Science Rotations in the Primary Classroom

My colleagues and I decided earlier in the school year to teach our science content as a team. In my building we have four first grade teachers. We would use our first science unit, Weather Watchers, to rotate our first graders around four different lessons. We chose Friday as Science Day. Friday is the day we have no special classes and it makes for a very long afternoon of teaching and learning. Additionally, we have to teach this unit during the fall and winter in that it's a weather unit and many of the lessons require observing the weather and using snow (which we didn't get much of last winter here in Michigan).

Last Friday, was our first rotation day. Each of us would teach one of the first 4 lessons. I was given Lesson 1, another teacher was given Lesson 2, and so on. Each of us taught our particular lesson to our own students on Thursday. On Friday we would only need to teach 3 lessons having taught our own students the day before. One of the benefits to teaching rotation style is that each teacher needs to prepare and set up for one lesson rather than 4 different lessons. Our rotations consisted of three sessions that were 35 minutes long with a 15 minute recess in between the second and third rotation. We also scheduled in transition time of 5 minutes between each rotation. The schedule looked something like this:

Rotation 1: 1:15-1:50
Transition: 1:50-1:55
Rotation 2: 1:55-2:30
Recess: 2:30-2:50
Transition: 2:50-2:55
Rotation 3: 2:55-3:30
Transition back to homeroom: 3:30-3:35

 Our first rotation day was exhausting!  There were some things to consider and a few minor problems to work out.  I've listed them below:

• Two of the teachers didn't have their students wear name tags-Interacting with students is more difficult when you don't know their names.
• One of the teachers sent her students with pencils-The kids were playing with them during my lesson and were very distracted.
• Behavior was not at it's best.  Students interrupted the lesson because they wanted to use the bathroom, some were arguing over where they would sit, and several were playing around and not following directions.
• We have a lot of content to teach in 35 minutes and every minute counts.

Honestly, I wanted to throw in the towel.  It would be so much easier to teach my own students and a lot less stressful.  However, I'm not one to give up so easily.  I had committed to trying the rotations and I wanted to see this through to the end.  What we needed was to make a few adjustments.  These are the adjustments we made prior to our second rotation day:

• Everyone would remember to have name tags for their students.
• Each of us would have our students use the bathroom prior to rotation time.
• Students would not come with pencils since each of us have plenty in our classrooms
• We would provide students with an incentive to maintain good behavior during the rotations

What would that incentive be?  McGregor Bucks!

What are McGregor Bucks and how do they work?

We have a school-wide behavior program already in place.  In that plan, student get guiding reminders (4 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon) to help them monitor and regulate their behavior.  When a student receives her 4th reminder (for blurting, not following directions, disrespectful behavior, unsafe activity, etc.) they receive a Student Learning Form that is sent home and explains their reminders.  Our "McGregor Bucks" are meant to work within our behavior program.  For our Science rotations, I copied a strip of four, one dollar bills on green paper with our school name (McGregor) written on the front of each one.  We stapled the strip in the back of each students' Science Notebook.  Each time a child was given a reminder, the teacher crossed out one of the bucks.  When the students returned to their homerooms, they were given a treat or reward if they had at least 1 or 2 bucks that were not crossed off.  Treats/rewards included stickers, candy, a classroom celebration to occur on another day, etc.  I'm somewhat old school.  I gave my students a piece of candy for each McGregor Buck that was not crossed off.  All of my students got 4 pieces of candy and one of my students got 3 pieces.  My most difficult to manage student was able to redeem all 4 of his McGregor Bucks and was hooked on the Bucks from the start.  The McGregor Bucks became a visible tool to help them regulate their own behavior.

I have to say that our second Science Rotation Day was a huge success.  The students were exposed to 4 different teachers with different teaching styles, my colleagues and I have new relationships with the other first graders in our building, the students learned a lot of content and had fun in the process.  Our science rotations not only demonstrate best practices in teaching, they are also great examples of collaboration, teamwork and school community.  It's also a reminder of how important it is for educators to work smarter and not harder.  We're already working so very hard these days.  Aren't we?

How are you teaching science in your classroom, grade level, or building?  Do you have an unique way of teaching science?  Leave a comment below.  I would love your input.

