NOV 2018 ISSUE 1

THE SOLAR SOURCE

MS. SMETANICK'S SUPER THIRD GRADE
SCIENCE CLASS!

TABLE OF
CONTENTS:

Greetings and
Greetings from Ms. Smetanick Introduction: Page 1
SOLS & Big Ideas:
Page 2-3
Learning Cycle: Page
Welcome! My name is Abigail Smetanick and 4
I am so excited to get to know you and your 4 Question Strategy:
Page 5
student this year! At the beginning of every
Experimental Design:
unit, you will receive a newsletter that keeps Page 6
you up to date with what your student is Integrated
Curriculum: Page 7
learning. It will give you an idea of what your Home Activities: Page
student will be working on in the classroom 8
My Assessment
and at home. If you have any questions
Philosophy: Page 9
regarding the material your student will be References: Page
learning over the next couple of weeks, 10
please feel free to email me
at ASMET001@ODU.EDU!
 SOL'S AND BIG IDEAS

SOLS Scientific
OUR THIRD GRADE Investigation &
Reasoning
OBJECTIVES ARE
Force, Motion, and
DETERMINED BY THE VA Energy
DEPARTMENT OF Matter
Life Processes
EDUCATION.
Living Systems
Interrelationships in
Earth/Space Systems
Earth Patterns
THIS MONTH'S UNIT Earth Resources
EARTH RESOURCES: SOL 3.11

This month we will be studying about

solar energy, renewable, and
nonrenewable resources from the SOL
3.11. The student will be learning
about these objectives through
observation and investigation.
 ALL ABOUT ENERGY!
RENEWABLE
ENERGY?

IM A BIG FAN!

THE BIG IDEA

During this unit we will be
focusing on different energy
sources. We will be focusing on
wind energy, solar energy,
biomass energy, and fossil fuels.
By the end of this unit the
students will understand the big
idea of renewable and
nonrenewable resources.
 Inquiry-Based learning is a student-centered
learning style. It has the student's use their
own curiosity throughout their learning
What is Inquiry- processes. This learning style also helps the
students become more engaged. This is
Based
because it always has them proposing an
Learning? investigative question, completing the
investigation, finding the answer to their
question, and finally explaining their results to
their peers and families. I enjoy using inquiry-
based learning because it breaks the standard
Step 1: Inquisition teacher-centered classroom style that is seen
The student asks a everywhere. In my class, I will use Inquiry-
question that wants to Based learning through the Inquiry Cycle.
be investigated. There are six steps to the Inquiry Cycle. 1.
Inqusition 2. Acquisition 3. Supposition 4.
Step 2: Acquisition Implementation 5. Summation and 6.
Have the student think Exhibition.
about what could possibly
happen when they
observe and investigate Step 5: Summation
their question that is Have the student observe
being asked. and collect their evidence
and make a conclusion on
Step 3: Supposition the question being asked.
Vote as a class and
decide on a question Step 6: Exhibition
to test. As a class we will
discuss about what
Step 4: Implementation we observed
Have the students
throughout the
design their
experiment and
investigation for the
explain our results.
question.
 WHAT IS THE FOUR-QUESTION
STRATEGY?

The Four
Have you ever thought how does a third grade science Questions
teacher help students come up with great research What materials are
questions and projects? If you haven't then the answer is available for
conducting
the Four-Question Strategy. This method helps student experiments on __?
narrow down the research questions that the students are How do __ act?
thinking about. How can I change the
set of ___ materials
to affect the action?
How can I measure or
For example, In class I asked the students how response of ____ to
the change?
long would it take to fry an egg by using solar
energy?
What materials are
available for conducting
experiments on frying How did the egg act?
an egg?
Over time, the egg
Egg bubbled and turned
Sunlight white.
Pavement
High Temperature

How can I change the set

How can I measure or
of the egg's materials to
describe the response of
affect the action?
the egg to the change?
I can change the location of
where we will fry the egg. Record the time of how long it
I can change the are of takes to fry the egg on the
frying the egg. For example, pavement vs the tin foil.
we can put tin foil on top of
the pavement.
 EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
Throughout the year, our class will be using a strategy called the
Experimental Design. By asking questions, performing an investigation,
finding the answer to the question, and exposing your results to your
peers this completes the experimental design. Although it is not this
simple, this process has several steps that the student must follow to
complete the experimental design.

The first step of this process is the PURPOSE. Students will identify this
through the question that the class is investigating. An example of a
question that students are investigating is "How might you explain that
the sun is the major source of energy for Earth?" By asking this
question, the students will then begin their own investigation to find the
answer. This step of the experimental design will also help students
narrow down their research questions that we previously talked about in
the Four-Question Strategy section.

The second step of the experimental design is when the student

identifies what they know about energy sources to what they want to
know about energy sources. This is known as RESEARCH. In addition,
the students will also identify the constants, independent variable,
dependent variable, and control.

