KLEIN's
GUIDE TO
SCIENCE EDUCATION
PHOTO CREDIT: Nadene Klein at Tuolumne Meadows Yosemite National Park
Field trips are a great learning experience for students bringing them out of the classroom and into the real world. When most teachers think of field trips, behind the benefits, we see the incredible work that goes into the planning. We plan the learning outcomes for the field trip. We plan the logistics. We plan the pre and post lessons. And...let's not forget...we have to plan what to do for the students who don't go on the field trip. This includes where they will physically be and what they will be doing. It is my opinion that those not on the trip should engage in a learning activity with the same outcomes as the trip and with as close to an approximation as the being on the trip. Here are two examples... Zoology--Zoo Field Trip Learning outcomes: While at the zoo students will explore the purpose of the zoo in terms of entertainment, education, and conservation/saving endangered species. In addition, students will observe and make connections to a variety of animal behaviors including interactions with humans, other animals (same and different species), and environmental stimuli. Students not on the zoo will use the links within the document to access Zoocams/Animalcams and the zoo website to complete the questions about the same outcomes listed above. See document linked HERE. Physics--IFly Indoor Skydiving Field Trip Learning outcomes: Students will apply classroom learning of terminal velocity and how to calculate it to the experience of flying in the wind tunnel. They will compare and contrast the different terminal velocities of different shaped objects. Students will also learn the mechanics of how the indoor vertical wind tunnel works to simulate the sensation of skydiving. Students not on the field trip will use selected YouTube videos to answer questions and label free body diagrams to meet the same learning objectives as those on the field trip. See document linked HERE. I have had great success with plans like these. Students staying behind don't feel like they have a punitive assignment. While they know they are missing out on some of the fun that comes with going to a destination to learn, they know they aren't missing out on the learning. This is especially true for those who miss the trip for circumstances beyond their control. The teachers/admin/staff who supervise the students staying behind appreciate that the students have an actual learning experience to follow through with while in their care. Yes, it is a lot of work. The benefits make it worth while. I'd love to know how you plan for the students not going on a field trip. Share your ideas in the comments below. Then, enjoy your next field trip!!!
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Perhaps you've heard of culturally responsive teaching or teaching with cultural sensitivity. There are many layers to this practice in the classroom. I want to take it step further and actually integrate the culture of my students in our science lessons. Connecting to the real world, is a common prompt in my classroom.
At a recent conference that I attended, a presenter shared strategies and the importance of teaching from culture. He contended that the teacher should enact the role of an elder of the community when teaching students. The other clever twist to his presentation was the notion that culture can come from the community, heritage, history, or even the school itself. I clicked into that last idea. My school has a strong culture of its own that all students and staff are a part of. While still in this conference session I began lesson planning. I was returning to school after the conference to start 4th quarter. I developed an opening activity for each of my classes inspired by this presenter. The cairn (a trail marker formed by stacking rocks), is the emblem of our school. It tells students that they are in the right place; that they are on track. I put two cairns, the ones pictured above, on each table before class began. On the first day of the quarter we welcome back veteran students as well as students new to our school. This is a half day of school with 25 minute classes. Immediately students were curious about the "rocks on the table." For my Astronomy class, I asked them to choose a rock from the pile to examine and share what they can determine about that rock and where it may have come from. From there we discussed how we do this is same process with samples from the moon and Mars. Luckily moon rocks were in the headlines of science news sources and we discussed this article: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-studies-new-50-year-old-lunar-sample-to-prep-for-return-to-moon. This served as our introduction to the space exploration unit. For my Earth and Environmental Science class, I asked them to identify which rocks in the cairn were igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. This served as a review of the rock cycle which we studied earlier in the school year. For my Physics class, I asked students to work in small groups of 2-3 to rearrange the order of the rocks in their cairn getting to balance in a different formation. Then I asked them to identify which forces were at work during the process sharing specific examples/details. This also was a review of topics we studied earlier in the school year. Although not a natural science, I also teach Psychology, In this class, I asked the table groups (teams of 4-5) to merge the two cairns into one larger cairn. Then we identified behaviors and the process of collaboration and cooperation. With each class, the cairn served as an ice breaker. I was able to share the story of the cairn to make sure all students know the culture of the school they have joined and how it became our emblem. From comments made by students, I learned that this was a more interesting way to start the quarter for each of my classes than what I have done in the past. Even old teachers like me can learn new tricks! |
AuthorNadene Klein, M.Ed. has been an educator for over 25 years. She brings a passion and love for science to the classroom and through this blog to you. Archives
March 2024
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