Evidence of Science learning
Belief Statement
Teaching Science is probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Everything I thought I knew has been thrown out of the window and I am starting to build the foundation once again. I now have a much clearer view on what science is and what it should look like in the classroom. I now believe that science is conducting investigations and using inquires to raise questions and find answers to others about the world around us. Connections need to be made otherwise I believe science stays as this abstract thing that no one really cares about. Humans are self- centered creatures and when something connects to our life, we are more likely to engage and get excited.
This leads to how I believe science should be taught. Students need an environment where they feel safe to explore and make up their own ideas that they can share with their fellow scientists. Owens and Marin (2011) authors of “Lose the Recipe” state “…it is important to allow children the opportunity to explore their own ideas as much as possible at this early age when they are curious about the world around them.” (p. 43). This is the time for them to try new things and ask as many questions as they want. If students are able to investigate their own questions and discover their own ideas, many different things will happen. They will WANT to learn. They will be excited because they are working on something that they created themselves. They are learning what they are interested in and answering their own questions instead of ones their teacher gives them. This then in turn makes them take ownership and pride in their learning. I believe that not only should students create their own ideas they should share them with their fellow scientists. Science is a complex social activity and having students learning from each other has a much greater impact than if I was just to tell them what I wanted them to know.
I have always struggled to make sure my high-ability students are not bored during lessons. Van-Tassel Baska (1998) the author of “Planning Science Programs for High-Ability Learners” states “balance of content and process…including an emphasis on original students investigations.” I really liked where this quote came from. The entire article was explaining how to get your high-ability students engaged in the classroom. I personally find it really hard to plan with my gifted students in mind. They ask questions that are way beyond the content the rest of the class is discovering that I don’t know where to begin with them. I am starting to understand that they really just need to inquire and investigate the questions they have about a topic. While core instruction has certain inquiries, I believe that these students should be able to take charge and create an entire investigation on their own, with me to support them with it.
I read somewhere that a majority of scientists decide they want to be one before the age of 11. That the time they spend engaged in science in our classroom can shape their entire future. It is a lot of pressure, but if I am teaching science the way I believe it should be taught, then those students who are truly interested in science and becoming scientists wont have any reason to re-think that path. At the very beginning of the semester our group of residents made a list of our good and bad experiences with science. All of the good experiences we had, included the beliefs I stated above. Things made us uncomfortable, but those moments were when we learned the most and understood the world a little better afterwards. If students have more of the good and less of the bad, when they get to the higher grades in middle and high school, they aren't going to dread going to science and they aren’t going to have gaps in knowledge. They will have a sturdy foundation to move them through their science learning after they leave my classroom and beyond.
I, as a teacher of elementary school Science, have a lot of work to do if I want the above beliefs to be a reality. I first need to create an environment where my students are able to engage in science inquiry and investigations. Instead of teaching at my students I believe I need to take a role as the facilitator and monitor. To make opportunities for engagement in science inquiry I will follow the 5E model for science teaching we learned about this semester. It will give students the chance to get interested, explore the concept, explain their thinking, and then connect it to the real world. That real world connection is what is really going to help students see how they can use what they are doing in class in the real world.
In the first learning cycle I created, which is also artifact #2, was really a challenge. Once it was done and I was implementing it, I really saw the difference in my students understanding from when I wasn't teaching science using that model. They were picking up concepts and findings answers faster than before. I did notice that they needed a few minutes to play before they could use materials for their intended use. They had to explore on their own before given a reason to explore. Those few minutes really make a difference in the long run. They are able to get it out of their system before getting down to business. I can’t take all of the credit for this idea though, Harlen said the same thing. Harlen (2001) stated “…allow a period of free play before starting to discuss or focus observations” (p.98). As I was thinking about this, I realized that is not only true for children, it is true for adults as well. I know that during our Magnet and Meal-worm inquiries I needed a few minutes to just play and explore on my own before given a reason to touch the materials. I am 21 years old and I don’t think I would have been able to focus without those few minutes before hand. Since I am like that, I can only imagine what it is like for the children in our classrooms.
On top of letting students handle the materials as toys before they are tools, teachers need to come prepared with knowledge on the subject matter being addressed. If a teacher does not know what the students are going to be learning, how are they going to facilitate conversation or answer any questions the students might have? Not only should the knowledge be about the content, it should include misconceptions students might have before starting the learning cycle. If a teacher is aware of the misconceptions students are likely to bring to the table, they are able to make a plan that changes those. Even a veteran teacher might not know all of the misconceptions students can bring to the table, so I believe they should elicit student ideas before the learning cycle begins. This could be in the form of a probe, classroom discussion, or even a pre-test. Once a teacher is aware of these misconceptions, they can better tailor lessons to the students’ needs.
