Leaf Man (Elhert) Science Center

Curriculum Expectation: Patterning: identify and describe informally the repeating nature of patterns in everyday contexts (e.g., the patterns in nature), using oral expressions and gestures

Learning Opportunity: At this center children will have the opportunity to explore and discuss the various patterns they discover in objects found in nature (e.g., flowers, leaves, animals)

At whole group learning time the teacher will read the story Leaf Man (Ehlert, 2005) in order to introduce the concept of autumn objects (e.g., leaves, acorns, seeds) and evoke a sense of wonder and excitement in students. During the read aloud the teacher can be thinking aloud and pointing out the various aspects of the illustrations, in particular the patterns that can be found in the pictures of natural objects such as leaves and seeds (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2003). After the story the teacher can display various pictures of animals (e.g., zebras, peacocks) and encourage children to find patterns in their appearances. The teacher can point out to students that everything explored (e.g., leaves, seeds, fruit like apples, animals) are objects found in nature.

At the science/exploration/tactile center children can be encouraged to become “nature detectives” and invited to continue investigating patterns at the science/exploration/tactile center during center time. Tweezers and magnifying glasses can be used to explore the materials in depth. Children can be invited to dissect materials for further exploration (e.g., the inside of a seed or apple). Sorting plates can be provided so students can group materials. A top-secret ‘science observation journal’ (since students are pretending to be investigators) can be placed at the center along with writing materials so students can record their observations of the materials.

Props:

Circle Time – Leaf Man (Ehlert, 2005), pictures of natural objects and animals (e.g., flowers, seeds, birds and animals, close-ups of snowflakes)

Science/Exploration/Tactile Center – numerous natural objects including rocks, shells, seeds, leaves, real or dried flowers, various nature pictures, faux animal fabric (e.g., zebra print, snakeskin), magnifying glasses, tweezers, sorting plates, blank journal, writing and drawing materials including crayons and pencils

Play: At this center children can role-play that they are detectives on a mission to discover and discuss the patterns they find ‘hiding’ in everyday objects. Using the materials provided they can explore various natural materials, make connections by sorting and classifying the objects, and discussing and recording their observations in a ‘top secret’ observation journal. An adult can help scaffold the learning by participating as the ‘top secret spy’ at the center and using science and math language to help children find challenging and abstract patterns (e.g., not only are there patterns on leaves, but trees also follow a pattern in how they grow, colour, and drop their leaves with each season).

What might children say or do: I believe that children will readily buy into the idea that this center is meant for ‘science investigators’ on a mission who are using top-secret materials. The possibilities of this center allow them to group and classify materials in numerous ways. Kid talk might include: “Look at what I found!” “There are lots of patterns here” “I put these materials together because…” “I wonder why…”

Assessment: This experience can be assessed in a number of ways including: a teacher recording anecdotal notes on what children are saying and doing; using a checklist and recording which students were able to find one or more patterns or who used mathematical language (e.g., word ‘repeats’ when describing the pattern) while engaged in play; analyzing the observation journal to see what children discovered and recorded; asking students in an informal interview to describe what they did at the center and recording it verbatim; asking children to draw and discuss a picture of one pattern they discovered while at the center

Ehlert, L. (2005). Leaf man. New York: Harcourt, Inc.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2003). A guide to effective instruction in reading: Kindergarten to Grade 3. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2006). The kindergarten program (revised). Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Read Aloud Lesson for the Book Snow (Bauer)

Snow (Bauer, 2003)

Description of Text: This nonfiction book provides step-by-step information for the reader about how snow is formed and what happens to it when it melts in warm weather.

Overall Curriculum Expectations (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2006):

Language Arts: Demonstrate understanding and critical awareness of a variety of written materials that are read by and with the teacher; Use reading strategies that are appropriate for beginning readers in order to make sense of a variety of written materials; Communicate in writing, using strategies that are appropriate for beginners

Mathematics: Describe, sort, classify, and compare two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional figures, and describe the location and movement of objects through investigation

Specific Curriculum Expectations (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2006):

Language Arts

14. Respond to a variety of materials read aloud to them

15. Use illustrations to support comprehension of texts that are read by and with the teacher

16. Use prior knowledge to make connections to help them understand a diverse range of materials read by and with the teacher

17. Make predictions regarding an unfamiliar text that is read by and with the teacher, using prior experience, knowledge of familiar texts, and a general knowledge of the world around them

24. Demonstrate an awareness that writing can convey ideas or messages

Mathematics

19. Compose pictures and build designs, shapes, and patterns in two-dimensional shapes, and decompose two-dimensional shapes into smaller shapes using various tools or strategies

Materials Needed: book Snow (Bauer, 2003), a KWL chart, various enlarged pictures of real snowflakes found from a science book or the internet, felt board, felt pattern block pieces, wooden pattern block pieces, camera

Before Reading the teacher prepares children for the reading by setting the stage for understanding of the text (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2003).

