Earth... is it like an onion?

So I just got done watching Shrek (the first one), and he talked about having many layers and then compared himself to an onion. This week for my lesson we discussed how the Earth has layers.

My lesson was great. The students really enjoyed it, and they seemed to learn the names of the layers. At the same time though it could have been that they just remembered the names because they wanted to eat their food. Either way, when they left my room they could identify the layers of the Earth.

I was not able to go to school the next day, and so I could not ask them what they remembered. However, I plan on asking them on Monday. This will be the true test. Then I will know if they information had truely sunk in.

Below are pictures of my students having fun learning about the layers.

Ask a Scientist

After visiting Ask a Scientist I must say I am disappointed. I thought that it would have been a little easier for elementary students to use. I teach first grade and this would not be something I would suggest to my students. If I was teaching middle or high school, then I might have my students use it. However, I submitted my question because it was not answered already. Well, I am still waiting for a response. I figured that I would have had something by now. I did submit my question as a teacher though and not a student. I wonder if they answer faster if they know it is for a student.

I submitted the same question I posted on the discussion board, and was more pleased with the answers I received from that than what I am receiving from the scientist. I do not know if I have just gained the patience of my first graders, but if I were doing a major project on this and gave them 2 weeks to answer the question I do not think my project would do very well.

However, after looking through some of the questions that they did answer they seem to give a very through answer.

Resources

Howard Hughes Medical Institute. (2010). Ask a scientist. Retrieved September 26 from http://www.askascientist.org

Web Tools Eval

I never realized how many presentation tools are out there for people to use. I tried to spend some time this week looking at each one that was under the resources tab. I found some to be just too confusing to even deal with. For example, I was looking at Vuvox and I could not find any directions on how to create a page. I am the type of person who needs to have step by step directions if I do not know what is going on otherwise I just get overwhelmed and I shut down.

There were two programs though that I liked above all others. They were Prezentit and Prezi. While I was searching for a program to use, if it said it cost money I said forget it I am not paying. I am currently having money problems and well, with a wedding being about 10 months away I am not going to pay. I think that is why I like Prezi so much. It has an educators feature that allows students and teachers to create programs for free. It is also seems like it is an easy to use program after watching the demo and trying to mess around after creating an account. It also allows the user to do things which could not be done in PowerPoint.

The program Prezentit seems to be very similar to PowerPoint. This is very comforting for someone like me who tends to "spaz out" with new concepts. This program is also free which is a great feature in my mind. With both programs they are accessible anywhere. All I would have to do is log in from a computer and I would have the ability to work on my project.

However, after looking into both programs I think that Prezi is a little bit better because it seems to be able to hold more data, and it is capable of using various multi-media in the presentation. I know that if I wanted to be safe and keep my composure I would go with Prezentit. However, I think that Prezi would give me enough assistance and it would allow me to create a stronger presentation.

Week 4 blog

So this week we did an experiment with water and heat transfer. I thought it was quite interesting to see how the temperature of water can change based on what you cover it with. I was wondering how this would change if you used a travel coffee mug and instead of covering it with the lid used the objects we used in the experiment.

The objects I used to cover my coffee mugs were aluminum foil, wax paper, Saran wrap, and a paper towel. The foil had the hottest temperature at the end of the experiment. The paper towel and Saran wrap had the coolest temperature.

However, this not what my blog is about. I am writing about what other items would be interesting to test using this concept. Living out in Vegas we all know it gets hot over the summer. My school used to be year round and once those 100 degree temperatures hit there was no turning back. One experiment that a colleague told me about was a hot dog in shoe box. Well what you do is line a shoe box with aluminum foil, place the hot dog inside and in a matter of hours under the hot sun you get lunch. After thinking about the hot dog experiment and the one that was required this week I began to think about what would happen if we tried lining the box with other materials other than foil. Student could compare the temperature of the hot dogs after being outside for a few hours. The experiment would begin in the morning by setting the boxes outside, and then in the afternoon bring them in to find out the temperatures.

The students would be able to choose the materials that they would like to use, and give a reason as to why they think it would work or would not work. This experiment would be able to be applied to second graders because we can discuss how certain objects are insulators and others are conductors. It would be in simplified terms, but it would still get the point across.

This experiment would be relevant to their lives because my students love to eat. Any time there is food mentioned in my room they are quiet and their eyes light up. The area I teach in is lower class and many have been laid off or have horrible pay. So any chance I give my students to find alternative ways to cook their own food and for little money would benefit them. I have students who have to make their own meals because the parent(s) is off working two or three jobs.

