The second day of class went a bit differently because the schedule for the students is slightly different, so I only got to see the 6th and 7th graders. Both classes were doing a lesson to learn about the metric system since none of them had very much experience with it previously. The main focus of the lesson was to have them gain practical experience with the metric system and get them to understand the powers of ten for unit conversion.
Techniques Used
Journal Warm-ups
We started off having the students draw a table in their warmup notebook with columns for measurements in meters, centimeters, and millimeters. The students then recorded measurements of their desks with a partner in each of the units and then reported their measurements back to the class. We asked them questions to direct their thinking so that they recognized the measurements were the same, just with shifted decimal points.
Worksheet and Measurement 'Cheatsheet'
We then gave a cheatsheet showing the relationship between each power of ten with spaces for the students to fill in the relationship between more distant units (e.g., cm and km). They carried this cheatsheet around with them as they went to different stations where they had to measure various items (pencils, their height, their shoes, a stack of pennies). There were a few thought questions as well where the students had to think about how many of their shoes it would take to span 100m and how tall a stack of 1000 pennies would be.
How it Went
Journal Warm-ups
These went quite well, and the students all easily saw the pattern of shifted decimal point.
Worksheet and Measurement 'Cheatsheet'
The seventh graders did very well with the measurements, understanding the conversions, and doing the math. The sixth graders, however, were not as successful and had real difficulty converting between units and could not understand how to convert from distant units like centimeters to kilometers. Some of the problems were solved when we gave concrete examples that they could work with instead of just asking them to do abstract math in their heads.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
First Week of Classes!
Classes started last week, but this was my first week actually in the classroom. I saw the 5th-7th grade science classes on Tuesday, and 6th and 7th on Thursday. The first day was mostly spent talking to the students about my research at Boston University, and they were very excited to see a 'real, live scientist.' My goals for the first lesson were to:
1. Show that I am actually doing science
2. Introduce the students to actual science
3. Assess some of their preconceived notions about science
4. Give some practice with scientific ideas
I started by introducing myself and asking what they thought a scientist was, and whether I looked like what they imagine one to be. Most of the classes gave the stereotypical answer that scientists were bald, wore lab coats, and had glasses, but the 6th graders all discussed that scientists were people who worked for the betterment of humanity. That class was also the most visibly interested in my research and asked a lot of really good questions that showed they were thinking beyond what they were hearing. In the presentation, I had the students learn to read a map showing predicted increases in surface air temperature from 1960-2060 in addition to teaching about the unique climate that exists in Antarctica and its relation to that on Mars. To tie some science into the lesson, I brought some rock samples I had collected from around the world and had the students do a '3-2-1 Observation' (see below) with a partner and then share their results with the class.
Techniques Used:
Powerpoint Presentation
I plugged my computer into the smartboard set up in the classroom. In order to keep it engaging, I included a world map of predicted increases in surface air temperature from 1960-2060 (below) and taught the students to read it by first having them read the title to see what the map is telling, then looking at the legend to see how exactly the information is expressed. I tested their knowledge by asking them if anywhere on Earth is predicted to cool, then what is the prediction for where they live (Boston area), and finally which area is predicted to warm up the most. Since the answer to the final question is 'Antarctica,' this was the perfect segue back into my talk and why studying climate change there is important. Throughout the presentation, I asked them questions to assess whether they were understanding the material (e.g., what happens to sea level if Antarctica warms up a lot) and allowed them to ask a lot of questions.
3-2-1 Observation (courtesy of Ryan Keser)
The students generate three observations, two questions, and one inference/prediction about something. In this lesson, it was about a rock sample, so the inference was about the source location or history of the rock. Mr. Hess had previously introduced the thought process with a picture of a set of tracks that converge, scramble, and only one set that lead away.
How It Went:
Powerpoint Presentation
The different grad levels responded differently to the presentation, and according to Mr. Hess this was more due to the class personality than any sort of developmental maturity. The 5th and 6th graders all asked a lot of great questions, making it difficult for me to get through the whole presentation, but the 7th graders stayed tacit, but engaged, throughout. One question every single class asked was whether I saw any animals in Antarctica (the answer was yes; a large and aggressive type of seagull called a Skua, and the huge and docile Weddell seal). As far as map understanding, the 5th graders had the most difficulty, but that also could have been because they were the first class I taught because I definitely improved my explanatory skills with the later classes. I have given similar presentations to similar ages before, so I was quite comfortable with the presentation, but I struggled to balance answering their questions with getting through the content I wanted. I will have to consciously decide on a question to content payoff strategy for the next time I give such a presentation.
3-2-1 Observation
Students have a difficult time differentiating between observation and inference because many of the observations they make are actually inference. For example, several students made the following (flawed) observation: 'Observation - My rock is from Antarctica because it feels cold' instead of 'Observation - My rock feels cold; Inference - It is from Antarctica.' In the future I would also like to emphasize that the questions inference have to come from the observations, since all scientific questions and inferences are generated as the result of observation.
Techniques Used:
Powerpoint Presentation
I plugged my computer into the smartboard set up in the classroom. In order to keep it engaging, I included a world map of predicted increases in surface air temperature from 1960-2060 (below) and taught the students to read it by first having them read the title to see what the map is telling, then looking at the legend to see how exactly the information is expressed. I tested their knowledge by asking them if anywhere on Earth is predicted to cool, then what is the prediction for where they live (Boston area), and finally which area is predicted to warm up the most. Since the answer to the final question is 'Antarctica,' this was the perfect segue back into my talk and why studying climate change there is important. Throughout the presentation, I asked them questions to assess whether they were understanding the material (e.g., what happens to sea level if Antarctica warms up a lot) and allowed them to ask a lot of questions.
 |
| Source: learner.org |
The students generate three observations, two questions, and one inference/prediction about something. In this lesson, it was about a rock sample, so the inference was about the source location or history of the rock. Mr. Hess had previously introduced the thought process with a picture of a set of tracks that converge, scramble, and only one set that lead away.
How It Went:
Powerpoint Presentation
The different grad levels responded differently to the presentation, and according to Mr. Hess this was more due to the class personality than any sort of developmental maturity. The 5th and 6th graders all asked a lot of great questions, making it difficult for me to get through the whole presentation, but the 7th graders stayed tacit, but engaged, throughout. One question every single class asked was whether I saw any animals in Antarctica (the answer was yes; a large and aggressive type of seagull called a Skua, and the huge and docile Weddell seal). As far as map understanding, the 5th graders had the most difficulty, but that also could have been because they were the first class I taught because I definitely improved my explanatory skills with the later classes. I have given similar presentations to similar ages before, so I was quite comfortable with the presentation, but I struggled to balance answering their questions with getting through the content I wanted. I will have to consciously decide on a question to content payoff strategy for the next time I give such a presentation.
3-2-1 Observation
Students have a difficult time differentiating between observation and inference because many of the observations they make are actually inference. For example, several students made the following (flawed) observation: 'Observation - My rock is from Antarctica because it feels cold' instead of 'Observation - My rock feels cold; Inference - It is from Antarctica.' In the future I would also like to emphasize that the questions inference have to come from the observations, since all scientific questions and inferences are generated as the result of observation.
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