The recorded elementary science lesson addressed several Performance Expectations (PE). The key and central one is the concept of cause and effect, which is confirmed by the teacher, Jen Daluz, and it took probably from 30 to 40 minutes. Educator also validated students’ understanding of ideas such as patterns and systems, similarities, and differences; it lasted about six minutes at the beginning of the lesson. Energy and matter were also touched upon during this section. These basic scientific concepts were presented to the class during the lessons’ initial stage, and then they discussed them again in the conclusive one, sharing their observations and inferences. Jen also cleverly incorporated PEs into the group experiment, which allowed the students to be acquainted with these both theoretically and practically. Moreover, each lesson stage included pupils’ cooperation in brainstorming and developing novel ideas. Since the experimental phase was the most crucial for student learning and engagement, it was a clever move on the part of the teacher to make it fully cooperative.
Application Q&A
This recorded elementary science lesson showed me some of the techniques and elements that I now want to try during my teaching practice. One of these is things like the lifesaver dissolving table because such features remind students of the themes from the previous lesson and allow the teacher to make a smooth transition from the old themes to the new ones and connect them. I would also add the frequent practice of intervening in students’ brainstorming process just like Jen did, not in a descriptive or explaining but navigating manner. It is what develops the scientific, logical mindset in children, and more of this is needed here in Hawaii and other regions. This lesson differed from others that I have observed in that the teacher had more confidence in the students and how they explore new things, and she was more of an adviser to them than a coordinator.