Welcome to my book trailer!

On our last day Dr. Smirnova has us present our eFolios and book trailers. Unfortunately due to timing I was unable to present mine, but I really enjoyed watching my classmates present their book trailers. It was cool to see all the different technology tools that everyone used. Although I was unable to present my book trailer I had a lot of fun creating it because it was something that I have never done before. I would have never known how to create a book trailer if it weren’t for this class and I'm really glad that I did. For my book trailer I used VoiceThread and it was cool to be able to speak into the microphone and use my own voice. VoiceThread is a web based platform that enables teachers and students to upload images, videos, record audio and text comments. I also found it extremely useful because I was able to download the app on my phone which made it much easier for me to use. I would definitely recommend using VoiceThread in your future classroom with your students! I did my trailer on the book The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds : A Book About How Living Things Grown by Joanna Cole. To prepare for my book trailer I first had to read the book and then choose from different parts of the book. I decided to go with parts that I thought viewers would most enjoy. I thought that this assignment was so much fun, and I think that my future students would absolutely love creating a book trailer just as much as I did! If you'd like you can view my book trailer here and my trade book project here. I hope you enjoy it!

Fieldwork Experience

Today, I found myself reflecting back on my fieldwork experience in the beginning of this semester at Bishop Dunn Memorial School in a fourth grade classroom. This fieldwork experience was nothing like I've ever experienced before. In my past education courses I've either observed a class or I've worked one on one with a student but this time I was able to teach a whole class with the help of my group. I was extremely nervous because this was something that I have never done before. I wasn't sure how I felt about it because science isn't one of my strong points. All I could think about is how can I teach students science when that is a subject I've always struggled with but this experience was one of the best things that could have happened to me. It made that all turn around for me! This experience made me look at science with a whole new perspective. Science is now a subject that I have become interested in because of this experience and also because of all the different techniques and strategies that I have learned.

Through this experience I taught a direct instruction and inquiry lesson, which was also very new to me. I learned that direct instruction is important because it teaches students all of the information that they need to know. It is important for students to be given a note packet to take notes in where they will be able to reference back to. Unfortunately my group and I did not provide a note pack for the students so this is something that I've learned not to do in my future as a teacher. I will make sure that my students are given a note packet where they will be able to take notes to help them make sense of what they are being taught. Other thing that I realized is important especially in a classroom is time management. Time management is important in a classroom so that the teacher can cover all material necessary for each specific lesson. If the teacher feels rushed than the students will as well and that is not how a classroom should run. In my future classroom I will make sure that I prioritize my work and time so that my students are given enough time to complete each task.

I’ve also learned how important inquiry is in teaching science. Through inquiry the students were able to engage in evidence-based reasoning and creative problem solving. This lesson was completely different than direct instruction because the students aren’t looking for answers from the teacher they are creating their own observations, collecting their own data and drawing their own conclusions. This is a more hands on approach that I feel makes it a more memorable experience for students. It is engaging as well as educational and that is so important. I have truly learned a lot throughout this experience. I am beyond happy that I had the opportunity to teach a fourth grade class because it has helped me grow so much as a future teacher.

"Children's engagement in science inquiry gives them the opportunity to receive accurate feedback directly from the outcomes of their own inquiry."

Science in The News

Seed Germination

What is the science issue involved? 

The science issue discussed in the article is the fact that all seeds are not alike. Seeds come in different sizes, shapes and colors. Some seeds also have hard coats such as corn, beans, pees, okra and morning glories. Other seeds have softer coats than other seeds such as marigolds, tomatoes, zinnias, peppers and cucumbers. This means that all seeds germinate differently. Seeds with hard coats germinate slower than seeds with soft coats. Hard seed coats take longer to germinate because it takes longer for the seed to drink enough water to soften the seed coat enough so that the inside parts of the seed can break through. 

Why did you choose this article?

I choose this article because I was interested in learning more about the process of seed germination. I wasn't aware that seeds have different coats, so I found that interesting. I also found it interesting that seeds with hard coats take longer to germinate than seeds with soft coats. I think that the experiment the article provide on planting different seeds and watching them grow would be a fun experiment to use in my future classroom. 

How does this current topic relate to the classroom discourse?

Seed germination relates to the classroom discourse because for fieldwork we had to conduct a direct instruction and inquiry lesson on Botany as a science and topics related to botany such as plant organelles, plant reproduction, plant classification and plant biomes. This article would be a great way to introduce the process of germination and the difference between seeds. 

How can you use the news article in teaching science?

The best way to use the news article in teaching science is during an inquiry lesson. News articles can be a helpful way for students to search for research through the steps of inquiry. Through these articles students can use the research that they find to prove their hypothesis. News articles will also help students get a better understanding of the topic that is being taught. 

Reference

Scienceforkidsclub.com. (n.d.). Seed Germination for Kids. Retrieved from 

http://www.scienceforkidsclub.com/seed-germination.html