Category Archives: 2.1 Curriculum

Room on the Broom

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During one of our Early Years Mathematics lectures, we were asked to share with an activity which included the use of a picture book that could be used in an early years classroom. The activity I have come up with would help children learn ordinal numbers. It includes the children remembering the order of which the animals got on the broom. The teacher would promote the idea of the witch being first on the broom. The cat being second and so on.

This activity could be tackled in many ways:

–          As a class – the teacher could have print outs of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th and pictures of the witch and the animals for the children to match up.

–          Individually/In pairs – the same idea except on one piece of paper and to be matched up either by drawing lines or colouring the boxes the same colour. Doing this activity in pairs would encourage the children to communicate using the words first, second, third, etc.

The activity can be made more interactive by making a broom and finger puppets (Parker, no date) but I feel that this would be difficult to control and be challenging to support each child individually. Instead a previously made broom and finger puppets would be effective for the teacher to use and explain. If possible one for each table would be beneficial as it could be used as a prop if children are struggling.

By placing the finger puppets on the broom, it would give the teachers the opportunity to assess the children’s understanding of the order. She could ask individual children which animal is 3rd on the broom. By doing it this way, the children are not simply repeating the animals in the same order and will help with recognition.

 

Reference

Parker, C. (no date) Room on the Broom – Learning Ordinal Numbers. Available at: http://rainydaymum.co.uk/room-on-the-broom-learning-ordinal-numbers/

Why use Nursery Rhymes

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5 currant buns in a baker’s shop

Round and fat with a cherry on the top

Along came (choose a child)

With a penny one day

Bought a currant bun and took it away

4 currant buns in a baker’s shop

And so on

There is a large amount of mathematical language used in this nursery rhyme

Five – introduced numbers and counting. The idea of subtraction is introduced when one is taken away and it becomes four currant buns.

Round – Introduces the idea of shape, the currant bun is circular.

Penny – introduces the idea of money.

Took it away – reinforces the idea that the number will get smaller as one has been removed.

Being able to include the children into the song will increase motivation and involvement. It will also introduce a visual element. The teacher could have money for the child to collect and give to her in return for an item. Having the other four items on the table would help children understand the concept of 5-1=4

Before this lecture, I hadn’t thought about the use of nursery rhymes in early years. I can’t remember singing nursery rhymes in Primary 1 but I remember singing them in Primary 2. My teacher made a point of having us sing, she taught us some common nursery rhymes but also some older more unusual nursery rhymes which I still remember to this day.

While doing work experience in a Canadian school over the summer, I volunteered with early years. I spend most of my time with an ASN class with children in Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten. In the morning, when the children came in they were given some tasks to do which were the same every day. One was to listen to a song, all of which were nursery rhymes. The children all sang or moved along to them and now that I think back to it, many of them included a mathematical element to them.

Nursery rhyme introduces the idea of sequences to children. They include numbers, counting and other maths words such as size and weight all of which children have to learn (KBYU Eleven, 2010). It allows children to learn to count both forwards and backwards.

I feel that it is important to sing nursery rhymes with children in the early years as it helps with their mathematical, language and cognitive development. Some children will not have parents who sing with them so it is important that they are given this opportunity to learn as well. Nursery rhymes is an easy way to get all children involved and learning without them even realising it.

 

References

KBYU Eleven (2010) Rhymes are readers: The importance of Nursery Rhymes. Available at: http://www.kbyutv.org/kidsandfamily/readytolearn/file.axd?file=2011%2F3%2F2+Rhymers+are+Readers-Why+Important.pdf

 

 

Science Experiment – Reflection

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We conducted a science experiment to see if the height of which an object was dropped would affect the speed of which it would fall.

The dependent variable was the height and the independent variable was the type, weight and material of the ball, the force of which it was being dropped at, and the surface it was being dropped on.

To select our dependent and independent variable, we used planning sheets which I found very effective as it ensured you that all aspects were covered to make the experiment as controlled as possible. I feel that this would be beneficial for children as it allows them to recognise the elements which need to be considered. This would help clear any confusion the children may have on the experiment which would ensure that the experiment runs as smoothly as possible.

