Initially, I got excited when I noticed this week’s topic was sound.  For some reason I assumed that this would involve music however the main concept was vibration.  I was so bored reading this chapter that I almost fell asleep…literally.  Why do you need so many activities on one concept? It makes me analyze the fact that if I were bored with the lessons suggested, the children would be even more vulnerable. 

The activity mentioned on page 281 was somewhat interesting which in turn was based on how sound travels.  I noted the safety tip question at the bottom, which as a result got me thinking about it.  Some good safety rules for our ears are to wear earplugs to rock concerts and decrease volumes while listening to ipods.  I personally am guilty of not following my ipod rule and am convinced I will be deaf as a result. 

Reflecting back onto my childhood the only memory I have in regards to vibration is standing in an open room or tunnel and hearing my voice echo.  At the time, I was fascinated with how my voice could change.  I like how in the text on page 219, it suggested going to an open area to study echos.  This would be such a fun and educational quick fieldtrip for children. 

Another activity mentioned in the book that relates to my childhood is mentioned on page 290.  As a child, my mom and I made metal can telephones, which were attached by string. I never thought of how this relates to vibration but like mentioned in the textbook, it also implements drama.

Chapter 13: Simple Machines

The word simple which, was used in the title, did not apply to my understanding of machines.  Due to my previous negative experiences with science, I knew that there would be at least one chapter in this book that I would truly have trouble understanding.  I am somewhat embarrassed that I had some difficulty understanding friction, swivels and axels because this is a textbook intended for young children.  I became frustrated and my memories of high school science were relived (haha).  I asked my dad and brother to explain the whole wheel concept and friction.  It was funny because my brother and said literally started acting out the concepts.  Their acting helped me further understand the topics (thank god).

            The title of this text was somewhat misleading in another sense because I thought the chapter would be about actual machines (motors etc).  However, thinking logically, this textbook is for young children so they should learn the basic ideas about machines before they study the overall process.  In relation, one of the activities I liked about the first idea of friction was on page 262.  Using food is a great way to introduce any topic. Based on my experiences, children appear more engaged in activities that are taught with food. Do you agree? By rubbing to crackers together and then rubbing them together with cream cheese in the middle, demonstrates the whole friction concept.  Children would be able to see, hear and feel the differences between the two.  I am also a big fan of the activity about “how can friction be useful?” It is important to teach children the positives and negatives regarding new skills so they have a true understanding.  We know that friction is bad when it comes to cars but like mentioned in the textbook, when one is trying to open a jar with soap on their hands, friction is good. 

            One idea that came across my mind when reading this chapter was gender differences.  Do you think that boys or girls would like these activities more? Do you think that boys would understand the concepts easier than girls? I believe at a young age there would not be much of a difference but as we know at this age men typically seem to be more interested, not necessarily better, in machinery related activities.  The picture on page 265 shows the female teacher and all male students.  I was not shocked when I noticed this because a part of me believes boys would like these activities better due to social constructions.  

Word count: 424

Chapter 11 and 12: Magnets and Gravity

 

What are magnets? I really do not know and am still unaware of what a magnet actually is even after reading this chapter.  What are magnets made of…magnets? I really am shocked that the textbook did not discuss this concept.  It seems that all of the activities are based on how magnets can connect with certain items but not focus on what magnets really are.  Maybe I am just thinking too much into it but I am really curious to know what magnets are made of (haha).

Prior to reading this chapter I had no idea that magnets were apart of discs, computers or credit cards.  I never really thought how magnets are connected into our world besides as fridge magnets.  I liked the activity on page 232 which suggested that children explore with magnets outdoors.  I think it would be a really cool experience to take magnets outside and see whether they connect to certain items or not.  However, the one problem I had with this activity was the part about children conducting an activity in the school parking lot.  Although it was stated that children would be in a blocked off area, to me, it is still a massive risk.  In relation, experimenting with cars and magnets would make a good homework assignment.  You could send a letter home explaining the assignment to parents and stress the importance of supervision.  Parents and children could do this activity together that in turn promotes family bonding. 

Another activity that I really liked was on page 233 where children compare the strength of magnets.  I know this activity would be amusing for children because as an adult I am excited and want to try it.  You could test the strength of magnets like they said on a piece of paper but, you could also extend it onto the carpets or hallway floors.

The best part about this chapter was the creative thinking section on page 241.  “I Am a Magnet” game is brilliant.  It allows children to use their imaginations and teaches them at the same time about what magnets do and do not stick to.  This is a great way to incorporate drama into learning about magnets.  The teacher could extend this activity into the drama centre in the classroom by leaving cue cards labeled MAGNET and other items.  The child who is holding the magnet card could go to the other children and see if they would stick to them or not. 

