A Day in the Forest

2/27/13

How tall can I be? As tall as a tree? 
... Why no! No way! I'm not like a tree! 
That would be silly. I'm a human, you see.

Tree Cookies

Station Activity:  Tree Cookies

(10 minute rotations)

1.) Tree Cookies and Proscope Exploration and Investigation

 

 

2.) "Trees Grin" Read children's book story on app, explore app capabilities, and write your own story using two new vocabulary words from the book.

3.) Labet Sheet: a worksheet with pictures spaces to identify each part of the tree cookies. 

4.) Create a Tree Cookie of our lives: Make a tree cookie of your life- timeline.  Use a paper plate to create a tree cookie.

Discussions:

• "BURNING QUESTIONS LIST": still lingering questions after lessons. 
• Some facts about the science behind planting trees: PVC pipes are often used to get water 10 feet down in the ground in southern California because there is not a lot of ground water in this area.  Much of the ground water in southern California is close to the surface, therefore the trees' roots grow shallow and that is why they often get uprooted and tip over during the windy seasons.  
• Commonly, the more we have to think through something and problem solve, the more we will remember our process and the information we have gained.  

Project Learning Tree Activity

Mission: to find an activity and lesson that could be paired with the Tree Cookie lesson.  Discussion of adaptations that could be made to make this an inquiry-based lesson/activity. 

Apps: LeafSnap

     Owls                     Owls                  Owls

Station Activity: Owls

(10 Minute Rotations)

1.) Listen to story read aloud "Owl Moon"

2.) Examining owl pellets: bone sorting, found skulls, teeth and jaw, claws ... Mine was most-likely a bird.

3.) Owl Facts Sheet: Use an app to read a story about owls and see if you learn anything new or have any questions. Then use the iPads to research information. (Tyto owl- barn owl, owls have second stomach called a gizzard which catches all of the feathers, fur, and bones form their meals/prey). Owls can turn their heads over 200 degrees but their eyes cannot move in their sockets. Owls have 3 eye lids. 

4.) Research and make a graphic organizer about owls using the information given by the teacher.   

Koch Chapters 7 & 13:

According to Koch, " Inviting students to examine living things in detail provides them with a fuller understanding of the question, 'What is alive?'" (Koch, 167).  The chapter offers a variety of useful lessons and activities that provide hands-on activities for students to explore living things. Some of these lessons include; plants, seeds, snails, and other small animals. The chapter stresses the importance of encouraging students to form their own questions and engage in discovery through a variety of means including books at the library or internet sources.  The book also discusses the importance of giving students the opportunity to investigate living things overtime since living things are always changing, it is crucial that student realize this throughout their study. 

Koch offers some very helpful advice for teachers to keep in mind when they approach new scientific material or concepts. She states that by asking the following questions, you will develop your "scientific self" and make the ideas your own (Koch, 303).

• Have I had any experience with this idea?
• Does it make sense to me?
• How can I find out more about this topic?
• How does this concept fit in with what I already believe about nature?

Final Thoughts:

Students can learn a lot from hands on experiences that allow them to explore and approach a topic through a variety of avenues including; children's literature, researching through the internet, reading articles from books and magazines, using apps that apply to the topic, doing a creative activity that relates the information of what they are studying to their own lives, and by having the students work in groups on activities that encourage collaboration and discussion.  It is important that the teacher walks around the room to monitor the students' progress and work throughout the activities. The teacher will be able to assist with any confusion the students may have as well as pose questions that would encourage students to take deeper consideration of the topic at hand. It is important to give students the opportunities to pose their own questions and discover their own findings.