Tracie Belt’s Blog

The scientific method is a topic that many science teachers review at the beginning of the year. However, it can be hard to find new and exciting ways to teach it to students year after year. Personally, I find that students come to me still unsure of many steps even though they have conducted experiments using the scientific method for at least two years by the time I get them in seventh grade.This year, my plan of attack is going to be different. I am going to try a new approach. I am going to begin the year by having my students design their own experiment before I review the steps of the scientific method. Doing the experiment first gives me real life examples to pull from. When I try to get students to understand what a variable is or what a control is in an experiment I will be able to use examples from their own experiments.While they are doing the experiment, the students will use flip cameras to film themselves ,or use their cell phones to take pictures of their team designing and executing their experiments. When they finish the experiment, they will have to write a caption for each scene they filmed or photographed. The movie will show and tell where they struggled with the design or data analysis. This should make the ultimate teaching tools. The students will have lived the method first and then be asked to identify which step is which from watching the videos they produced.Consequently, when I ask questions about controlling variables, or is the experiment a fair test, it should make the concepts real and easier to understand. The film and the discussion should make the students see the connection between the scientific method and themselves. It should act as a guided practice for how they will independently design an experiment for the science fair.My test this year on scientific method will also have a twist. Instead of the normal, name the steps of the scientific method ,and identify the variables in the experiment typed on the paper, I am going to use an alternative assessment. My plan is to use assignment builder and assign my students to watch MythBusters and while they watch the video have them record which part of the show is the experimental design. Ask them to explain what happens when the guys on MythBusters have problems with their design. What did the MythBusters team do to prove they had busted or proven the myth.My goal is that my teacher experiment of teaching the scientific method with a slight twist will result in my students having a stronger sense of why we use the scientific method and that this method will help them independently know how design better experiments . I will let you know how it goes. Keep your fingers crossed.

Do you or your students have a case of the winter blahs?If so, try spicing up your approach to the science curriculum, by having your students teach the chapter instead of you. One of the cardinal rules of teaching is: “He or she who does the work learns the most.” Take advantage of this old adage and turn the classroom blahs into a classroom that is exciting and engaging.

First, pick a section of a chapter you have introduced to the students. Then entice them by saying that they will not have to read the whole next section. They will have to only read one part. The catch is that after they are done reading their part they will have to find a creative way to teach that part to the class.

The students love to perform and I have found that they pay better attention to the chapter if they have to present it. At the same time they are learning important concepts such as: research skills, public speaking skills, and learning how to organize a long term project.

Here are the steps to try this with your class:

First, choose one section of a chapter for students to teach. Preferably a middle section of a chapter you have already introduced. Example: Clues to Evolution which is the second section of a chapter on how organisms change over time.

Divide students into groups of four and assign each group one part of the chapter to read, research and teach to the class.

Ensure individual accountability by having each student responsible for one part of the teaching. When I did this with my class the rules were as follows:

1. Everyone in the group must read the section they are assigned for homework and be prepared to discuss it the next day in class with their group.

2. Everyone must participate in planning the group’s presentation. Assign each group member a number. That number tells them what individual contribution they must make. Assign a facilitator for each group whose job it is to make sure each group member is participating and contributing.

3. Person 1 must find or make a visual aid for the group’s presentation.

4. Person 2 must find a magazine, web or newspaper article about one part of their section. This article must be used in the presentation. Hint: To save time and make sure the articles are grade level appropriate use the articles you can find in Discovery Science Connection. I chose the articles from the reading passages section of science connection, for example: When Whales walked and Growing up Mammal. By limiting the choices you direct the inquiry, which helps students not get off track and waste time searching the Internet.

5. Person 3 must research 3 interesting facts about the topic that can not be found by reading your science text book

6. Person 4 must write a summary and three review questions to read and ask to the class at the end of the group presentation.

All presentations must have a skit, props, or something else creative to try to make their presentations memorable. Some of my students used a film clip on evolution they found in the science connection film clips.

All students know that this assignment is graded. They know they will receive a group grade and an individual grade on how well they did their assigned part. The time period for this assignment is brief, so they must go right to work.

I give them two days to prepare their presentations and then on the third day they each have seven minutes to present their section to the class. We call it our science symposium. The students dress up if they wish. Some choose to dress up as scientists and wear lab coats. At the end of each presentation. The group summarizes what the class should have learned and ask 3 review questions. I then have them copy in their notebooks what I deem to be the three essential points they should have learned from their student teachers. This way I ensure they have the notes they will need to study for a possible quiz or test on the unit.