THE BIG BAD TECHNOLOGY WOLF

What is the Big Bad Technology Wolf?  Who is the Big Bad Technology Wolf?  It's not really a thing.  Nor is it a person.  It's more of a state of mind.  It's the resistance you feel from others when you share some technology related information, application, or tool.  Let's face it.  Technology isn't going away.  Quite the contrary, it's becoming increasingly more a way of life.  If you are at all like me, you're so dependent on technology that you have to regroup when you are forced to do without it. I remember once a colleague's IWB had a burned out bulb.  The replacement cost was about $400.  Needless to say, it took a few weeks for her to receive a replacement.  She was so anxious during the time she was waiting to have the bulb replaced.  You would often hear her say, "How did I ever manage to teach BIWB?" (Before Interactive White Boards).  That's how much she depended on it, and how much she enjoyed using it.

Although I'm writing about technology from an educational perspective.  I think this issue has implications in other professions too.  Schools are becoming more and more technology driven as is business and society in general.  However, what concerns me is the apprehension and trepidation that some educators feel towards technology, even though we live in a world that is driven by and inundated with technology.  The implications that technology has for education is enormous.  Many students are more computer literate than their teachers.  I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing either.  I think learning is a two way street.  Naturally, students expect to learn many things from their teachers.  However, I think really good teachers try to learn something from their students too.  This is how we should look at technology.  As teachers we should embrace the idea that what we don't already know about technology, we can learn from colleagues, friends, family, and our own students.

Students approach technology with a fearless attitude, while some teachers approach it with apprehension and trepidation.  sometimes, there is not even an attempt made by teachers to make an effort, to step out into the unknown, to simply give it a try.  Isn't that what we tell our students?  To at least try!  We expect our students to trust us when we ask them to try learning new things.  However, a lot of teachers are not willing to do the same thing when it comes to technology.  If we no longer have an open mind, we are really doing our students a disservice.  When we fear technology, because embracing it causes us to step out of our comfort zone, we prevent our students from technology related learning opportunities in our classrooms.  I recently read a blog, 5 Big Education Technology Questions, Answered, written by Jeff Dunn who shares a similar sentiment.  Jeff says, "My methods of delivery and engaging students have been modified to keep up with changing technology.  We owe this to our students if they ever want gainful employment upon graduation.  We as instructors need to step outside our comfort zones and do them this service."
Friends, we can't allow fear to prevent us from being the best we can be as educators.  What many teachers can't seem to live without, others see as The Big Bad Technology Wolf.  Don't fear technology, be fearless!

WRITE IT DOWN!

As I prepare myself for the beginning of another school year, I have a million thoughts swimming around in my head. It's like filling a teacup with a fire hose.  My thoughts range from new ways to arrange my classroom to the best ways to engage above-grade level readers.  Many of you are planning to incorporate new structures and strategies from The Daily 5 and the Literacy CAFE.  Many of us are anticipating the thrill of blogging with our students for the first time.  Other fortunate teachers, I'm extremely jealous of this bunch, are in the process of unpacking new iPads for their students as we speak.

The last days of summer seem to be speeding right by.  Okay, some of you have already started the school year, and are probably tired of hearing the rest of us lamenting over summer.  Forgive me, but sometimes it's ALL ABOUT ME!  Or, that's what I tell myself from time to time.  As we prepare for a new school year, and as our classrooms and curriculum maps start to take shape on paper or at least in our minds, what's next on our To-Do lists?  WRITE IT DOWN!

Over the summer, I purchased a new journal.  This is not to say that I have never kept a journal before, because I have.  Whenever I attempt something new or major, that I expect to have a positive impact on my teaching, I keep reflection notes about it.  After every new lesson, activity, or instructional piece, I try to reflect on what went well, what didn't go so well, new ideas I want to incorporate next time, and things I want to change.  I plan to do those same things this year as well.   However, this year my plan is to start on the Very First Day Of School.  Additionally, I plan to use my newly purchased journal.

What I like about this journal are the writing prompts.  Yes, writing prompts are not just meant to support our students' writing endeavors, but they are helpful to adults who are trying to get their writing juices flowing too.  Each day's entry consists of two pages.  One page of writing prompts, and a second page for documentation/notes.  The writing prompts themselves are great.  Here are a few examples:  I am concerned about..., People/Students that touched my life..., Goals and ideas for a better tomorrow....  If you want to hear more you'll have to purchase one of these fantastic journals from The Write It Down! series at Journals Unlimited, Inc.  The website is http://www.journalsunlimited.com/. 

It's never too late to start a journal.  Keeping good reflection notes is a part of good teaching, regardless of which tool you use to do it.  I'm so excited about using my new journal that I couldn't wait to share it with you.  Do you keep a personal or professional journal?  I would love to hear your comments about how you use journals (for yourself/teaching) because today, it's ALL ABOUT YOU.  So, write it down!