1. Prior to reading this book to students, the teacher can ask them to close their eyes and think about what they know about snow and what questions might have in order to activate prior knowledge and generate excitement towards the book. Students can then have an opportunity to turn to an elbow partner and share their thoughts. The teacher can ask students to regroup and introduce the KWL chart (headings are K – Know about a topic, W – Want to know about it, and L – learned or still want to learn about a topic). Students can be invited to share what they know about snow (e.g., “It’s white.”, “It’s cold.” “It falls from the sky.”) and this can be recorded using modeled or shared writing in the “K” section of the chart. Teacher talk might include:

• “Close your eyes. Let’s think about the white snow outside our window. What do you know about snow? What have you done with snow before? Where have you seen snow? What would you like to know about snow?”

• “Turn to an elbow partner and share something you know about snow. Share a question you still have about snow.”

• “This is a KWL chart. We’re going to use it to organize our thoughts and ideas about snow. In the “K” column I am going to/you can help write down your ideas about what we already know about snow. Tell me some of the things you and your elbow partners discussed. Let’s write them down here.”

2. The teacher can encourage students to track and read along with the ideas listed in the “K” section of the chart as he or she reads them aloud. Students can then be encouraged to think back to their discussion with an elbow partner and share the questions they might have regarding snow. These can be listed in the “W” section of the KWL chart using modeled or shared writing. Teacher talk might include:

• “In your discussions with elbow partners, I asked you to share questions you had about snow. Think back to what you discussed with your partners. We’re going to record your questions and ideas in the “W” column of our chart.”

3. The teacher can then introduce the book Snow to students and explain that it is a nonfiction book that will provide information about how snow is made. Students can be prompted to reflect upon their prior knowledge and questions (as recorded in the KWL chart) as the information in the book is shared. Teacher talk might include:

• “We are going to read a book called ‘Snow’ by Marion Bauer. This is a nonfiction book, which means it is going to provide us with some interesting information about how snow is formed and what happens to it when it melts.”

• “As I read this book I would like you to be thinking about what information in the story you already know. Some of the questions we have listed on our KWL chart might be answered too!”

During reading the teacher helps children comprehend the text by stopping and thinking aloud about something, by making connections to other texts read by the class, or in order to ask a question about the text (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2003).

4. The teacher begins to read the text. Even though this is a nonfiction book, the illustrations used are drawings rather than real pictures. The teacher may wish to point this out so the students understand that drawings, and not necessarily photographs, can still express information about a real thing like snow.

• “What do you notice about the illustrations in this book? What information do they tell you? Does this book/these illustrations remind you of other books we have read? Why?”

5. At the beginning of the book the author discusses outdoor characteristics of winter (e.g., it’s cold, the trees are bare, the grass is brown). A think aloud can be made at this time comparing the book to the current season outside.

• This book reminds me of what is happening outside now that it is winter. Look outside our classroom windows. What signs do you see that it is winter? Think of what is happening in your yards and neighbourhoods. Share with us signs of winter.”

6. As the book is read the cycle of snow formation (clouds are crystals of ice, this ice clings to dust, the dust gets heavy and falls from the clouds) is presented in a very simplified manner. The teacher can paraphrase the pages and draw reference to the illustrations to help students comprehend this complicated cycle.

• “When the air is not so cold, the flakes grow softer and larger and larger. Look at the picture on this page. See how the snowflakes are drawn very large and detailed? This reminds me of when very large raindrops fall from the clouds and get the ground very wet very quickly. It’s the same idea with snowflakes too!”

7. As the story continues detailed descriptions and pictures of individual snowflakes are shown. Students can be encouraged to look at these snowflakes and note the different shapes they observed in each one.

