KLEIN's
GUIDE TO
SCIENCE EDUCATION
PHOTO CREDIT: Nadene Klein at Tuolumne Meadows Yosemite National Park
I'm sure I'm about to upset some publishing companies, but I've stopped using textbooks and have found it to be better for my students. Over the years I gradually was using textbooks less and less frequently in my lessons. They weren't very engaging to my students. I kept them as reference material. There would be the occasional reading to build background knowledge. That was about it. Now I don't have a single textbook in my room! Instead I rely on primary sources. These are items I've obtained from authentic sources or from places I've visited during my travels such as the ones pictured below. I also use articles from scientific publications, vetted websites, and CK12.org. (Note: I am not affiliated with CK12 and do not get any compensation for endorsing them.)
Student engagement during in class reading increased. The sense of feeling and being a scientist increased. The ability to understand scientific text when doing independent research increased. Textbooks have a purpose and a place. However, they do not afford students an authentic learning experience like these other options do. It takes time to establish such a library, but once you do it will be totally worth it. Depending on the age of your students, they can contribute to building the class library as well. Get them involved. Scientifically yours, Nadene
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I work at a year round school and we are currently on Fall Break. For 3 weeks, I do not have classes and do not have to go to school. So am I on vacation? The answer is an unclear yes and no. If not waking up to an alarm means vacation, then yes, I'm on vacation. If not doing school work means vacation, then no, I'm not on vacation.
Don't get me wrong...I'm not complaining...I love fall break. I've communed with nature and recharged my batteries. I've slept in and had plenty of leisure time. However, I think about my kids (students are my kids) daily. I've been brainstorming/strategizing, lesson planning, staying current on e-mail, preparing to present at two conferences, finding new resources (new to me), continuing my own education (see previous post), updating my Google Classrooms, reading professional journals, and corresponding with other educators. This is what any good teacher, not just the science teacher, does in order to provide a continually improving education for students. This is what I do for my kids! Here is an example of an awesome resource that came my way this week: Project Noah. I plan on using this site with my Zoology class during 2nd quarter to actively engage my students in contributing to real science research. Other resources are physical items that I obtained during my travels. Vacation is import to science education for getting stuff for class AND for making sure you are a healthy person leading the class. In the next post, I'll develop further the idea of using vacation to gather primary sources to bring to the science classroom/lab. Scientifically yours, Nadene |
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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