Danyelle Hanes

The Station Approach: How to Teach With Limited Resources

Sun, Jul 03, 2011 7:36 PM
How to Teach with Limited Resources

The article is a great way for future teachers and teachers alike to understand how using the technique of stations will help students to gain science inquiry with limited resources. The station approach introduced in the article explains how setting up different multiple intelligence based stations around the room can effectively teach students, review material, as well as keep students on task therefore lessening misbehaviors. The article walked you through some examples of stations using visual, auditory, linguistic, and kinesthetic activities to show that stations can be a great asset in the classroom to differentiate instruction for students. As a future teacher I think this article is a great benefit because it introduces the reader to specific strategies for success such as having only one station requiring teacher involvement, emphasizing the importance of sponge activities, as well as emphasizing the importance for clarifying directions and student responsibilities prior to beginning the lesson. Having the tools for success laid out simply for teachers to implement makes the idea of having many different activities going on at once very attainable.

Teaching through Trade Books: The Science of Invention

Sun, Jul 03, 2011 7:33 PM
The Science of Invention

The article, “Teaching through Trade Books: The Science of Invention,” by Judith Hectman is a great introduction to acknowledge the gender gap that has arisen in the field of science. The article discusses two books that can be used in the classroom for all students to engage their critical thinking through invention. The first book, “What is a Scientist?” by Barbara Lehn discusses how students should understand the process of creating an invention in order to understand that all students can be inventors, not just boys. This book can be used in the classroom by having students create an invention of their own or “add on” to an already created item using the inventing process. The next book discussed in the article is, “Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women,” by Catherine Thimmesh. It aimed at students in grades 4-6 to display that women have a powerful and active role in inventions in history. This can inspire young girls to beat the gender biases and attack their creative skills! The article explains how the book can lead teachers into creating a project that allows students to come up with a creative invention of their own to share with the class