Science Lesson
I haven't taught science in nearly two years. The last time I taught it was during my student teaching, however, a typical science lesson will begin with a motivation or a hook to catch the students' attention. Then we will discuss the vocabulary and create a KWL chart. One of my favorite lessons was on Rocks and Minerals. I gave them each a collection of rocks and had the students write down four different characteristics of the rocks individually and then collectively we discussed the characteristics on the board. Each student then explained where each type of rock could be found. In the following days, the students illustrated, described the shape, texture, color, mass, size, and hardness of the sample in their science journals. The students would then complete a ticket out the door as an end of the day assessment and a post test at the end of the unit.
Technology in Science
Technology is always important in the lesson. I think it really helps the students to connect with the lessons. Webquests and BrainPOP Jr. could have been incorporated into the lesson above. Also, the students could have completed their own research on rocks and minerals on the computer or have participated in some activities on the SMARTBoard. Technology should be used in the classroom as long as it is relevant and helpful to the students. It should never be a time filler.
Concept Mapping
I've never heard of concept maps being called concept maps, although I've used them frequently. Concept maps are a great way to organize information in a clear way that makes sense. As a visual learner it has always benefitted me and I would love to use this in my classroom with students that may be struggling.
I love your blog! So cute.
ReplyDeleteWebquests are a great way to get kids engaged and using technology. Once a webquest is created, we can use them for many years. Technology truly can make our lives much easier.
Love the chevron, Tiffany. I love your lesson on geology. There are SO many apps on IPads for geology for kids. I am not sure what grade you teach, but there are apps for all age groups. I did not teach science this past year either, but there were some days where I wanted to teach a mini science lesson, so I did! My go to technology is BrainPop, because they love it so much, but there really are so many other resources for science. During my internship, I let my second graders teach a lesson on plants. They used props, visual aids, and power points to teach their classmates about a particular subject about plants. They loved it! I made them use one type of technology during their lesson. This allowed them to learn to use a particular type of technology. A lot of them did videos on iMovie; I was so impressed!
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