Great Relevant resource
As an educator, I found the article highly applicable to my own classroom; ironically, this year I was asked to teach science to a small group of ESOL students. The article was insightful be... See More
As an educator, I found the article highly applicable to my own classroom; ironically, this year I was asked to teach science to a small group of ESOL students. The article was insightful because it reminded me of how much I can leverage technology in learning to support different learning levels and styles in the classroom. Technology, if incorporated correctly, can increase student learning and development. The article talked about how technology gives the teacher the ability to record and see real-time data from students, identifying what concepts students are mastering versus concepts they aren't. Looking through the text, the article talked about how we can leverage technology to engage students effectively. The article is adaptable to all types of teachers, no matter where they are in their careers. Teachers who are new or inexperienced in integrating technology might find the article particularly helpful as it offers technological guidance and strategies. On the other hand, experienced educators can use the article as a review or a way to brainstorm utilizing technology in a lesson. This article serves as a strong guideline for what technology can look like in a science classroom.
Great Article and Lesson Ideas
There are many types of diversity which can be confusing to students. One aspect of diversity is the differentiation between living and nonliving things. Living things grow, reproduce, and... See More
There are many types of diversity which can be confusing to students. One aspect of diversity is the differentiation between living and nonliving things. Living things grow, reproduce, and die. This can be clarified with a simple visit to the elementary school playground. Students may record living and nonliving things along with things they aren't sure about. They can then compile their lists and come to agreement about what makes something living or nonliving. This can be related to structures and functions as well. Students might then do a more detailed observation on living organisms inside the classroom. Then they can consider what habitat the organism originated from based on its structures and functions. For evaluation, students can create an argument or hypothesis about why a structure or function helps the animal survive in its environment.
Before reading this article, I didn't know that students had difficulty differentiating between living and nonliving things and understanding the diversity of organisms. I think having students take a nature walk and observe real life living organisms is a great way to give students an authentic experience of scientific inquiry. This is a good lesson that lets students explore and investigate independently without too much guidance from the teacher. It's good for the students to think and come to conclusions on their own without the teacher giving them all the answers. This gives the students valuable critical thinking skills they'll need in their future lives. I will need to remember this lesson for my prospective teaching career as I think it would be a great one to implement with my future students. This would also be a good article to recommend to fellow teachers.