One thought before I begin, if you have not thought about using FOSS Kits in your classroom, whether you are a Kindergarten teacher or an 8th Grade Science Teacher, I strongly recommend you consider looking into the thought of using them as a part of your curriculum. Teaching in an inquiry setting with Middle School students is the way to go, I enjoy the process and the students enjoy it even more.
Teaching about convection cells is a challenge to begin with because, when relate them to our environment or atmosphere it is hard for the students to visualize. Why? We are discussing the air around us, and it is for one at the molecular size and invisible to see. So using a structured inquiry setting allowed the students to learn about convection cells on a smaller scale that they could relate to the real world around them.
You can see through the student samples that learning was demonstrated through the lesson. I tried to choose students at different ability levels in the classroom to get a spectrum of the classroom. For the really low learners, which are not in the group of students sampled. They did a great job of using the drawing opportunity to explain their learning, which was an easy way for students to express their understanding even if they struggle as writers.
Note - My samples are linked to a teacher website (mine), so you will have to find on the left-hand side a link called "Nature of Science - Grad Work"http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/JPirkl/
Did you use an experiment from the FOSS kits with students to teach Convection Chambers? The student work samples are awesome. I like how you incorporated the drawing for students that struggle with reading and writing. I am going to look into the FOSS kits, they sound like a great way to incorporate inquiry based science into the classroom. I teach eighth grade science and the last two years we haven't been able to order any new science supplies based on fiscal constraints. The money we do receive goes to language arts and math.
ReplyDeleteMy school district just adopted FOSS for our new science adoption. We start next year. I'm really excited about it. I took a class last summer that used the kits to teach a second grade unit on air and weather. I tried to recreate the lessons without the kits and teach the unit to my students this year. It was difficult without all the materials. I'm glad to hear from someone who has experience using them and know that you are happy with it. From looking at your samples I can't wait to get started!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your experiment. I will use some of your insight and apply it to a similar lab I do with my grade 8 students. We use coloured ice cubes and a hot plate to heat a portion of the beaker. The observations are key to their understanding.
ReplyDeleteFOSS kits sound great. I did look into them and have brought them to the attention of our science curriculum specialist.