Michelle Franko

MD

Thu, Jul 15, 2021 2:07 PM
Integration and STEM

As schools push to create a more integrated curriculum, this column teaching through trade books has become a sought after resource. I teach fourth grade and the intermediate focus in this article is Earthquakes. I appreciate the list of online resources available so we don't have to hunt out other resources for the explore stage. During the explore stage, students have the opportunity to observe videos of houses in earthquake zones. I also love the book they recommend using written by respected non-fiction author, Seymour Simon. The culminating product is trying to work in groups to make an earthquake resistant home. This is a solid lesson that I will try to use in my classroom!

Wed, Jul 14, 2021 8:02 PM
New Ideas on How to Use this Assessment Probe

I have used this assessment probe in the past, and I have thought it was very effective in assessing if students really understood erosion and weathering after exploring the concepts; however, I loved the idea of using this assessment in the beginning of the unit as a sort. What a great open ended way for students to explore the examples and come up with on their own how the examples are similar and different. I also loved the reflection tool provided at the end, I used to think but now I know.

Wed, Jul 14, 2021 7:41 PM
Strong STEM learning

I teach 4th grade and this STEM activity would be the perfect culminating activity after learning about weathering and erosion. I love how they explained in detail each part from the materials and prep to the students creations. I especially loved how she kept students engaged by given them particular roles. I can't wait to try this in my classroom this fall! The only reason I rated this article a 4 instead of a 5 is I would love to see the handouts that the teacher provided to the students.