Monthly Archives: January 2017

Science Input

I always struggled with science as a child in school in both Primary and High school. I found it extremely difficult and confusing (although I did still find certain aspects which were easier enjoyable) I only took biology to study from 3^rd year onwards as this was the part of science I enjoyed the most. I carried on with biology up to higher however I had to work extremely hard to pass the course. I had an extremely good, enthusiastic science teacher who had a great love for science and made it very understandable and supported me a great deal to help me achieve my pas. Therefore, even though I found science very hard I was still able to grow a great interest especially in Biology.

On Tuesday, we had our first science input. Prior to this we were given a TDT to design a two-minute mini teach lesson. We had to choose and conduct an experiment of our choice. At first I completely panicked thinking what was I going to do and how I was going to do it. However, I recalled doing the ‘Milk, Fairy liquid and food colouring experiment ‘with my two younger brothers just before I came to university. I done the usual find an interesting experiment online one evening and decided to give it a go. Therefore, I realised this would be the best on to choose and to see if there would be any difference compared to the last time I tried it. When I done this with my brothers aged four and six, they were so amazed but so confused at the same time as was I. This made me realise the importance of researching and understanding the concepts and explanation behind an experiment. I also thought this experiment is more suitable to older children as the concepts are quite hard to understand.

Before this mini teach we were asked to complete a lesson plan.

O&E

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Learning Intentions

-We are learning why surface tension happens

-We are learning about the importance of fats in surface tension

-We are learning how to conduct an experiment in a safe manner

Success criteria

-I can explain why surface tension happens

-I can explain why milk has a great importance in this experiment

-I will understand that different variables can have an impact on my experiment and why it may turn out different each time I conduct in

-I can conduct this experiment safely

Ingredients

I will need;

-Milk (Enough to fill the surface of a small bowl)

-Food colouring (A range of colours, small droplets)

-Fairy liquid (A few small droplets

-Cotton buds

Process

Gather all the ingredients
Pour the milk into a small dish/bowl/plate
Dot the different colours of food colouring in the centre of the milk
Dip the cotton bud into some fairy liquid
Place the cotton bud in the middle of the colours and hold for a short period approx. 5 seconds
Watch what happens

During the experiment, it is essential to ask questions to the children to make them question the experiment and think about what is going on. This will spark their thinking and develop a discussion to help them understand the concepts.

Questions

The first main question which should be asked Is ‘What is going to happen?’ Prediction is key before any experiment is completed this makes them think about what is going to go on and at the end they can evaluate the process and see what happens. Prediction is a way to think about your own scientific beliefs. The whole experiment revolves around your (hypothesis) the experiment is done to see if it really is true or works like you imagined. This means you can compare your prediction to your results.

During the experiment, it is clear the colour separates and spreads across the surface of the milk. The children will see this. They are likely to be amazed and confused this is a good time to hear their ideas and start a discussion by asking ‘Why do you think the colour is spreading’ at this point they will be trying to guess and explore different things which could be happening.

After listening to their opinions start to tell them the concept and ask another question ‘such as do you know the meaning of surface tension’ This is really getting them to think and discussion can be a good way to learn about new scientific ideas.

Lastly another question involving the process could be ‘Why did this happen, is there a specific ingredient in the milk?’ This gives them a small hint to think but allows them the opportunity to reach a conclusion on this experiment.

Other questions could be less involved with science and involving art as this experiment can also be called ‘The explosion of colours’

‘Has any other colours been formed’ this may occur if you use two primary colours together they may mix together to form a secondary colour.

‘What type of patterns can you see’ This may form swirls, circles or other shapes.

So, what does happen?

This involves surface tension

Water molecules are attracted to one another but not in the air

Water molecules try to make the surface as small as possible to get as close as they can to each other

Milk is made up mostly of water

The washing up liquid is designed to break up surface tension so it can dissolve and clean fats and oils

The very first time I completed this experiment it worked perfectly, however when I practiced again the colour did spread however not patterns were made.

I am also going to set myself SMART targets for this year

Specific – I want to visit the science centre and consider an area of chemistry (As I know less about this which will help with my knowledge) I will Look into this area in great depth.

Measurable – I will create a lesson plan for a series of lessons on this topic and build up activities and experiments which could be used.

Achievable – Make sure I watch videos, do research online, practice/watch experiments, become involved in a discussion to make sure I have an understanding, discuss my ideas with those in the profession.

