Introduction to Literacy for Parents

Literacy is like a homemade apple pie.

My mission with your child this year is to make apple pies. (No not the real pies, although that would be fun, if you would like to volunteer for baking let me know). The task I have is to prepare your child for the next step in their lives. Literacy is the apple in the pie, without it, the pie is just a bunch of ingredients mixed together. Literacy will lead your student to learn about any and everything in the worlds. Literacy will give your child the tools needed to learn for the rest of their lives. Preparation: This year, I will be your child’s teacher, or if you will their baker. I will be preparing them for what’s to come. I will also be relying on previous knowledge which they should have been prepared with for this year. Then I will be building upon that knowledge. The experience is never over, and the preparation will continue forever. Just like when you are baking your apple pie. You have to constantly be preparing for what’s next, like presetting the oven, having your recipe out, and any ‘special’ ingredients.

Environment: When making a pie, one needs to have an oven, time, and all of the ingredients needed to bake the pie. Not only what goes into the pie is necessary, but the tools that are used to make the cake; the bowls, the mixers, the measuring cups. Students need to be surrounded by helpful tools that will guide them to be a better reader, writer and person. In my classroom I will have a library for their own personal use, to go along with frequent visits to the school library. I plan on taking them on a field trip to Borders, where they can explore the store, and possibly sit down and read a book that grabs their eye. In my class I will allow time everyday for reading. This time (just like you need time to gather ingredients) will be spent reading individually, reading as a group, and reading as a class. We will use flashcards to help them with sight words and play games that help connect how to sound out words. Other helpers, and teachers, possibly parents to help are more than welcome, and I would love the help. Just like, Chefs have helpers to assist in the baking process.

Making the Pie: When baking, ingredients are added together in order to end up with the precise taste. In my classroom we will be adding more knowledge and enjoyment to make your child the very best that they can be. Some activities that they will be involved in are journaling, reading activities and D.A.R.E. time. But also they will learn to incorporate reading and writing to other elements of life. For instance, if the student is interested in science, being a strong reader will help them read the passages, and discover new information. Their writing skills will then help them to write down what they find, and give it a new twist or a different voice. An additional tool for the students will be the classroom word wall, where any words that the students have trouble with will go up on the wall so the students can refer to it frequently. Each student will also be allowed to make mini word walls these can be made on folders, so that they can always have words that they find hard available to them. This is also a great idea at home, to have a piece of paper on the refrigerator with words for the student to see and look at.

Baking the Pie: Time is the key essential for the pie, just as with your child. Every student will need their own exact amount of time to develop their own strategies as to how to improve their reading and writing. The students will also need time to find something that they really enjoy reading about it could be a topic, or an author, but eventually they will find something that they are interested in. Baking an apple pie with love is crucial. Your child also needs this love from me, from other mentors in my classroom, and most importantly you.

Let's bake this Apple Pie Together!

Michigan's Marvelous Mackinac

Day-to-day Teaching Plan

Prior to Day 1: Preparing students for maps

Materials:

1-Maps: climate, rainfall, landforms, vegetation, rivers and lakes

Objectives: 2, 3, 4 and 5

Michigans’ Marvelous Mackinac requires the students to have some knowledge dealing with maps and the different types of maps. Therefore, two weeks before the unit starts the class will begin their exploration of maps. In order for students to understand how to read these maps, we will practice with other maps. The class will start with basic maps of the classroom, school and playground. The students will also create a map of their own bedrooms. Each of these maps will include the idea of a legend, or key with different symbols to represent things on the map. The last couple of days before the lesson, students will read weather maps, from newspapers and have to be able to understand what the different colors indicate, as well as what the symbols represent. Therefore, showing that they are ready to conquer Mystery Island – Where in the WORLD? Parents will be encouraged to help their children with reading maps, asking them to read the maps at the mall, library, stadium maps or maps of their town.

TOTAL TIME-> 2 hours

Students’ Prior Knowledge: The students will be writing in a journal everyday from the beginning of the school year, so they will have a good grasp on what is expected in their journal entries. For example, pictures are encouraged, bullets and jotting down ideas is acceptable, as long as they are not instructed to write paragraphs. The students will have prior experience and will be comfortable with writing these journal entries. The parents will also be asked to help develop their journaling habits. Some ways they can do this is to read their students journal every night and ask students different questions related to the topic at hand.

Day 1à Mystery Island- Where in the WORLD?

Materials:

1- Model of Mackinac Island (paper machete)

2- Maps of Mackinac Island

-climate, rainfall, landforms, vegetation, rivers and lakes

3- World Map/Globe

4- Map of Michigan

Objectives: 3, 5 and 6

In order to intrigue the students and to excite them about the Unit on Mackinac Island, I plan to set out a paper machete display of Mackinac Island. At the beginning of the day, I will draw attention to the display by starting the day acting as if we are going to talk about it. However, I will then act as if we have no time to do it right then. The children will then start to ask questions about the Island and this will lead us into guessing what it is and where it is located. After the students make hypothesis for a couple of minutes, I will ask them if they would like to find out more about the Island. Then I will arrange the students into groups of 4-5 and pass out the worksheets that have the different maps on them. I will then explain that they will be working in the groups and coming up with ideas as to where the Island is on the globe/map. They will then use the maps of the Island that are given to them and decide where the island is located.

