Science in the Classroom, 2

            Integrating science into the elementary classroom is a huge challenge because of the standardized tests that focus mainly on reading and math.  Most teachers struggle with their lesson plans because they have to spend a lot of time on reading and math; they feel that there is not enough time to incorporate science.  Dina Markowitz does not think that standardized tests are the right answer, because she says that mandated testing drives the lesson plans (2004).  Instead of letting the teacher go into their classroom and teach from the standards and benchmarks, they spend all their time with reading and science.

            One of the several ways to get science in the classroom is to arrange the lesson plans so that when you are teaching science, you are also teaching reading, mathematics, and social studies.  When doing a lesson plan for reading, this article suggests picking up a science journal, or a science trade book.  The teacher will still be addressing reading, with the advantage of teaching science as well.  Many teachers say they do not have time for science, but they need to remember that science is a standard that needs to be taught in all grades.

            This article also talked about several websites that were great resources for teachers.  The website Science NetLinks has lesson plans, news reports; the lesson plans are also very adaptable for state standards.  Marissa Maggio teaches environmental health and states that you should teach and then make the standard fit to what you are teaching (2004).  Which makes more sense, we as teachers should be able to teach how we want and make sure we are coving the standards, because all teachers need to be held accountable. 

Science in the Classroom, 3

            Teaching in every aspect is challenging.  Trying to teach more science in the classroom, should not be that hard, as this article has pointed out several ways to incorporate science into all areas of teaching.

Science in the Classroom, 4

Brown, V.  (2004).  Setting a new syllabus:  Environmental health science in the             classroom.  Environmental Health Perspectives, 112(14), A814-A819.

SCIENCE CENTER

Amber Granger

October 28, 2008

Science Learning Center

            During the time I observed the students with my learning center, I learned right away it was more advanced then I had planned.  The students worked in groups of two.  As they read the instructions, I could see that the vocabulary was too difficult for them to understand.  The words were hairpin, skinny stick, and clothespins.  These were the instruments that they used to do the activities.  I had glued the objects with their names on them to the board, but that didn’t help.  The next time I do this I will put actual pictures of each of the steps.  I think the visual would help them immensely.  The teacher had to stay close by for questions.  The next time I do a science learning project I will use easier vocabulary so that the students can do the activities without the teachers help.

The students really seemed to enjoy the experiments.  They did not complain while they were answering the questions.  They did the activities with their partner and groaned when there muscles tired, or when they couldn’t figure out why the hairpin moved when their hand was not moving.  After the end of the lesson, I asked several of the students what they thought of the activites.  Most of them said it was fun, but a little hard.

            I would use this learning center at the end of the muscle lesson, so that when they were doing the activity they could access some of the knowledge from the week.  The teacher had me bring this in the first day she introduced muscles, and I think they need a little background before they do it.  The teacher thanked me for bringing it in, and said she wished she had someone to create a learning center for all her lessons.  I told her I was way too busy, even though I enjoyed creating it.

PRACTICUM: 

November 6, 2008

4^th grade science lesson

            Today when I went in to teach a science lesson, I felt very prepared.  I had talked to the teacher several times, and she had given me an activity that she wanted them to do.  I started off the class by asking them what they knew about the digestive system.  The teacher had started teaching the digestive system on Monday and I had gone in on Thursday.  She wanted me to do a poster with the students to give them some review, because they had a test the next day.

            I had found a visual online that used yarn to measure the digestive system, I called up six children who held the yarn and I explained each part of it.  They really enjoyed this, because they could see how long each part was.  They were surprised at how much longer the small intestine was then everything else.

            The next task was doing their posters.  They had four worksheets, that I told them to color, cut and then glue.  This was a mistake.  They took forever trying to color it, so I had them stop coloring and we were going to put the poster together.  I explained exactly how to cut the paper (on the bold lines, not the dotted).  They did it wrong, so I showed them exactly where to cut and made sure that they were all watching.  By the time they had it cut out it was time to go.  I was very frustrated because the purpose of doing these posters was for review and discussion before the test, we had no time to talk about the posters.  If there was time the teacher said they would finish tomorrow after the test. 

            The teacher told me what she would have done.  She said that she gathers the students around her and actually does the activity before she gives them any material.  This seemed very juvenile to me, because they are fourth graders. 

            I would have liked to have the children for the entire hour, the teacher had a lot of announcements for the children, and we didn’t get to start right away.  I would have also had the students cut, glue, discuss, and then color if there was time. 

            Teaching science can fit into anybody’s schedule if they take the time to teach it.  The school that I taught at had a designated science teacher so she taught science four times a day, and then taught reading.  I think that is great that these children are exposed to science everyday, instead of once a week.