• “Each snowflake has six sides. Look at the illustrations of snowflakes! They are very geometrical! Look at the shapes and designs that are in each one! What shapes do you see?”

• “These snowflakes are symmetrical. That means that if I cut a snowflake in half, one side would match the other side. Look at this large one. If I put a line in the middle (demonstrates using the illustration) this side is the same as the other side.”

8. The teacher can put the book down and further discuss the idea of snowflakes as unique, intricate, and delicate creations. Various enlarged pictures of snowflakes can then be shown and discussed with students. Rich, descriptive language can be used to describe the pictures including words such as geometrical, symmetrical, sparking, shimmering, icy, and any other language that arises and is appropriate to the context of the discussion.

9. The teacher can finish reading the book. At this point the KWL chart can be revisited and the teacher can read the K and W columns to refresh student memory of what they discussed prior to the book. Students can then be lead in a discussion about what they learned or still want to learn after reading the book. Using modeled/shared writing, this information can be added to the chart and reviewed with students. Teacher talk might include:

• “Now that we have finished reading our ‘Snow’ book, think about something interesting and amazing that you learned about snow! Let’s record these ideas in the L column of our KWL chart.”

• “Do you still have questions about snow after reading our book and having a discussion? We can record these questions on our KWL chart too! We can keep these questions in mind as we continue to explore snow in other books, outside on the playground, and at our classroom centers. We’re going to hang our Snow KWL chart in our science area and if we learn anything new or find further answers to our questions, we can continue to add them to the chart.”

After reading the teacher can help students to extend their learning and comprehension through a variety of large, small and independent activities (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2003) including:

10. After reading the story the teacher can use felt pattern block pieces (these have been made at the teacher media center) and demonstrate to students using the felt board how geometrical pattern block snowflakes can be made. Some students may have experience putting together the pattern blocks to represent various designs and patterns and this modeling will serve the purpose of scaffolding student learning in this context (Vygotsky, 1978). The teacher can describe step-by-step how the snowflake is made using various shapes in order to create a geometrical, symmetrical snowflake like the ones in the book and pictures. These can be shown to students again as a reference.

11. Students can be invited as a whole group to practice making geometrical snowflakes using the felt pieces and the felt board. These can be discussed and the teacher can promote an exploration of the shapes and encourage snowflakes to be of varying sizes, patterns, and shapes.

12. After students have practices using the felt pieces, the teacher can show them the wooden pattern blocks that are identical to the felt pieces. These pattern blocks will be available at the math center and students can spend time creating snowflakes in a similar manner during center time. The felt board and felt pattern block pieces will also be available to students at this time.

13. At center time the teacher will remain at the math center with the pattern block pieces in order to encourage and challenge students in their explorations creating snowflakes. Pictures can be taken of the snowflakes students create and this information can be used as assessment, posted on a bulletin board near the math center, or placed in a class created book called “Our Geometrical Snowflakes” which can then be circulated among families in the classroom take home “book in a bag” program.

Assessment: The concrete materials (e.g., felt and wooden pattern block pieces) provide a tactile opportunity for children to explore and describe the mathematical problem of designing and creating a snowflake using various shapes that must fit together in a puzzle-like manner (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2006). Teachers can support, observe, and assess student progress by questioning them as they are in action at this center using the following prompts:

• Describe what you are doing?

• Tell me how you are going to make your snowflake?

• List the shapes you have included in your snowflake.

• How can you make your snowflake more symmetrical/the same on each side?

• How is your snowflake similar to the ones we saw in the book we read/the pictures we looked at?

• How can you design a snowflake that…

Direct observation of what students are doing and what they are saying can be recorded using open-ended anecdotal notes on a master page that describes the activity for future reference.

A sample of this master page:

Date:____________________

Students were asked to create two-dimensional geometrical snowflakes using pattern blocks and/or felt pattern pieces after reading the book ‘Snow’.

Observations and Samples of Student Talk

Name:

Name:

Name:

References

Bauer, M. D. (2003). Snow. New York: Scholastic Inc.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2003). A guide to effective instruction in reading: Kindergarten to Grade 3. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2006). The kindergarten program (revised). Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Vygosky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Experimenting with Marble Runs

One of the best children's toys (in my opinion) are marble run games, where children are able to design, build, and experiment running marbles through complex systems of tubes. The kit shown in the picture is from Scholar's Choice.