The students will then discuss with the rest of the class what there group talked about and where they decided the Island was located. After all the groups have had a chance to discuss the Island and where they believe it is located. I will then use either a globe or a world map to show the students Mackinac Island. There will also be a map of Michigan out as well, so that the students can get a closer picture of the Island. This introduction to the unit on Mackinac will draw the students in to the unit and get them excited about learning about Mackinac Island and its unique location.

Journal Discussion: I will inform the students that just like their regular journals; we will also be keeping journals related to the new unit of Mackinac Island. I will explain that these journal entries will be used to assess where they are at in their thinking, so they should produce their best work. I will also inform the students that they will be receiving a mini journal with each students work displayed inside, which they will be able to keep. I will then ask the students to write a quick entry; this entry should include what they want to learn about Mackinac Island as well as what they already know about Mackinac Island.

Time: 15 minutes

Homework: (20-25 minutes)

Journal entry: Students will describe how their group made decisions about Mystery Island. Where was the island? What maps did you use to make your decisions? Why did you think it was where you said it was? These questions should all be addressed in their writing. Students will also be asked to collect pictures from home, if they have ever been to Mackinac Island. Parents will be imperative in order for this to work. Therefore, parents will be sent a letter before the unit begins, this letter will inform parents of the different activities that we will be participating in and the different things they can do at home to facilitate this learning.

Total Time: 1 hour 15minutes

Day 2- Legends

Materials:

• “The Legend of Mackinac Island” book
• Paint and Paint Brushes
• Construction Paper
• Blown up pictures: (1) a turtle in the water from the side (2) Mackinac Island from the side
• Pencil
• Journals

Objectives: 3, 4

The “The Legend of Mackinac Island” book gives students the opportunity to understand where Mackinac Island received its name. The Native Americans believed the Island looked like a turtles back sticking out of the water. This book goes into detail about why the island is named after a turtle; therefore, students will have a better understanding of the physical features of the island. Students will be able to describe the physical aspects of the Island, stating that the Island looks like a turtles back from above and from the side. This book also has amazing pictures, which will help the students to visualize the Island and to be able to paint their own pictures of Mackinac Island.

Students will also distinguish the differences between a legend that is unverified historical events and the legend, which is used on a map. In order to comprehend this, I will bring out a map of the classroom and discuss the symbols which are used on the map. After completing the book and discussing the two different definitions of legends. The class will also discuss the pictures in the book and the portrayal of what the island looks like. While discussing what the island looks life from afar, I will set a turtle stuffed animal in the back of the classroom, as well as a side picture of Mackinac Island, so that students can see the similarities between the two.

Students will then be instructed to return to their seats and to start painting a picture of the Island. This painting must have both legends that were just discussed. After completing their painting of the Island that has a legend on it, the students will then write in their journals a story of the Island and how it was created, serving as their own legend of Mackinac Island. Students will then be given the opportunity to share with their classmates their paintings as well as their legends.

Homework:(10-15 minutes) Journal Entry: Come up with a different name for the Island and give at least three reasons as to why you named it that. The students should share with their parents their island names.

Total Time: 1 ½ hours

Day 3- Mackinaw’s Past

Materials:

• “The Story of the Straits” reading(revised) and worksheet(revised)
• Fur
• Necklaces:

-4 French Necklaces

-4 Native American Necklaces

• Blanket
• Beads
• Canoe (made of cardboard boxes)
• Bus
• Chaperones
• Waterproof cameras
• Fish lunch
• Journals

Objectives: 1, 2, 5, 6

In order for students to understand the timeline of Native Americans and Europeans, the students will read a short story as a class, pulled from the Mackinac Island Website. Because the text goes into explicit detail, I have revised some parts by taking out unneeded information. The main points that students will read about is who was on the Island first, who came next and the relationship between the two. In addition, how these groups lived on the island and how the Island has changed over time. The students will read this information and then complete a worksheet, which was also taken from the same website. The worksheet has also been revised, according to what information they read.

After completing the worksheet, students will participate in a short skit of the fur trade. This will allow the students to see the differences between how they lived on the island and how people do presently. Students will then be given time to write a journal entry of this skit. They should discuss the different amounts of fur that was given for the beads and blankets. Then compare this to how we trade and buy goods today. They should also draw a picture of these different encounters.

Homework: Field Trip! - 3 hours

The students, chaperones and I will be going on a real life adventure, canoeing. After the canoe trip, students will have a better idea as to how tiring and how long it takes to travel by canoe. Students will take pictures during the Canoe trip. The students will also eat a fish lunch; therefore, they will really experience how the first people on Mackinac Island lived. Where the students will get to taste traditional fish, in which the Native Americans and Europeans ate.

