This week I taught one of my favorite lessons. I used mini-eggs to teach like terms. The students had to sort the eggs by color. We then added up how many like color eggs there were. The students enjoyed the hands on aspect of the lesson.
An the flip side, I marked my first quiz and found it tough to get it back in a timely fashion and keep track of those who still had to complete it.
Today was spring picture day. I didn’t know that there are now two picture days. As a result, not only was science class with my homeroom class interrupted, but math class with the other class in our pod was interrupted for their photos. I have had a lot of juggling to do with different events and schedules, but today was the first day that a class that I had planned and prepared was interrupted during the middle of my teaching. I was struck today by how social our schools are and how many distractions there are. I also began to think about how distracted our world is now. How much more productive would we be if we actually turned everything off for even an hour and had no notifications or interruptions?
Today I assigned an inquiry project on the body systems. I wasn’t to sure how it would go, as most of the students have not really done an inquiry project before, but I was pleasantly surprised at how engaged and interested the students were. It is some to behold watching a group of students talking and investigating topics they are interested in. At one point, I obviously did not make it clear enough that they could do any topic they wanted relating to a body system. As someone asked the question about whether or not they could do any topic, there was a bit of a hubbub when they realized they had the freedom to choose. My hope it the final presentations will reflect the students’ interest and choice in the process.
I started teaching Math and Science this week. I am now teaching all morning. It is a little difficult to balance, but I enjoyed teaching more. In math I am introducing algebra. It is interesting how some students are so negative towards a topic.
Teaching concepts in math is tough with students at so many different levels. I really need to work on different ways to develop trust in the class.
Coaching Rugby is great, but my voice is getting tired already. I need to manage my voice more now.
I have to prep for a TOC and my FA on the same day. It is difficult preparing well for someone else to teach your class.
This week I taught human body systems in science, with a specific focus on the respiratory, circulatory and excretory systems.
I had an issue with one student. He used inappropriate language and I had to report him because of a behavior plan. I talked to him and it seemed to work out.
We had a guest come in and do a talking circle. The interesting part was seeing the sharing that occurred. I as proud of the class and how they participated.
Finally, we had a dance. It was very disruptive and seemed to be a waste of time, however.
Highlights – teaching body systems with Lego and diffusion with water and food coloring.
I started my first week off with a bang. As any new, keen student teacher would, I planned a number of activities and found there was not enough time for most of them. Many of them ended up rushed. Day one I took the students outside to talk about body systems. I had the students run around the track and then discussed what was happening in their body. I learned how long it can take a 13 year old to get around a track and so for the next class I simply had them run to the end of the school and back.
My next hands on science lab was to deal with the increasing complexity of how the human body is made. Cells come together to make tissues, tissues form organs and organs for organ systems. To demonstrate this, I had the students build with Lego. The class was split into 6 groups. Each group were given a specific structure to build. One group built the cab of a car transporter, another the back and trailer. Four groups each built a different car. We then came together and discussed how cells are like each Lego piece. Cells are small and specialized to fill a particular role and each Lego piece is as well. These smaller pieces come together to make a larger structure. We then compared how those structures fit together to make a larger organism by comparing the cab to the brain, the trailer to the skeletal and muscular system and then each car to a different internal system e.g. digestive system, respiratory system, etc.
In addition, this week I also taught a lesson on diffusion and osmosis. As this is such an important process in your body, I really wanted the students to understand it and how passive it is. It is amazing that we really so much on such a simply process for our very life. Each students observed how food coloring spreads out in a cup of water and then observed how a teabag works in order to observe osmosis. The students seemed to enjoy the opportunity to see what was happening and not just hear about what happens your body.
Over all it was a great first week.
For my upcoming practicum, I have tried to develop an active science unit with a balance of different strategies for learners with different learning styles.