My daughter spent a long time engaged in the planning and building of her system. She examined the differences in pieces (shape, length, embellishments) and chose the ones she felt would best match her visualization of the perfect marble run.

She used appropriate and advanced vocabulary as she discussed what she was doing and how she anticipated it to work. When she tested a certain section of the run and it didn't work as well as she felt it should, she brainstormed and revised her plan.

I believe that young children in early years environments would benefit from having activities like marble runs as part of their science center. Future architects and engineers could be nurtured as they dream up exciting and intricate structures to explore. From experience, I know that the marble run is one of the most popular centers in my kindergarten classroom.

Forcing Bulbs Indoors

My daughter and I picked up an amaryllis bulb from the local grocery store last week. We planted it yesterday and she has been eagerly checking the bulb every few hours to see if it has grown yet. I love that she is enthusiastic about the experience and anticipating what changes will happen to the bulb as it grows. Before she planted it, we examined it in depth and discussed how it was similar and different to the tulip bulbs she helped me plant back in the spring.

Each January I also encourage the children in my class to explore forcing bulbs indoors as we plant various ones and watch them grow. We keep them in our science area along with chart paper, measuring tapes, magnifying glasses, and markers and the children record the changes in appearance they notice as time passes. I encourage children to observe the bulb carefully, but do not suggest what they should record on the chart paper. In the past children have recorded the length of growth using numerals and drawn pictures to represent the changes as they observe them. The bulb has also become a discussion point in our classroom where children gather and engage in lively conversations with one another.

Capturing Children's Interest in Winter and Snow

Children are naturally curious about the world around them. I've noticed that winter and snow are of particular interest to little ones. There are many experiences that can be incorporated into the various classroom centers around snow and winter. Classroom centers can be used to integrate multiple real-life contexts in order to capture children's interests and imaginations and encourage them to engage in cooperative play and exploration.

Consider:

· providing students with squeeze spray bottles of coloured water to use outdoors on a snowy day in order to colour, colour mix, and create designs in the snow

· placing shredded white paper in a large tactile tub (or empty water table) along with plastic trees, rocks, twigs, and various forest animals and encouraging children to dramatize a wintry forest habitat

· placing various combinations of ice cubes coloured as the primary colours (e.g., one blue and one yellow; one blue and one red; one yellow and one red) in separate bowls at the science area and encourage students to make predictions and then observations about what will happen the ice cubes melt

· pictures of winter activities (e.g., skiing, skating, sledding), summer activities (e.g., swimming, skipping rope, jogging), and general anytime activities (e.g., driving a car, eating breakfast) can be placed at the math table and students can be encouraged to sort the pictures into a Venn chart with the headings ‘winter’, ‘summer’, and ‘both’

· incorporating various sizes and shapes of ice (frozen using a variety of containers and molds) and snow from outside into the water table so students can explore, experiment, and create with these materials

· placing a large quantity of outdoor snow in large bins at the science table so students can explore it using large magnifying glasses and observe and record in a communal journal their observations and emerging understandings as it changes state from solid, to liquid, to gas

Science in the Classroom

I was surfing this morning, trying to find some new blogs to read. I came across "Science and Children's Early Years Blog" and was amazed by the quality of the content. I immediately added it to my list of favourite websites. Quickly scanning the blog, I was able to learn how to engage children in authentic, meaningful whole and small group science activities and experiments. What a valuable resource for a busy kindergarten teacher!

I know from experience how hard it can be to create an engaging science program in an early years environment. Often the materials and resources are not available. Non-fiction books are hard to find in small school libraries. Science can often become a one-sided situation in a classroom, where a teacher is the one reading from science texts, demonstrating experiments for students, and displaying only readily available materials at the science center. I've fallen into this trap too.

If we want to prepare our children for the higher level thinking needed for success in their future lives and careers (who knows what kind of jobs they will have 15+ years from now) then we need to strive to engage our youngest learners in active, authentic, challenging scientific experiences that allow them to question, predict, explore, analyze, and discuss what they have done. Easier said than done, but the information at Science and Children's Early Years Blog will help teachers see how simple, everyday activities like play dough and water play have the potential for being rich scientific activities in the classroom.

http://blogs.nsta.org/EarlyYearsBlog/default.aspx