Lesson Analysis
Once I was committed to the seed lesson, I knew I wanted the students to be engaged, ask questions, and experience a hands-on investigation activity. My vision was to create a structured but comfortable learning environment, where conversation would vary between teacher and students and also students and students. One of my goals was for the students to practice thinking and forming questions of their own. I did not want a strict, robot-like lesson, because I envision science as a “getting your hands dirty” and “learning things firsthand” experience. The ideal lesson is for students to have fun but walk away being excited about what they learned. I also wanted to use concrete, physical tools that students could touch and analyze.
Because our next kindergarten field trip was to Bartram’s Garden, a historic house and garden in West Philadelphia, I decided a lesson on seeds would be practical and a good foundation for a small-group lesson. When we went to Bartram’s Garden, I wanted the students to connect something they saw on the field trip with this lesson. My goal was to provide a general introduction. After looking through various children’s books, I settled on the concept of seeds growing into plants. Therefore, I broke the lesson into three segments - cutting fruits to find the seeds inside (then looking at other seeds as well: tree seeds, flower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.), sequencing the journey of a seed to a plant with picture representations, and finally planting our own seeds. I used pictures from a book to show how our plant is going to grow: roots will start growing underneath before we see it, then it will sprout, then it will continue growing.
The importance of teacher collaboration was once again exhibited when I asked for a certain read aloud to be done on the Tuesday before my Wednesday lesson. In our kindergarten classroom, we use the time after lunch as quiet time and a teacher always reads a story while the students put their heads down. I ask Marna, my grade partner, to read “A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds,” by Jean Richards. As a result, I used that book as my hook. “Did you read this book?” “What was it about?” “What do you think of seeing this for ourselves?” The flow worked nicely because I did not have to use my limited time to read this book, but rather I could immediately begin the lesson. I shared the video of cutting open the first fruit, an apple, because there was something so comforting and reassuring for me as the teacher when they crawled in to get closer. This was my first small-group lesson and the evidence that they were “hooked” calmed my nerves and gave me confidence.
I transitioned from the fruit seeds to other kinds of seeds - tree seeds, flower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and bean seeds. I had physical examples that the students could smell, feel, and compare. I posed the question: “What are the differences between the seeds in your hand?” multiple times to different students, but never quite got an answer. Students used descriptive words such as the pumpkin seeds were “slippery” and the tree seeds were “big.” I decided to bring in a pumpkin cut in half so the students could see the seeds inside because they were removed.
“How will these seeds grow into plants?” The students were shown six pictures, each on their own piece of paper, one at a time, of: (1) digging a hole, (2) putting a seed in the hole, (3) water and sunlight, (4) a sprout, (5) growing plant, and a (6) full grown plant. This was direct instruction using a visual aid tool to show and discuss with the students the journey a seed takes when becoming a plant. In order to make sure students truly understood this, each student received their own bag with smaller versions of these six pictures. Students were asked to individually put these pictures in the order we just discussed as a whole group. I used this independent work intentionally to make sure students knew the process of how the seed was going to eventually grow into a plant.
“We need to know this because we are going to plant our own seeds.” The first question I got was, “For real or for fake?” A white trash bag was laid out so the group had space to work and plant their own bean seed. We were creating our own structure to clarify the ideas and explanations we were learning about (Pratt, 2012, 57-58). Each student and myself got a red Solo cup (their pot). I filled each cup with dirt, and then I had each student dig a hole with a plastic spoon, plant their seed, cover the seed with dirt, and then water the seed by sharing one Deer Park water bottle I had. Once the seeds were planted, I went through pictures in the book, “Bean and Plant” by Christine Black and Barrie Watts to show the students how our bean seed was going to grow into a plant. Each cup was labeled with the student’s name, giving ownership to the student, and an attempt to avoid confusion once all the cups were back in the classroom. A brief discussion took place after our seeds were planted and I posed the question, “Why do you think it is important to learn about seeds and plants?” We wrapped up the lesson by talking about how fruits and vegetables start as seeds and they are good for us. We also discussed that we will see many trees and plants at Bartram’s Garden the next day that started as a seed.