Homework: At home, students will enter in their journals their canoe trip, giving details about their experience. Parents and students should discuss and go over their journal entries and talk about their field trip.

Total time: 1 hour

Day 4-The Doctor

Materials:

• “Dr. Beaumont and the Man with a Hole in his Stomach” book
• Journals
• Pencils

Objective:

Students will learn about Dr. Beaumont and his methods. Students will love learning about this interesting story and will give students a break from learning about Mackinac Island. After completing the book, students will be engaged in a discussion about the book, students will then write a journal entry. The students must pretend to either be Dr. Beaumont, the man having the surgery, or a person that was present at the surgery. Students will then describe their thoughts of the surgery. Did they think it was neat? Didn’t like it? And why?

Homework: (15 minutes)

Finish Journal Entries and draw a picture of the surgery room. Students are encouraged to share these entries with their friends and family.

Total time: 30-40 minutes

Day 5- Maps

Materials:

• Map Worksheets of Great Lakes and Michigan

(Compass Rose will be on the map)

• Chart Paper
• Chaperons
• Journals
• Transportation
• Throw Away Cameras
• Worksheet dealing with blown up Maps
• Maps (blown up)
• Climate
• Rainfall
• Landforms
• Vegetation
• Rivers/lakes

Objectives: 1, 2,3,4,5

Students will label on a blank worksheet of Michigan and its Great Lakes. They will label all five of the Great Lakes, as well as Mackinac Island and their own city. In their journals, students will first describe their town in relation to Mackinac Island. In addition, they will enter in their journals a couple of differences and similarities between their hometown and Mackinac Island. Then as a class, we will come together and study the blown up maps. We will discuss what each of the maps mean. Students will then talk about the impacts that this information has on the people who live there, for example, the climate is very cold so they need to wear warmer clothing.

Students will fill in worksheet. Questions on the worksheet will include:

o Naming two reasons why people live on the Island

o Describe 2 of the maps we discussed and what these maps impact

o Explain two positives and two negatives of living on the Island

Homework: Field Trip! 3 hours

Ferry Boat ride! Students will experience the transportation methods, which are still used today to access Mackinac Island. Students will take pictures, just like the canoe field trip. The parents who are on the field trip will be asked to help take pictures as well as watch the students and make sure they are not wasting the film, with silly pictures.

Journal Entry: Students will be able to compare and contrast the two methods of transportation. Parents will be encouraged to discuss the field trip and talk about the canoe experience and the differences.

• Physical work
• Faster/Slower
• Number of people that can travel at a time
• How many objects you can bring
• Enjoyment of both

Total Time: 1 hour

Day 6- Linking 2 Cities

Materials:

• “The Bridge”
• Journals
• Pencils
• Chart Paper
• Photos of myself at the Mackinac Bridge, as well as just pictures of the Mackinac Bridge

Objectives: 2, 3,4,5,6

Before the students come into the classroom after lunch, I will spread different pictures on their desks. These pictures will be comprised of my multiple trips to the Mackinac Bridge. Some pictures will be of the Bridge, while others will be of my family crossing the Mighty Mac. The students will have the chance to look at these pictures and then we will come together on the risers and discuss the pictures.

I will then read the students the book “The Bridge”. The students will once again learn about the different transportation methods that were used in the past as well as those that are still being used today. The book will also show students more facts on the surrounding areas of Mackinac Island, as well as distinguish the different lifestyles of people who lived on the Island and the changes that the Bridge brought.

Students will create a class time line of events dealing with transportation methods. The key methods include: walking, canoeing, driving, ferry boats, bikes and so on. After the time line is finished students will then write a journal entry discussing these methods. They will rank in order their favorites to least favorites and give at least one reason why.

Homework: Art Project: 2 hours

Students will be placed into groups according to where they live. These groups will consist of 4-5 students. The parents will be especially important for this to work, so that they have a location for the creation process as well as rides and snacks for the children. The students must create an art project that has to include the Mackinac Bridge, as well as Mackinac Island. (It could be a painting, drawing, display and so on) The parents of the children are encouraged to work on these with their children, as long as the children are the ones who are doing the work.

Total time: 1 ½ hours

Day 7- Past and Present

Materials:

• Chart Paper
• Sharpie Markers
• Journals

Objectives: 4, 5, 6

Students will have Group Presentations showing their artwork of Mackinac Island and the Mackinac Bridge. Each group must receive 3-5 positive comments on their work.

The class will then switch gears and students will form groups of 5 and work to create a comparison chart of the past and the present of those living on Mackinac Island. Each group will then present their chart to class. We will then make a collaborative class chart. There must be at least three things that each group will compare: transportation, occupations and travel time (more comparisons are welcome.) After the students share their charts, the students will then write a journal entry describing what they personally like best from both the present and past and give reasons as to why they think this way.

