Cooperative Learning Groups of Diverse Learners

Cooperative learning groups are a wonderful way to help students make meaning out of science. By working together the students can help fill in each others "gaps" and correct their misunderstandings. It is important that all students have an active roll to play with in their groups. If each student is able to contribute they will feel a sense of purpose and truly be able to learn. Sometimes it takes students hearing information in a different voice or from a different perspective that makes the material sink in. Students can give each other insight and challenge each other.

It is essential that cooperative learning groups have students representing a variety of developmental level, learning styles and cultural experiences. If students are diverse within their groups they will be able to share perspective and teach each other. If students can share their experiences and understandings with each other they will grow and learn as a group. The different perspectives and opinions will make them stronger and more critical thinkers.

Science with the Senses

When Janice Koch described Ms. Murray's science lesson involving mystery boxes of everyday objects in which students had to explore, I was reminded of similar activities I participated in. The activity requires the students to use their sense of touch and listening. I remember having difficulty with this activity myself because I rely so heavily on my vision to identify objects. It was very tricky to hone in on my other senses because they had never been solely relied on before.

I believe this activity helps students develop their science skills because it shows them the other ways to get information from an object besides what is visible. Too often students make their observations only using their eyes, however, there are four other senses that can be used to make observations. Allowing students to participate in these kinds of activities will make them more observant and thus make them better scientists.

Hands On Vs. Virtual Reality

Janice Koch tells about a science classroom in which the students make a solar system out of fruits and vegetables. Some teachers might not give students an opportunity to do an activity like this because of all the other opportunities students have to explore the solar system virtually. These other models give students a chance to view and interact with accurate and detailed models of the solar system. I believe that the creation of a solar system with fruits and vegetables is an activity that will enhance students understanding of the subject. While I am a proponent of online learning, I believe that the combination of virtual reality and hands on activities gives students a multidimensional look at the topic of study. If students have the opportunity to grapple with the solar system in several different contexts then they will have a more complete understanding of the topic.

In addition, students learn in different ways and that is why teachers have to prepare meet those needs. By giving the students multiple frames of reference, teachers allow them to learn in their own styles and learn on a deeper level. Giving students the chance to work with the topic in various activities can allow them to use their different senses to explore the concept. It is the combination of incorporating the virtual reality as well a hands on activities in different concepts that will take students learning to higher levels.

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Creating Science Toys!

I was so excited when I read the section of our text book in chapter 8 about the science toys! Janice Koch introduces a fifth grade science classroom where the students are exploring the properties of liquids. As the students explore the liquids she presents them with they are especially interested in the relationship between weight and volume. Although the teacher was not planning on introducing the concept of density, she changed her plan. Following their exploration of density, she brought in science toys. These toys included lava lamps and other toys that incorporate the use of liquids with different densities. Then she had the students create their own science toys! I absolutely LOVE this idea! It is such an engaging activity and requires such a high level of thinking! Although, the teacher had not planned on taking the class in this direction she realized this was a "teachable moment" and she had to jump on it and I am sure the class was glad they got this opportunity! Janice Koch describes one science toy that involves a plastic cup with corn syrup and a plastic cup with water and food coloring separated by a plastic sheet with a small hole in it. When the toy is flipped the corn syrup falls trough the water and creates an interesting visual.

Sustaining the Process of Inquiry

The inquiry process is very important to the growth of learning in our classroom. Interestingly, I have been thinking about inquiry in the context of one lesson, but, inquiry is best explored when given a prolonged period of time. We know inquiry is about student centered learning but sometimes the questions students ask are in depth an require investigation that takes place over time. Teachers need to let this happen. Teachers need to stop the mentality of "wrapping up" a lesson in a certain amount of time. As Janice Koch has mentioned in our book teachers feel as if students will loose interest if a lesson is prolonged. However, if the students are searching for the answers to their own questions, they will maintain interest throughout the process. I agree with Janice Koch that much of science needs to be observed and explored over time, for example, the growth of a seed or animal.

Mrs. Benfer is the Best

I have had the best field work experience in Mrs. Befer's class! She actually impliments all of the concepts we are learning about into her teaching. She assesses children's prior knowledge and asks engaging questions. She shows rather than tells the students about the concepts they are learning. She encourages them to use inquiry and ask their own questions!

I worked one on one with a student named Will. Will was the most out-side-the-box thinker I have ever met. He was always coming up with crazy ideas and at first I tried to discouraging him from trying things that I knew wouldn't work but fortunately he never listened to me! He was able to discover things on his own. He came to his own conclusions through his process of trial and error. He really showed me how students' minds work and how to encourage them to explore for themselves.

Jigsaw Activity: The Best way to Learn is to Teach!

