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Weird science...
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23 May 2002
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Today was spent, for the most part, doing Science. It’s already been a crazy fourth quarter, as many fourth quarters are apt to be. It’s a mixture of catching up on things, reviewing concepts that perhaps were less than grasped the first (or second or third) time around.
The first hour of the day was mine. We did some creative writing, which felt great! I love having my kids write, and I know they enjoy it, too. Besides, the more they write, the better they get. It’s bound to happen. It was quiet, and it let me get my thoughts together for the rest of the day. I knew I wouldn’t be having any other time to do that.
We three third-grade teachers decided to rotate the kids; we’d each teach a lesson on matter or light, and the students would move from one of us to another. We don’t do that often, swapping kids, so it’s a nice change. Not only for us, but the kids get a chance to see that the other teachers are just as strict about the same rules, and we expect the same kind of behavior. It sort of combats that “the grass is greener on the other side” syndrome. Fortunately, most of my kids love being in my class, and they let me know that with cards and letters and pictures and little gifts. ;-) It’s so good to be a teacher! Usually if a student wants to be in someone else’s class, it’s because their buddy is in there. Kids at this age are pretty loyal to the teacher that they have. Yay. That is a good reason to teach elementary! Heheh.
My lesson was a fun one. I usually get stuck with the one that I, of course, think is great (writing), but the kids think is a chore. The other teachers do some kind of art or fun project, so mine, in their opinion, is actual *work*. This time I chose to do a lesson in matter using “oobleck”, or glop. It’s made with water and cornstarch. It’s so interesting. The students get into it right away because they are able to “get down and dirty” by sticking their fingers in the oobleck. We discuss the properties of the substance, and then I ask them if they think it’s a solid or a liquid. It stumps a lot of kids because of the way it works. They get dirty. That’s the real appeal!
Many of them see it and say, “Ewwwww. I’m not touching that stuff!” It’s fun to hear their groans at first when I tell them that everyone will be touching it. But once they stick their fingers in it the first time, their expressions are priceless. The shouts of glee and excitement are worth the bad days that we sometimes must endure.
Each teacher had a 55-minute time period to teach her lesson. After two rounds, we broke for lunch, returning to the last round after lunch recess. Then, after the very last recess, we went on to yet another activity—atoms and molecules. We created oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon atoms with modeling clay. Tomorrow we will finish up the lesson by creating molecules.
It was a good day today—very, very busy, but good.
I am being set up by my own parents, mostly my father. Yes, it’s true. My father plays music with this man, and he’s been telling the guy about me. Good grief. How pathetic is this??? I live well over 2,000 miles from my family yet my father is still “looking for Mr. Right” for me. That’s just wrong. No doubt about it. My email has been given, but the gentleman want to write a real letter; it’s more personal, don’t ya know! This is what I have to look forward to when I go home for a visit this summer. ;-)
15 school days left!
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