Homework: Finish Journal Entries if not completed in class, share with parents: 10-15 minutes

Total Time: 45-60 minutes

Day 8- Mackinac Books Galore

Materials:

• Library (with supply of books on Mackinac Island)

Objectives: 1-6 (depending on books chosen by students)

The students will take a trip to the school library, specifically to obtain a book that deals with Mackinac Island in someway. The librarian will help direct students to the right area of the library and then they will have 15 minutes to look through the pictures of their book and to check out their books to bring home.

Homework- Book Report: 1½ hours

Students will read their book of choice to parent or have parents read book to student. Students and parents will work collaboratively on book report. The book report must include the following:

• Title of book
• Author
• List two characters or two events that took place in the book and describe it
• Draw a sequence of events that took place in the book

Total Time: 30 minutes

Day 9- Life of Mackinac

Materials:

• Chart Paper
• Sharpie Marker
• Assessment Worksheet
• Journals
• Pencils

Objectives: 6

Students will create a time line of the major events that took place relating to Mackinac Island. In order to do this, the students will break up into groups of six and have the events that they can put in order what their groups thinking. The class as a whole will then come together and go through every groups time lines. Then we will discuss the similarities and the differences between the different time lines. The students’ time lines will then be hung around the classroom. The students will each personally write in their journals the time line of Mackinac Islands’ key events. Students will then write a paragraph in their journals and explain which event on the time line they would want to be apart of and name at least three reasons why they feel this way. Then they will act as if they were apart of this event and write how they feel, what they see, who is there, what time is it (year and hour), where are they?

The students will then be engaged in an assessment worksheet. The worksheet will have a different section for everyday and the main goal for the day. The students must answer all of the questions and will be given as much time as needed. The students will also be taken individually out into the hall and asked what they enjoyed and disliked about the unit and be asked for suggestions.

Homework: Finish Journal Entries: 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 HOURS

Day 10 -> Mackinac Lives On

Materials:

1- Mackinac Island game ( 5 copies of the board)

2- Construction paper

3- Markers, Colored Pencils, Crayons

4- Newspapers/Magazines

5- 25 Hangers

6- String

7- Tape

8- Scissors

9- Paper bag (cover to culminating class journal)

Objectives: 2,3,4,5 and 6

The students will play the Mackinac Island game. This way the students go through the positive and negative events that took place on the Island (certain spots on the game board make you jump forward or fall back). Therefore, students will be reviewing what events took place on the Island.

The students will also create a Mackinac Mobile that will hang up in the classroom. The students will be allowed to pick whatever they want to put on the mobile; they must draw it, or cut out a picture of it from newspapers/magazines. Each item must have a reason for being on mobile. Students will have the chance to explain their mobile and why they drew certain things. The students will also be asked to write a paragraph that goes along with the mobile, which explains the mobiles parts, why they were chosen and what they learned about each part of the mobile.

Journal: Last entry- Students will write about what was their favorite/most unique part of the lesson and why? What do you remember the most? I will then collect all Journal Entries from the past two weeks, and make a compilation book of all the students’ work. Later in the day, or even the next week the students will have the opportunity to look through the book. They will then share with the class their favorite entry and read it aloud to the class.

Throughout the last day of the unit, students will be reflecting on their learning of the past two weeks, as well as participating in metacognition. They will do this in numerous ways. First of all students will play a game based off of Mackinac Island, the game includes many of the important events that occurred on Mackinac Island in which they learned about throughout the unit. The mobile that will be created is another opportunity for students to reflect on their learning, they will be asked to choose whatever parts of the unit that they enjoyed and learned about. Then students will write a paragraph on the different aspects in which they learned. Lastly, students will be applying what they learned throughout the unit to the journal entry. Students will be writing about the unique things in which they learned the past two weeks. This will allow the students to think about the different things in which they learned as well as thinking about their own thinking and how this has changed over the course of the two weeks.

Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Extra Opportunity! For those students who have been well behaved on both field trips, have been working hard and completed all assessment tasks will be asked to go to Mackinac Island for a weekend trip. Again, parents are encouraged to help their students to work towards this goal, as well as to participate in this amazing opportunity.

Nervous

On Tuesday I am teaching a lesson on problem solving using measurement. The students are being asked to each take on a specific role in a group as well as figure out what the perimeter of a fence is on a worksheet. I am kinda nervous about the outcome, they have been involved in groups like this before, where they are receiving no help and have to figure out everything on their own and work together to do this. Hopefully everything goes as planned and they understand how to find the perimeter.
Wish me luck.

Money Matters Lesson

Objective: The goal is to show the children that money is very important in the scheme of life. I want my students to have an understanding that money is an issue for every adult, rich or poor. Figuring out how to pay the bills and how to pay for extra expenses, for instance, penguin food can be a very exhausting and tiresome job. The children will be given a list of bills they have to pay, like heating and electric, phone, and then they must find a way to pay these bills with the money that they make at their occupation. They must then factor in costs of living, food, clothes, children, entertainment.