I really did not know what to expect or how this lesson was going to go, but I was pleased overall. There were some changes I made in the moment because I knew it was not going to play out as I had planned. Specifically, I was going to read excerpts at the end of my lesson of Gail Gibbons’ “From Seed to Plant” but decided against it. During the lesson, I picked it up and paged through it, but felt we were having good conversation and, since it would be the third book I referenced in 35 minutes, I felt it was unnecessary.
Right from the beginning, I was surprised that none of the fruits except the apple had visible seeds. Neither the lemon nor the orange had the seeds I was expecting. Rather than getting frazzled, I kept my calm and suggested maybe the seeds were blending in with the color of the fruit and they were too small to see. One perceptive student suggested this was camouflage and I agreed, saying the seeds were the same color as the fruit. Because we found one in the apple and I moved on to the pumpkin, the students did not seem to realize that seeds in the other fruits were not visible. I had to remain calm and go with the flow. (Flexibility!)
The independent sequencing cards were too much. The kids were so focused on counting how many cards they had and getting them mixed up with their neighbors’ card that they missed the point of the exercise. I was going to use this as an assessment to see who knew the order of the growing process. I did get a general gauge of who had their cards in close to the right order, but certain students were distracted.
The overall dynamic of the group was much better than I anticipated. I thought I was going to be struggling to hear every student’s voice, which relates to my overarching question for Seminar, but it was quite the opposite. Two students in particular really surprised me. Someone who is very shy and reserved and talks minimally in class was chatting throughout the entire lesson. The other student, who has a tendency to be disruptive and has difficulty working with others, was listening and participating thoughtfully. These two students may have displayed different behaviors than usual because the environment was different and a small group may be more beneficial to their learning styles. The hands-on activity and seeds in general are of interest to them and therefore created an access point. Science is a good environment in which to teach diverse learners, because talk in the science classroom is often about materials and events that all students see and experience together. This lesson allowed all students to be on an even level and bridged gaps that are impossible to ignore in mathematics and literacy (Michaels, Shouse, Schweingruber, 2008).
Because I was so surprised by the dynamic of the group and how each student really shined and held their own, I did not have to use many management strategies. I was happy and surprised the students were interested, and I really did not have to enforce many rules or norms that would have been implemented in our full kindergarten classroom. They were talking to each other and asking questions and sharing stories, as evidenced in the Science Youtube video. Students are learning through talk and argument. There is a disagreement about whether apples are poison, showing that scientific argument is ideally about sharing, processing, and learning about ideas (Michaels, Shouse, Schweingruber, 2008). This lesson provided the opportunity for students to engage in a productive form of communication (Michaels, Shouse, Schweingruber, 2008, p. 89). Also note the usage of the term “core” and Jasai asking what a core is. This is an example of using technical terms in the early grades which will help students fundamentally understand and avoid memorizing terms and definitions in the future (Michaels, Shouse, Schweingruber, 2008, p. 65).
During my time with the students I was conscious that a lesson is not solely an activity. I made a distinct effort to not just plant a seed and have the students bring it home, but to frame the activity and then discuss every step while planting the seed to make sure I was facilitating “the thought experience as well as the active experience” (Koch, 1996, p. 255). However, my questions fell a little flat. The phrasing of a question is a huge part of teaching because it is such an effective tool. There were several times I asked a question and the students continued talking among themselves. They were talking about the seeds and the lesson, but were not answering my attempt to have them compare the seeds or share the differences between the seeds that they observed.
In the end, I was happy that I was relaxed, but at the same time, this exact lesson would have to be modified for the entire kindergarten class. I used phrases such as “loud and proud” and “back it up,” which are not appropriate. I also addressed the group as “guys.” There was one student who was mesmerized by the camera, of which I did not realize the extent until I saw the videotape. Seeing myself on videotape and receiving constructive feedback are two very helpful tools, especially for teaching, which I hope I can to continue to use in the future. When I am in the moment and focused on my lesson, everything else seems to disappear, so watching the video puts thing in perspective.
