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School District of Philadelphia Finletter Elementary School Ms. Marjorie Trapp's Classroom June 7, 2001 |
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| Students cut out pictures of the objects, make predictions...and compare the concrete objects by feel and using the balance. |
| Pasting pictures on a chart gives students a way to represent their findings. With all the students engaged in their work, Marjorie can respond to questions, clarify directions, and work with individuals and teams while still "keeping tabs" on the whole room. |
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| Classroom management at work: lots going on, everything under control. Students do some work with partners, then each makes his or her own chart; one child works independently at the computer. Visible on the back counter is a materials distribution center where children can pick up and return supplies. |
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| Sitting at the students' level, Marjorie is part of group, as she guides discussion of their results. "Do the ball and the spoon weigh the same?" "Is the ball the lightest?" "One team says the spoon is the lightest, and the "brick" [block] is heaviest. How many agree?" "Some found out something different…" Talking about their results leads students to think about reasons they might have differences, and help them further develop their ideas about these important science concepts of balance and weight. |
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Along with conducting their on-going study of balance and weight, Marjorie's students also constructed and experimented with equipment, made comparisons, recorded observations, used mathematical symbols, developed problem-solving strategies, worked cooperatively, and communicated their ideas in a variety of ways—and this is only what we observed in one short session! Using the kit, Marjorie felt, enabled her to give her students exposure to ideas and experiences they wouldn't otherwise have had. Seeing her thoughtful, thorough approach to the new unit was a very informative and enjoyable experience for her KSN visitors as well. |
Go back to Classroom Experiences.
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| The Franklin Institute gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the National Science Foundation and Unisys Corporation. | |||
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The Franklin Institute is the Demonstration Site for the
Eisenhower
Mid-Atlantic Consortium, providing science and math
resources for teachers.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 9819641. © 2003. All rights reserved.
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