WEEKS 9 AND 10
So, what is energy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW0_S5YpYVo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKJifzlOSoQ
According to the Oxford dictionary, energy is “a source of power, such as fuel, used for driving machines, providing heat etc.” (Oxford Dictionary, 2019) In our morning lecture, I learned new things I didn’t previously know about energy. I also heard some information I already knew, which was a good recap. As a generation, we depend highly on fossil fuels for things such as:
- Generation of electricity – coal, oil and gas
- Transport fuels – petrol, diesel and petroleum gas
- Cooking and heating – natural gas
- Plastics – polythene, pvc and polyurethane
However, as future teachers, it is important that we teach young people how much fossil fuels are damaging their world. By 2040, 59% of our total energy use will be fossil fuels. (Business Standards, 2015) We need to educate young people on how they can reduce that figure, for example, finding new ways to generate electricity, power vehicles and make materials. As a result of our dependence on fossil fuels, amongst other things, global warming has become a major area of concern. The temperature of the earth has risen by 1 degree in the past 100 years, which has resulted in the ice caps melting. This is an ongoing issue, with global polar bear populations likely to decline by 30% over the next 30 to 50 years. Although it’s important for us to educate young people on the effects of renewable and non-renewable energy, we have to ensure that our lessons are enjoyable.
Which leads me on to our science workshop, where we completed a range of energy and fossil related activities. We began by completing a Fossil Fuels Quiz in teams, this was a good activity as it made us aware of what we already know about fossil fuels. Then, when we were given the answers, the ones we got wrong created discussion within our groups. The previous week in our science workshop, we created dinosaur fossils which we were given back this week to see how they had turned out. I think this was a simple, yet exciting and enjoyable activity which could be done within a classroom with pupils. Our table in the science workshop were working on creating dinosaur finger puppets.
I really enjoyed this workshop with Louise, we were focusing on windfarms and working in two teams to debate with each other for and against windfarms. To begin we were required to research windfarms in small groups of 4, this was effective as It meant we could all communicate as the group wasn’t too big. This then led us on to join up with another group of 4, where we had to share the information we had learned. Finally, we joined with another group, where we were told whether we were debating for or against, my group got for. Five members of each group all went up to the front and debated against each other. Although I wasn’t one of the ones debating, I still gained a lot from this workshop.
Working towards the UWS graduate attributes, this experience helped me become more collaborative and a more effective communicator. I was able to work with our groups as they got bigger and could express my ideas. Using the Brookfield, S (1995) Model of Reflection, I realised that it is important that I am an effective communicator. I often struggle with confidence, however, activities like todays debate, help me to come out of my comfort zone. As a student teacher, it is necessary that I am able to communicate effectively with pupils. Which will in turn, encourage them to be effective communicators, benefitting their lives in and out of school.
During our second week, we focused on technology. I was in the section where we were given set instructions to follow and materials to make a car that could move without us pushing it. This was such a great laugh and I feel like it really brought us all together, I was able to speak to people I wouldn’t normally speak to, as cars were flying across the room. This experience really makes me think about being in the classroom, I tried to consider ways I could teach pupils about energy while having this much fun. I remembered being on placement, during one of my serial days, the children were learning about Newton’s Thirds Law of motion, which is that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. In the classroom, we were using balloons to represent this law, by showing that as you let the balloon go air rushes out causing the balloon to shoot up. This was exactly what we were doing in this workshop, in order to make our car move. We blew up two balloons and held them at the back of the car so that when we air rushed out and the balloon tried to shoot back, the force would make the car move. Some of the CFE skills the pupils would develop are:
- Skills in using tools, equipment, software and materials
- Skills in collaborating, leading and interacting with others
- Discussion and debate
- Evaluating products, systems and services
(Scottish Government, nd)
Overall, I’m really looking forward to teaching energy. I think it’s very important for children to learn about, however, it’s equally as important for our lessons to be fun so the children will remember them. I had a look at some CFE Experiences and Outcomes and a couple I found that I think I would base my lessons around are:
‘Through exploring non-renewable energy sources, I can describe how they are used in Scotland today and express an informed view on the implications for their future use’ SCN 2-04b
‘I am aware of different types of energy around me and can show their importance to everyday life and my survival’ SCN 1-04a
References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW0_S5YpYVo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKJifzlOSoQ
Oxford Dictionary. 2019. Energy. [Online] Available: https://www.oxford learnersdictionaries.com [Accessed 14 November 2019]
Scottish Government (n.d.) Curriculum for Excellence. Technologies Principles and Practice. [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/technologies.pp.pdf[Accessed 15 November 2019]
Education.gov.scot. (2019) Curriculum for Excellence: Sciences. [Online] Available:https://education.gov.scot/Documents/sciences-eo.pdf[Accessed 15 November 2019]
University of the West of Scotland (2018) UWS Graduate Attributes [Online] Available: https://www.uws.ac.uk/current-students/your-graduate-attributes/[Accessed: 15 November 2019]
Brookfield, S. (1995). Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. San-Francisco: Jossey-Bass
