Science Unit Ideas

Science Unit Ideas

1. One idea I have would be for kindergarten. This unit would focus on space. I would first spend some time reading non-fiction books to them about space to introduce the topic. Then I would sign out the smart board and go to websites, such as NASA kids, to show them some images of space so they would get a better feel of what space is really like. Then I would have them all work on a page to put into a “Space Book” using Pixie. This would be a way for them to get more familiar with the laptops and also use a program. I would then print out the pages and make a book. Each of them would then get a version of it and they would have to write sentences to describe the pictures on each page. Once they were done they would be able to color it and share it with the class. We could then give each author compliments and feedback like we do with each piece of writing. This way they would become more familiar with the web and also using Pixie as a way to gather thoughts and images to make their very own “Space Book.”

2. My next unit idea would be for third grade rocks. For this unit I would have them start out by going online to try and find the differences between sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphosis. To do this they will use a website worksheet found as a like off my website. This will help students become familiar with the web and the resources they can find using it. From there we will have a guest speaker come in and talk about these rocks and also bring examples. This speaker will be Mr. Higgins because he came in to talk to my class when I was in third grade as well as my brothers. From there we will take digital pictures of the rocks he brings in and we will then upload them using iMovie and make a movie out of our rock unit. We will be able to add music and audio to give information they got while researching. Each student will be responsible for at least 30 seconds of audio telling something they learned about and their very own image to add. Once we create our iMovie, I will burn each student a copy of the movie and then one of their homework assignments will be to watch the movie with their families and have someone sign and return it so I know all families can see how hard each student worked on this unit.

3. My next unit idea would be in a fifth grade room with a topic on inventions. I would have the class put into several groups of three. Then they would all be responsible for the same materials, but their job would be to invent something by only using the supplies and one other material of their choice. They would have to keep individual blog accounts updating them as they go along to talk about their successes and failures. Once they are done with their inventions their job will be to take images or video of it, this will be their choice, and them upload it into iMovie so the class can see their invention and what it would be used for. This would also connect with creativity because they would have to be constantly thinking about what they should or could add to make their invention unique and something people may actually use. The name of their invention will appear on the title page of their movie and each group member will be responsible for a minute audio each describing what they invented. Since this unit will only be about two weeks we will work the first week in class to make the inventions and then the next week will be spent making the movies. The final movies will be sent home to be viewed with a permission slip and signed by a family member saying they saw the future Oscar winning piece and that they are very impressed!

4. My next unit idea would be on flowers. This would be for a first grade classroom and I would have them make their very own flower book by watching a flower grow in the classroom and by using Pixie they can create their own flower book and the process the flower went through while growing to reach its full potential. Before we start the flower book though we will read non-fiction plant books to learn more about what they are like and some of the characteristics. This will be a good time to introduce photosynthesis and for me to learn what they already know. Once each of them has created a plant book I will compile them all onto a smartboard presentation and then as a class we can go through and create sentences that would be appropriate for the illustrations. This would give each student the chance to be the illustrator and the author, but in a fun and interactive way. Once we have gone through with the smartboard and completed our “Plant Book,” I will print each of them one to take home and share with their families so they can learn more about plants as well. I would also put this up online so parents could watch the process of the book in the making.

5. For my final unit idea, I would do weather in forth grade. For this topic they would start by researching the weather patterns for Maine online or by watching TV at home. They would have a chart to fill out that included things such as the tide and the dew point. This would get them familiar with some of the vocabulary. Then once we have gone over weather briefly, their job would be to research the four seasons in Maine and see what they are like. What are the average temperatures? What crops are we known for? Then they will have to make a web using Kidspiration to show the four season and some of the characteristics. This would help put it into an outline for their final paper. There final paper would have to include all four season and how they are different. There would have to be evidence of research about Maine and what the seasons are like. Also, what brings people to Maine in each season? This would be their first research paper and by introducing it with Kidspiration, they will be able to get a clear idea of how a paper could be set up with an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Blog C

I believe that every classroom should have some form of technology that will help further the education of all students involved no matter what their ability is. Some of the technology that I have seen that could be added to a classroom can benefit more than just exceptional students or special needs children. I feel that all children in the classroom should have a chance to become familiar with the technology and feel as though no one is being treated differently. Each student may have a different use for it, but the concept of them using it shouldn’t change.