One thing that goes along with knowing your student’s needs, is assessment. You need to know where your students’ level of understanding is throughout the entire learning cycle. This is one area where I don’t feel I struggle as much. I always include something into my lessons that allows me to check for student understanding. These formative assessments that are not graded, just looked over, can be as simple has having a student write a short response to a question or series of questions. Those assessments are going to tell you if you can move on to the next part of the learning cycle or if you have to go back and have the students explore more. Then at the end of a learning cycle, there needs to be some type of summative assessment. This will be for their report card. This can range from a test you make up yourself, a performance task, or a anything that allows the students to show that they have mastered the content you wanted them to.
Not only do teachers have the above responsibilities in a science classroom, students have responsibilities as well. They need to be engaging in those inquiries and investigations. They need to not be afraid of asking questions and stating their ideas to their fellow scientists. Science notebooks need to be utilized daily. This notebook is where all of their thoughts will go. They will record observations, questions they have, and any conclusions they can draw from the data they collected during their investigations. These things can happen if the teacher holds up their end of the bargain. I called it a bargain because the students are going to put in the same amount of effort you do. If you aren’t excited and ready to do science, then the students aren’t going to be excited and willing to do science. They put in the same amount as you do. A little (or a lot of) enthusiasm can go a long way. I believe that even if you look like a fool as long as the students know you are jazzed about science, they are going to be jazzed about science. Since students mirror the behavior of their teacher, expectations of what a science classroom need to not only be discussed but modeled as well. If I want them to use their science notebooks for anything and everything, I need to model that. If I want them to know that we don’t eat during science I make a point of putting all food and drink items put in an area away from me.
My past experiences with science have been the best but they haven’t been terrible either. I have always kind of been indifferent towards science, unless it was dealing with sharks or hurricanes. I think I am still so interested in these concepts because I was given opportunities to explore those interests in my science class in elementary and middle school. While I found the areas of science that I love and get excited about, I was indifferent to the rest. I don’t want my students to have that same mind set after leaving school. I want them to be excited to learn about all the different areas of science. I want them to have more good than bad experiences. Those experiences, like stated before, can shape a student’s entire future. I believe that I can change how people perceive science education. I have had to scrap everything I thought I knew about science education and build my foundation all over again.
I would be lying if I didn't say these beliefs will change and grow as I do as an educator. Research might come out tomorrow that disputes everything I have learned and open my eyes to something completely new. I am excited to continue growing and learning as an educator not only as a teacher of elementary school science, but an elementary school teacher in general. As long as my students are learning and experiencing new things, I couldn't ask for anything more. Once I have my own classroom and can implement things how I want, I am sure my learning and growth with skyrocket and I will become more confident in my science teaching, because right now, I know I haven’t mastered everything. It’s ok though, because I have a lifetime of learning left.
Goals and Artifacts
Goal #1
Demonstrate understanding of the central concepts (content), tools of inquiry (process skills), and structure of science (nature of science) appropriate to teaching at the K-6 level.
Lesson Analysis (Artifact #1)
For this assignment we were required to take a science lesson plan from online and analyze it for the three legs of science. When the semester started I had no idea what these looked like in a lesson plan. Finding the content was the easiest because that is what you want the students to know or be able to do at the end of it all. The other two were much harder for me to find. I didn’t know just how much really went into a lesson. I always have seen, and done in my previous internships, teachers take the standards and make sure they teach it to the students, and then give them a multiple choice answer test at the end. There was no inquiry or investigation. While I still seek support from professors and other teachers at my school, I am contributing more during those sessions and asking more for them to help with parts of lessons, instead of the entire cycle. I have shown growth and will continue to grow throughout the rest of the year and beyond.
Teaching Science is probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Everything I thought I knew has been thrown out of the window and I am starting to build the foundation once again. I now have a much clearer view on what science is and what it should look like in the classroom. I now believe that science is conducting investigations and using inquires to raise questions and find answers to others about the world around us. Connections need to be made otherwise I believe science stays as this abstract thing that no one really cares about. Humans are self- centered creatures and when something connects to our life, we are more likely to engage and get excited.
