#Oceans
4 messages in this thread
Hi, Lynne–
Where was this science program when I was in elementary school? I dimly
remember getting hooked on the sciences in about the 4th grade, and I did
indeed come to regard science as better than recess – but mostly I did it at
home.
What is a "spiraling program of technology and engineering"? It sounds
reminiscent of a PBS series called "Connections", made in the UK as I recall,
that aired some years ago. That show was good about showing how each discovery
built on several other seemingly irrelevant advances.
I wonder if it would be practical to lead the students into rediscovering
ultraviolet and fluorescence by letting them fiddle with quartz (not glass or
plastic!) prisms and beams of sunlight in an otherwise darkened room, giving
them also a specimen of strongly-fluorescent fluorite. Give them a thermometer
also, and see if they discover infrared. Simply trying to find where the
visible colors came from should occupy them for a while.
–Doug
These kids have already fiddled with fluorescence in K-3rd grade because I have
a UV light in my closet and fluorescent rocks (including quartz that turns
purple and others that turn bright orange, irid. green, blue, yellow). By 3rd
grade, they are allowed to use the lamp alone because they understand the
dangers on the eyes and hold it away from themselves. So every rock they find
on their weekly "Creek Walk" they analyze with the lamp. Optics they begin in
preK with colored light in a light box. They use prisms, mirrors, water, and
analyze shadows. They continue this in every grade through 4th.
The Technology piece actually is modeled after the UK program called TECHNOLOGY
which is part of their national K-12 or 13 (whatever) curriculum. I teach the
program to my kids preK-5th grade and to adults in a 16 hr. workshop, so they
can go back to their schools and begin to wrok it.
It all fits together into a spiralling, hands-on science program which is
conceptually based on the developmental growth of the kids.
It also what I wish I had had when I was a kid – I just dream on and then I
teach it…it seems to work. I've been doing this for 15 years and still love
it. And still keep growing and finding cutting edge stuff.
How about you. What do you do? Wouldn't this be cheaper in e-mail?
Hi, Lynne–
Judging by responses when most kids see my UV lamps in action, at
least that part of the science/technology program you describe is not
widespread as yet. It sounds like something I would like to see
spread. I also wonder if my niece (3) and nephew (6) in Wisconsin
will have a chance to be exposed to it.
This might be cheaper via CISmail (but only if you use the standard
pricing plan and its free CISmail allowance covers your usage), but
the cost of conversing in a forum is small (assuming you do reading
and writing off-line and make an efficient forum visit to drop
off/pick up messages with CIM's
mark/retrieve-marked/disconnect-on-completion or a fully automated
interface program like OzCIS), and here others can see, learn, and
contribute. Your messages may make other teachers and parents aware
of an alternative worthy of attention, and may draw comments from
other people that you or I will benefit from. Forums exemplify a new
medium of communication, with new strengths and weaknesses, which I
expect will change the world as profoundly as television or
telephones did.
I am just beginning to learn how to save to file cabinet, compose a letter and
then send later. In fact, I found out about MacNav which will help me spend
even less time in forums. I do understand what you are "saying" about others
learning from reading our dialogue and I do think this is important. Thanks
for pointing that out.