Goal #5
Demonstrate the capacity to create a positive environment that encourages science learning by modeling the attitudes and dispositions of scientific inquiry
Demonstrate the capacity to create a positive environment that encourages science learning by modeling the attitudes and dispositions of scientific inquiry
Artifact 1 - What is a scientist?
Students know what scientists are, don’t they? Well I guess not! I quickly realized that many students do not know who scientists are, what they do, and this includes myself. This activity helps teachers understand what misconceptions or stereotypes students may have about scientists. When I asked my students to draw two different scientists, many drew males in a lab working with potions. At this point, I would have loved to bring in a scientist who is female and works outside or somewhere else not associated with a laboratory. In my next few years of teaching I plan on finding local scientists to bring into the classroom so that my students can learn what real scientists do and how what we do during science connects to their work. I want students to see themselves as scientists and to really invest their energy into what we are working on in science. I would love to do this next year, my first year teaching, and then bring in different types of scientist and have my students be scientists. Then, at the middle or end of the year I would have them draw scientists again to see if their perception has changed. Are they different from the beginning of the year?
Students know what scientists are, don’t they? Well I guess not! I quickly realized that many students do not know who scientists are, what they do, and this includes myself. This activity helps teachers understand what misconceptions or stereotypes students may have about scientists. When I asked my students to draw two different scientists, many drew males in a lab working with potions. At this point, I would have loved to bring in a scientist who is female and works outside or somewhere else not associated with a laboratory. In my next few years of teaching I plan on finding local scientists to bring into the classroom so that my students can learn what real scientists do and how what we do during science connects to their work. I want students to see themselves as scientists and to really invest their energy into what we are working on in science. I would love to do this next year, my first year teaching, and then bring in different types of scientist and have my students be scientists. Then, at the middle or end of the year I would have them draw scientists again to see if their perception has changed. Are they different from the beginning of the year?
Artifact 2 - Mealworm Inquiry
Our class of 23 girls had the wonderful opportunity to work with mealworms over the course of a few weeks. At first we were grossed out and many of us screamed and squealed, but by the end we were fairly content with our little creatures and have learned to care for them in different ways. I want my future classes to experience the mealworm inquiry that our class went conducted. We were able to develop our questioning skills and put those questions into action so that we found some answers, or even more questions to answer! What a powerful way to get an inquiry going in the classroom! I notice that students have many questions but when it comes down to science inquiry, they just cannot understand what the heck that means! So, starting out with a whole-class inquiry about mealworms would be a great springboard for our inquiries throughout the year. I would probably use this as a long-term investigation.
Our class of 23 girls had the wonderful opportunity to work with mealworms over the course of a few weeks. At first we were grossed out and many of us screamed and squealed, but by the end we were fairly content with our little creatures and have learned to care for them in different ways. I want my future classes to experience the mealworm inquiry that our class went conducted. We were able to develop our questioning skills and put those questions into action so that we found some answers, or even more questions to answer! What a powerful way to get an inquiry going in the classroom! I notice that students have many questions but when it comes down to science inquiry, they just cannot understand what the heck that means! So, starting out with a whole-class inquiry about mealworms would be a great springboard for our inquiries throughout the year. I would probably use this as a long-term investigation.