| Project Plan
Goals
It is my goal as a teacher to generate a strong interest in the learning
process, science in particular. I want my students to see science all
around them and recognize its importance in their lives. I expect them
to be able to use that knowledge when making decisions about what products
to buy, what ideas to support and how to conduct their lives as members
of a great world, rather than just the few blocks in which they live.
Your Unique Approach
In the many years I have been teaching science I have tried very hard
to provide my students with as many opportunities as possible to experience
its wonders first hand. My lessons are a combination of projects, investigations,
activities and written work. We frequently leave the classroom to apply
what we are learning to the real world. If we are studying weather,
we go outside and take readings, make and use weather instruments and
become familiar with how they are used. When doing habitats we make
use of the many habitats in the classroom (an 8-foot iguana cage, turtle/fish
pond, coral reef and reptile house, all with living exhibits), we also
go to the ponds across the street, walk around the school and take whatever
field trips that will enhance our learning. I sponsor a science club
and we develop a project each year. We have built three school gardens,
planted numerous trees, conducted many tutoring lessons, had a rocket
club. We attend community meetings and go to environmental camp each
year. This year’s project is on acid rain.
Relevance
If you can’t make a subject relevant to a child’s life you
are wasting their time and yours. We apply everything we do to the real
world. For each and every subject we use the book only as a jumping
off point. The first grade is currently doing chemical and physical
changes. We conducted several experiments on the subject, pennies/vinegar,
salt/water, freezing, baking soda/vinegar (they love to watch the balloon
inflate). We then take a tour around the school and look for signs of
each type of change. Students must identify the change and explain why
it fits the criterion. When the subject allows we will include a video
and field trip, always relating what we see and do to the real world.
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When we study simple machines and motion, we always make
examples of the machines, look for other examples in the tools we use
and, each year, we participate in the GM World in Motion program in
which the students work with engineers to make and test a car. The field
trips that go with that have been the Rouge Plant and the Walter Reuther
Museum in Auburn Hills (conveniently paid for through one of their grants).
As part of our environmental studies we participate in the Rouge Project
that provides teacher training, student training and equipment. Making
it relevant is what we do.
Measurement
One clear measurement of the success of our program has been the increase
in our MEAP scores. We have increased our scores steadily for the past
six years. I have also seen a great change in student attitude. We recently
filled out a questionnaire for GM on student feelings about science.
When I get them in 3rd grade it is often the class they claim to like
the least. According to the results we are seeing from this profile,
70% of the class has named science as one of their favorite classes
and claimed that they felt competent in the subject. Twenty percent
gave it the highest rate possible with regard to their interest in the
subject.
Challenges
The main challenges we face at Higgins include low reading ability,
poverty, poorly educated parents and transience. My students’
reading results last year on the MEAP showed a twenty percent passing
rate. In my current fifth grade class, out of 25 students, none reads
at grade level. Parents often complain that they cannot help their children
with homework because they don’t understand the material. The
culture of poverty and lack of education creates habits that hinder
the education process, such as poor attendance and negative attitudes
toward school. Also, only eight of these students have been here since
Kindergarten. The rest have changed schools at least twice, with six
having changed schools more than three times. |
