You all know that I am a secondary major, but I really really love working with little kids! I love every opportunity I have to work with elementary school kids because they really are amazing. They say the best comments and make the most interesting connections, and what is most phenomenal to me is that they are not yet jaded about school or science.
The activity I did focused on the idea that air takes up space, which is not really all that exciting but it was a cool demonstration! I started with my first student who was an ELL student, but I did not even notice! He was interested and tried to come up with answers and explanations for what we were talking about. He did not seem that interested in science overall but said that he did enjoy it. When I asked was else he would like to know about he mentioned evaporation and wanting to know why it happens and he also wanted to know why things change. When I asked him to explain what he meant he gave me the example of why can't you eat apples after a while (why do they rot). I thought that this was such a great question! The second student I worked with was more interested in science in general and had much more to say. She actually came up with the reason that water did not go into the cup when she said "air pushed the water down" and she also said that in the syringe the air got closer together! When I asked what she would like to know she said how are clouds made, and "how the moon gets such a good grip on the earth to make high and low tides"!!!!!! I was floored by this question because it is such a great question! I wish I knew the answer!
Overall the experience was awesome and reminded me of how much I love working with younger kids, even though I would not want to be a classroom teacher, I enjoy more of the in class aid work. It really is fun to talk to kids about their ideas and find out how they think. They kept asking if we were coming back and I have the same question! So are we?
Been a While
14 years ago
