Angie

3. Know the concepts listed as the Study Guide on the Home Wiki Page AND be able to identify or explain them as they pertain to your Unit Plan on Tuesday.
=July 16:=

1. When creating/writing your science unit, what did you find to be the most challenging part for you?
The most challenging part for me was the flow or how to develop a logical sequence. My anxiety with science didn't help.

2. Does your sample lesson and unit in general play on your own learning strengths?
I think so; my sample lesson was definitely my favorite to create and came easiest to me. I think it was because it involved a lot of observation and group work which I enjoy.

3. What is one thing you learned or observed from this class that you will definitely implement in your classroom as a future teacher?
I will definitely be using Mr. Shaw's way of guided learning; asking lots of questions and borrowing the phrase, "tell me more".

4. What was the most useful Community Science Resource you came across, while doing research for this class and your lesson plans?
I would say the Missouri Department of Conservation and various teacher blogs.

5. How will you help students become independent learners?
By asking a lot of questions and not providing answers automatically. Have them work for it! And modeling this approach too.

6. Does your unit plan incorporate your philosophy of teaching? Give an example of how your unit plan incorporates your philosophy of teaching.
Yes, I think my unit plan incorporates my philosophy of teaching in that it's relevant and involves a lot of exploration and guided discovery.

7. Did you come across any good online science resources while working on your unit plan that you would like to share?
Yes, Litzsinger Road Ecology Center. www.litzsinger.org

8. Did you come up with any creative science activities or experiments that you would like to share aside from anything you presented?
There were some fun food chain activities and a hula hoop venn diagram on producers and consumers. Oh, and we made terrariums!

=July 9:=

1. 10 minute Inquiry: Sustainability: What is it? Does it belong in the Science curriculum?
As the root word, sustain means to support or maintain, I like to think of sustainability as the process of maintaining and taking care of our world so future generations can live healthily. I also like to think of it as finding ways to satisfy our needs more efficiently and living within the means of our natural systems so our lifestyles don't harm our world and future generations. I like the definition of Sustainability: The capacity to endure: It doesn't seem to high minded or doom and gloom. Bob ==2. Check out the NSTA website: [] Here is the link to student/preservice teacher application: []. I will sign your application, if you wish to join. The local NSTA affiliate is called STOM (Science Teachers of Missouri). More information can be found at [].== ==3. We heard a lot about one particular publisher of textbook, and we all have had them in classes from an early age. What do you think? What role do textbooks have in the (science) classroom? Has / will / can /should technology replace textbooks?== I like to think of textbooks as a secondary resource; a resource to gain ideas from. I don't think it should be used solely and I worry that some teachers might depend on it too much. I worry that a textbook doesn't offer much differentiation. While I think technology is important to have in a classroom, I don't necessarily think it should replace textbooks. I think there should be a nice balance of technology and hands-on experiments. I think technology is beneficial in a science classroom because it allows students to research and view things they wouldn't normally be able to see such as different ecosystems--rainforests, deserts, etc. =4. Have you changed your opinion on something since the beginning of class? If so, explain one or more topics where your thinking was challenged.= Before this class, I always thought of science as this very serious step-by-step process of finding a solution or answer to something, an absolute. I now know that science can be fun, creative and it's okay to have more than one answer. It was challenging for me to have a teacher that didn't just provide an answer. I now know that as a teacher, it's important to guide the students and allow them to think for themselves and/or to find out the answer for themselves.

5. Have you solidified an opinion since the beginning of class? If so, explain one or more topics where you thinking was affirmed.
I solidified my opinion that it's important to have science be relevant to the students and apply it to real life and real world situations. It's also important to incorporate building and engineering things. The solar oven and the legos experiments helped me understand that students will get a lot more out of something if they can build and see its purpose.

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= **orJuly 2:** = === 1. When should Differentiated Instruction be used? Should all students have the same opportunity? === I believe Differentiated Instruction should always be used. In order for teachers and students to maximize their learning potential, Differentiated Instruction needs to be thought of as a philosophy and not just a one time strategy or tool. All students should have the same opportunity for learning because every student needs to be an informed citizen and that is why differentiated instruction should consistently be used.

