Science at LeRoy

At LeRoy the science curriculum is very much integrated into the math unit. Mrs. Holtke teaches them simultaneously. I am unsure how I feel about this. I like how they are connected. However, I think there is a time and place for it. Yes, they can be integrated. However, there should strictly be a time for math and science. Similarly, I have noticed a pattern not just with math and science but also with social studies and reading workshop

 Additionally, LeRoy divides teaching science and social sctudies. They teach science for a month and then switch back to social studies. After observing this I definitely do not like this. I think science and social studies should both be taught every week. I think it confuses the students. It confuses the students because they have to switch their way of thinking completely. If I were a student this would put me over the edge.

Currently, science is being taught in the Third Grade curriculum. Mrs. Hotkey is teaching the students about simple machines. This is what I taught my science lesson on. I taught the students about the lever. I really liked teaching this lesson. It was fun and interactive. It was interactive because I had the students hold up their arm and bend it up and down. I explained to them that their elbow was the fulcrum and their arm was the lever. I believe this really stuck with them because it is something they can feel, see and touch.

Also, in my lesson I showed a Brain Pop video. The kids loved this. The video told them specifically about the lever and the fulcrum. It showed different examples like a seesaw, scissors a broom and a shovel. The kids really understood the seesaw. This is because they have played on a seesaw multiple times. They have seen it on the playground since they have been little. After showing the video I created a PowerPoint video that I showed about different levers. I asked them what part was the fulcrum and why it was a lever. For the last part of my lesson I had the kids draw different types of levers and a type of fulcrum. They liked this because it was visual. Lastly, kids like to draw.

Mrs. Holtke gave me lots of praise for implementing my lesson. She said I did a good job showing how simple machines are a unit in science. This boosted my confidence and makes me want to teach science more in the future,

In the future when I teach science I hope to teach it every week. I think science is fun and interactive. I believe it is the subject that allows students too use their minds in a way that is different from every subject. They have to make predictions and plan objects out. They need to work together and implement science. Furthermore, if children are good at science this will help them on standardized tests. I believe this because science pushes students to think outside the box.

LeRoy does a good job at teaching science. However, I think they can do better. They need to make it a part of the weekly schedule.