This leads to how I believe science should be taught. Students need an environment where they feel safe to explore and make up their own ideas that they can share with their fellow scientists. Owens and Marin (2011) authors of “Lose the Recipe” state “…it is important to allow children the opportunity to explore their own ideas as much as possible at this early age when they are curious about the world around them.” (p. 43). This is the time for them to try new things and ask as many questions as they want. If students are able to investigate their own questions and discover their own ideas, many different things will happen. They will WANT to learn. They will be excited because they are working on something that they created themselves. They are learning what they are interested in and answering their own questions instead of ones their teacher gives them. This then in turn makes them take ownership and pride in their learning. I believe that not only should students create their own ideas they should share them with their fellow scientists. Science is a complex social activity and having students learning from each other has a much greater impact than if I was just to tell them what I wanted them to know.
I have always struggled to make sure my high-ability students are not bored during lessons. Van-Tassel Baska (1998) the author of “Planning Science Programs for High-Ability Learners” states “balance of content and process…including an emphasis on original students investigations.” I really liked where this quote came from. The entire article was explaining how to get your high-ability students engaged in the classroom. I personally find it really hard to plan with my gifted students in mind. They ask questions that are way beyond the content the rest of the class is discovering that I don’t know where to begin with them. I am starting to understand that they really just need to inquire and investigate the questions they have about a topic. While core instruction has certain inquiries, I believe that these students should be able to take charge and create an entire investigation on their own, with me to support them with it.
I read somewhere that a majority of scientists decide they want to be one before the age of 11. That the time they spend engaged in science in our classroom can shape their entire future. It is a lot of pressure, but if I am teaching science the way I believe it should be taught, then those students who are truly interested in science and becoming scientists wont have any reason to re-think that path. At the very beginning of the semester our group of residents made a list of our good and bad experiences with science. All of the good experiences we had, included the beliefs I stated above. Things made us uncomfortable, but those moments were when we learned the most and understood the world a little better afterwards. If students have more of the good and less of the bad, when they get to the higher grades in middle and high school, they aren't going to dread going to science and they aren’t going to have gaps in knowledge. They will have a sturdy foundation to move them through their science learning after they leave my classroom and beyond.
I, as a teacher of elementary school Science, have a lot of work to do if I want the above beliefs to be a reality. I first need to create an environment where my students are able to engage in science inquiry and investigations. Instead of teaching at my students I believe I need to take a role as the facilitator and monitor. To make opportunities for engagement in science inquiry I will follow the 5E model for science teaching we learned about this semester. It will give students the chance to get interested, explore the concept, explain their thinking, and then connect it to the real world. That real world connection is what is really going to help students see how they can use what they are doing in class in the real world.
In the first learning cycle I created, which is also artifact #2, was really a challenge. Once it was done and I was implementing it, I really saw the difference in my students understanding from when I wasn't teaching science using that model. They were picking up concepts and findings answers faster than before. I did notice that they needed a few minutes to play before they could use materials for their intended use. They had to explore on their own before given a reason to explore. Those few minutes really make a difference in the long run. They are able to get it out of their system before getting down to business. I can’t take all of the credit for this idea though, Harlen said the same thing. Harlen (2001) stated “…allow a period of free play before starting to discuss or focus observations” (p.98). As I was thinking about this, I realized that is not only true for children, it is true for adults as well. I know that during our Magnet and Meal-worm inquiries I needed a few minutes to just play and explore on my own before given a reason to touch the materials. I am 21 years old and I don’t think I would have been able to focus without those few minutes before hand. Since I am like that, I can only imagine what it is like for the children in our classrooms.
On top of letting students handle the materials as toys before they are tools, teachers need to come prepared with knowledge on the subject matter being addressed. If a teacher does not know what the students are going to be learning, how are they going to facilitate conversation or answer any questions the students might have? Not only should the knowledge be about the content, it should include misconceptions students might have before starting the learning cycle. If a teacher is aware of the misconceptions students are likely to bring to the table, they are able to make a plan that changes those. Even a veteran teacher might not know all of the misconceptions students can bring to the table, so I believe they should elicit student ideas before the learning cycle begins. This could be in the form of a probe, classroom discussion, or even a pre-test. Once a teacher is aware of these misconceptions, they can better tailor lessons to the students’ needs.