Relevant- Link back to Experiences and outcomes for science at the appropriate level.

Time – Ensure research is completed before I go on placement and begin to plan and bring ideas together during placement time.

Research

As I studied Biology and learned about Sir Alexander Fleming in secondary school this interested me during the input and has made me want to look further into his life as a scientist and his greatest discovery.

About Fleming himself – He was born in Ayrshire on the 6^th of August 1881. He moved to London at the age of 13 and trained as a doctor later in his life. His first degree was achieved I St Mary’s hospital medical school at the University of London. He also served in the army medical corps, then returned afterwards.

His discovery

Fleming had gone away for a month with his family. He left out a dish with staphylococcus, this became contaminated with a mould. He then realised all the bacteria had been destroyed. Due to an accident, he made a very great scientific discovery that could save lives. He initially though the bacteria were a very powerful enzyme therefore he considered this further only to realise it was an antibiotic which killed infection. This was one of the first to be discovered. He first called this mould juice but later renamed it as penicillin. He knew the importance this would have this meant he needed more people on board to help follow through with his findings. Howard Florey and Emst Chain isolated and purified the penicillin. This made it into medication form to be taken.

Dance

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dance

I was very apprehensive about the first dance input, personally I lack confidence doing activities which consider making a fool of myself in front of peers my own age. However just a few minutes into the dance input I decided to put all these feelings of fear aside as everyone was feeling the same and in the same situation. I realised I would need to be very enthusiastic especially if I was to do this with a class to keep them motivated and to allow them to learn and have fun. The children can sense a lack of confidence which would make them feel shy which would hinder their own learning experience. Therefore I completely came out of my shell for this input and loved it! I now understand it is much less foolish to act confident and enthusiastic than to remain shy as I learned something new myself during this input.

I do have a fair bit of experience with dance, however this was when I was much younger. I started dancing at the age of just 4. My first dancing experience was with ballet. I continued this weekly from the age of 4 up to the age of 14. I completed and passed exams, performed in shows. I realised I had a great enjoyment for ballet as this allowed me to have something which I see as important. As I enjoyed ballet very much I thought I would try new types of dancing including tap and jazz. Tap was an extremely difficult type of dancing to learn as it had different foot movements which I found very difficult to learn however with a great deal of practice and dedication I finally learned how it was done. I stopped dancing at the age of 14 through circumstances that could not be helped. Now looking back, I miss dance very much as this is something that took up a big part of my life and is something I would wish to take on again if I had the opportunity.

As I have not done dance for a while now I am a bit worried about teaching dance, learning dance for yourself and teaching it can be very different. I do feel that because I have some experience of dance I will find it very enjoyable to teach if I grasp the main concepts of what I must do I think eventually I will develop the confidence to teach dance. I would want to be very enthusiastic when teaching dance as I think it will be far more fun and easier to teach.

I feel I will face some challenges when it comes to teaching dance. I know as a child at school I was less confident in participating in certain actives. This may become an issue when teaching dance as not all children will want to dance in front of their peers or enjoy it. I feel I could find it difficult trying to make them become involved if they feel shy and unconfutable. Therefore, I feel a goal I could set to overcome this challenge is for me to act completely enthusiastic and teach a various range of dancing in different ways to accommodate all learners to ensure they enjoy the dancing learning experience. Creating a relaxed and fun atmosphere would help children feel much more confident. Another challenge I may face is stereotyping, Girls seem to be much more involved in dance than boys this may mean girls could be much more involved in the dancing than boys. A goal I would create would be to help children of all ages and gender explore a range of different types of dancing even those which are mainly focused on girls and help aid the understanding that all types of dancing can be fun for everyone and allow children to learn about different cultures though dance.

dance-expression

After reading the (Get Scotland dancing, A literature review, 2014) It reveals Scotland is a country which is far less involved in dance, this can come across as very disappointing. Dance can be a very important physically activity for our wellbeing and expression. Dance is a great way to for certain cultures to celebrate but it is also good for learning about a wide range of cultures. As well as being expressive dance is a very good way to exercise. It is good that dance is the fourth most common cultural activity adults participated in. As previously stated there is gender issues with dance, this is backed up by this review as it states 15% of women are likely to be involved in dance in comparison to 9% of men, this is a significant gap. Clackmannanshire the area in which I am from has a high participation in dance. 7% took part in dance as a sporting activity in the last 4 weeks and 12% took part in dance as a cultural activity in the last year (2012). Clackmannanshire is 5^th on the list. This shows my area has a high participation in dance. This review also reveals primary 7 aged girls are very likely to participate in dance. cultural-dance

The importance of relationships

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As part of the Health and Wellbeing module I have been asked to write about the importance of the first 3 years of a baby’s life and what this means for us as practitioners.