Sadly now my school is nine month, but it still is hot sometimes in May and the beginning of June. This is something I will think about doing next year.

Temperature is a concept that my students tend to struggle with, and so after teaching about tempertature this would be a great review lesson.

Marbles and Momentum

I choose to do the experiment where you need to see how momentum is effected by different surfaces. I found that the rougher the surface the less momentum an object had. The surface with the greatest momentum was a table top. Then came the carpet. In last place was a wicker basket. This is what I expected because I know that with a rough surface an object would have a hard time moving and so its velocity would slow down.

What worked well for this experiment is the fact that I had all the supplies I needed. I had to tip my laundry basket on its side (it is laundry day so it is empty!) but it worked out just fine. I also had a folding end table that I used to place a ramp off of. This way the ramp would be the same height the entire time, and the results could not be skewed by me pushing the marble with different forces. What did not work very well for this experiment is the fact that I had to lift the end table up on my table, and it was not a very safe environment.

As for modifications, I would have different squares of surfaces that can be placed on the ground and used instead of using the actual items themselves. It was hard to do, and since I did not do it in the classroom that was fine. I was unable to do it in my room this week due to state testing and other various end of the year assessments this week. I would like to do this with my class so using the squares would make it easier. To make this experiment more fun for the students I might have them place a Lego person at the end of the square and have them time the marble to see how long it takes to knock down the Lego person.

To make it more relevant to the students we could discuss trucks and how it takes longer to deliver objects over a rough road than a smooth one. I am not sure how else to make this relevant with my students.

I would like to have students learn about what velocity and momentum is. They know that objects can go fast but they do not know that means velocity. So overall, I would like them to know the vocabulary. Also that there are things that can interfere with the velocity and momentum of an object.

Relection from Lesson on Magnets

On Thursday, I taught my lesson on magnets to my second grade class. This lesson was adapted from Ashley Walkers lesson (2010). Needless to say it was an experience. My students are used to do some science in centers, but not to the extent that I had them complete the lesson. This lesson was much more structured than what they are used to. I began with a quick opener before lunch, and the students were all excited except for one. I calmly explained to this student (I will call him Rick) that if they do not do the lesson that he would just not get a good grade in science since I do not have many grades. After a five minute pout Rick decided that he was able to work and wanted to earn an A in science.

So the lesson began after lunch, and the students were all hyped up because of the quick intro before lunch. Now they were ready to go, we went through every object. Then I split the students into groups. I gave the students 30 seconds to choose their jobs. This was a task because I had a group fight over who would be what. I explained to that group that no matter the job everyone will be able to participate in the activity. They calmed down and chose jobs.

They getters got the materials, and the groups were off. Before the students were able to retrieve a magnet from me they had to write their hypothesis on the side the papers. Once I saw it, they were able to get to work.

The students were all into the experimentation. I had only 1 group who was off task, and I asked them some questions to get them back on task.

The information I gained in this lesson will be used to help see where my students are at in their science inquiry. I have some students who were able to probe their group and have in depth conversations, but I had other groups who were just filling in their sheet unable to ask each other why.

At the end of the 30 minute lesson, I tried to close the lesson. In the experiment there was a pie pan instead of a pop can. The students were unable to identify what the pie pan was made out of. When I told them that it was the same material as a pop can they still were clueless. I informed them that it was made out of aluminum. Then told them it was a metal. We had a 5 minute conversation as to why they thought that this metal would not stick to a magnet.

Overall I was pleased with this lesson. My students, even Rick, asked if we could continue on with this lesson the next day. Unfortunately, I was not able to continue this lesson. I am trying to think of ways that I can do this lesson in centers, and have the students still be able to learn and be engaged.

Heather Banchi and Randy Bell, my lesson would be considered a confirmation inquiry. There is a set problem, procedure and solution (2008). I am fine with this because this was the first time my students were really able to get this involved in a science lesson. I am going to try to do more lessons as the school year goes on, but I think having my students do a confirmation or structured inquiry is what is best for them. This way they are eased into the science field.

The following images are: The sheet that the students used, the objects used and more action pictures.

Resources:

Banchi, H., & Bell, R. (2008). The many levels or inquiry. Science and Children, 46(2), 26-29.

Hammerman, E.L. (2006). Becoming a better science teacher: 8 steps to high quality instruction and student achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Stage Publications.