One thing that goes along with knowing your student’s needs, is assessment. You need to know where your students’ level of understanding is throughout the entire learning cycle. This is one area where I don’t feel I struggle as much. I always include something into my lessons that allows me to check for student understanding. These formative assessments that are not graded, just looked over, can be as simple has having a student write a short response to a question or series of questions. Those assessments are going to tell you if you can move on to the next part of the learning cycle or if you have to go back and have the students explore more. Then at the end of a learning cycle, there needs to be some type of summative assessment. This will be for their report card. This can range from a test you make up yourself, a performance task, or a anything that allows the students to show that they have mastered the content you wanted them to.
Not only do teachers have the above responsibilities in a science classroom, students have responsibilities as well. They need to be engaging in those inquiries and investigations. They need to not be afraid of asking questions and stating their ideas to their fellow scientists. Science notebooks need to be utilized daily. This notebook is where all of their thoughts will go. They will record observations, questions they have, and any conclusions they can draw from the data they collected during their investigations. These things can happen if the teacher holds up their end of the bargain. I called it a bargain because the students are going to put in the same amount of effort you do. If you aren’t excited and ready to do science, then the students aren’t going to be excited and willing to do science. They put in the same amount as you do. A little (or a lot of) enthusiasm can go a long way. I believe that even if you look like a fool as long as the students know you are jazzed about science, they are going to be jazzed about science. Since students mirror the behavior of their teacher, expectations of what a science classroom need to not only be discussed but modeled as well. If I want them to use their science notebooks for anything and everything, I need to model that. If I want them to know that we don’t eat during science I make a point of putting all food and drink items put in an area away from me.
My past experiences with science have been the best but they haven’t been terrible either. I have always kind of been indifferent towards science, unless it was dealing with sharks or hurricanes. I think I am still so interested in these concepts because I was given opportunities to explore those interests in my science class in elementary and middle school. While I found the areas of science that I love and get excited about, I was indifferent to the rest. I don’t want my students to have that same mind set after leaving school. I want them to be excited to learn about all the different areas of science. I want them to have more good than bad experiences. Those experiences, like stated before, can shape a student’s entire future. I believe that I can change how people perceive science education. I have had to scrap everything I thought I knew about science education and build my foundation all over again.
I would be lying if I didn't say these beliefs will change and grow as I do as an educator. Research might come out tomorrow that disputes everything I have learned and open my eyes to something completely new. I am excited to continue growing and learning as an educator not only as a teacher of elementary school science, but an elementary school teacher in general. As long as my students are learning and experiencing new things, I couldn't ask for anything more. Once I have my own classroom and can implement things how I want, I am sure my learning and growth with skyrocket and I will become more confident in my science teaching, because right now, I know I haven’t mastered everything. It’s ok though, because I have a lifetime of learning left.
Goals and Artifacts
Goal #1
Demonstrate understanding of the central concepts (content), tools of inquiry (process skills), and structure of science (nature of science) appropriate to teaching at the K-6 level.
Lesson Analysis (Artifact #1)
For this assignment we were required to take a science lesson plan from online and analyze it for the three legs of science. When the semester started I had no idea what these looked like in a lesson plan. Finding the content was the easiest because that is what you want the students to know or be able to do at the end of it all. The other two were much harder for me to find. I didn’t know just how much really went into a lesson. I always have seen, and done in my previous internships, teachers take the standards and make sure they teach it to the students, and then give them a multiple choice answer test at the end. There was no inquiry or investigation. While I still seek support from professors and other teachers at my school, I am contributing more during those sessions and asking more for them to help with parts of lessons, instead of the entire cycle. I have shown growth and will continue to grow throughout the rest of the year and beyond.
antos_lesson_analysis.docx | |
File Size: | 124 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Learning Cycle (Artifact #2)
We were required to create a 5E lessons plan that clearly had the 3 legs of effective Science teaching in it. The cool thing about this assignment was that I was currently planning a cycle with one of the science teachers at my school. We sat down to collaborate on what we wanted our scientists to discover. Over the course of the semester I have slowly started to learn how to plan each part of the 5E learning cycle model and include the 3 legs of effective science instruction. The evidence you can see if that I know what those are and how to put them into a plan so that it flows and doesn’t look like I am throwing it in there at a random spot because I know that it is supposed to be there. While I am not where I need to be, I am making growth and will get there eventually.
