Day 1.
I can see that the students haven’t received very much science thus far. They were so ecstatic about being able to do a science experiment and it felt good to be able to see them get so excited about something. They had really good answers to all of the questions except when it came to the one about surface tension and then they had questions…questions that I could not necessarily answer in 2nd grade terms that didn’t just confuse them more. Later that day we talked about it at the CCEE and I have a better idea of what it is and how to explain it in a way that they understand. I think Tina and her partner had a really good idea of how to act it out and I’m glad that they shared that.
Day 2.
Day 2 went pretty smoothly. My partner was sick so I had to go it alone but it ended up going really well. I think I was less nervous without another person there. I think the wiki sticks worked pretty well but a few kept falling apart and then the kids started blowing bubbles through their hands which was a little out of hand but they certainly enjoyed it. The questions to answer today went much more smoothly. They really understood which surfaces the bubbles would pop on and which they would land safely on. I was surprised when they understood that the bubbles would pop on just water but not on water and soap. The kids were adorable and stayed engaged the whole time which is more than I could ever ask for.
Cameron Park Bubbles Reflection
Advertisement
October 4, 2009 at 5:43 pm |
I too had a hard time with second grade “lingo” regarding surface tension. When Dr. Anderson gave the demonstration at CCEE, it made me very excited. This new kid friendly knowledge sent me into research overdrive. I went home and researched other ways I could “show” the kids this idea of surface tension. I got lucky with a video (posted on my blog) that gave me another way to show surface tension and another way of explaining what water tension was. Tina’s sharing of “acting” out surface tension by she and here partner linking hands (water molecules) really helped me as well. In other words, I felt much more successful on Thursday than I did on Tuesday. The children loved it!
October 8, 2009 at 6:29 pm |
Isn’t teaching on the boundary between order and chaos. Our students want to learn, we want to teach them, yet we are sometimes torn between letting them run free and enjoy the experience vs. the learning objectives for the day. The wonder of the moment is too often replaced with the gruff teacher saying that is “not what you are supposed to be doing.” It is refreshing that you enjoyed their enjoyment. As you learn to navigate the border I can only imagine how much joy your students will have as the world opens up to them. Keep “holding them loosely…”
Steve Wall-TA