As I mentioned earlier, my schedule and children's schedule only allow me to observe from just after lunch until 'A' track leaves. This is about a 2 hour span but because my teacher is organized and sticks closely to a routine, I have mainly only been able to observe her math and science units. However, this has made it so that I have been through her 'Rocks and Minerals' unit 4 times so far as the entire 4th grade switches classes to learn different science lessons.
When Mrs.Carpenter begins the unit, she gathers the students together on the carpet and reads a simple Magic School Bus book about rocks. Although it is on a much lower reading level than most of the 4th graders, the students really seem engaged and interested in what they are going to learn. I think gathering them on the carpet also creates a relaxed environment where the kids are able to get a change of scenery and do something a little out of the norm to rejuvenate them.
Later on in the unit she breaks the students into small groups. Each student is given a magnifying glass. Each group is given a rock and they need to decide as a group whether the rock is igneous or not. She tells them that some of the rocks are not igneous and they need to agree as a group and record their findings. The students all really seem to enjoy it. They love the magnifying glasses and use their notes to check the properties of the rocks for "clues" that will help them correctly identify the rocks. I think this is a great way to engage the students and help them apply what they have learned to real life.
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