Procedure: To teach this lesson I will need to have fake checks, and fake bills and fake bank accounts. I will then give different money allowances to each group. Each group then will have to balance the money needed for bills, and write out these checks. Some groups will have more money than others. But this way it will teach the students that they will have to learn how to manage money. They will also have to keep track of the money in the bank. Each student’s money issues will be different, so some will have it easier to pay the bills each month and others will have a harder time scrapping up money.

Connection to Standards: This connects to standards because it covers how students need to learn idea of money and how to use it, and how credit works. Every student will benefit from this exercise on how saving money and keeping track of how much you need is important.

Student Product: Students will then have a bank account statement, and other fiscal records, credit card payments, and other household bills. They are going to manage these things and keep track of the money with their bank records.

Assessment: The children will be graded on how they interact within their group. How they participated in the group, and their final product. Making sure they accounted for all their bills and credit cards will be the main assessment. Also the students will have an evaluation sheet to show me how they thought they did and what they could do to improve their work.

Time: This project will only be given one day to work on. The students will form groups, and receive a piece of paper with their occupation, they will then be given the materials to pay all of their bills and write their checks. They should be able to finish the assignment that same day.

Differentiation: All of the students should be able to complete this assignment, it is a group project, so therefore those students who are in need of more help will not have to complete the project themselves, and they can help out in the areas that they are better in. They should all be able to participate and to enjoy the wonderful arguments about how to spend your money.

Vision of Effective Science Teaching

It is my personal belief that effective science teaching appears to be very complex with many crucial aspects that must be included, however, I think that if you focus on a couple important aspects the task becomes much easier. I have included four important variables in my vision of effective teaching and learning for the science curriculum. They include the use of teaching through inquiry, using learning goals to guide teaching, understanding students and knowing where to find and how to utilize good resources. These variables all have other important features that are included in them as well. Each variable is important by itself and each variable becomes more meaningful when combined with the other variables, resulting in better preparation for teaching. Which, then leads to students having a better and clearer understanding of the scientific information.

Inquiry based teaching is included in my vision for effective science teaching because I believe it is imperative for students learning. When teachers use this model to teach students are actively engaged in scientific questions, students are able to explore the phenomena by experimenting with different ideas and solutions; students then explain their findings and understandings by using different charts, graphs and applying newly learned scientific vocabulary. Students are also involved in comparing and sharing their knowledge with their classmates. Students then apply this new understanding of the phenomena to answer questions and develop new questions. (MSU Inquiry & Application Instructional Model) Just as the students are working on inquiry, the teacher also needs to be actively engaged in making sure they are providing certain criteria, materials and information for each of the five steps in this approach. I believe if the teacher does a good job of evaluating himself or herself, then the students will benefit even more because of the modifications the teacher will make in order to fulfill these fundamental aspects for teaching science. An example of inquiry-based teaching is when we were given the opportunity to discover the different configurations that light a light bulb with two wires, a battery and a light bulb. We were given a scientific question of what will cause the light to become lit and we discussed our initial ideas. The class was then given time to mess around with these materials and to form an opinion, we shared our ideas using specific detail, as well as listened to our classmates ideas. We were then told how exactly the light was lit and given a couple of science vocabulary words and we then applied this information to other areas in our life where we used this phenomena. This systematic approach of Inquiry teaching is important to the way that I view teaching science effectively.

I believe that learning goals are essential in teaching science. Learning goals are guides for teachers to follow and to strive for student understanding. Teachers are responsible for teaching these learning goals and students are responsible for learning and acquiring the key concepts of the learning goals. Learning goals can be broken up into three categories, which include constructing, reflecting and using benchmarks. Constructing benchmarks include the beginning of an idea and developing that idea. Reflecting benchmarks are associated with having the student see patterns and connecting ideas with others. Using goals include the idea that students will be able to explain and predict based on their understanding of the phenomena and the world around them (Anderson 2003). Learning goals show the main ideas; which should be acquired through the lessons. If students do not show an understanding of the important ideas on their assessment tasks, then teachers will recognize the fact that they need to revisit some key ideas in the unit. Assessment tasks are vital in order to achieve effective science teaching and learning. Assessment tasks are directly related to the learning goals. There are three main types of assessment tasks, they are pre, embedded and post assessments. Pre assessments are used to find out student ideas about a certain topic; these are also known as real world experiences. Embedded assessments are used to see how their ideas are changing throughout the unit and post assessments are used to measure the students learning at the end of the unit. There are numerous ways to accomplish these assessments; a few examples are science talks, journal entries, self-reports, brainstorming, illustrations, maps and personal interviews (Enger and Yager 2001). However, no matter which assessment you use, each assessment is imperative and should relate back to the main learning goals. If the assessment tasks are not related to the learning goals, then the whole lesson does not flow and the students are not being tested on the information that the teacher is trying to teach them.