We were required to create a 5E lessons plan that clearly had the 3 legs of effective Science teaching in it. The cool thing about this assignment was that I was currently planning a cycle with one of the science teachers at my school. We sat down to collaborate on what we wanted our scientists to discover. Over the course of the semester I have slowly started to learn how to plan each part of the 5E learning cycle model and include the 3 legs of effective science instruction. The evidence you can see if that I know what those are and how to put them into a plan so that it flows and doesn’t look like I am throwing it in there at a random spot because I know that it is supposed to be there. While I am not where I need to be, I am making growth and will get there eventually.
antoslearningcycle.pdf | |
File Size: | 139 kb |
File Type: |
Goal #2
Demonstrate Understanding of the social, intellectual, and personal development of students and recognize the diverse needs, interests, and abilities of students in regard to science at the K-6 level.
Science Interview (Artifact #3)
For the science interview I collected information on two of my students. I chose two students who were on different levels in all other course work. I wanted to see what students on different ability levels thought about science and what science was. I learned that even though I interviewed students on different ability levels, my gifted learner had almost the same thoughts as my student that performs at an average level. I did end up interviewing all of my students, because it is crucial to understand who your students are and what ideas they are bringing to the table. I still struggle with eliciting student ideas but I have shown growth. I know how to ask a first questions and then a few questions after that, but I seem to get stuck. At one point my students just end up shrugging their shoulders or not answering anymore. I know I couldn’t have hit the end of rope of ideas they have in their head. I need to continue working on trying to get past that block and push them for more. This interview shows that I know how to get students ideas out of their head and that I am growing and will continue to grow throughout my career.
Demonstrate Understanding of the social, intellectual, and personal development of students and recognize the diverse needs, interests, and abilities of students in regard to science at the K-6 level.
Science Interview (Artifact #3)
For the science interview I collected information on two of my students. I chose two students who were on different levels in all other course work. I wanted to see what students on different ability levels thought about science and what science was. I learned that even though I interviewed students on different ability levels, my gifted learner had almost the same thoughts as my student that performs at an average level. I did end up interviewing all of my students, because it is crucial to understand who your students are and what ideas they are bringing to the table. I still struggle with eliciting student ideas but I have shown growth. I know how to ask a first questions and then a few questions after that, but I seem to get stuck. At one point my students just end up shrugging their shoulders or not answering anymore. I know I couldn’t have hit the end of rope of ideas they have in their head. I need to continue working on trying to get past that block and push them for more. This interview shows that I know how to get students ideas out of their head and that I am growing and will continue to grow throughout my career.
sarah_science_interview.docx | |
File Size: | 2216 kb |
File Type: | docx |
KWL chart on Water (Artifact #4)
In one of my lesson cycles that I taught in my classroom before we started anything we started a KWL chart as a class. I put up a piece of chart paper on the board and asked the students to tell me everything they knew about water. I started out with a very broad question because I wanted to see what the students’ first thoughts on water were. Students were on different levels of understanding and brought different ideas to the table. This helped me to go home that night and either delete things from my cycle because my students already showed mastery or add things that I thought they would have known but didn’t. I think an effective teacher does this not only in science, but in every subject. I believe that I have shown growth in getting to know my students and what their ideas are. I started with not asking them questions like this and just teaching my lessons as is. I would assess during the lesson, but I don’t know why I never did before. I definitely have made great improvements and need to keep moving forward in this goal.
In one of my lesson cycles that I taught in my classroom before we started anything we started a KWL chart as a class. I put up a piece of chart paper on the board and asked the students to tell me everything they knew about water. I started out with a very broad question because I wanted to see what the students’ first thoughts on water were. Students were on different levels of understanding and brought different ideas to the table. This helped me to go home that night and either delete things from my cycle because my students already showed mastery or add things that I thought they would have known but didn’t. I think an effective teacher does this not only in science, but in every subject. I believe that I have shown growth in getting to know my students and what their ideas are. I started with not asking them questions like this and just teaching my lessons as is. I would assess during the lesson, but I don’t know why I never did before. I definitely have made great improvements and need to keep moving forward in this goal.
Goal # 3
Demonstrate knowledge of an ability to critically evaluate and utilize contemporary science standards and curriculum materials for science education.
Lesson Plan Analysis (Artifact #5)
I chose to use this assignment again because I really think it shows me using a critical eye to evaluate a lesson plan. For this assignment not only did I have to break apart the lesson plan, I had to break apart the standard as well. I had to be able to find the 3 legs of science and talk about any modifications I would make to it before teaching it in a classroom. This was a very hard assignment because it was at the start of the semester but even then, with just a basic knowledge of how to effectively teach science, I think I modified it to get it close to being what it needed to be. I believe that if I had to do the same assignment now I would find even more things to change and will be able to easily add things to it to make it an effective lesson. This skill will be very useful in planning future science lessons. I will need to be able to pull resources and change them to fit my classroom. I don’t have to start from scratch with every single cycle, I would burn out before the end of my first year. I believe that an effective teacher can pull lessons from others and change and tweak them to fit their students, which is exactly what I plan to do in my classroom.