The third step of this method is when the student's create their own
HYPOTHESIS. This is done after the student brainstorm the ideas they
already knew about energy sources and what they have researched.

The fourth step is the fun part! The PROCEDURE or the experiment!
During this step the students will list the steps of the procedure, draw
pictures, and express what materials they used.

The fifth step of the experimental design is DATA & OBSERVATION.

During their procedure, the students will need to make tables to record
what is happening the experiment. In addition they will also incorporate
qualitative and quantitative data into their observations.

The sixth and final step of this process is to record their RESULTS by
explaining what happened throughout this experimental design.
 INTEGRATING ACROSS
THE CURRICULUM
Don't worry! Your student
READING &
WRITING
will be learning other
Reading and writing is one of the most subjects besides science. IN
common integrated curricula in science
because we are always reading different
FACT! We will integrating
studies and recording our observations. other subjects into our
Therefore, throughout the year the
students will be reading different research science class. Some
ideas and also writing by recording the
different observations they have made. In subjects that will be
addition, we will also be reading a
numerous amount of books like this one
incorporated are reading
below. and writing, mathematics,
and technology.

TECHNOLOGY
MATH In addition to computers, tablets, and
smart boards. The students will also
Mathematical skills are very
be fortunate enough to be able to use
important when it comes to
scientific technology. For example,
science. Throughout the time in
one scientific technology we will be
my science classroom, students
using for this unit is a infrared
will be using basic math skills
thermometer to measure the
such as addition and also using
temperature of the pavement.
different measuring instruments.
 WHAT CAN YOU DO?
As a parent, it is important to be
involved in your student's curriculum.
In addition to getting you involved, it
also gives the students a chance to
have the extra time to study and
practice while they are away from
school. These activities are a fun way
of learning about energy sources
outside of the classroom.

NEED A
TRY ME! REMINDER?
Have a fun afternoon If your student is having trouble
of creating this solar remembering the different
oven with your energy sources, then have them
student! review this video!
https://www.homesci
encetools.com/articl
e/how-to-build-a-
solar-oven-project/
 MS. SMETANICK'S
ASSESSMENT
PHILOSOPHY
Do you remember having
assessments in school? It may of
FORMAL
consisted of report cards, multiple
choice tests, or even standardized
ASSESSMENTS
tests.Testing always produced so
much stress on students, parents,
My formal assessments will not consist of
and even their teacher! This is why I your normal multiple choice tests that you
encourage students to each set a see at the end of every unit. As seen earlier
personal goal instead of saying "I in the newsletter, I enjoy seeing students in
want an A on my science test." I love a student-centered hands on classroom.
the goal setting process because it This is done by conducting experiments and
sets a stress free environment in the through scientific activities. Each student
has a science notebook. In this notebook,
classroom and has the student more
the students are to record their ideas,
involved in their assessment process.
questions, observations, and results in the
I believe setting goals also prepares notebook. At the end of each unit, I will
a stress free zone for the students collect these notebooks and give feedback
before our informal and formal regarding on what they have recorded in
assessments. their science notebooks.

Having a student-centered classroom means there will be a lot of

informal assessments. These assessments will be interactive and
discussion based. I enjoy having a discussion based classroom
INFORMAL because it switches the role of the teacher and student. It gives
ASSESSMENTS the student a chance to talk with his/her peers about what they
want to learn or what they are learning. How the student will be
assessed within this category is if they are participating and are
involved in the class discussion.
 MS. SMETANICK'S

REFERENCES
Hein, G. E. (n.d.). Assessing Science Inquiry. Retrieved from
https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2000/nsf99148/ch_12.htm

H, C. J., N, G. R., & J, R. R. (2006). What Do Plants Need to Grow? The Four-Question
Strategy. Retrieved from
http://globecarboncycle.unh.edu/DownloadActivities/PlantAPlant/Prepare/PlantAPlant_WhatDo
PlantsNeedToGrow_TeacherVersion.pdf

Learning Science Through Inquiry. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.learner.org/workshops/inquiry/resources/faq.html

Oliveira, A. W. (2015, March 16). Reading Engagement in Science: Elementary Students’

Read-Aloud Experiences. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1069263.pdf

Peters, J. M., & Stout, D. L. (2014). Science in elementary education methods, concepts and
inquiries. Harlow Essex: Pearson Education Limited.

Virginia Department of Education. (n.d.). Science. Retrieved from

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/index.shtml

What is Inquiry-Based Science? (2015, November 10). Retrieved from

https://ssec.si.edu/stemvisions-blog/what-inquiry-based-science

Wolpert-Gawron, H. (n.d.). What the Heck Is Inquiry-Based Learning? Retrieved from

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-heck-inquiry-based-learning-heather-wolpert-gawron