=== 2. What is the difference: ‘What gets rewarded gets done’ vs. ‘What is rewarding gets done.’ Which is truer for you? === I think, 'what gets rewarded gets done" is motivated by extrinsic rewards such as money or grades. There really isn't pleasure in completing the task but the fact that you know you get some type of reward such as money or a grade, motivates someone to complete a project. I think, 'what is rewarding gets done' is the idea that if one is intrinsically motivated and truly enjoys something, the task will get done. I think the latter is truer for me. I tend to complete tasks that are rewarding to me whether it's cooking a great meal (because I enjoy cooking and trying out new recipes, not because my family has to eat) or gardening (because I enjoy being out in the yard, digging in the ground and creating things, not because I feel it necessary for my yard to look nice ).

=== 3. How are the skills you used in solving LEGO Challenges considered Science/ STEM? Isn't is just playing with LEGOs? === The skills we used in solving the LEGO challenges involved putting things together and taking them apart to figure out how something would work. It required us to plan and anticipate what would happen next if we placed legos in a certain way. We had to figure out how to build a wall and keep it upright without it falling over. This required trial and error in order to be successful. Science is all about trial and error. It's experimenting until something works properly.

Taking things apart is key in understanding how things work. encourage it with simple things like flashlights, can openers and old electronics like VCRs.: Bob === 4. Name two science standards at your target grade level that are not part of your unit. Describe how you would meet them with an engineering (design-build-test-redesign) lesson. === Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions 3-PS3 Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other. Students can build a compass to detect magnetic affects. What happens when you put a compass by a mobile phone?

3-ESS2-1. Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.Weather and Climate. We could build a weather station using various weather measuring instruments.

=== 5. What advantage would there be to giving students choice about how to demonstrate what they have learned? Any disadvantages? === Providing choices to students about how to demonstrate their learning benefits them by appealing to different types of learners. We have to think of students as individuals and what works for one person isn't going to necessarily work for another individual. The only disadvantage I can think of is the possibility of overwhelming students with too many decisions. But I think a teacher can be successful with this by focusing in on the choices and clearly explaining and modeling the choices.

=== 6. The Solar Oven unit isn't really about Solar Ovens. What is its goal/purpose? === The solar oven unit is about designing and constructing something that can benefit people and the world. It teaches students about solar energy and how there are alternative methods for cooking and heating and sanitizing water.

=== 7. If you were to share one key thing from the Preparing Creative and Critical Thinker article, what would it be? === One key aspect I would share from this article is the idea that creative thinking and critical thinking are complementary and should be used in conjunction with each other. Instead of limiting oneself to the idea that it's this way or the other, it's important to generate as many ideas as possible. Creating new ideas and analyzing the existing ideas is going to be the most beneficial way to solve a problem.

=== 8. Which of the tools from the Creative Problem Solver's Toolbox would you use (or not use) in your classroom and why? === I would use force fitting as a tool because it makes students think outside of the box. I think it combines ideas to create new ones and the more crazy you start out with, the better off you will be with creating original and creative ideas.

=**June 25: Journal 3:**=

What is something you learned from the Pond Life book?
While I knew there were different habitats found in ponds and lakes, I never really realized that that surface film of a pond was considered a pond. I guess I never really thought of the top layer of a pond being anything too significant when in reality it's the home to many types of floating animals and plants. The top part is the only part most animals and plants interact.: Bob

Explain Differentiated Instruction in your own words.
Differentiated Instruction is teaching to everyone, taking into consideration each student's different needs, readiness levels and interests. In order for each student to learn and master the content, the teacher has to have high expectations of his/her students. A teacher must get to know his/her students, what motivates them and how they best learn. Differentiated instruction involves teaching content in various ways. This can be done by providing materials of varied readability and interest levels. Additionally, a teacher should provide a variety of materials and activities which target the auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. For example, the teacher can provide flexible grouping or the choice of working independently. There should also be a variety of options the students can demonstrate their knowledge to the teacher. A teacher should provide choices to the students in how they demonstrate their learning. For example, the teacher can provide a choice board for the students, providing them with the opportunity to show their knowledge by writing, role-playing, drawing, etc.

What is the purpose of using a system like Responsive Classroom in a classroom/school?
I think the purpose of using a system like Responsive Classroom is to decrease behavior problems so the focus can be on teaching and learning. I also think the purpose of a system such as Responsive Classroom or something similar like PBIS is to promote a sense of community and safety in our classrooms. As teachers, we have to teach and model respectful behaviors.

