Class 30 - April 4, 2011

Today's class was at Bishop Dunn for fieldwork. During today's class I was an observer in Miss O'Leary's classroom with the fifth graders that are in groups D, E , and F. I watched group four and group one do their inquiry lessons during the hour of 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m but the second lesson in each of the rooms went a little over to like 12:25 p.m.

Group 4 lesson plan was taught by Nicole P. and Kathryn C. because Katharine, Jessica W,and Kira were at the N-Kat  meeting.  Kathryn C. and Nicole P.  lesson focused on chemical and physical change. Some examples that Kathryn C. and Nicole P. showed the class on the Smart Board areas follows. An example is a raw egg becoming a cooked egg which is a chemical change because it change color. Another example is a cake mix becoming cake which is a chemical change. Broken crackers is an example of a physical change. Steal to rust is an example of a chemical change because the change is something that we see and can feel. Kathryn and Nicole ask about becoming a scientist and some of the answers were observe, materials, and instructions.  Think of scientific method and some of the answers were write notes, formulate a hypothesis, think problem and solve, do experiments to see if hypothesis, draw conclusions, and work in groups.  Kathryn and Nicole told the students about the experiment. Kathryn and Nicole handed out the plates and put an ice cube on each plate and the worksheet. Kathryn and Nicole told the students that the students would be assigned a task like observer, recorder, time keeper, and reporter. In the groups of five student will have two observers. Experiment of the four ice cubes: one ice cube should be normal, another ice cube should have salt on it, a third ice cube should be near the heat, and the four ice cube should be broken with a hammer. The object of this experiment is to see which ice cube would melt the fastest. Each group's reporter tells their findings. After all the groups presented are done Nicole and Kathryn asked what is physical change and got responses and what is chemical changes and got responses. 

Group 1 came into Miss O'Leary's classroom. This group is Clarissa, Stephanie, Kathleen, and Bridget. Started the lesson by handing out name tags. Clarrisa asked what the students learned in chapter 12. Some of the answers were  chemical changes, physical changes, and products and reactions. One question was asked: What happens when mixing two things together? Some answers was chemical reactions to occur. The problem is answer safety equipment, scientific method, create a hypothesis, and experiment. Stephanie told the students to write down a hypothesis but don;t share it. The students were shown a youtube video about baking soda. It is important for the students to pick a job from the name labels. Everyone has a job.The experiment was to put the layer of baking soda into the container.   The students are suppose to have a job and a worksheet. It was important for the students to write down what the baking soda looks like and what also the seltzer looks like before putting the seltzer into the container with the baking soda. The seltzer is suppose to make the baking soda frizzle and have a chemical reaction.

The two experiments are very interesting. I liked observing these two experiments. These two experiments were very fun and the students really enjoyed the two experiments. These were great hands-on experiments. 

I would definitely use these experiments in the classroom to show chemical or physical changes. I liked the ice experiment that Nicole and Kathryn did. I would not change anything about their experiment. I would probably do the experiment the save way. I liked seeing which one of the four ice cubes would melt the fastest. I liked their introduction with the different examples. I would probably do a similar lesson to theirs in my future classroom. I did like Clarissa, Stephanie, Bridget, and Kathleen's experiment. I liked the idea of baking soda and seltzer and seeing if a chemical change occurs. I would use this in my classroom when I am a teacher. I really enjoyed this experiment. I would probably do something similar to this lesson. Both these experiments are great hands-on examples of chemical and physical change.

Today I was an observer while some of my classmates taught a lesson. It was interesting how the Kathryn and Nicole used the Smart Board and how they used a what will happen to engage the students in the lesson. It was also interesting to see how they kept the students focus by asking questions and then explaining the students what the students were going to do. The students enjoyed the experiment and it was inquiry engaging. I would use this experiment in my classroom as a future teacher to talk about the concept of chemical and physical changes. I may also get a video from youtube to show chemical and physical changes. I liked how Nicole and Kathryn showed the children the definitions of both words at the end of the lesson. I would definitely use tis experiment in my classroom. Then Clarissa, Bridget, Kathleen, and Stephanie R. taught a lesson. Clarissa started the lesson with asking a question which is a great idea to engage the students The question was what is chemical change.Then Clarissa asked the students about the science process. Then the group explained what the lesson be about and what experiment about. I liked the experiment and will use the experiment in my class. I will probably get a video on chemical change to show to my class. This is how I will teach these two experiments in my class.