One of the first questions we were asked to address in this blog post is what universal design is. After looking over this website, I found that universal design is an approach that gives many ways of learning. There is no one correct way to do something. Students are able to learn and understand in many ways and they are also able to demonstrate what they know in more than one way as well. I feel that universal design is a great way for students of different learning abilities to come together and express what they have really learned in a way that is comfortable and successful for them personally. If the student is engaged and can relate to the material being presented, there will be more motivation overall and this will benefit the individual student, teacher, and class as a whole. This is a flexible approach that is setting up the class to succeed since there is no one way for everyone to learn.

After looking up what Section 508 is I found out that that it is required that electronic and technological information has to be given to people with disabilities.¹ One website stated the purpose of Section 508 to be as follows “Section 508 requires Federal departments and agencies that develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology to ensure that Federal employees and members of the public with disabilities have access to and use of information and data, comparable to that of the employees and members of the public without disabilities unless it is an undue burden to do so.”² This statement really helped put this section into prospective for me. This covers federal agencies such as the United States Post Office.

After spending some time in the Kalikow Center last week, there were several pieces of technology that I would really like to have in my classroom when I become a teacher. Some I know will be possible, while others I probably won’t have the chance to use. The one that would be my dream piece of technology was the Tango! This would really separate the barrier between teacher, parents, and students with disabilities. This would be very expensive though for the school to afford so this may not be something I get the chance to use. I also really liked the start to finish books. I feel that this would be very helpful for kids who are either above or behind the others in their class. This could also be used as a special privilege for those who have already finished their work and want to listen to a book and follow along. I feel that this is something that I might get the chance to use. The board maker seemed like it would also be a great tool for any classroom. I made a “how are you feeling today” board and I feel that this would really help simplify certain things as a teacher and wouldn’t be asking too much to have it available in schools. The forth technology I looked up was the electronic whiteboards. Most of us know them as smartboard. The reason I was interested to look this up was because I was wondering how much they cost and how realistic it would be to have them in every classroom or at least most in a school. I found out that they are anywhere from a couple thousand dollars up. These seems like it would be a great interactive way to keep student and teachers involved and on the same topic.

In conclusion, I have learned a lot about assistive technology over the past few days and after visiting the Kalikow Center. I know realize how important it is to use these advances in technology in a practicum class and even in your future career. I can see how important it is for children to express what they learn and know in more than one way. These advances can really separate that barrier and help children move forward in their education. When using assistive technology, those students who may have fallen behind usually can now stay on track to success. This can also help the teachers when they feel as though they can’t directly help each level. I now realize that there is a lot of technology out there for teachers and parents, it is just a matter of realizing the importance of assistive technology and how it can really help everyone involved.

1. http://www.section508.gov/

2. http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/brochure.htm

Blog B

Autism Podcast

This podcast was an interview with a pediatrician about autism. He talked about how children are diagnosed and also what to look for as far as signs for autism. He also responded to some important questions surrounding autism and what the cause of autism really is. One of the questions that was asked was addressing the mercury issue. Does this play a role with a child becoming autistic? The pediatrician stated that most shots now are mercury free since 2001, but if that is the case then how come children are still being diagnosed with autism? He also explained the genetics aspect of autism. He stated that identical twins have 96% chance of one developing autism if the other twin has it. However, if one fraternal twin develops autism, there is only a 30% chance that the other one will as well. This shows that there is a chance for autism to be genetic, but at this point it is unclear. This pediatrician did a great job addressing some of the signs for autism such as communication as well as social interaction and what age to be aware of these signs. This will directly impact the child's ability in school.

Does autism contribute to violent behavior? This podcast mentioned how the shooter at Virginia Tech had been diagnosed with autism at an earlier age. The reporters brought up an interesting point though. How would we even find this information out because this is a medical condition that should not be released to the public. So when we hear reports blaming such a horrific event on a medical reason they aren't even sure of, it made me wonder what autism really is and how can important is this for educators to be aware of it?

