Science Journal Blog Week 2
STEM Strategy Lesson Plan
Reflection
The lesson that I planned was for a
fourth grade science class. The students
have just begun the chemistry unit. They
have previously identified the three states of matter and noted some physical
properties of items representing the three phases. For this lesson, students will be focusing on
the physical property of mass. Students
will learn what mass is and that the mass of an object remains the same whether
it is whole or broken, or in a different state.
I have used the 5 E lesson plan format to plan math
lessons. I feel that this is a great way
for students to construct their own thinking and learning about a concept. Buxton and Provenzo (2011) state that “a good science teacher is not a conveyor of information but a
provider of opportunities to engage in meaningful inquiry and exploration and a
guide in helping students to make sense of those opportunities” ( p. 2).
Instead of the teacher giving the student the information and then having the
students conduct a related investigation, the 5 E format allows students the
opportunity to think about what they know first. Additionally, I provide opportunities for “cooperative
learning which focuses on having students interact with each other in groups in
ways that enhance their learning (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007,
p. 139). The
students are encouraged to problem solve, make connections to their prior
knowledge, and share their insights in order to learn from one another. After the students have had the opportunity
to inquire and wonder, then the teacher offers an explanation and provides
opportunities to practice and use the concept.
The 5 E lesson format encourages students to actively engage in
“inquiry, the process through which scientists make observations, acquire data,
support their ideas, modify their beliefs, and ask new questions” (Hammerman,
2006, p. 12).
References:
Buxton,
C. A., & Provenzo, E. F., Jr. (2011). Teaching
science in elementary & middle school: A
cognitive and cultural approach.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Hammerman,
E. L. (2006). Becoming a
better science teacher: 8 steps to high quality instruction
and student achievement.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Pitler
H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with
classroom
instruction that works.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Hi Corela,
ReplyDeleteThis is a test just to see if my comment goes through, as I just wrote a long comment and lost it because I have never posted to a blog before.
Here it goes!
Elizabeth
Alright then, here we go! Apparently a lot of people with Wordpress as their blog have the same problem as myself with leaving posts, so I had to sign in under Google. Cest la vie...anyway, I completely resonated with the quote “a good science teacher is not a conveyor of information but a provider of opportunities to engage in meaningful inquiry and exploration and a guide in helping students to make sense of those opportunities” ( p. 2), I used it myself in one of my first discussion posts and I keep thinking about it as I plan my lessons. I would love to plan according to Piaget and Constructivism, and John Dewey in learning by doing, and that is my ultimate plan. Some of the content however does not lend itself as well to such activities, or I have had a difficult time finding such activities to go with certain content. On the same token, I also want to keep the good old fashioned literacy in the science curriculum, as I value reading and writing in the classroom. Many students get so used to activities, that when they are asked to read or compose a paragraph in the science classroom, it becomes an issue. With all of that being said, I am seeking a balance between the old and the new, as I believe that they both have much to offer.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Elizabeth
References:
Buxton, C. A., & Provenzo, E. F., Jr. (2011). Teaching science in elementary & middle school: A
cognitive and cultural approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Elizabeth,
DeleteI agree that there needs to be a balance between investigations, and reading and writing. I have always wondered why there isn't more of a cross-curricular integration of the subjects. Science does provide the perfect opportunity for students to practice reading for information, writing to inform about results, and using different math skills throughout the investigation. I feel that if it were not separated, then the students may see more of the value in all of these skills.
This is an excellent lesson to use technology. The students are getting a deeper understanding of the concept mass if they are doing experiments. Measure mass of objects in different air stages (air, water or other liquids). The experiments will help to delete the misconception students have about mass and weight. They will understand that this two are different quantities.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you focused on scientific discovery instead of teacher led instruction. Thanks for you post.
ReplyDeleteVanette