For this we were required to watch two videos which are linked below. The videos hold very similar opinions. Suzanne zeedyk talks about how human babies are born much earlier in comparison to other mammals such as dogs, this is due to evolution as babies’ heads are becoming too big for the womb which means they must be born at an earlier stage causing them to be born ‘prematurely’. This is causing the human brain to be more fragile. They need much more attention as there is so much activity going on the first years of a baby’s life which is why these few years are so important for their development. The babies brain holds a lot of importance especially in relation to their surrounding environment. brain

Suzanne further explores the idea of the close correlation between the babies’ brain and the environment in which they grow up in from birth. Unfortunately, not all children are brought up in a happy, safe and caring environment, this can have a serious impact on the child’s brain development. Suzanne goes on to explain domestic abuse in a home can have a serious impact. For a young child in this situation they are always around threats and violence therefore their brain adapts to this assuming it is normal, thinking threats are always around the corner. It is emphasised if a child is always thinking a threat is nearby they cannot focus on other important aspects of their life, one very big part which is ‘education’. For a young child experiencing domestic abuse in a family home this can cause their body to produce a stress hormone which can be damaging to their health. Due to all this going on for a child they find it much harder to create relationships with people as they become anxious. Relationships are extremely important for the child in their first years as this allows them to feel safe and loved. They also allow us to belong to a social group, they are much better for a child’s health and it is natural for us humans to connect. Therefore, due to this constant threat these children cannot have close relationships in their home which can have a damaging impact.

John Carnochan OBE has similar thoughts on this topic. He creates the idea that relationships are very important for a child in their first years of life. He also suggests that the stress hormone can have a huge impact in the way a child’s brain develops. He explains a child needs consistency in their lives and not all can receive this in their home environment. He also indicates violence has a very serious impact which can lead to children not knowing any better which can be very serious in their development.

After watching these videos, I now see it is very important as a primary practitioner to create a safe, caring environment to all children. Not all children are able to have this in their home and it is very much emphasised the importance of a child having these important relationships for good health. It is important to understand children who come from these backgrounds may act in a different way. A classroom can be an important place for a child to be free from any problems. Therefore, I see the importance of making the classroom a fun place to be. The videos have shown me that consistency in a class room is important as children should be given the opportunity to reach their full potential to allow them to succeed no matter what their family background is. As a teacher children, should be supported in this process to allow them to open up and be themselves.

It is very important as a teacher to build relationships with your pupils. It is important to build a trusting environment, children need someone in their life who they can trust, it is extremely important we listen to children and help accommodate they’re needs this is essential to allow them to feel safe and help them to achieve to their ability, achievement for a child can allow them to feel success which can help with their development and allow confidence to grow. As some children who are suffering at home may lack confidence which can have a damaging impact on their education, teachers must see this as important and build on this at the child’s pace, praise is a very good way of doing so. You must show understanding and empathy towards every child and their situation to help build this caring environment. Children should feel nurtured as this is a very important factor I relation to their health and wellbeing. pencils

It is important teachers allow all children to have new experiences as this can be fundamental for their development these new experiences can allow children to develop new skills which can have a huge impact for the rest of their lives. It is important that as a teacher we understand children learn in a variety of different ways this includes physically and mentally. Most children need play as a stimulus to help their learning and brain development. Play can help children have fun and escape difficult aspects of their lives whilst leaning at the same time. School gives children a wide range of opportunities which they wouldn’t get otherwise which can help both their physical and mental wellbeing, which is very important. play-dough

Overall, the videos have helped further my own understanding of the way in which a child’s brain develops and how important the first years are. All children experience different lives and teachers should ensure they all receive the same care and education. School may be the only place a child can feel safe and develop these important relationships and this needs to be emphasised. Education sets up a child for the rest of their lives which is why a teacher’s job is so important. We need to ensure we get it right for every child.