Although autism is hard to define and also hard to diagnose, there are signs that teachers should be aware of. While listening to this podcast I learned that communication and social interaction are the biggest signs to watch for. Out of the two, communication is the easiest one to define. This may be apparent by the age of four or five so this is something that kindergarten teachers should keep an eye on. I also learned that it is tough to separate who really has it and who just hasn't developed fully yet. For the most part, I learned that if they are able to express ideas that others can understand then chances are they won't be diagnosed with autism right away.

While I was listening to this podcast, they were talking about ways to have a quicker diagnosis. The problem with this is that some children take longer to develop than others. There are also differences in gender. If we began to over diagnose there would not be enough professionals to deal with the children who actually need the care and are not just a concern because of developmental issues. Another great point that was brought up was the fact that we need more people to pursue a profession dealing with autism. The pediatrician who was interviewed during this podcast was confident when saying that more people will become interested in autism the more it is talked about and this is a great thing. That is one thing that will help with future students and teachers dealing with the gap in communication because of autism. One thing that stuck out in my mind was that early intervention is key when dealing with autism. If a child is believed to have autism and results show that they are in fact fine, this is only going to benefit the child in the long run.

As a future educator, there are many things I hope to learn about before I begin my career. Autism has always been one. The reason for this is because no two students are alike and no two autistic children are alike. It is very hard to define and I know I will see many different cases before I even get my degree. Podcasts like this are very important for educators to listen to because it gives them a sense of what to look for no matter the age they are working with. Also, even if a child has already been diagnosed, it is important to know some of the reasons they have this diagnosis. If I had not listened to this podcast I wouldn't have known that social interactions and communication are two large factors with autism. As a teacher these are both huge aspects in a child's participation in a classroom and to fully understand your students you must understand who they are no matter their diagnosis. I feel that autism is a current issue in schools around the nation and will continue to be so it is important for educators to be aware of the capabilities and challenges these kids face on a daily basis. This one podcast has really sparked my interest and I know I will continue to listen to these podcasts about autism.

Podcasts can be a great tool to add to a classroom. They will provide not only information to the teacher, but also information to the students on topics that may not have been addressed already. I feel that even a podcast about autism may not be a bad way to help other students understand what their peers may be going through and help them understand the signs for autism. I would of course find one not as dense as this podcast. I am sure that there is one that children will be apt to relate to.

I feel that while listening to a podcast it is a different way of learning. While I was listening to my first podcast it was a completely different feel than picking up and reading a book on the same topic. The issues are brought to life and the children are able to work on their comprehensions skills as well. A podcast dealing with autism would probably be used for comprehension, but if I were to use podcasts for other lessons, it would help students read and write as well as speak.

How would I use podcasts in my practicum classroom?

1. This would be a good way for the students to read their butterfly books aloud and post them online for their parents to view.
2. I would also have them use podcasts for other activities such as reading groups so they would be able to listen to themselves reading and see how far they have come.
3. This would also be a way for me to let the parents know how I am teaching certain lessons. They would be able to listen to instructions to help clarify confusion at home.
4. Since the students all know the ABC's in sign language, I would have them put words to the pictures of their hands making the correct signs.
5. I would also post tips online for parents on how they can keep learning fun at home and some activities they can do during vacations and snow days!

Five Ideas for Unit

Option One: For the first topic, I was thinking about working with a kindergarten classroom and have them create their own butterfly book after learning about the topic. This would give students the ability to create their own work using both their words and their pictures to describe what is happening during the life cycle of a butterfly. I will provide some of the words that need to be incorporated into this assignment that would be beyond them at this level. Once they have all created their books and have helped each other edit, I will record them either reading their books or explaining what they have learned about butterflies. I will then post this on my website for the parents to view so they can see the progress their child has made throughout the unit.

Option Two: Another option for a unit would be working with second graders and their study on dinosaurs. The reason this would be a good unit to spend a good chunk of time would be they really get into learning about dinosaurs and look forward to this part of the day. I would assign a dinosaur to a group of students and their job would be to trace a large picture of their dinosaur. I would them have them each create five sentences on their own that are unique to the other sentences in their group that would inform the others in the class who aren't studying that dinosaur. With these images and words, I would them plan on putting it together in a movie by having the picture of their dinosaur the visual and each student reading his/her part. The final product will be viewed in class and also available on their very own web page found on my website. This would bring the class together by having them all work individually, as a group, and also bring their family together to watch the final product.