It is incredibly crucial for teachers to understand the students in their classroom. This task can be very challenging, but it is possible. There are many different ways for teachers to learn about the students in their classroom. One way is to start by learning about the students in your classroom, by understanding each students’ misconceptions as well as understanding their beliefs about science. You can do this simply by having them write journal entries as well as drawing basic pictures of an idea. Trying to learn students’ achievements and successes in science and in life is also a fundamental aspect to understanding students. By doing this you will have a clearer understanding of what the students’ know. These tasks can be associated with learning the Habits of Mind that your students have. Habits of mind include, the ability for students to be active in “talking, and writing about science in such a way that they not only construct knowledge about scientific concepts or acquire skills in the processes of science, but also adopt attitudes that are associated with the shared values of science” (Reddy, Jacobs, McChrohon & Rupert. 1998). Understanding the students’ funds of knowledge can lead to a clearer understanding of each individual student. These are all great ways to learn more about students. Once you know their background, it is easier to relate scientific phenomena to their real life experiences and it is easier to engage students in topics of interest. These experiences are wonderful ways for students to identify with a certain subject or have some background knowledge of the subject. Many students will understand the real world application first and then comprehend the phenomena from it. In addition, students commonly have experience with whatever topic or subject, but do not realize they have. Once students are given an example, they reflect back and realize they have already had that experience. Experience is part of the elements of inquiry and is the base for steps involved. Knowing your students can make it easier for the students to learn the material and easier for you to teach the material. Another important aspect of teaching science is adapting to special need students. These adaptations can be simple tasks such as considering that particular child while making seating charts and when forming groups and partner work. Another way to adapt is by making small alterations to lesson plans, so that they are still able to participate as much as possible. Allowing them to only list four examples when the class has to give six. By doing this, the student will feel more like a member of the class and less like an outcast. This is a fundamental step for these students. They want to be as normal as possible and if teachers do not pre-plan lessons for them, these students will stand out to the rest of the classroom, which reinforces the idea that these students are different. Other ways to adapt to these students is to include visual models, and use non-verbal signals before calling on student that way you are building up their confidence. All of these are simple and easy tasks that do not take much time or effort but can really make a difference in the learning that takes place in the classroom. (Keenan 2004) Most of these steps in understanding the students are easy and can be quickly established at the beginning of the year.

Understanding where to find help and utilizing the resources that are available to teachers is also extremely important. I believe one of the most important things for teachers to engage in is collaborating with other teachers and others professionals. This way, teachers have the ability to learn as much as they can about phenomena that they do not know much about, as well as gather ideas from the other teachers; in addition, they can bounce ideas of each other and create better lessons. Collaborating also minimizes the chances of forgetting something. When one teacher is giving directions, the other is listening and can interject and add things if the other one forgets. They become part of a team and each team member observes different things going on in the classroom. This was demonstrated through our use of Lesson Lab throughout the year, because we saw how the two teachers worked together, they created the lessons together, they co-taught science all the time, they learned from each other. It was a great opportunity to see this and to see how well it can work. Students will also notice this collaboration and comprehend the importance of sharing ideas and group work. As well as show students that we all have different strengths as well as weaknesses and we can build off these strengths. Students who understand their own strengths will be able to help out students who have weaknesses in their strength area (Delpit 2006). Using books, including informational as well as fictional books are great for younger students to have an understanding of science in the real world. Teachers can use these books for themselves to understand material and then find childrens’ books to match up with these ideas (Papas et. al. 2004). Science and technology is a fundamental aspect to teaching and learning science. Using technology in science allows students to comprehend the material in different ways and possibly to have a clearer understanding of the information. For example, our use of Kidspiration for a project was a great way for us to see how using diagrams on computers is neat and a cool way to organize our ideas. Kidspiration is one of these technological tools and I feel that this software would be perfect for use in science lessons. It is a fun and easy way to jot down ideas, create charts, and take notes and so on. (Kidspiration) Programs like this are needed in schools and will advance the students’ knowledge of both science and technology. Another great technological tool is computers, simply using excel, PowerPoint, word and other Microsoft applications students obtain practice that they can use inside and outside of school. Also finding websites that allow for student interaction can be extremely beneficial. Technology

“can make the search for information easier, supply another example, connect a student to others who are dong the same investigation, provide data, or help to being a new inquiry. Computer technology and its related resources-the Internet, software packages, interfacing laboratory instruments, and multimedia presentation packages-help learners construct their own meaning” (Koch 2005).

Another great resource for teachers, as well as students is the use of field trips. Field trips often offer students and teachers the ability to see phenomena in a different light. They also allow for experts to teach them information. The ability to seek out and use these resources is important for all teachers.

When teachers are actively involved in these practices of inquiry, learning goals, understanding students and using resources they will have a better teaching environment for not only themselves, but for their students to learn as well. Students who are taught in this environment will be well rounded and will have more knowledge and understanding than students who do not experience these four key variables to better science teaching.

Bibliography

Anderson. (2003). Teaching Science for Motivation and Understanding

Delpit. (2006). Lessons from Teachers. Journal of Teacher Education.

