage is to provide students with an opportunity to communicate what they have learned so far and figure out what it means.  The purpose for the ELABORATE/EXTEND stage is to allow students to use their new knowledge and continue to explore its implications.  The purpose for the EVALUATION stage is for both students and teachers to determine how much learning and understanding has taken place.  I feel that the lesson went great.  The students were able to have a hands on experience with observing the properties of matter.  The only part of the lesson that was difficult for the second graders was how to organize their observations made in their science notebooks.  So, for the next lesson I showed the students how to draw a chart that helped them organize the observations they have made about properties of matter in their Science notebooks.  

10/19/14

Lesson:SC.2.P.8.2 Identify objects and materials as solid, liquid, or gas.SC.2.P.8.3 Recognize that solids have a definite shape and that liquids and gases take the shape of their container.EQ:What are solids, liquids and gases? How are they different?Objectives:Students will be able to recognize that matter takes up space.Students will be able to identify objects and materials as a solid.Students will be able to describe a solid and that it has a definite shape.Step by Step:• What is matter? Turn and Talk/ share (Vocab Card)

• What are some examples of matter? Turn and Talk/share(What happens when you put a pencil in a cup?) Record your observations in NB.• What is a solid? Turn and talk/share (Vocab card) • What are some examples of solids? How would you describe these objects?• Pick a solid from the classroom that is a solid and describe (record in NB) Share

So far in Science, I have realized that when I teach a new concept my students must be able to explore and discover it for themselves or they will not fully understand the new concept.  When students have hands on experiences with what they are learning they feel that they have masted the content and are able to make observations that match the concept they are learning about.  For example in this lesson a solid is matter that has a definite shape.  When I first asked the students what they thought solids were they were not sure what to say.  They were able to provide me with examples but not a definition. One of their major misconceptions was that they thought all solids were hard until one student said, "Wait a second, no, my shirt is a solid but its soft!"  After they placed the pencil in the cup, they told me that nothing happened.  That was when they realized that solids are objects that do not change shape.  When I told the students to choose a solid from their basket of matter, they were all able to pick a solid and then describe that object.  On the carpet they noticed that solids all had a definite shape and do not change and that some solids are soft, some are hard, big and small.   The day before this lesson students had to sort a basket of objects into three categories, solid, liquid and gas.  I first introduced what they all had in common, they are all matter.  Then started with what a solid was so they were then ready to lean about what a liquid was the next day and be able to compare the two types of matter.  All in all, I thought the lesson went well.  But, next time I need to tell the students about misconceptions.  For example, when a student told me that all solids are hard and they then learned that they are not, I should of took that moment to tell them that saying, "All solids are hard is a misconception, which is a misunderstanding."

FEAPS 1.a 1.b 1.c 1.f 3.a 2.f 5.a 5.f 

10/7/14

This week my students are learning about magnets.  They will discover what a magnet is, what it does, and how you can use it (magnet can be used as a science tool).   Today my lesson that I taught was a guided inquiry and my students had to find out how they could use a magnet to move objects (push or pull).  They also discovered what kind of things a magnet can and cannot attract.  So far my students discovered that magnets attract some metals.  I feel that my lesson went well because my students were able to answer the essential question.  I was happy that I was able to finish the entire lesson without running put of time and as I circulated the room I was able to listen in on students conversations.  This is the last week of forces and motion, which means that the students will have a unit test on Friday.  So, tomorrow I am going to ask the question, “What kinds of objects do magnets attract and how can we use a magnet to move things to see if students really understood what they learned yesterday.  One thing I noticed after watching my lesson

over again is that I need to work on my guided questions so students are able to answer a question without me telling them what the answer is.(Lesson Plan is attached)

Lesson:E.Q:How can you use magnets to move things?  What are magnets?Who here has ever used a maze?What is the goal as you move through a maze? (Move from start to finish without crossing a line.)

Distribute materials. Hold up any unfamiliar item and say its name.  Guide Investigation: Have students make a plan for moving the magnet. (push or pull), Use the second magnet to move the first magnet to end. Observe the motion of the magnet and write in science notebook.  Students do.Have students chose two other objects to move with a magnet without them touching. Decide if they will push or pull each object.  Move each object from start to finish. 

Students share and compare observations and results with group at table.

Have students answer in their Science Journals:  Did the magnet move some objects better than others?  Why do you think that is so? (The magnet pulled one of the metal objects but not the other.  Magnets can only pull some types of metal.)    

FEAPS 1.a 1.b 1.c 1.f 3.a 2.f 5.a 5.f