Hi everyone! This will be my final "Science Shorts" blog post. It has been great fun discovering new aspects of the Science and Technology curriculum I never thought possible. Today, I will discuss the aspects of taking a walk in nature and how it inspires scientific discovery from students. A nature walk is an excellent idea to help young students explore the wider possibilities dealing with Science. Nature walks benefit students of all ages. Grade 1 students will " investigate needs and characteristics of plants and animals, including humans" under the Overall Expectation of Understanding Life Systems (Ontario Science and Technology curriculum 45). For students in Grade 3, they will "assess the impact of soils on society and the environment, and of society and the environment of soils" which lies under the Overall Expectation of Understanding Earth and Space Systems (79).
To get students interested in a nature walk, I would ask them to take in all the sights of the outdoors. Giving them a clipboards with a simple 5 senses worksheet will keep them constantly aware of their surroundings. For example, ask them on the sheet to write thing they see, smell, and hear. A teacher can also ask the students to collect an item to show to the class, like a cool leaf or colourful feather. The teacher can display the items somewhere in the class as a show-and-tell activity. These are excellent exercises for Grade 1 students. If you are taking a group of older students, give them a clipboard with a scavenger hunt worksheet. They will be tearing through the woods trying to find objects like a smooth stone, a red leaf, or animal tracks. You can also ask older students to bring their cameras to take photos of the outdoors. The teacher can use the photos to create a collage or slide show to post on the school's website. I hope you enjoy reading about the benefits of taking a nature walk. Children enjoy taking a special trip outside the class to continue learning. They are able to see learning can take place all around them, not just in a desk in a classroom. Please comment below with any feedback! Take care, Miss. Starkey :)
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Welcome back, fellow teachers! This is my second of three blog posts for the "Science Shorts" series. This post, I was asked to find a photo that reflects my view of Science. I will also include a caption to illustrate the image, and explain my choice of photo. I chose this image because it illustrates a young man searching for all the detail inside the little flower. Science encourages us to question the things we see occurring around us, and to examine the deeper meaning behind it. Why do baking soda and vinegar create a fizzy eruption? How do hibernating animals stay warm in the winter? Can someone live on Mars? Science allows children to uncover the complex questions surrounding simple subjects. Science allows for constant exploration and discovery.
I hope you enjoy my second blog post about Science. Only one left to go. Please comment below with any feedback or suggestions. Take care, Miss. Starkey :) Hi everyone!
In the new semester, we are exploring the wondrous world of Science and Technology! I will be posting blogs about my own experiences with Science and share my journey along the way! For my first of three "Science Shorts" blog posts, I will be discussing what Science means to me. Please click the link above to view my mind map which includes all the words I associate with Science. Q: What influences/experiences have contributed to your understanding of what Science is? A: I remember more about high school Science rather than elementary level Science. I really enjoyed learning about the Periodic Table of Elements and creating intricate Bohr-Rutherford diagrams. My Science teacher in Grade 9 made learning engaging by having us complete a multitude of Science experiments. I was considering a career in dermatology prior to teaching due to my love of science. Currently, I enjoy the new things I am learning about Science through teaching my Grade 1 class. They get excited about the Science activities we play together. My favourite game I created for them was "The Mystery Sock". When we were learning about the Five Senses, I created the game where I would place an object inside a big sock. The children took turns reaching inside the sock, feeling the object, and guessing what it was. This encouraged them to use their sense of touch to guess the object. Q: What aspects of Science will you emphasize or de-emphasize in your own teaching? A: My primary students are too young to learn about the wonderful Periodic Table, but I will emphasize a positive attitude when introducing new concepts and ideas. If you have a positive attitude towards the subject matter, it will transfer to the students. I will also create fun activities to incorporate into each session so I am not lecturing them the entire time. I will de-emphasize the idea of thorough explanations from younger students. They can verbalize to me what they see occur in the activity and/or experiment without having to be analytical. I hope you enjoyed my first Science Short. Please comment below with any feedback! Stay tuned for more! Until next time, Miss. Starkey :) |
AuthorCaitlin Starkey is a Teacher Candidate from the University of Ottawa. She loves to read, watch movies, and drink lots of hot chocolate. These blog posts are a glance at her lesson plans, personal reflections, and ramblings about everyday observations. Archives
February 2017
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