Walker, Ashely. (January 148, 2010). SIOP lesson plan for second grade science. Retrieved April 4 from: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2589057/lesson_plan_second_grade_scientific.html

Polar Ice Caps

The first question we were asked to answer is what would happen if the ice caps melted?

I am sure if I asked my second graders they would say the water would get bigger. Studies have shown that the Earth is warming up my a half degree Celsius in the past 100 years (HowStuffWorks, Inc 2010). Now I know some of us after the past winter may think that this is a lie because even Florida was cold (which hardly happens). Even if the ice caps were to melt though it would not make the oceans rise to dangerous levels. The caps disperse the amount of water that is in it. So even if they melt the water level will not be adversely effected.

Rebecca Terrell commented in her article about how researchers say there is the same amount of ice in the polar regions, but the ice is thinner. The Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) put out a report that Terrell mentions. In that report the DMI state that within one decade all the polar ice caps will be gone during the summer. According the the research that Terrell did, she found that even if the ice caps melted they would not rise the water more than a millimeter (February 3, 2010).

So although Al Gore is on this big kick about flooding, all the research I did suggests other wise. I know that some animals may be effected because of the climate change, but overall there is no need to fear.

The second question is if we have any other questions.

I was wondering how beneficial this lesson would be if the ice was colored. The the students would be able to see how the ice and the water do mix. Also, would adding any sediments such as rocks to the ice help at all?


Resources:
HowStuffWorks, Inc. (2010). If the polar ice caps melted, how much would the oceans rise? Retrieved from: http://science.howstuffworks.com/question473.htm

Terrell, Rebecca. (February 3, 2010). Are the polar ice caps melting? Retrieved from: http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/tech-mainmenu-30/environment/2871-are-the-ice-caps-melting

Week 2 Blog Post

This week we were required to make a lesson plan. I remember making them to earn my bachelors degree, but never were they as long as this one was. This lesson plan was very through. In real life my lesson plans are much shorter. Each subject gets a small box and that is where I put my language objective, content objective, and the lesson that is being taught. No offence but when I showed this assignment to a colleague she began to laugh because she was like who has time for that. Then she thought back to her undergrad days.

Although I did not like the length of the lesson plan, I did like the content. As I was writing in each box I was thinking, do I actually think of all of this as I write my weekly plans? Most the time the answer is no because every teacher is rushed and overwhelmed. I know when I write my lesson plans it is usually after school and all I can think about is Happy Hour with friends. However, I looked over this weeks plans and was thinking maybe I should actually sit and look and think about my opening activities. Then I also need to think about my ELL students. In my room I have 13 males and 5 females. So I typically teach to the male side, but I also need to remember how to retain the attention of my females.

The Five E's Lesson Plan Format is a good way to set up any lesson plan. It touches upon all aspects of a great lesson plan. Hammerman did a great job providing a modified version of the Five E's. In his description he also provided samples for each part of the five parts. I found this to be very helpful when planning my lesson (2006).

The lesson I chose to write about was one on magnets. At the end of the school year when the students are mentally checked out I like to do some fun things. So I usually teach about magnets and what makes something magnetic. The students tend to like this because at the end of the school year I let them use the wands to go around the room and pick up staples. We end up playing a game with it. For example, person with the most staples wins.

When I implement this lesson at the end of the year I will try my best to stick to the lesson plan I wrote. However, there are some factors that would get in the way. My school is a Title 1 school and administration frowns on us asking parents for donations. They also will not supply items for just one teacher because they feel if one teacher does it so should the whole grade level. This would be a lesson for me to share with the whole grade level to see what they think about it.

One thing that I am going to think about for future math and science lessons is the STEAM aspect. I knew that science, technology, engineering, and math were all connected. I just never knew how to teach it all together. After reading Traurig and Feller's article, I found out how important it is to have students involved in STEAM (2009). As a teacher though it is hard to find time to fit it in, especially when it is being cut out of the curriculum.

Overall, I think this week was a good week. Despite the fact that the lesson plan seemed to drag on, I found the plans to be refreshing. They reminded me of what I was supposed to be doing all along. The articles that went along with this week were also very insightful.

Resources:
Hammerman, E.L. (2006). Becoming a Better Science Teacher: 8 Steps to High Quality Instruction and Student Achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Stage Publications.

Traurig, A., & Feller, R. (2009). Preparing Students for STEAM Careers. National Career Development Association.

There is a first time for everything

This reminds me of MySpace and Facebook. I guess I should be able to get the hang of it. Please sit back relax and enjoy as I give my personal spin to science!