DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

 

Monique Neysmith

Supervisor: Dr. Rosalina Diaz

Education 492 – Student Teaching II

Cooperating Teacher: Ms. McFadden

Date of Lesson: May 2, 2013

Time: 11:00am-12:00pm


Science is major aspect of our everyday lives. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to have medicines, go to space, or understand the difference between liquids and solids. “Science—and therefore science education—is central to the lives of all Americans, preparing them to be informed citizens in a democracy and knowledgeable consumers. It is also the case that if the nation is to compete and lead in the global economy and if American students are to be able to pursue expanding employment opportunities in science-related fields, all students must all have a solid K–12 science education that prepares them for college and careers” (www.nextgenscience.org). After speaking with the schools’ science teacher, I decided to teach the class about seed germination, which involves the life cycle of a seed. It is essential for students in elementary school to learn about seeds because it ties into their understanding of living organisms, and the life cycles of living things. Also, this lesson can be related to everyday life. In Educational Psychology: Developing Learners (2000) by Jeanne Ellis Ormrod it says “Ideally, any science curriculum should make frequent connections between school science and everyday situations. Accordingly, we should provide numerous opportunities for students to apply scientific principles to the kinds of problems they are likely to encounter in their outside lives” (p. 376). The students’ parents or family members may have plants in their house or gardens and we eat plants, such as collard greens, and fruits and vegetables that come from plants like potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes. After that lesson, we did an experiment based off of the hypothesis "Will the germinating seed sprout quicker than the seed in the soil?" This hands on part of the lesson is important because it lets the students see for themselves how to plant seeds and which one grows quicker.

As talked about in Methods for teaching science as inquiry, I am addressing the 5 E’s of science which are engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate. The viewing of the seed, the explanation of a life cycle, and the discussions around the germinated seeds are all ways in which the 5 E’s will be addressed.  Science is all about exploring so with any science lesson it is crucial for all of the 5 E’s of science to be addressed.They are working with the seeds, soil, and other materials, and they are going to take record of what is happening. They are being active learners and engaging in the lesson, which will help to put everything we learned about into prospective.

 Common core doesn’t have specific science standards, but they do have ELA Standards that involve science. The Common Core Standard I’m using is CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3 because it addresses describing a scientific concept using language that talks about sequence, time, and cause and effect (www.corestandards.org). This is perfect for explaining life cycles. In Elementary Methods: An Integrated Curriculum by Donna Wolfinger and James W. Stockard Jr., it says “Science for All Americans is based on the belief that the scientifically literate person is one who is aware that science, mathematics, and technology are interdependent human enterprises with strengths and limitations” (p. 57). Technology is important in the classroom so I think I am going to enhance the lesson with a video on seed germination or the life cycle of a seed.

In the book Methods for Teaching Science As Inquiry by Joel E. Bass, et al, it says “Children love to study living things. They especially enjoy planting seeds and watching and caring for plants as they grow. Forming good questions that can be empirically investigated and that lead to significant knowledge is the first step in scientific inquiry” (p.51). I know that planting the seeds and germinating the seeds themselves will make them want to see the results even more than if I did it for them Stage 4 of Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory (1920’s), Concrete Operations, says that children between the ages 6-11 “have trouble understanding and reasoning about abstract and contrary-to-fact ideas” (Omrod, p. 37). Just from being around these students on a daily basis I find this to be true more than before. It is difficult for them to understand things unless they can see it, so that is another reason why I want them to conduct this experiment themselves so they can see the results of what they did.

I know that we will have a great discussion, especially culturally, from them observing the seeds. They may see seeds from fruit and vegetables that they eat and want to share it with the class. Ormrod (2000) said “Students are more likely to remember new information and experiences when they talk about these things with others” (p.284). She also said “A growing body of research indicates that class discussions help students acquire more accurate and integrated understandings of scientific phenomena” (p.378). The discussions that can occur from seeing the seeds can have a great effect on what the students remember about this lesson. They are going to be talking to each other so they can share things and build on each others’ schema. Vygotsky’s Theory of Cognitive Development says that children learn best from their peers so I am definitely going to encourage conversation amongst the students.

   Along with the Common Core Standard, I also met some CEC and ACEI Standards with this lesson. I addressed CEC Standard ICC4S3 that says “Candidates plan and implement inquiry instruction that supports constructivist approach and follows 5E model (engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate) of science teaching to stimulate children’s curiosity”, by allowing students to interact with germinated seeds, talk about them with their peers and answer questions about what they have learned. CEC Standard 4: Instructional Strategies and ACEI Standard 3.3: Development of Critical Thinking and Problem Solving are met with my knowledge of different theorists and theories and why I incorporated the theories in my lesson. CEC Standard 7: Instructional Planning and ACEI Standard 3.5: Communication to Foster Collaboration was met with the use of technology.

                                                    

                                                     References

 

Carin, A. A., Bass, J. E., & Contant, T. L. (2009). Methods for teaching science

                as inquiry(10th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc..

 

Ormrod, J. E. (2000). Educational psychology: developing learners (3rd ed.).     

                Upper SaddleRiver, N.J.: Merrill.

 

Wolfinger, D. M., & Stockard, J. W. (1997). Elementary methods: an

                 integrated curriculum.White Plains, N.Y.: Longman

 

www.corestandards.org

 

www.nextgenscience.org

 

 

 

 

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.