Each child begins the year with a large composition book. These investigations ultimately lead to a meaningful understanding of the content being presented. The journal becomes the place for documenting observations, writing questions, and suggesting inquiries. These journals become part of each child's portfolio, which is shared with parents during conference periods, and then become my source of evidence as to whether science standards have been met. Learning how to observe Throughout the school year, I guide my class through a number of activities designed to develop their observational skills.
Students begin by making miniature ecosystems from clear, two-liter soda bottles.
First, we cut off the top five inches of the bottle. Then students fill the bottoms of their bottles with an inch or two of small pebbles, a sprinkle of aquarium filter charcoal, three to four inches of garden soil, and two or three backyard plants such as ferns, baby tears, and grasses. Water is added until the soil is moist, and the cut-off top of the bottle is put back in place to cover each little terrarium. When the terrariums are ready, they are placed on the windowsills so that they get enough light. Then students draw pictures showing what the newly-planted ecosystems look like.