Name a technology that would be useful in your unit and explain how it would enhance learning / assessment.
I would try and incorporate some type of spreadsheet technology such as Excel when examining and analyzing interactions between organisms and their environment. I think it would be a useful way to track how changes in the environment can affect organisms. It might also be fun to use some type of digital camera or video camera to capture the observation live.

What did you find out about Science Notebooks?
Science Notebooks are a great tool for students to write down their ideas, notes, observations, questions and demonstrate their overall understanding of science and experiments. It's a great way for the students to demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways. They can draw diagrams, pictures, charts or write about their learning. It can also be used as an assessment tool for teachers and students. Teachers can use these Notebooks as formative assessments while at the same time providing students with timely feedback.

=**June 18: Journal 2:**=

Is Health a Science Topic? Elaborate:
Yes, I think health is a science topic. When I think of health, I think of the human body. Biology, a component of science is the study of living organisms, including human beings. Health discusses the interrelationships of nutrition, exercise and the environment and how it all affects the human body.

What advantage is there to pretesting students? Are there any disadvantages? Why is this useful in the science classroom?
Yes, I think there is an advantage to pretesting students. I think it benefits not only the teacher but the students. I think it's important for a teacher to assess students' content knowledge and uncover what they know before beginning a new topic. This helps the teacher determine students' strengths and weaknesses and the teacher can then provide appropriate supports. If the majority of the students have enough information about a given subject, the teacher can then skip to the next logical topic and prevent boredom. The same holds true if the majority of the students don't have enough information. The teacher can then provide fun and engaging lessons on the subject at hand.

What are your thoughts on the the Classroom Performance System? Useful? Too complicated for a teacher to use? What good is the data it gathers?
It was my first time using a Classroom Performance System and I really enjoyed it. I think it's a great pre-assessment tool and can also be used at the end of a lesson to assess students' understanding of the material. It's quick and informal and much more fun than an exit slip. It didn't seem too complicated for a teacher to use. As with most things, it would take some preparation, but I think the benefits (pre-assessing student's background knowledge and end of lesson assessment), would definitely outweigh the time and preparation.

What philosophy of education or pedagogical approach(es) do you identify with and why?
The two pedagogical approaches we discussed in class that I most identified with were UBD and Bloom's Taxonomy. I like UBD because it stresses the importance of making learning relevant and real life application. I also like that it starts with the goal and breaks it down by skills and then activities. The most important part of a lesson should be the goal. The teacher and the students should know whey they are learning about a subject and the importance of it. I identify with Bloom's Taxonomy because it encourages me to create higher level lesson plans and thinking. I can visualize the pyramid, the levels of learning and the steps to creation and evaluation.

What unit topic will you seek to develop?
Interactions and interdependence among living things and their environments--focusing on plants.

Feel free to add any questions you have to the Parking Lot page.
=June 4: Journal 1:= ===What was the best idea/concept/procedure you took away tonight?=== The 5 E Model and the overall inquiry approach. I like the 5 E Model because it's easy to remember and it can be used across the curriculum. I like the inquiry approach and how the teacher acts more as a guide than a lecturer, allowing the students to work together and ask questions. While I find this method somewhat challenging as a student (probably because I was taught for many years in a direct teaching environment), I believe it helps students to become critical thinkers. We need to keep our students curious all throughout school and we may be more successful if we utilize this inquiry approach. Bob: It is more challenging for the student (and the teacher) to guide rather than tell.

===This is how I would expand this idea…=== I would utilize the 5 E Model and inquiry approach across the curriculum. I would also explain the inquiry method to my students during the first week of class and perhaps show them examples or videos of what an inquiry classroom looks like and what the roles of the teacher and students resemble.

===What question do you wish you asked in class (This could be about a topic, the class or the classroom)?=== Has the science curriculum changed with the Common Core Standards and if so, has it changed for the better? Bob: Why do you think the CC would impact science?

===What did you find interesting about the methods and ideas shared in the video Changing Education Paradigms? What did you find upsetting or unsettling about the methods and ideas shared in the video?=== The most interesting idea I found from the video is the comparison of our public education system to the factory line and how our education system emphasizes standardization and conformity. I think our mandated testing proves this idea is right on! <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The thing I found most unsettling was how quickly our children lose the capacity for divergent thinking. The fact that they come to school curious learners and along the way, they lose this enthusiasm and ability is scary. <span style="color: #008080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bob: This brings us back to your first comment. Why be creative when the teacher will tell me what I need to know?v