Demonstrate knowledge of an ability to critically evaluate and utilize contemporary science standards and curriculum materials for science education.
Lesson Plan Analysis (Artifact #5)
I chose to use this assignment again because I really think it shows me using a critical eye to evaluate a lesson plan. For this assignment not only did I have to break apart the lesson plan, I had to break apart the standard as well. I had to be able to find the 3 legs of science and talk about any modifications I would make to it before teaching it in a classroom. This was a very hard assignment because it was at the start of the semester but even then, with just a basic knowledge of how to effectively teach science, I think I modified it to get it close to being what it needed to be. I believe that if I had to do the same assignment now I would find even more things to change and will be able to easily add things to it to make it an effective lesson. This skill will be very useful in planning future science lessons. I will need to be able to pull resources and change them to fit my classroom. I don’t have to start from scratch with every single cycle, I would burn out before the end of my first year. I believe that an effective teacher can pull lessons from others and change and tweak them to fit their students, which is exactly what I plan to do in my classroom.
antos_lesson_analysis.docx | |
File Size: | 124 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Water Olympics (Artifact #6)
This artifact is part of a learning cycle I created with help from another teacher at my school. We sat down and laid out all of the resources the curriculum map had written on it. We then went through and looked very closely at the investigations and activities it suggested we use. The two of us decided on using an activity called “The Water Olympics” from the AIMS book titled “Water Precious Water”. We used this as a tool to get my students to start thinking about water in different ways and all of the things it can do. It was much more exciting than just telling my students all of the facts about water. One student discovered that soap breaks down water so it can be separated more easily. He was so excited when he discovered this that I then allowed him to share with the class. I believe that this one part of my whole lesson shows that I can branch out from just using the National Geographic textbook and bring in other things to engage my students in science learning. I am not a master at it, but I do think I have grown tremendously on this front.
This artifact is part of a learning cycle I created with help from another teacher at my school. We sat down and laid out all of the resources the curriculum map had written on it. We then went through and looked very closely at the investigations and activities it suggested we use. The two of us decided on using an activity called “The Water Olympics” from the AIMS book titled “Water Precious Water”. We used this as a tool to get my students to start thinking about water in different ways and all of the things it can do. It was much more exciting than just telling my students all of the facts about water. One student discovered that soap breaks down water so it can be separated more easily. He was so excited when he discovered this that I then allowed him to share with the class. I believe that this one part of my whole lesson shows that I can branch out from just using the National Geographic textbook and bring in other things to engage my students in science learning. I am not a master at it, but I do think I have grown tremendously on this front.
Goal #4
Demonstrate knowledge and ability to plan and implement a variety of instructional strategies and assessment techniques for teaching science at the elementary level.
Cookie Crumble Probe (Artifact #7)
When I was teaching Mass to my students I wanted to see if they understood what they had been learning throughout the cycle. I brought them back to their seats at the end of the science time for the day and passed out a probe. I wanted to see if they still had any misconceptions about weight. On the sheet of paper it gave a scenario about having a cookie and breaking it into pieces and crumbs and then weighing them. It then asks what you think the relationship between the weight of whole cookie and the all of cookie pieces. It gives you 3 possible answers. Students are to choose which one they agree with and then write a paragraph explaining why they agree with the one they chose. This was used a formative assessment and is not something I have seen teachers do before to assess where their students are in their understanding. There are so many different types of assessments a teacher can use during lessons. I really liked this one and I think it showed my ability to assess students in a way that doesn’t disrupt the flow of my lesson, and I pulled in other resources to aid in doing so.
Demonstrate knowledge and ability to plan and implement a variety of instructional strategies and assessment techniques for teaching science at the elementary level.
