Science at Leon Springs in my 3rd grade classroom!

Its 1:00 o'clock and we are ready to learn social studies/science!

I am assigned to Mrs. Nevin's 3rd grade classroom! Just amazing to be there :)

All the students went to grab their Social Studies book for their first time in their school year...
 They were so happy to learn about Social Studies/Science.

Their science book!
(It will not be used anymore for now )

The teacher wanted them to meet her in the reading center and to open their textbooks to pg. 208. The lesson was about "Explorers." The first thing she wanted them to do was look up the word explorers in the glossary. After asking them where they could find words and their meanings in a textbook. She let a student read the definition to the whole class. Then, started to ask them questions about what is the importance of an explorer and which people around them or in the world can be considered explorers. She always used the best technique in asking questions. Then, she wanted them to go to page. 210 and there was a map of how Christopher Columbus sailed his route into the new world. She opened a discussion about discoveries and what may Columbus found on his way. Once she reads any important information, she makes sure the students are following with her using their finger, so they don't loose track while reading. She always selects different students to read and always asks for their intrepretations before giving any answer. Then, the children had to think about who they think are explorerers to them; some of their answers were: scientists, themselves-because they get to discover things in their backyards, doctors. She automatically linked her lesson to Language Arts by telling them, "If you remember in reading, we use a method called cause&effect and asked the children, what causes explorers to explore and mentioned for every cause is an effect. For instance, "What caused Columbus to want to find a new route (land)? Before she gave them the answer. She made her discovery seem a secret. She said, "Let me tell you Columbus's secret. The students found that as so interesting that they just wanted to listen more to the teacher.  The secret  (answer) is that some of things that Columbus found to be valuable were some items that can be found in your own kitchen cupboards. In addition, she mentioned in Columbus's time, some of the precious things like: herbs, spices, gold, salt, etc... The students were astonished, they thought that some of the things he found were money or much more...  By the way she wanted reiterate from where Columbus traveled she would show them on the globe in the class or tell them to use their finger and follow the dotted lines where his destination was China.




  She told them we will be doing an activity, (investigation) so she wanted them to go back to their seats. The activity was based on students will be put in their groups and have 5 items in (pretty buckets- thought it was a cool idea how she put them in) and each item was placed for 1 group. Then, they would rotate, but she tells them which tables to go toand how much time they would have. She told them to use their senses, to hear, taste (if they wanted- but the kids were smart enough to read and to know what to taste and what not to taste), smell, touch, and hear).Their activity was a hands-on activity and the students found it very engaging to actually live the experience Columbus did. At the end, she told them "tomorrow we would look  at pictures of famous explorers and scientists did, and predict (guess) what they were, write about them in our science journals." Overall, they took out their colonialization and exploration vocaulary list and highlighted the terms they learned for lesson they learned. They highlighted explorer, explore, fleet, history, historian, intermidiate directions and put it back in their Social Studies folder. Most importantly, the students were so happy about the lesson, they just wanted to ask my teacher so many questions as they were walking out for recess time. So my teacher shared that Columbus was buried in Spain and she got to see his tomb. But, the students were like: "Did you get to see his head?, his body?... It was funny and interesting to see their curiousity...

The 5 items were: paprika, salt, pepper, cinamon, parsley (a substitue for an item she couldn't find. I believe was basil or oregano-herbs)

I, for a fact learned and got to see how social studies and science are now combined as one subject. I thought that was very fun to see. I personally thought these two subjects would never be combined. It was something new to teach for my CT and she told me it would be a great experience for you to learn as well. In addition, abiding by the curriculum was her task which she believes needs to completed. I loved to see that nothing would be considered as hard unless you personally make it to be.

I, again, enjoyed my time there not only to watch this lesson, but being there is certainly the place I consider as my dream career.


(An awesome plant to have in classroom- it is a Flip Flap Flower solar toy that moves under sunlight, the children are always amazed by it to see how it moves when the sun hits on it!!)