Enger and Yager. (2001). Assessment in the context of teaching. In From Assessing Student Understanding in Science.

Keenan S. (2004). Methods & Strategies: Reaching English Language Learners: Strategies for teaching science in diverse classrooms.

Kidspiration Concept Mapping Software

Kock. (2005). Chapter 12: Science and Technology. In Science Stories.

Lesson Lab internet course and CD-ROM’s

MSU Inquiry & Application Instructional Model by Kristin Gunckel, Christina Schwarz and Edward Smith

Pappas et al. (2006). Lessons from Teachers. Journal of Teacher Education

Reddy, M., Jacobs, P., McChrohon, C., & Rupert, H. (1998). Acquiring scientific habits of mind in a learning community. In Creating Scientific Communities in the Elementary Classroom.

astronomy resources

Classroom Resource-

Video or DVD- PBS.COM. The Living Planet: 4PK (DVD) Item no: LIVP410. $49.95

http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=1932803&cp&keywords=earth&searchId=10513910023&parentPage=search

This video is a great video, which has four different discs, so there is a lot of useful information to it. The video focuses on a number of different aspects of Earth. For instance, there is a portion of the video on animals; there is also biomes information from the ocean to the desert. It also spends time talking about the sky and other characteristics of everyday life here on planet Earth.

Science catalog-

Catalog Item- LIGHTED PLANETARIUM

Company -Schoolmasters Science

http://www.school-tech.com/astronomy3.html

Item # 07013W2

Price $152.00

This model will be useful in the classroom because it gives a great visual as to how the moon, sun and earth all interact. It can show the students everything from night and day to eclipses and also the different phases of the moon. I would only purchase one of these models, set it in the front of the classroom, and allow them to circle around and watch it with the lights off. Then the students could go back to their seats and use tennis balls, bouncy balls and lamps, so that they can have the hands on experience, just like we did in the classroom.

astronomy

Misconception-

Changing distance between the earth and the sun causes seasonal changes

(With the two closer in summer and farther apart in winter.)

Truth-

Seasons change on earth throughout the year due to the amount of direct sunlight that the hemispheres are receiving. The earth has a 23.5-degree tilt on its axis towards the North Star. When the Northern hemisphere is receiving more direct sunlight, it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere. At this same time, it is winter for the Southern hemisphere. As the earth revolves around the sun, the direct sunlight shifts, therefore changing the seasons in both northern and southern hemispheres.

Benchmark-

Area- Earth Science

Category- Solar System, Galaxy, and Universe

Benchmarks-

-Elementary #1: Compare and contrast characteristics of the sun, moon, and the earth.

Key concepts: planets, star, sphere, solar system, heat, light.

-Elementary #2: Describe the motion of the each around the sun and the moon around the earth.

Key Concepts: Spin, orbit, length of day, nighttime, month, year, observed movement of the sun and stats across the sky.

- Middle School #2: Describe, compare, and explain the motions of solar system objects. Key Concepts: Orbit, rotation (spin), axis, gravity, seasons. Tilt of the earth on its axis, direct/indirect rays.

Activity: (as taken from SME class)

Materials:

- Masking tape

- A light source (light bulb)

- 1 large Styrofoam ball

- 1 small rubber band

- 1 skinny stick (cabob stick)

- 2 push pins

- post it notes

- Construction paper

Directions:

Set Up

1. Set up the light source in the middle of a table. This will be the sun in the model.

2. Use the masking tape to create an “orbit” around the sun. Tape the masking tape to the table around the “sun”. The orbit should be round, but does not have to be perfect.

3. Place the rubber band around the Styrofoam ball in the center. This will be the equator on the earth

4. Stick the cabob stick into the “earth” so that the equator is horizontal.

5. Stick one push pin approximately where Michigan is on the earth. Place another push pin in the exact location, only in the Southern Hemisphere.

6. Cut out a picture of a star that will serve as the North Star in this activity. It will be places on the wall, so that the earth will have a reference point for its axis tilt.

Activity

1. Turn on the “Sun”.

2. Take the earth that has been created and tilt the axis (the cabob stick) towards the North Star at approximately 23.5 degrees.

3. In a counter clockwise direction following the masking tape orbit, observe what happens to the sunlight as the earth revolves around the sun. (remembering always to keep the axis always pointed at the North Star)

4. Then, observe the Southern Hemisphere’s seasons at the pin, at the Northern Hemisphere pin’s first days of seasons and observe the amount of daylight each hemisphere receives at each of the first days of the seasons.

Results:

1. You will visually observe the same amount of sunlight is always striking the earth, but the sunlight strikes different parts of the earth at different times during the year.

2. You will also see that in the Northern Hemisphere, when the sun is most direct, that is summer. The number of sun hours per day is also at a maximum for the year.

3. You see that in the Northern Hemisphere, when the sun is least direct, that is winter. In this season, the hemisphere gets the least amount of sunlight hours.