Cookie Crumble Probe (Artifact #7)
When I was teaching Mass to my students I wanted to see if they understood what they had been learning throughout the cycle. I brought them back to their seats at the end of the science time for the day and passed out a probe. I wanted to see if they still had any misconceptions about weight. On the sheet of paper it gave a scenario about having a cookie and breaking it into pieces and crumbs and then weighing them. It then asks what you think the relationship between the weight of whole cookie and the all of cookie pieces. It gives you 3 possible answers. Students are to choose which one they agree with and then write a paragraph explaining why they agree with the one they chose. This was used a formative assessment and is not something I have seen teachers do before to assess where their students are in their understanding. There are so many different types of assessments a teacher can use during lessons. I really liked this one and I think it showed my ability to assess students in a way that doesn’t disrupt the flow of my lesson, and I pulled in other resources to aid in doing so.
Minute Chain Notes (Artifact # 8)
In a lesson plan after my students explore I had them go back to their table groups and get out a colored pencil. I made sure all of the colors were different. I then passed out a piece of paper to each group with one word on the top. They could either have Liquid, Solid, Gas, Mass, or Matter. Each group had 1 minute to write everything they knew about the word on the top of their paper. After one minute they had to pass it to the next group and then they would have a minute to write on their new topic. This happened until every group had a chance to write on each topic. This continued until each group had a chance to write on each topic. I then had them explain what was written on the paper that their group ended up with. We had a discussion as a class and I learned that my students had learned what I wanted them to. I love formative assessment. It shows exactly where my students are in understanding concepts. I don’t get how teachers can effectively teach without formatively assessing their students.
In a lesson plan after my students explore I had them go back to their table groups and get out a colored pencil. I made sure all of the colors were different. I then passed out a piece of paper to each group with one word on the top. They could either have Liquid, Solid, Gas, Mass, or Matter. Each group had 1 minute to write everything they knew about the word on the top of their paper. After one minute they had to pass it to the next group and then they would have a minute to write on their new topic. This happened until every group had a chance to write on each topic. This continued until each group had a chance to write on each topic. I then had them explain what was written on the paper that their group ended up with. We had a discussion as a class and I learned that my students had learned what I wanted them to. I love formative assessment. It shows exactly where my students are in understanding concepts. I don’t get how teachers can effectively teach without formatively assessing their students.
Goal #5
Demonstrate the capacity to create a positive environment that encourages science learning by modeling the attitudes and dispositions of scientific inquiry.
Meal Worm Inquiry (Artifact #9)
I am using this as an artifact because when we were first given the black tray with the worms and beetle on it I wanted nothing to do with it. I didn’t want to even look at them. I then got over it and poked them and picked them up with spoons. I think they shows growth. I got over my fears and my aversion to insects. I learned that if my students see me grossed out or unwilling to touch them, even with a spoon, they are going to take on the same mind set. I got over it and started to actually care about my insects. I think getting over a fear in the name of science shows huge amounts of growth. If I can show my students that things are actually cool, not gross they are going to be more willing to engage in science inquiry. Students take on the feelings you have about science. If you are excited and think something is awesome, they are going to mirror those thoughts and actions.
Demonstrate the capacity to create a positive environment that encourages science learning by modeling the attitudes and dispositions of scientific inquiry.
Meal Worm Inquiry (Artifact #9)
I am using this as an artifact because when we were first given the black tray with the worms and beetle on it I wanted nothing to do with it. I didn’t want to even look at them. I then got over it and poked them and picked them up with spoons. I think they shows growth. I got over my fears and my aversion to insects. I learned that if my students see me grossed out or unwilling to touch them, even with a spoon, they are going to take on the same mind set. I got over it and started to actually care about my insects. I think getting over a fear in the name of science shows huge amounts of growth. If I can show my students that things are actually cool, not gross they are going to be more willing to engage in science inquiry. Students take on the feelings you have about science. If you are excited and think something is awesome, they are going to mirror those thoughts and actions.
Cotton Ball Discovery (Artifact #10)
In one of my lesson cycles I created this semester I purposefully included something that would make my students feel uncomfortable. When observing different objects and writing down the properties I had one of the objects be cotton balls. They said it was solid and when discussing the student’s findings afterwards I asked what a property of a solid is. They said it doesn’t take the shape of the container it is in. I then asked one of my students to take the cotton ball and put it in a narrow graduated cylinder. It ended up taking the shape of the container. They were so confused because it wasn’t a liquid. I then let them talk for a few minutes before telling them that always is a strong word. Someone someday could possibly find something that doesn’t fit into the norms of a science fact. I think it is important for students to feel comfortable enough in a setting to be ok with learning something that challenges what they thought they knew. If an environment is safe, they are going to ask questions and share their thoughts. I think this shows that because they immediately raised their hands to talk about it. I think this type of environment is set up at the start of the school year and should be continually growing throughout the year so students feel like a family, other than a bunch of random students put together in a classroom for a year.