Trust me this is a great way to beat the winter blahs in the classroom and ensure that your students will learn the concepts.img_4103.JPG

Do you or your students have a case of the winter blahs? If so, try spicing up your approach to the science curriculum, by having your students teach the chapter instead of you. One of the cardinal rules of teaching is: “He or she who does the work learns the most.” Take advantage of this old adage and turn the classroom blahs into a classroom that is exciting and engaging.

First, pick a section of a chapter you have introduced to the students. Then entice them by saying that they will not have to read the whole next section. They will have to only read one part. The catch is that after they are done reading their part they will have to find a creative way to teach that part to the class.

The students love to perform and I have found that they pay better attention to the chapter if they have to present it. At the same time they are learning important concepts such as: research skills, public speaking skills, and learning how to organize a long term project.

Here are the steps to try this with your class:

First, choose one section of a chapter for students to teach. Preferably a middle section of a chapter you have already introduced. Example: Clues to Evolution which is the second section of a chapter on how organisms change over time.

Divide students into groups of four and assign each group one part of the chapter to read, research and teach to the class.

Ensure individual accountability by having each student responsible for one part of the teaching. When I did this with my class the rules were as follows:

1. Everyone in the group must read the section they are assigned for homework and be prepared to discuss it the next day in class with their group.

2. Everyone must participate in planning the group’s presentation. Assign each group member a number. That number tells them what individual contribution they must make. Assign a facilitator for each group whose job it is to make sure each group member is participating and contributing.

3. Person 1 must find or make a visual aid for the group’s presentation.

4. Person 2 must find a magazine, web or newspaper article about one part of their section. This article must be used in the presentation. Hint: To save time and make sure the articles are grade level appropriate use the articles you can find in Discovery Science Connection.
I chose the articles from the reading passages section of science connection, for example: When Whales walked and Growing up Mammal. By limiting the choices you direct the inquiry, which helps students not get off track and waste time searching the Internet.

5. Person 3 must research 3 interesting facts about the topic that can not be found by reading your science text book

6. Person 4 must write a summary and three review questions to read and ask to the class at the end of the group presentation.

All presentations must have a skit, props, or something else creative to try to make their presentations memorable. Some of my students used a film clip on evolution they found in the science connection film clips.

All students know that this assignment is graded. They know they will receive a group grade and an individual grade on how well they did their assigned part. The time period for this assignment is brief, so they must go right to work.

I give them two days to prepare their presentations and then on the third day they each have seven minutes to present their section to the class. We call it our science symposium. The students dress up if they wish. Some choose to dress up as scientists and wear lab coats. At the end of each presentation. The group summarizes what the class should have learned and ask 3 review questions. I then have them copy in their notebooks what I deem to be the three essential points they should have learned from their student teachers. This way I ensure they have the notes they will need to study for a possible quiz or test on the unit.

Trust me this is a great way to beat the winter blahs in the classroom and ensure that your students will learn the concepts.img_4103.JPG

Wow! The beginning of school was stressful for me this year. How about you? I was so busy that I thought when am I ever going to have time to start using Science Connection with my students? However,I took the plunge and I am glad that I stopped procrastinating, and set up my science class to be able to utilize the videos, articles and all the other media opportunities.

When I started planning what was the best way to incorporate Science Connection into my classroom, it dawned on me that this was the perfect tool to help me with two age old problems. The first problem is how do I make my homework more motivating: Answer: Use Science Connection and assignment builder as a way to make my science homework more fun and exciting. If I build a homework assignment using science connection. The student can watch a video, or do a virtual lab instead of traditional science homework. My students have since told me that they not only enjoy homework more, but they like being able to watch a film clip because it helps clarify what we learn in class.

The other problem that Science Connection has helped me with is: How do I help the student who has been absent all week?

Simple answer : Assignment builder.

Last week, a student ended up in the hospital, so I simply made an assignment that included what we did in our book, plus two video segments on classification from science connection, and an article to read on how living things are classified. In addition, I made a review quiz using assessment builder. The whole thing took me less then 20 minutes. I emailed my student the assignment link, and he did the assignment in the hospital. His parents were impressed and said he loved doing his make up work this way.

The assignment I made for my absent student then did double duty as a test review assignment for my whole class. Several children in the class stated that they loved having something visual to help them review and they felt it helped improve their test scores.

I know all of you are as busy as I am, so I hope this post will help you lighten your work load. I am hoping there will be some responses to this post from people who have thought of some interesting ways to utilize science connection. If we help each other then all of us will benefit even more from the Science Connection as a classroom tool.

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