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When looking into early childhood, how do you keep the kids engaged while also teaching them other courses. Like for example, when teaching a science class we may want to add in Mathematics or English. This can be difficult and I was wondering if there are tips to help integrate easier and also keep all students engaged and wanting to learn?
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Hi, Samantha!
I think the key to intergrated other subjects is to almost make it unnoticable that you are doing so! I am not a teacher yet, but many times when I am writing out lesson plans and have to integrate other subjects, I try to do so in a way that doesn't completley veer off our main subject! I just wrote a science lesson plan and I intergrated English by having them do some literacy strategies, conduct research on a given topic, and writing in learning logs! If I taught this in a classroom, I don't think student's would notice that we integrated some English and would hopefully stay focused and engaged to our main subject, science. I hope this helps!
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One thing that I would reccommend would be for you to keep the activities interactive. Give the students something that is 'hands-on, minds on' not just a fun activity that has no basis for learning. For example, building something using hand cut shapes ( incorporating math and geometry). The students will be able to strengthen their engineering mindset and incorporate other subjects. Good Luck!
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There are many different ways that other subjects can be intergrated into a science lesson. Some subjects are eaiser to intergrate, especially depending on the science unit. I've written many different lesson plans, including science lessons. I've written a physical science lesson for two and three year olds and modified it for preschoolers but it was a lesson of investigstions on maracas and then the students were able to make their own maracas from rice, oatmeal, noodles, etc. I encorporated math within this lesson by having the students using number concepts adn opertaions of counting the materials in their maraca. I also had the students compare and measure objects that went in their maracas. I hope my experiences can help you plan better for your lesson and to keep your students engaged!
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I think sometimes we focus so much on doing one subject and only focuses on that one subjects standards. There are so many opportunities for teachers to integrate different subjects into other subjects. One main integration is writing. I think we do not stress writing enough and in every subject (math, social studies, science, art) there are opportunities to expand on the content with writing. My current Cooperating Teacher is all about integration and I have learned so much from her already. One example would be for the students to do an exploration in science, create some type of data (math), explain their reasonings (writing), and pair-share afterwards (social skills).
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For younger and higher grade students integrating subjects can be very beneficial. I think that a great way to integrate mathematics into science is by looking at geography materials like maps or diagrams. The students can use math to measure distances on a map by using the scale. the great thing about this is that it can be modified for any grade. You could also use a diagram with elevation points and have students compare points on the diagram and decide which hight is greater or less than each other.
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Something I think is important is to keep whatever you are connecting interesting and engaging. A good way to do that is to let them work together and create discussions. If it's engaging the students may not even now that you are adding writing, reading, or math into science. For example, for a third class I was in we did a lesson on weather and there were different terms and concepts they learned. I had them write a weather report as if they were a meteorologist. They had to have proper sentence structure, grammar, etc., as well as use the concepts and terms they learned for weather. They were able to get up and give their report, which also integrated speech. Student also love being teacher. For a nonfictoin unit in second grade the students had science boks on various topics they read and became the 'experts' on that topic in the class. They then took notes and taught the other students in their group about that topic.
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Hi! Something that you could think about for integrating Science and English is to get students reading and writing about their science lessons along with a hands on activity. In addition to their science lesson, you could have them read a reading beforehand to get them thinking about the lesson and maybe have a 'fill in the blank' sheet as they go along so they have a sheet to refer back to. Another idea could be to give them prompts of before, during, and after the lesson so they're writing out their thoughts. One more idea could be to have them write poems or about their lesson to get them writing more creatively while still integrating science.
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