We conducted a jigsaw activity in our science classroom. We were assigned groups these groups were called our base group. Then, each member of our group was assigned a kingdom. Next, we found the members of the other groups who were assigned the same kingdom. We met with all the people who were assigned to research the same kingdom as us. This group was called our expert group. We met as experts on our kingdom to design an activity and a way to teach the rest of our base group about our kingdom. Finally we met with our base group and each member had created a minilesson on their kingdom. I had never heard of this strategy before but I loved it! It was fun and interesting and the best way to learn is to teach! Each student became an expert in a subject and after teaching that subject we truly were experts!

Science Circus!

We created and participated in a science circus in class. We collaborated in groups to create a station for our classmates to explore for seven minutes. My group created a station called "Buoyancy Boats." At this station students were given aluminum foil to create a boat. The would predict how many pennies it would hold and then they would test it out. Afterwards they compared boat designs and sizes to evaluate what properties made the best boats. It was difficult to get this to all fit into a seven minute time slot but in the end it was a success!

Other groups prepared science stations for us to explore as well. One I particularly enjoyed involved a balloon placed around and empty bottle. If the bottle was placed in hot water the balloon inflated and if the bottle was placed in cold water it deflated. Another station involved creating the phases of the moon out of marshmallows. All the stations were enjoyable and stimulating. They got us to use our process skills and explore different areas of science.

Grappling With the Complexities of Science

“We sand away at the interesting edges of subject matter until it is so free from its natural complexities, so neat, that there is not a crevice left as an opening. All that is left is to hand it to [students], scrubbed and smooth, so that they can view it as outsiders.” Quotation by Lisa Schneier

Lisa Schneier is trying to say that as teachers we don't let students grapple with the complexities of science because we are too afraid they won't understand. Instead of presenting them with the messy truth we simplify topics until they aren't even the truth. When students view something as an outsider they are not given the opportunity to get personal with the subject matter but instead simply view it meaninglessly. Schneier metaphor describes the wrong way to teach. Unfortunately, teachers have become prone to this model because it seems like simplifying material is the best way for students to understand. However, students don't need teachers to cut aways at the material, students need to explore concepts for themselves. Science isn't a neat subject and students can't be sugar coated to think that it is simple and easy. In order for students to understand the depth of science they must be given the opportunity to explore it in its true existence.

Teachers are sometimes frightened by the thought that their students might explore and discover parts of science that they are unfamiliar with. Students might then ask questions that teachers can't answer. I will admit this is a scary thought! The truth is as teachers we can not possible know everything! The sooner we come to that realization and the sooner we allow our students to realize that, the better off we will all be. We should not confine our students to our knowledge but encourage them to investigate beyond. We can't be afraid to learn from our students. We need to help them find the answers they are looking for if we can't answer them. As teachers we can help them research answers on the internet or contact experts who they can interview.

Learning for the Big Picture

In order for students to learn any subject the material must be meaningful! Students must be able to connect it to their lives. As a child, one of my favorite science projects was one where I collected samples of water from my local bay, ocean, river, canal, and lake. I had always spent a lot of time in and around water whether it was while swimming or boating. My project was to compare the salt contents of each of the bodies of water. I loved this experiment because it had real meaning in my life. After conducting the experiment I made connections between the way I felt after coming out of those bodies of water and the way the water tasted. I knew the ocean had the most salt and thats why my skin felt tight and dry after swimming in the ocean. I saw the salt in the cup after the water evaporated and made the connection to the salt I felt on my body after swimming.

Constructivists say we build meaning by connecting what we already know with what we have newly learned. This is why we need to present our students with topics that they can relate to. We must allow them to build on what they know so they can reach higher order thinking. Learning can not be done passively but rather, actively obtained by thriving learner.

Science as a Process

When it is said that science is a process, it is meant that there is a series of components that make up the exploration of science. The process is made up of asking questions, making predictions, recording data and classifying results. We use these process skills everyday and they is how science plays a part in our life. For example, when we wake up in the morning we ask ourselves what to wear. We look out the window and make an observation and then predict what it is like out. Next, we classify our wardrobe into what is appropriate to wear and what is not. We are experiencing a scientific process all before we leave our bedroom!

Students need to develop their process skills by planning experiments to do in the classroom. If they ask their own questions and then design a procedure for testing it they will be conducting the inquiry process. We want students to be engaged in the inquiry process because that is how they will become interested in what they learn. If they are trying to find the answers to their own questions learning will have more meaning. If they are taught to develop their own procedures they will learn through trial and error about what causes mistakes and what yields accurate results.