We then predicted what would happen in the experiment. By having the children predict what will happen during the experiment will create a discussion between the children as to why they believe this will happen. This is a key time for teachers to ask open questions as to why the child believes this.

Once we completed the experiment and looked at the results, we instantly noticed a trend that the higher the ball was held the longer it took to hit the ground, this is what we predicted. We portrayed our results in a graph and a table. It is important for children to record their data so that they can begin to develop the skill of recording data and being able to interpret it. It is essential at this stage that the children have recently completed graph work in mathematics or children may not know or remember how to draw a graph. This is where the link between mathematics and science becomes most apparent.

We concluded that the higher the object is dropped at, the longer it takes to hit the surface. By making children conclude their experiment, it will show if they have been able to stay on task and see if their results match their predictions.

Science Literacy Essay

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Scientific Literacy

When one is scientifically literate, they will realise and understand the scientific ideas and methods required to take part in everyday life. Throughout our lifetimes we regularly hear stories about many different issues around the world, such as global warming and new medicines and drugs that have been invented to apparently improve the quality of life. As a scientifically literate person, one must be able to answer things that they question by investigating the answer. These questions come from our inquisitiveness in everyday life.

Scientific literacy suggests that a person can recognise scientific concerns underlying local and national choices and express positions that are scientifically and technologically informed. One who is scientifically literate can display positions that are scientifically and technologically well-versed. They are also able to look at scientific statements and evaluate them by studying their source and procedures, and use this in such a way that they can then put forward arguments to reach a conclusion.

Being science literate means not believing the first thing you hear before you have surrounding evidence to the fact. In 2002, BBC news reported that German scientists had found out that blonde hair would become extinct within the next 200 years as it is a recessive trait. It stated that for “a child to have blonde hair, it must have the gene on both sides of the family in the grandparent’s generation” (BBC News, 2002)

The New York Times, found out later that year that no actual study had been done. Despite this revelation, the study continued to be cited in publications right up until 2006.

This sparked a panic and instantly everyone knew about this, though it was only one study, which turns out to not have even happened. Therefore, you should not trust any fact unless you find more than one reliable study to support the evidence presented in the fact.

I believe that it is important to teach children how scientific experiments can sometimes be “fixed” to derive a preferred outcome. This, is often to fool people into believing something that isn’t true. For example, on the 1st April 1957 the BBC aired a ‘Panorama’ programme which hoaxed thousands of viewers to believing that spaghetti was grown on trees in Switzerland which, anyone who is scientifically illiterate would testify isn’t scientifically possible. For children to develop the knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts so that they are able to challenge facts they believe aren’t correct then we, as teachers, must teach fair testing throughout the scientific curriculum. I believe that it’s important to enforce to children that they cannot just take the conclusion from their first experiment which they only carry out once. For reliable results they must repeat the experiment several times to ensure that their conclusions are correct. Thus, building their scientific literacy.

 

BBC NEWS (2002) Blondes ‘to die out in 200 years’ Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2284783.stm (accessed 26/01/16)

BBC NEWS (1957) BBC Fools the Nation Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/1/newsid_2819000/2819261.stm (Accessed: 8/02/16)

Science Goals

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Personally, I feel that I need to refresh myself with the science topics tackled in Primary School. Therefore, I have created some SMART targets to complete before placement to ensure that I feel confident while teaching science on my placement.

S – Specific

To refresh my memory on the water cycle. To learn in depth the different stages of the cycle so that I feel comfortable when teaching this to the upper stages as I understand that challenging questions may be asked especially as the children will be curious.

M – Measurable

I want to be able to explain all stages of the water cycle in depth.

A – Achievable

This is something which I feel that I can achieve as it is something that children on my placement may be learning.

