Scientific Me!

Science… where do I start? My earliest memories with science are exploring the outdoors on my own. I have always been curious of creatures, forests, and the weather. Second grade is my first memory of science in school. I remember learning about the solar system. It fascinated me. I like to think this is where my passion for science developed. I remember making planets out of clay; I put my heart in sole into this project. I loved art already so being able to tie in my love for art helped me develop a love for science. I was full of questions about science then, as well as now. Through elementary school I remember doing few science experiments/ lessons such as the life of a butterfly, electricity, and the solar system. It wasn’t until middle school when I realized science would be my favorite subject in school. Science never came easy for me, I had to work at it, but I have always loved it because there is so much to learn, so many questions to ask, and it is always changing. 
Seventh grade biology is when I realized I wasn’t so bad at science. I have always struggled in all areas of school, but science just made sense. I learned about things I never knew before, like cells! Who knew learning the parts of a cell could be so fun? (It did help that I had an awesome science teacher). From there my love for science (especially biology) developed. I noticed I did not care for Earth science or chemical science the way I enjoyed biology. I even took biology courses through college. These were much more challenging, but I always found myself wanting to learn more. Today, as I work in a middle school I still find myself excited to go to science class with my student. Although the topics remain the same each year, I always learn something I haven’t learned before. 
I have never given stereotypes of scientists much consideration before. As I think about it, I have always learned about male scientists in laboratories throughout my science career in school. Newton, Einstein, Darwin, Watson, and Crick are just a few who I remember learning about. Each one I envisioned an older male, with white hair, who may be a bit crazy working on science in their lab. We did not learn about many women, colored, or young scientists in school. I know they exist, but they do not receive much credit in textbooks for science. This is something I will take into consideration in the future when I teach science to my class. 
Science to me is a changing topic with very much potential for everyone. Every bit of research can go a long way. It is something that is essential to learning and teaching because the students of today are the future. They have the power to change and grow on technology and make advancements for our planet.  Science may not be everyone’s favorite topic, but I hope all of my students find at least one topic in science that interests them and they want to learn more about. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The 5Es

Image
What are the 5ES? Biological Science Curriculum Study (BSCS) The 5ES are an instructional approach used in classrooms during science lessons. It's a sequence that can be used to teach programs, unit plans, or individual lessons. Why do we use it? Because it helps students build their own understanding from new experiences and new ideas.  The 5 parts include..... Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate Engage: This phase is to draw students in and get them interested on the topic, while pre-assessing their prior knowledge on the topic. During this phase, students make connections with past and present knowledge.  Explore: During this phase students "explore" the topic. This gets the students involved in the lesson, which also provides them with the chance to build their own understanding. Typically during this time, the teacher provides the students with the necessary materials and a model before sending them on their way. Studen
Read more

Reflecting on Fieldwork Experience

Image
Over the last six or so weeks, I had the opportunity to spend time with and teach a lovely group of students at Bishop Dunn Memorial School. There were a variety of grade levels (2nd grade up to 7th grade) and a variety of different needs which made teaching difficult at times, but helped me grow as an educator. You never know what will be thrown at you in the world of teaching, and by teaching a variety of students of different grades and different needs, helps prepare me for the future. Before completing my fieldwork with Dr. Smirnova in Science Methods, I had never experienced lesson planning like this before. I feel I now have a better understanding about what she expects of us, as well as a better understanding of all the components of teaching science. I knew in the past the difference between direct instruction and an inquiry lesson, but after practicing these lessons and observing my peers I now believe I understand 100% what is expected when creating and giving these types
Read more

What's A Fossil?

Image
What is a fossil? Did you know there are 7 types of fossils? It is something I have never given much thought about. I do not recall learning about fossils in school. I remember touching on the topic when learning about dinosaurs, but was never introduced again during my education. It was nice to learn more about where they come from, the different types of fossils, and where they can be found. I enjoyed presenting what I have learned about fossils to my class. At first my group and I sat there pondering what we could teach about a fossil, and what activity we could do with the class. The more we researched, the more we realized we aren't the first people to ever teach a lesson on fossils! There were many beneficial, educational, and visual sites to help us teach about fossils. This experience helped Nicole, Jamie, and I grow as teachers. We will be faced with challenging topics we aren't educated enough on when we become teachers, but with the internet we have such
Read more