The idea of stations or a science circus is a great way to implement the process of science in the classroom. Stations can be on various topics or the same topic but using different skills. The students are given a certain amount of time to spend at each station to explore the materials or concepts given. Then they rotate so they can get a multidimensional experience with science.

Learning for the Right Reasons

When a teacher says she cannot learn for her students she means that her role is to facilitate and meditate the learning. She needs to bridge the gap between what they already know and what they have the capability of knowing. Teachers can only encourage their students to learn and think independently about the material. Although a teacher can try to drill information into her student's heads, she cannot force them to get a deeper meaning from the material.

To be honest, all my life, I have been learning for my grades. I have been studying, doing homework and reading in hopes that my hard work will be rewarded with an A. Very recently I have realized that the grade is meaningless without understanding. Most of my experiences in classrooms have been trying to memorize the correct answers in order to be able to produce them on a test and get a good grade. I believe that this is very common. In my life thus far, I am more frequently asked how well I did rather than what I have learned. Because of this constant pressure to get the best grades my learning has been centered around performing.

Interestingly, Mr. Wilson let the students make mistakes and simply points out that a mistake has been made and leaves it up to them to correct it. This facilitates learning. Students learn from their mistakes and by coming up with a solution on their own, the students are reaching a higher level of thinking. If Mr. Wilson would have stopped the students and told them what to do they would not have realized that there is a way to make a mistake and thus, they would not have learned.

I live on Long Island and the beach has been a huge part of my life growing up. I will definitely use this unique aspect of our geography to interest the students. I will bring in water from the ocean and the bay and the rivers and streams near by so we can test the water. I will ask the student what thy want to know about the different water whether it be density, salt content or anything else I will allow them to test it in a way that is meaningful to them. I can also bring in sand from different areas of long island and we can compare and contrast the differences and come up with reasons why sand might be different in different places. More importantly, I will ask my student to bring in a piece of nature that is meaningful to them and we can explore the things that interest each of them.

The Sad Truth about Me and Science (Before this Class)

Before this class I was grappling with my “scientific self.” I was prepared to tell my future students that there is a scientist inside of each one of them but I was not entirely positive I believed there was one in me. I knew science was a part of my every day life, however, put the word science on such a high pedestal I felt that it was a branch of education I would never be comfortable with.

My tenth grade biology teacher was a real lazy, jerk. He chose not to teach us anything but instead give us free time to do homework or whatever we wanted. He wanted to be everyone’s friend and all my classmates thought he was the greatest. I knew he didn’t deserve the privilege of be called a teacher. Long story short, I didn’t do very well on my biology regents and neither did the other kids in my class but I did learn that I wanted to be a knowledgeable, respected teacher, everything he wasn't.

At the beginning of this course when asked to draw a scientist, I regret to admit my drawing resembled the stereotypical man with crazy white hair, goggles, and beakers of smoking chemicals. I believe I had this view partially because it is the farthest thing from my self and partially because science has always been so mysterious to me. After all, science is about the unknown and that is why I hadn't established a comfort level with it. The part about science that I have been forgetting is the part where you search and search until you find the answers and then you know! Science is about discoveries and sharing knowledge which is the job of a teacher.

I must admit thinking of two women or minority scientists didn’t come easily. The name Marie Curie popped into my head but I couldn’t remember exactly what she did. After refreshing my memory, I remembered she was a physicist who researched radium and radio activity. Elizabeth Blackwell was the first female Doctor in the United States.

I have more opportunities to explore nature than I choose to take. Every day when I walk to class I could observe the trees, plants and animals. I could take trips down to the Hudson to explore the wild life there. I could simply look at the night sky and observe the constellations. Unfortunately, I have not taken any of these opportunities in the past but I hope to develop a new appreciation for nature and see the world through a scientific lens.

The Sea inside the Shell

Someone exhibits a scientific way of thinking any time that individual asks a question, makes a prediction and tests their prediction. Someone can be scientific if they are observant.

As a child I was very observant and I explored the world around me. Although I was a young scientist I can remember having misconception about the sound seashells make when you put your ear to them. I always thought I was hearing the sound of the ocean because seashells come out of the ocean so there must still be a little ocean in there. Over time I continued exploring and realized that there are other objects that make the ocean sound that don't come from the ocean. I later came to the realization the sound was made because of the shape of the shells.

Through this process I had taken what I knew to be true and applied it in a new context. This eventually lead me to the real truth about sea shells. By applying what I already knew in a new way I was demonstrating a higher level of thinking because I could think about the world in a new context and this new thought had significant meaning in my life.

When faced with a question that is puzzling me like the sea inside the shell I have always went straight to the computer for answers. I am always amazed by the boundless resources available on the internet is is remarkable the knowledge that is just beyond our mouse.