It's funny to think how much I've changed in just one year. The first thing I did after I taught my first lesson as a final year was reflect on how my lesson went. That is something I dreaded doing as a first year, but I've realized truly how important reflecting is. My CT has given me much of the responsibility of science in her classroom and my first lesson was teaching my students how to make observations. In my lesson, I started by stating the essential question and objective. I then asked the students to think to themselves what it means to make an observation and how do scientists make observations. After they thought to themselves for a minute or two, I had them turn and talk with a partner about their thoughts. Then I brought them back as a whole group. I called on some students to get an understanding of what they thought observations were and they said things like "what we see" or "looking at something" and I had to explain that we observe with all of our senses. I also explained to them that when scientists observe the record their observations onto a data collection sheet. I modeled with a pair of scissors how to start the data collection sheet so my students would know what they would be doing. I looked at the scissors and started with number one, what color is your object and I recorded: red and grey. Then the next question was, what is the shape of your object: I explained how the blade could be a triangle and the handles were ovals. After I modeled how to use the data collection sheet and how to observe my object, I showed the students how to properly and safely use the scientific tools. I was allowing them to use a ruler and a magnifying glass. After I modeled all that I think my students needed to know and kept my teaching time within range, I had the students put their head down silently as I passed out their data collection worksheets. As they put their name and date on them, my CT came around with their object (a cotton ball) to observe. I told them previously in my modeling that the tools were only to be used on question #7 and I made sure by asking the same question, "What number are the tools used on?" and had 3 students separately answer #7. When the students were on question 5 of their worksheet, that is when my CT and I started to distribute the tools to cause less distractions.
I thought at this point the lesson was running really smoothly and I was so proud of myself with how I planned for passing out tools, getting transitions to run well, and then the questions started flowing. As the students went through the questions hands were being raised left and right all asking me similar questions around similar times. Students started asking what does this question mean, what does that question mean. For example, the students didn't know the word odor meant smell or texture meant how something feels or when it said record any additional observations, they didn't know what additional meant. I was answering so many of the same questions and it was frustrating me. When the students had finished and my CT and I had collected their tools and worksheets. I started to reflect on how my lesson had gone. I realized that I shouldn't have gotten internally frustrated with all the questions because my poor students didn't know what the words meant and that was my fault for not going over what each questions was asking for. During the planning of this lesson, I should've made note that students may not understand words such as odor, texture, and additional. It is a process transitioning from planning for 5th grade to planning for 3rd grade because in fifth grade the students know what those words mean, so I didn't even think about checking over the wording in the questions. It was my mistake and I'm so glad know that the kids were asking me what the words meant in order to understand the question. That was my reflection from my first lesson and it made me a better lesson planner and teacher because of it.
I thought at this point the lesson was running really smoothly and I was so proud of myself with how I planned for passing out tools, getting transitions to run well, and then the questions started flowing. As the students went through the questions hands were being raised left and right all asking me similar questions around similar times. Students started asking what does this question mean, what does that question mean. For example, the students didn't know the word odor meant smell or texture meant how something feels or when it said record any additional observations, they didn't know what additional meant. I was answering so many of the same questions and it was frustrating me. When the students had finished and my CT and I had collected their tools and worksheets. I started to reflect on how my lesson had gone. I realized that I shouldn't have gotten internally frustrated with all the questions because my poor students didn't know what the words meant and that was my fault for not going over what each questions was asking for. During the planning of this lesson, I should've made note that students may not understand words such as odor, texture, and additional. It is a process transitioning from planning for 5th grade to planning for 3rd grade because in fifth grade the students know what those words mean, so I didn't even think about checking over the wording in the questions. It was my mistake and I'm so glad know that the kids were asking me what the words meant in order to understand the question. That was my reflection from my first lesson and it made me a better lesson planner and teacher because of it.