Today we headed out at EXACTLY 11 AM to our tetherball court observatory.
As I said in my last post, Exploring Time and Space, we have started a project connected to other schools that originated with the Mesa School District and Steven C. Clark where we are watching the rotation of the earth by looking at a shadow cast by the pole of the tetherball. All the info. on how to do this so you can even JOIN us..is on this site.
Or EMAIL smpuglisi@gmail.com
Every Tuesday we go out at 11 AM and mark where the shadow is hitting .
("See teacher right THERE")
(Eventually we will be creating the analema but let's just let that evolve...and looking at what is observed in different places on the earth)
My Sheltered Immersion First Graders were really ready this time going out. Really ready. They knew we needed the light source,
sun,
a Gnomon, the paint, brush, and careful work.
(A little bit of the hamhock in these kids )
In time we will measure these distances and will generate more math from this than you will want to read....data tables, applied measurement, calculations...leading us to many science and math concepts, discoveries and eventually into a calendar and clock which are the basis of some of my Standards.
But for today our goal was simple. Reiterate the vocabulary, mark the spot, watch the shadow move through the afternoon and then to do a connected art activity with shadows and chalk.
At around 1:30 PM I took out two boxes of sidewalk chalks and the students got on a line where I took a few photos and I asked a few questions about shadows. Just to review. They knew SO MUCH.
Then we got partners and traced each other "very carefully."
Some kids thought of funny poses.
Then in a delight filled activity they drew themselves and colored in the shapes.
In awhile I noticed how cross talk and a kind of purposeful play took over.
We were then free of arguing, of "telling," of all the negatives.
It was a kind of force...and community work sprang out.
Someone drew a house.
Then some more, then a cute lane. Someone drew a chariot.
Someone else drew a sun, a fish tank.
Then children drew all kinds of things that seemed to fit their feelings and their dialogs.
The talk was so rich I was kicking myself for not filming it.
Best negotiating and shared dialog I've seen yet.
The children stood back and looked. We got back on our original spots.
Sure enough they said the shadows would be moved over, and they were.
YES
The earth has been rotating.
One child said, "Why don't we fall off?" Another yelled out, "Gravity." I kind of stood there. Then they looked at me looking at them.
Yeah. I said we need to study that too.
Yeah they said , "We LOVE to find out how things work."
Yeah. Me too.
We came in and all had a popsickle to celebrate. Dora the Explorer Pops. Yummy.
And then a dad brought me a case of strawberries and raspberries as a way to say thank-you.
That made me cry actually. a long time, actually. It was just so nice.
Berries and cream in the morning for sure.
Raspberry Tears. Isn't our fruit here beautiful?
We live in berries in this part of the country, in Oxnard, CA, where kids love science.
People think that I'm silly but where on earth would you rather be but here accepting a case of delicious berries like this on a beautiful day... full of the sun, your friends, the love of your children finding out about it all together measuring the sun to see your planet gently spinning you through space. Do you know the song "This Pretty Planet"?
Oh, it's a perfect end to this day. Tuesday.
Let's teach about the earth to kids...as early as we can.
As I said in my last post, Exploring Time and Space, we have started a project connected to other schools that originated with the Mesa School District and Steven C. Clark where we are watching the rotation of the earth by looking at a shadow cast by the pole of the tetherball. All the info. on how to do this so you can even JOIN us..is on this site.
Or EMAIL smpuglisi@gmail.com
Every Tuesday we go out at 11 AM and mark where the shadow is hitting .
("See teacher right THERE")
(Eventually we will be creating the analema but let's just let that evolve...and looking at what is observed in different places on the earth)
My Sheltered Immersion First Graders were really ready this time going out. Really ready. They knew we needed the light source,
In time we will measure these distances and will generate more math from this than you will want to read....data tables, applied measurement, calculations...leading us to many science and math concepts, discoveries and eventually into a calendar and clock which are the basis of some of my Standards.
Sun
But for today our goal was simple. Reiterate the vocabulary, mark the spot, watch the shadow move through the afternoon and then to do a connected art activity with shadows and chalk.
At around 1:30 PM I took out two boxes of sidewalk chalks and the students got on a line where I took a few photos and I asked a few questions about shadows. Just to review. They knew SO MUCH.
Then we got partners and traced each other "very carefully."
In awhile I noticed how cross talk and a kind of purposeful play took over.
It was a kind of force...and community work sprang out.
"We made it."
Someone else drew a sun, a fish tank.
Then children drew all kinds of things that seemed to fit their feelings and their dialogs.
The talk was so rich I was kicking myself for not filming it.
Best negotiating and shared dialog I've seen yet.
The earth has been rotating.
Yeah. I said we need to study that too.
Yeah they said , "We LOVE to find out how things work."
Yeah. Me too.
We came in and all had a popsickle to celebrate. Dora the Explorer Pops. Yummy.
And then a dad brought me a case of strawberries and raspberries as a way to say thank-you.
That made me cry actually. a long time, actually. It was just so nice.
Berries and cream in the morning for sure.
Raspberry Tears. Isn't our fruit here beautiful?
We live in berries in this part of the country, in Oxnard, CA, where kids love science.
People think that I'm silly but where on earth would you rather be but here accepting a case of delicious berries like this on a beautiful day... full of the sun, your friends, the love of your children finding out about it all together measuring the sun to see your planet gently spinning you through space. Do you know the song "This Pretty Planet"?
Oh, it's a perfect end to this day. Tuesday.
Let's teach about the earth to kids...as early as we can.
I so very much enjoyed reading about your lesson. And, the photos really bring it to life.
ReplyDeleteYou are a wonderfully creative teacher, Sarah.:)