4. You will observe that the seasons of Spring and Fall each receive the same directness of sunlight and both have about 12 hours per day and 12 hours per night.

5. Also you will notice that the Southern Hemisphere’s seasons are exactly opposite from the Northern Hemisphere. When the North is experiencing summer, the southern is experiencing winter. And when the Southern is experiencing spring, the northern is experiencing fall. This is true for all four seasons.

Explanation:

The activity shows a variety of information necessary to understanding the misconception that seasons happen because of the distance away from the sun. First, the orbit around the table in the activity shows that although earth’s orbit around the sun is not a perfect circle, there is barely any change in distance. There is most definitely not enough change in distance throughout the year to change the seasons on earth. Then the activity shows just how and why the seasons progress through the year. As the earth revolves around the sun, the axis always remains facing the North Star at a 23.5 degree angle. This tilt is what changes the directness of sunlight on the hemispheres. When the Northern Hemisphere tilts towards the sun, it is the season of summer. At this exact time, the Southern hemisphere is experiencing winter, because its half of the earth is not receiving direct sunlight, and the south has short days. As the Styrofoam ball moves around the orbit around the sun, with its axis tilted at the North Star, it is easy to observe summer (lots of direct sunlight), winter (little direct sunlight), and both Fall and Spring. On the Styrofoam ball, spring and fall happen when there is equal amounts of direct sunlight on both the northern and the southern hemisphere. This activity with the Styrofoam ball shows exactly how the sunlight is more direct during the summer and less direct in the winter. It also very accurately shows the opposite relationship of seasons in the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. The directness of sunlight is the reason that the seasons change.

It is crucial to understand the tilt of the earth at its axis to understand how the seasons happen. If the earth did not have this 23.5 degree tilt, the earth would have no seasons. Every place on earth would always have one season, all the time. This tilt gives the earth the wobble-like movement that changes the seasons. As the earth revolves around the sun in a counterclockwise fashion, the wobbling of the earth happens at different times of the year, but they happen exactly the same time every year. The Southern hemisphere and the Northern hemisphere have the same seasons, only opposite one another. For example, when it is summer in the north, it is winter in the south. When the Northern hemisphere is pointed more directly toward the sun, it is obvious that the Southern Hemisphere is not. In the Northern hemisphere, it is summer when the earth has revolved so the tilt will give the north more direct sunlight. The hour of sunlight is about 15 hours. In the winter, sun appears to move down in the sky, and there is less direct sunlight. In the winter, there is only about 9 hours of sunlight. In spring, the sun light begins to be more direct, and the hours of light increase to about 12 hours. The sunlight continues to be more direct, and it becomes summer. The sunlight then becomes less direct, and the season becomes fall. Fall has about 12 hours of sunlight. The seasons do not just happen on the first days. It is a gradual process of the directness of sunlight moving from north to south and back up to the north. When the Northern hemisphere begins to lose direct sunlight, at the same time, the Southern hemisphere is gaining that directness of sunlight. The full cycle takes a year, which is how long it takes the earth to travel around the sun in its orbit.

Real World Examples-

EARTH-A real world example of the seasons changing is watching a deciduous tree during a one-year period. In the summer, the tree has green leaves and it very healthy and alive. The tree is getting a large amount of sunlight, because the sunlight is more direct, and the hours of sunlight is about 15 hours. The tree is also healthy because of all the rain that the tree has received. Rain was made possible as the Northern Hemisphere warmed up from the more direct sunlight as the earth revolves around the sun. As the earth continues to revolve, it becomes fall. The Northern hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere receive the same amount of sunlight, and both hemispheres get the same amount of direct sunlight. The tree’s leaves begin to turn brown and red. The Northern Hemisphere is beginning to cool, and the tree is not as healthy as it was during the summer. As winter comes, the tree loses all of its leaves, and appears to have died. The cold and lack of sunlight forces the tree to lose its leaves, and stay that way throughout the winter. As the earth revolves, the Northern Hemisphere begins to turn towards the sun. The hours of sunlight increases, and so does the directness of that sunlight. The temperature starts to warm up, and instead of snow, the precipitation is rain. This rain helps replenish the tree. The tree begins to bud with leaves. These buds will continue to grow throughout spring into summer. Then the cycle of the tree repeats itself, just as the progression of seasons repeats its cycle.

MOON- Another real life example that I could never explain before was the idea of a new moon. I could never grasp why we could not see any part of the moon at all. I now understand that this is because the moon is always half lit by the sun. And when a new moon is taking place, the moon is in-between the earth and the sun, and we are seeing the un-lit side of the moon. So the sun is actually seeing the lit side of the moon.

PLANETS & STARS- A third real life explanation is the idea of constellations and signs being related to each month. This is because these stars make up a constellation that appears to look like some kind of design in the sky. These designs are not however in the night sky during that month, they are in the day sky. So for instance, a Capricorn (January baby) sees their constellation in July. Likewise for July, it sees its sign in the night sky in January. Before this lesson I have never understood that.