The effects of gravity chapter were somewhat bland to me.  I felt bored reading this chapter.  Considering gravity is something that one cannot see, I found the activities to be basic.  However, in contrast, gravity seems to be a hard topic to teach because it cannot be seen.  I really do not have any positive comments towards this chapter (it was that boring).  One critique I have is about the activity on page 246.  This activity requires children to be weighed.  I understand that these children are young and the issue of weight might not be a concern yet but it is a popular weakness of many young children.  Children can be mean and I can picture some child making a rude comment about someone being “fatter” than them.  To avoid this whole situation I believe the teacher should just incorporate weighing sand in buckets.  This still teaches the same principles of how gravity pulls.  I like the statement “let children discover that size does not always determine weight”.  People seem to assume that if one looks bigger or a box is bigger that it will weigh more then the smaller item.  This is not always the case and I believe this message should be taught to children.  I am a strong believer in being sensitive to those who have weight issues.  Weight has never been the easiest thing for me to deal with so knowing that I had a teacher that was aware of these issues would be helpful.  This just proves that you have to be aware of everyone’s feelings when designing lessons to eliminate issues.  Do you think I am over reacting?   

Word count: (a bit higher do to the two chapters 688)

Rocks and Minerals

          Before reading this chapter my knowledge of rocks was limited.  All I knew was that rocks were a part of the environment.  Growing up in a family that has a landscaping business, I was familiar with the concept of rocks being in soil.  After reading this chapter I am now aware that rocks vary in their strength.  For instance, the activity on page 215 highlighted this issue and got me reflecting on how I had never thought about this comparison. This activity based on comparing nail scratching to penny scratching not only teaches children about the grouping of rocks but, can further be included in a safety activity.  I would extend this activity into a lesson on how if one were to fall on a certain type of rock, compared to another, the chances or severity of their cut (or bruise) would vary.  As we know from this activity, some rocks are too soft to show the nail scratches. Thus, one could predict that if you were to fall on this type of soft rock, you would experience less pain.  Do you think this would be the case? Secondly, I always wondered why certain rocks were smoother than others.  From reading this chapter, I learned that this depends on the types of weather exposure they experience.  As mentioned in the textbook, “waves or running streams tumble the rocks against each other and smooth them and how slowly bits are rubbed off”.  In contrast, it is apparent that rocks that are located near water will have more of a chance of being smoother than those on the side of the highway.

          Throughout studying at Ryerson, we have been told to teach in a constructivist manner which values teaching differently than the traditional teacher.  The activity on page 218, regarding how rocks change, exemplifies our philosophy.  By letting children use hammers outside shows that this type of teacher wants to take some risks.  Initially, I would be somewhat worried about the children’s safety, however they would be protected with goggles, as it stated.  As a teacher, I believe conducting these types of activities, proves that you want children to truly experience the concept of how rocks change in appearance (from their insides to their outs).  In relation, “this is a very exciting activity that may lead to rock fever”. Children, as a result, would engage in this activity a lot more than a typical worksheet.  Do you feel a teacher who conducts this type of activity demonstrates creativity more than a traditional teacher?

          Lastly, I had a problem with the fossil activity on page 220.  It was stated that “erase unsatisfactory leaf prints by rubbing the clay with water and lightly rerolling”.  This comment has a lot of negative power within it.  Firstly, the formation of leafs vary so requiring children to produce ones that look the same is bogus.  Secondly, as it was expressed in the chapter, fossils are items that are formed overtime.  Therefore, fossils are not “clean-cut” objects that can be rated on a satisfactory scale.  Realistically, if you were to come in contact with some fossils, you would observe that their formations are not “perfect” (like the perfection of the leaf shape this activity wants).  Do you agree or disagree?   

