Class Participation Goals
Successful participation in class involves active listening, observing and engaging in lab activities and class presentations. A great goal for every student is to contribute his/her ideas and observations to class discussions at least once a class period. Sharing ideas, cooperation, and positively recognizing the thoughts of others is important in both large class discussions and in smaller team-lab activities. Use of Wait Time 1 and 2 will keep students thinking about questions asked by Dr. B and each other.
Lab Notebook
Maintaining a neat lab book is an important part of Fourth and Fifth Grade Science. Taking notes and making sketches helps each student successfully record lab experiments and techniques. The lab book will be the primary method of documenting and keeping track of experiments and class information. A high quality lab book contains neatly written notes using appropriate capitalizations, punctuation, spelling and grammar. In addition, an excellent lab book also contains carefully sketched illustrations and neatly constructed graphs. Repeatability in science is important and a well maintained lab book containing neat notes, quality illustrations, and well thought out ideas will help each class member make the most of every exploration.
Professionalism and Citizenship:
For the safety and enjoyment of everyone in class, it is important for each student to contribute to the positive learning environment of the class. In Fourth and Fifth Grade Science, it is important to follow directions and use materials as they are intended. Proper behavior in a manner that complements the Lovett School’s code of conduct will enhance everyone’s experience. Citizenship includes helping the class by volunteering to tidy up after an experiment, exhibiting good-manners, and assisting others.
The Scientific Method and Laboratory Skills
Students in Fourth and Fifth Grade Science will approach the learning of science through the use of the Scientific Method (aka Inquiry)– using a control sample and limiting of variables. As the children engage the lessons, they will strive to hypothesize a question, test their hypothesis, observe the experiment, record their results, analyze the data, and make conclusions regarding the experiment and their hypothesis. Members of the class will also endeavor to limit variables by working systematically to experiment by changing one variable at a time.
Students will also learn and periodically demonstrate the proper use of lab materials and equipment. Whether using a triple beam balance scale, microscopes, or other pieces of class equipment, students will occasionally share their understanding of equipment or lab technique to me or to their classmates in a brief class presentation.
Successful participation in class involves active listening, observing and engaging in lab activities and class presentations. A great goal for every student is to contribute his/her ideas and observations to class discussions at least once a class period. Sharing ideas, cooperation, and positively recognizing the thoughts of others is important in both large class discussions and in smaller team-lab activities. Use of Wait Time 1 and 2 will keep students thinking about questions asked by Dr. B and each other.
Lab Notebook
Maintaining a neat lab book is an important part of Fourth and Fifth Grade Science. Taking notes and making sketches helps each student successfully record lab experiments and techniques. The lab book will be the primary method of documenting and keeping track of experiments and class information. A high quality lab book contains neatly written notes using appropriate capitalizations, punctuation, spelling and grammar. In addition, an excellent lab book also contains carefully sketched illustrations and neatly constructed graphs. Repeatability in science is important and a well maintained lab book containing neat notes, quality illustrations, and well thought out ideas will help each class member make the most of every exploration.
Professionalism and Citizenship:
For the safety and enjoyment of everyone in class, it is important for each student to contribute to the positive learning environment of the class. In Fourth and Fifth Grade Science, it is important to follow directions and use materials as they are intended. Proper behavior in a manner that complements the Lovett School’s code of conduct will enhance everyone’s experience. Citizenship includes helping the class by volunteering to tidy up after an experiment, exhibiting good-manners, and assisting others.
The Scientific Method and Laboratory Skills
Students in Fourth and Fifth Grade Science will approach the learning of science through the use of the Scientific Method (aka Inquiry)– using a control sample and limiting of variables. As the children engage the lessons, they will strive to hypothesize a question, test their hypothesis, observe the experiment, record their results, analyze the data, and make conclusions regarding the experiment and their hypothesis. Members of the class will also endeavor to limit variables by working systematically to experiment by changing one variable at a time.
Students will also learn and periodically demonstrate the proper use of lab materials and equipment. Whether using a triple beam balance scale, microscopes, or other pieces of class equipment, students will occasionally share their understanding of equipment or lab technique to me or to their classmates in a brief class presentation.