In one of my lesson cycles I created this semester I purposefully included something that would make my students feel uncomfortable. When observing different objects and writing down the properties I had one of the objects be cotton balls. They said it was solid and when discussing the student’s findings afterwards I asked what a property of a solid is. They said it doesn’t take the shape of the container it is in. I then asked one of my students to take the cotton ball and put it in a narrow graduated cylinder. It ended up taking the shape of the container. They were so confused because it wasn’t a liquid. I then let them talk for a few minutes before telling them that always is a strong word. Someone someday could possibly find something that doesn’t fit into the norms of a science fact. I think it is important for students to feel comfortable enough in a setting to be ok with learning something that challenges what they thought they knew. If an environment is safe, they are going to ask questions and share their thoughts. I think this shows that because they immediately raised their hands to talk about it. I think this type of environment is set up at the start of the school year and should be continually growing throughout the year so students feel like a family, other than a bunch of random students put together in a classroom for a year.
Goal #6
Demonstrate capacity for collegiality, reflective practice, and professional growth in regard to science teaching.
Resident Solo Day Reflection (Artifact #11)
This reflection shows that I know how to critically reflect on lessons I have taught and talk about ways to change them in the future. I discussed what the lesson was and how each part went. I knew it wasn't a perfect lesson by any means and that improvements can be made. Reflecting on yourself can be a challenge. You don’t want to point out all the things that could have went more smoothly. It is a wonderful thing though. You now know how to change it for the next time you teach it. If you think your lessons are perfect all of the time, you are doing a disservice to your students. Reflecting allows you to break down the lesson and see where improvements can be made. Things can only get better when tweaking a lesson. Reflecting can move me from an effective teacher to a highly effective teacher and isn't’t that what every teacher wants to be?
Demonstrate capacity for collegiality, reflective practice, and professional growth in regard to science teaching.
Resident Solo Day Reflection (Artifact #11)
This reflection shows that I know how to critically reflect on lessons I have taught and talk about ways to change them in the future. I discussed what the lesson was and how each part went. I knew it wasn't a perfect lesson by any means and that improvements can be made. Reflecting on yourself can be a challenge. You don’t want to point out all the things that could have went more smoothly. It is a wonderful thing though. You now know how to change it for the next time you teach it. If you think your lessons are perfect all of the time, you are doing a disservice to your students. Reflecting allows you to break down the lesson and see where improvements can be made. Things can only get better when tweaking a lesson. Reflecting can move me from an effective teacher to a highly effective teacher and isn't’t that what every teacher wants to be?
MACRO Lesson Conference (Artifact #12)
I believe that this conference really helped me develop as a teacher. Things were pointed out to me that I knew where happening but I didn’t know just how much they could affect my students. I was not being me while teaching and after talking with Jeni, my Teaching Elementary School Science professor, I really took everything she had to say to heart. She realized that I am this sweet bubbly girl outside of the classroom, but when I get into the classroom I get frustrated and say things I probably don’t even realize I am saying. We talked about it and about some ways to make it so I don’t become frustrated. I left the meeting with a new pair of eyes and determination to be me in the classroom, not what I have seen modeled throughout not only my internships but my K-12 years. That same day I went back to my classroom and changed how I was. I saw an improvement in how I felt leaving school at the end of the day. By the end of the week my students noticed it as well. I think looking inward on yourself is the hardest thing to do. I can say though that my lessons in every subject are better and I don’t leave school frustrated and exhausted.
Link to the reflection
I believe that this conference really helped me develop as a teacher. Things were pointed out to me that I knew where happening but I didn’t know just how much they could affect my students. I was not being me while teaching and after talking with Jeni, my Teaching Elementary School Science professor, I really took everything she had to say to heart. She realized that I am this sweet bubbly girl outside of the classroom, but when I get into the classroom I get frustrated and say things I probably don’t even realize I am saying. We talked about it and about some ways to make it so I don’t become frustrated. I left the meeting with a new pair of eyes and determination to be me in the classroom, not what I have seen modeled throughout not only my internships but my K-12 years. That same day I went back to my classroom and changed how I was. I saw an improvement in how I felt leaving school at the end of the day. By the end of the week my students noticed it as well. I think looking inward on yourself is the hardest thing to do. I can say though that my lessons in every subject are better and I don’t leave school frustrated and exhausted.
Link to the reflection