Word count: 500

Journal Entry Chapter 7: Air and Weather

      So far chapter seven has been the most interesting to read because it is based on a topic that is not commonly discussed.  Like mentioned in the textbook introduction, air is not something one ponders regualry.  It is clear that people take air for granted as it is something we need to survive.  This chapter provided many activities that would demonstrate the concept of air to children in an interesting manner.  Prior to reading this chapter I was not aware of how air can be studied beyond the concept of breathing.  I never realized how air rises, moves at certain speeds and is forceful.  I am glad I read this chapter because I felt like I actually learned something new :)
      Introducing the topic of air seems like it would be somewhat challenging.  I like how on page 151 they suggested the holding hands activity as a general beginning.  Children love surprising and I can envision many children getting excited to guess what would be inside the teacher's hands.  In contrast, on page 152, the activity based on hammering a nail into a metal can, does not seem that safe for young children.  Realistically, metal cans are very dangerous (sharp ends etc) and also, as an adult, I just became comfortable with using these tools, unlike a typical kindergarten child.  I would use this activity with older children, to help ensure safety.  Thirdly, I believe that the activity on page 153 is a great way to show children visually how air takes up space.  I remember as a child always blowing into ziplock bag and then sealing them.  Thus, this activity would be a good way of incorportaing children's lunch baggies into an activity.  It would also put meaning behind blowing air into the bag.  Children do this without even thinking of the action they are doing thus, they would probably pay attention more.
     Growing up I can remember flying kites with my family and friends.  We used to go to the local park on windy days and attempt to fly a kite.  I do recall sometimes having difficulty with the process because of the lack of wind.  When the wind was absent, as a result, the kite would not fly.  Having children participate in an activity such as this, shows them how air can push things (as mentioned in the text).  I would encourage children to engage in this type of activity at home with their family.  I believe this would be a benefitical homework activity that would involve the whole family...do you agree? How cool of a homework assignment would it be to do this?!.  
     As a future teacher I will for sure implement the topic of air.  All of these activities aformentioned and in the textbook are such useful resources.  These activities are tempting me to try them for example, especially the one about running with the paper.  Overall, this chapter has made me want to get into a classroom and teach air!
     

Growing up I was always afraid of animals.  When I was six years old I got attacked by a dog and had to go to the hospital.  I was playing tag with two of brother’s friends and they began to tackle one another on the grass.  All of a sudden while I was standing beside them, the dog ran towards me and pounced me to the ground.  From here the dog continued to scratch my face with its claws.  As a result I had to be rushed to the hospital and had to get some stitches.  From that point on I was absolutely terrified of dogs.  The worst part about having this fear was when I used to go to friend’s houses that had dogs they always had to put them in the backyard.  Finally, in grade 7 my mom chose to get a family dog to help get rid of my fear.  After having my dog for 6 months my fear slowly went away.  However, today, I am still terrified of cats. Like I mentioned in class, if there is a cat walking on the same side of the road as me, I will move across the street. I believe I have a slight phobia of cats because I cannot even watch certain commercials on television without panicking.  I really do not know how to solve this problem.  Any suggestions?

I have very few memories of animals throughout school because I was always so afraid of them.  I was not the type of child who enjoyed collecting insects or having pets.  I do recall going to the Toronto Zoo a few times.  I never was in a classroom that had class pets.

Critical Reflective Journal Entry One: Introducing Integrated and Project-based Science Learning

            Reading endless boring chapters about the periodic table, calculating chemistry formulas and receiving satisfactory grades on tests is what I associate with the subject of science.  Considering in grade nine I had a teacher whose character clashed with mine, I spent most of my semester sitting in the hallway alone.  As a result I developed hatred towards science.  As my high school years continued, I struggled with science in both grade ten and eleven.  Due to my experience in grade nine I was haunted by my teacher’s negative comments and honestly stopped trying.  I became very self-conscious about science and found myself avoiding my work because I was receiving little positive feedback.  I can relate this situation to the section in the textbook based on the benefits of having a positive classroom.  In relation, as stated in the textbook, “a positive classroom environment can raise the level of endorphins, the bio-chemical that induces pleasurable feelings and facilitates memory”.  Thus, this same fact I believe can apply to young-adults.  If I was involved in a classroom that was less negative, I strongly believe I would have enjoyed science.  However, because I was never given positive feedback and instead yelled at, I always felt upset.  In comparison, as mentioned in chapter one, “children in stressful child-care situations have shown elevated levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that inhibits memory processes”.  During my grade nine experience I was always stressed and found myself unable to focus on my tasks.  It was apparent that my teacher did not like me however, even when I did achieve a random B on a test, he would not recognize it. According to chapter one, “a positive feeling about a discovery can motivate a child to continue exploring with renewed curiosity”.  My desire to learn about science was destroyed after having this grade nine teacher.  I had no urge to want to learn about science and simply avoided reading my textbook.  I felt everything I did was never good enough for him because all I received was negative feedback.  As a future teacher, I now know the importance of positive reinforcement.  From my personal experience with my science teacher, I am aware of the influence a teacher’s say has on a student’s learning.  When I have my own classroom I will make sure to have a science and discovery centre that promotes exploration and trail and error.  My children will not be given only negative feedback while experimenting with science because I do not want them to develop a dislike to it like I did.  As a teacher my role is to praise the children’s discoveries, promote question asking and make them feel secure in their learning.  Although I struggled with science, I hope to promote a positive learning environment for my students, like mentioned throughout chapter one.