R – Relevant

This is relevant because it is part of the curriculum it is in the Plant Earth, Processes of the Earth section of Science Experiences and Outcome (Scottish Government, 2009) My placement is with Primary 7 so they should be able to :

“Apply my knowledge of how water changes state to help me understand the processes involved in the water cycle in nature over time” (Scottish Government (2009) p. 263)

T – Timely

I aim to achieve this goal by placement

 

Reference

Scottish Government (2009) Curriculum for Excellence, Experiences and outcomes for all curriculum areas

Available at: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/all_experiences_outcomes_tcm4-539562.pdf

More Science Experiments in Primary Schools

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I feel that science is often a subject which is limited a lot in primary school. You leave primary 7, possibly having only done 2 or 3 experiments a year if that to having science about 3 times a week and getting to do an experiment every week. I used to enjoy science in secondary school. I enjoyed the written part of it anyway, I just wasn’t that interested in the experiment aspect. It just came with too much fear.

“Your hair might catch fire”

“Don’t turn the gas on until you have the flame on a match stick”

The rules worried me. This was made worse when the gas chamber broke half way through a science experiment and we all had to evacuate the building. Of course people started getting dramatic.

“My head hurts”

“I feel sick”

“I’m going to faint”

That was enough for me. I’ll just stick to the theory, well that was my aim. But instead the teachers insisted that I was good at science. I got my Silver crest award and my Go4set. I went to the Big Bang Competition twice and represented my school three times at different chemistry events including a chemistry event at Dundee University when I was in Second Year. Therefore when it came to picking our subjects in third year, many teachers got a shock when I chose Physics and then all other social subjects.

I feel that this fear could have been avoided if I had done more experiments at an early age. I was quite mature when I went to high school and would worry about things such as injuring myself more than I would have in primary school. Primary school children love getting involved and have no fear, which isn’t always a good thing. Many children are visual learners and find it easier to understand things when they see them. Therefore I find science experiments an effective way to do this.

 

My Initial view of maths

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Throughout Primary, Maths was definitely the subject I felt most confident it. However, I did feel that the time spent doing maths was limited. During P6, we decided to try mixing classes to do maths. Six other pupils in my class and I went through to Primary 7 and about 15 Primary 7s went through to my class. The children in the Primary 7 classroom were the children who enjoyed maths most and were also in the top sets. This definitely helped with my enjoyment of maths as I was in an environment where everyone else enjoyed maths. The primary 7 teacher was also very passionate about maths which I felt helped.

During work experience, I saw many teachers teaching maths in a variety of different ways with a variety of different ages and abilities. I noticed that the more enthusiastic the teacher was about maths, the more engaged and interested the children were. I volunteered weekly at my local primary school class, I noticed that some of the children who struggled with Maths were taken away by a fellow teacher for an hour to do some extra maths work. I went along with her one day and notice that they played games and she had a very active approach with them. The children enjoyed this and tried harder. During class activities which involved maths, the children in this group would often sit quietly and be less willing to answer questions compared to when they were in smaller groups.

I read an article in the guardian by Sally Weale where she speaks about following the teaching approach adopted in Shanghai. I disagree with this approach as it is about staying on one aspect of maths until every child has a full understanding. I feel that this would put a lot of pressure on the children who struggle in maths. They go into depth about the matter which although I feel is important, it can often cause confusion for the children who don’t fully understand the work. It could lead to the other children who do understand the work becoming bored as they wait on fellow students to understand the maths. I feel that using this approach occasionally would be beneficial as it may lead to children helping others to develop an understanding of the topic from a different perspective though I feel if this happened too often the children would become bored and less willing to help.

Reference

Weale, S. (2015) Shanghai teaching method ‘could improve UK results within four years’ Available at:http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/nov/26/shanghai-teaching-method-could-improve-uk-results-within-four-years (accessed: 21st January 2016)

Animation

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Tim The Turtle

This is the video that three other students and I created during the animation workshop.

After the workshop, I went straight to work and showed everyone my video. They laughed but admitted that it was good. The following day, I went back home and visited my grandparents. My 10 year old cousin goes to their house on a Wednesday after school so I went and picked her up. Back at my gran’s house, she took off her jacket and instantly sat herself in front of the TV. I showed her the video, slightly unsure of her reaction.

“Wow, did you really do that?” She asked and I nodded. She was intrigued to find out how I did it. I explained it to her and then got my gran’s laptop. I downloaded Pivot for her and she sat for the next 2 hours engaged on the laptop. When she finished she was so proud of her animation and my gran now tells me that this is what she does each time she comes home from school.