1.
Work with
any of the Chemistry Simulations (PhET) and/or develop a demonstration (do a
web search, there are many demos out there) to create your own Teaching Ideas.
The criteria for this is as follows:
a. Must identify and meet three (3) next
generation science education standards within the
K—2 grade band.
·
K-2-ETS1-2. Develop a simple
sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an
object helps it function as needed to solve a
given problem.
·
2-PS1-3. Make observations to
construct an evidence-based account of how
an object made of a small set of pieces can be disassembled and made into a new object.
·
2-PS1-1. Plan and conduct an
investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by
their observable properties.
b. Must be original work.
c. Must be scientifically accurate and
appropriate for the directed grade level.
d. Must have an accompanying worksheet with
at least 7--‐10 questions related to each activity/simulation. Answering these
questions should be related to meeting the science standards identified.
2.
How do you
feel your understanding of science, and chemistry in particular, has changed
due to your experiences in this class?
My understanding of science and
chemistry has been increased due to this class. Before this class, I saw
chemistry as something that didn’t really have an impact in my life. From this
class I realize how so many things are reliant on chemicals and chemical
properties. From this class I learned things that I can use in my own life
relating to density, chemical structure, chemical processes, scientific methods
and much more. Overall I think that this class is a great way for students to
do hands-on learning and present their ideas and results in a way that is
applicable to what we are becoming accustomed to with social media. The
chemistry that we learned along the way is more basic level chemistry, but it
is these types of things that actually have a purpose in my life and they have
only added to my knowledge of everyday things.
3.
What was
the most challenging concept covered and why?
The most challenging concept for me
to learn was gases. This was difficult for me because I understand that
different temperatures and pressures have effects on the gases but it is hard
for me to relate it to situational analyses.
4.
How could
you facilitate future learning to your students who might also find learning
about science and chemistry challenging?
I have never really enjoyed science
in school and it is something that I tend to shy away from. The times that I
really enjoyed science were when the learning was activity and inquiry based. I
find that when you really get students involved in the process and relate the
topics to things that they encounter in their everyday lives you have more of a
draw for them to learn. Also I think that taking an investigative approach,
almost like a detective, is a great way to engage younger students because they
really get into the idea of solving a mystery and the learning becomes more fun
for them. Also taking the time to really explain the concepts and make sure
that they are retaining and processing the information instead of just going
through the motions is essential for teachers to facilitate because then
students will feel a sense of achievement when learning the information.
5.
As you
think about your future in education, give three ways you think you’ll be able
to implement the skills you’ve learned in this class (it doesn’t necessarily
have to be chemistry content based).
As
a marketing and business education major, I do not foresee myself teaching
students about chemistry content. However some of the different skills that we
learned and applied in this class are things that I could see myself utilizing
and implementing into my future lesson plans and classroom activities. First, I
think that the problem solving skills that I learned and used in this class are
essential in any discipline. When I present case studies to my classes on the
topics of marketing and business, I will emphasize the importance of critical
thinking, problem solving, and thinking outside of the box. Activities that
include critical thinking are important for students because it is something
that they will constantly need skills for. Also I plan to implement the use of
blogs and other social media in my classroom to facilitate learning and
discussion. I think that social media is an effective tool to use in schools because
it creates an outlet where students are more willing to share and discuss than
if they were doing a worksheet or discussing in class. The blogs that we made
had a framework, but we were able to make the postings our own and then see
what other people did. Finally, I plan to implement different simulations and
hands-on activities for my students. There are multiple business simulations
that I can utilize and I think that this is a great way for students to put
their skills into practice. When students have a way to get involved with their
learning I believe that they retain more and have a better connection to their
learning. Even though I will not be teaching science or chemistry, there are
things that I have done in this class that I can utilize to create an engaging
and effective learning environment for my students.
