Scientific Me

When I think back to my experiences with science I think about how challenging it was for me in high school. I don’t remember much of my experiences in elementary school besides one. Science became my least favorite subject in high school. In high school I took Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Marine Science. What I disliked the most about my classes was that I was given a textbook, expected to read it, and then have a test on it. I don’t think science should be taught through a textbook. I did love doing experiments and working in groups. I wish I had more of a hands on experience than having to use a textbook and being lectured. Science was challenging for me because I had a difficult time understanding it. I struggled the most with Biology and Chemistry. The one class that I did enjoy was Marine Science because I loved learning about oceanography. I’ve always been so intrigued and fascinated by the ocean and all the different sea creatures so that is one class that caught my attention.

The one thing that stood out to me in elementary school was watching butterflies go through their different life stages. I enjoyed learning about the four life stages of the monarch butterfly. It was so fascinating to see the butterflies come out of their cocoons. I thought it was interesting to learn that butterflies like to sip on fruit juice and it was cool to see them feed on oranges. I think that it is wonderful that to this day teachers still include the butterfly experiment in their lessons. Children absolutely love seeing butterflies go through their different life stages and then setting them free and seeing them fly away. I remember dissecting a frog back in junior high school so that we could learn about the different organs that are needed for the body to function. I also remember in chemistry class we made tie-dye shirts and that was a lot of fun. When I attend Dutchess Community College I took a Biology course and we dissected a pig to learn about the mammal anatomy. Something interesting that I learned from this lesson was that the internal organs of a fetal pig are similar to humans. I was a little hesitant to participate in these experiments but it was actually interesting.

Through these experiences I learned and gained a lot of new and interesting information. I enjoyed these science experiences the most because they were hands on and we were able to work in groups so that made it a fun learning experience. The butterfly experiment is definitely an experiment that I would like to include in my future classroom. I will have my students draw out what the butterfly looks like when it goes through the four life stages. I hope that my future students enjoy learning about the monarch butterfly just as much as I did. Although these were great and fun experiences I don’t feel that I have been successful with science because of how challenging it was for me in high school. I strongly disliked Biology and Chemistry because I felt that it covered way too many terminologies for me to comprehend or even remember. It was difficult for me to memorize all the different biological and chemical terms. Chemistry was a different language for me because it covered so many different chemical elements and formulas, which is other reason why I found it challenging. The one thing I really struggled with was when it came time to take a test, and that is when I found it to be the most difficult.

Science is the study about the physical and natural world around us. I’ve always viewed science to be interesting but it was always too difficult for me to understand especially in High school. My past experiences have made me want to make science a fun and hands on experience for my future students. Science shouldn’t be about handing students a textbook and expecting them to read it. It should be about allowing students to get their hands dirty and having fun creating experiments. I think a hands on experience is a much better experience for students because it allows them to be more involved. I also think that when students are involved in the lesson it makes their experience more memorable. I want to show students how much they can enjoy science even if it’s there least favorite subject just like it was mine. I truly hope that by taking this course and teaching science to fourth grade students changes my outlook so that I can become an enthusiastic and skilled teacher of Science.