Option Three: The next idea I had would be working with third grade students and their solar system study. This is a big topic in third grade, and I would plan on making sure that this unit would be able to cover a lot of material in other subjects besides science. My focus for this unit would be for them to use kidspiration as an introduction to using technology to help with their projects. The main topic would be the solar system and there would be branches coming off of this topic that related to each planet. The students would be responsible for finding an image of each planet to attach as a separate bubble with a caption. They would also be responsible for at least five interesting fact about each plant. This would create a nice web for them to see all of the planets and how different they are. This could easily be turned into an outline for them to use studying before a test at the end of the unit.

Option Four: For this unit project I would be working with fourth graders during their State of Maine study. Since kidspiration is a good resource for children this age, I would have them use this program as a start for a web to begin their research paper. Once they have a web, I will have them change it to an outline format so they have a better grasp of where to begin their paper. I will have a model of both steps as a hand out so they have that to refer back to. They will then be able to use the internet as one of their sources after completing my site evaluation sheet assignment. This will make them more aware as to what an appropriate site is and what is not.

Option Five: For my final unit I plan to work with fifth graders during their Oregon Trail study. As part of the simulation, I will have their journals posted as blogs online so they get used to using this type of technology. This will be the spot where they can react on the day's events and their progress if any. There can also be a simulation map online for them to track their progress and see the progress of the other students. This way other students will be able to log in and see how the other "families" are doing on their trip. I feel that this unit will be a lesson in disguise. I remember doing this when I was in fifth grade and I looked forward to this part of the day more than anything!

Belief about Technology 1/28

• I believe that there is a fine line about technology in education because I see some definite advantages, however, there are disadvantages in my eyes as well.
  
• I will try to bring technology into my classroom in the future in the best way that I can, making sure I do not make any of my students feel uncomfortable because they don't have the latest devices that will make it so they wouldn't be able to complete an assignment.
• I will use technology as a form of communication between myself and the parents to avoid confusion.
  

Blog a

After reviewing and reading the assigned websites, I found it very interesting to hear what each one had to say. I started by watching A Vision of Students Today. This short film was very powerful and hit home as a college student. I felt very fortunate that I was part of the minority for most of the statistics. I was shocked to see how many students actually attend a college where their professors don’t know their name. For me, I felt it was very important to have contact with a professor, and that is why I chose a smaller University. The perspective I gathered from this film was that more and more students spend time online, but it may not be websites that are benefiting them. In some situations, technology can really benefit a lesson, however, I feel that after watching this film it should be part of a lesson. Lessons should not solely depend on technology. The same goes for students in lecture. I feel that there are better alternatives than bringing a laptop to class to take notes. This is an invitation for distraction. Sure, there may be an appropriate time or day for a laptop to be necessary, but to me in order to keep a class involved in the material a teacher or professor is presenting distractions have to be kept to a minimal.
The Machine is Us/ing Us was also a very interesting film showing how easy it was to create your own ideas and also replace others. The set up of this film directly impacted me, the viewer, because I saw how quickly replacing a word or the whole entire thought or statement could change a thought or statement. I do believe there are benefits to using technology, however, I saw how this could take the direct contact away from communicating with others. To me, the fact that there are no restrictions as to what may be posted also concerns me. This would lead me to wonder if what I was reading was faulty information.
The short film, Pay Attention, quickly caught my attention. I feel that this was a very powerful source and it wouldn’t have had the same impact on me if I were to have just read what it had to say. The fact that the words were put to music and in a slide show format really kept my attention and made this film something I could directly relate to. I saw a different approach to technology and education in this film. This showed how to connect children and technology to what they were learning in education whether it is through pod casts or even text messaging. Instead of trying to win the war against certain technologies in the classroom, this was showing that if they are incorporated in a unique and affective way, it could actually benefit the students.
I felt that all five of these websites had similar and yet very different approaches to the use of technology in education. I do have my personal opinion about technology in the classroom and where I would draw the line as to what to use, however, I am now starting to see how when looking outside the box, there are many different ways that technology can help further the education of students and also help teachers or professors advance in their careers.

First Post!!!

FIRST POST!!!