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Teachers Network: Adaptor Grants: Seeds of Learning

Adapted By:
Deirdre Kelly

Ms. Deirdre Kelly, who has been teaching for 13 years, the last six at PS 124, holds a M.S. in Elem. Ed., and is also Orton-Gillingham trained by Teachers College, Columbia University. The goals for her students are to become independent learners who are motivated to question, work in groups or independently, and reach out to others sharing knowledge and experience. Ms. Kelly enjoys the very active, hand-on learning environment that science and math offers.

P.S. 124
New York, NY



Modifications

In this modification, students used math and science skills to set up an experiment using five different bean seeds, observing and recording growth over a specific time period. Students then discussed a variety of graphs to choose from and determined which was appropriate for their data. Students graphed the results indicating how many seeds sprouted and how many did not sprout. Students reasoned why beans germinated and why they did not, referring to the different growing conditions under which the seeds were placed during the germination period.

Instructional Objectives

Instructional objectives for my students are:

Collaborate with peers to set up methods for recording and collecting scientific data.

Categorizing data; graphing data using appropriate increments.

Accurate math calculating using addition, multiplication, subtraction and division.

Proper use of hand held magnifiers, rulers, measuring tapes, and calculators.


Technology Integration

Technology played a role in this modification in the following ways: students used calculators to verify their math results; Internet was used to research specific seeds (as an extension for those who completed work ahead of schedule).

Assessment

Student performance was evaluated with completion of worksheets, notebook records of data, group discussions, and completion of bar graph.

Tips for Teachers

This unit provides an excellent opportunity to learn graphing skills, collect data, observe measurable growth, and think about how the results of the data can be interpreted. This adaptation can be valuable for grades 3 thru 5, as well as for ESL students.


Student Work Samples

Click on each thumbnail to see a full-screen version.

 



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