EDU 312 Session 5: Elementary Science Classroom

Planning for Instructional Science Activities 1.Try it yourself first. 2.Consider any safety precautions that might be appropriate. 3.Discuss the activity before the children start to work. 4.Show connections to prior lessons. 5.Demonstrate first, if necessary. 6.Be very specific and very structured, if necessary.

Planning for Instructional Science Activities 6.Be sure your directions are clear and complete. 7.Have all materials ready. 8.Do not distribute materials until you have completed all introductions and directions. 9.Try to anticipate what can go wrong and try to take preventative measures. 10.Act confident in “doing science.”

Classroom Management 101 All teachers, must be effective classroom managers to become effective teachers. Procedures and routines are mandatory for effective classroom management. Children with behavior problems or learning problems need structure and routine even more than the typical student. The best offense is a well planned lesson.

What are your procedures or routines for…? Bell work assignment Opening morning procedures Students entering procedures Students leaving procedures Walking in the hall procedures Procedure if student finishes early Getting the class’s attention Quieting the class procedure

What are your procedures or routines for…? Listening to/responding to questions Getting the teacher’s attention Roll taking procedure Collecting papers Distributing papers Disaster drill procedures End of class/day dismissal procedures

Safety in the Elementary Science Classroom- First Steps Survey the classroom to identify possible hazards. Meet with principal and school nurse to determine procedures for accidents in the classroom or on field trips Display emergency phone numbers in a prominent place. Review first aid procedures.

General Safety Practices Obtain a copy of your school district’s safety policies and procedures. Store equipment and materials properly. Review MSDS for “hazardous” materials. At the start of each activity, remind students about potential hazards and precautions to be taken. Limit the size of a group of students working on an investigation.

General Safety Practices Plan enough time for students to perform activities, clean up, and properly store materials. Instruct students to never taste or place in their mouths in substance used in the science laboratory setting. Instruct students to report all accidents or injuries to you immediately- no matter how small!

Specific Safety Practices Use chemical splash goggles when appropriate. Tell students to report sharp edges on mirror or glassware immediately. Keep a whisk broom and dust pan to clean up broken glass immediately and put it in a designated container. Use alcohol thermometers, not mercury ones.

Specific Safety Practices Others What are other safety practices to be followed in an elementary science classroom?

Peer Microteaching Participate in the lesson presented by your peers. Give them feedback using a PQP sheet.