This lesson was conversation-based and, therefore, the student artifacts are limited to the structured process of planting the seed. The responsibility of each student growing their own seed brought to light a very important detail that I overlooked and did not even think to explain. I first realized this when Jeremiah asked at the end of the day why his seed had not sprouted yet. While I loved his vocabulary – “sprouted” - and his eagerness, I overlooked the conversation about how this process was going to take time. I told him it was going to take days, but looking back, I should have explained it during the lesson and even at that moment when he asked at dismissal. Of course, when I was thinking about how the lesson went on my way home, I thought of the analogy of Jeremiah growing - he did not get to be the size he is overnight, it took time and was a process. Comparing the seed to the students during the lesson would have been beneficial. The following week, Jeremiah’s dad brought the red Solo cup with his seed back to school because Jeremiah was waking up in the middle of the night to check on it and was getting frustrated that it was not growing. At one point, I did address that plants are usually watered every other day or every day depending on the seed, but Jeremiah was watering his three times a day at home, like meals. I regret I did not emphasize that more because his is the only one not growing in the classroom as of a month later: I think he drown the seed.
I thought all the students were going to bring their seeds home, but three of the five are still in the classroom. The routine of checking on the plants every day when I am there, weeks later, is something I was not expecting because I thought they were all going to be taken home. This is an example of strand four: participating productively in science because of the active conversations we have about the plant and the constant changes we are observing. This lesson was a good example of all four strands coming together: understanding scientific explanations (studying how a seed becomes a plant), generating scientific evidence (cutting open the fruit, planting their own seed, observing various other seeds), reflecting on scientific knowledge (Bartram’s Garden field trip as well as discussion about why one seed did not grow but the other four did), and participating productively in science (follow-up conversations days/weeks later about progress of seed) (Michaels, 2008).
It was a very special moment when we noticed the first sprout had broken the surface. Seeing the kids’ reactions (and my reaction!) is an example of what makes teaching so rewarding. Despite all the times they are not listening and the times that my plan does not go accordingly, their excitement and desire to water and care for this plant were amazing.
Because our next kindergarten field trip was to Bartram’s Garden, a historic house and garden in West Philadelphia, I decided a lesson on seeds would be practical and a good foundation for a small-group lesson. When we went to Bartram’s Garden, I wanted the students to connect something they saw on the field trip with this lesson. My goal was to provide a general introduction. After looking through various children’s books, I settled on the concept of seeds growing into plants. Therefore, I broke the lesson into three segments - cutting fruits to find the seeds inside (then looking at other seeds as well: tree seeds, flower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.), sequencing the journey of a seed to a plant with picture representations, and finally planting our own seeds. I used pictures from a book to show how our plant is going to grow: roots will start growing underneath before we see it, then it will sprout, then it will continue growing.
The importance of teacher collaboration was once again exhibited when I asked for a certain read aloud to be done on the Tuesday before my Wednesday lesson. In our kindergarten classroom, we use the time after lunch as quiet time and a teacher always reads a story while the students put their heads down. I ask Marna, my grade partner, to read “A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds,” by Jean Richards. As a result, I used that book as my hook. “Did you read this book?” “What was it about?” “What do you think of seeing this for ourselves?” The flow worked nicely because I did not have to use my limited time to read this book, but rather I could immediately begin the lesson. I shared the video of cutting open the first fruit, an apple, because there was something so comforting and reassuring for me as the teacher when they crawled in to get closer. This was my first small-group lesson and the evidence that they were “hooked” calmed my nerves and gave me confidence.
I transitioned from the fruit seeds to other kinds of seeds - tree seeds, flower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and bean seeds. I had physical examples that the students could smell, feel, and compare. I posed the question: “What are the differences between the seeds in your hand?” multiple times to different students, but never quite got an answer. Students used descriptive words such as the pumpkin seeds were “slippery” and the tree seeds were “big.” I decided to bring in a pumpkin cut in half so the students could see the seeds inside because they were removed.
“How will these seeds grow into plants?” The students were shown six pictures, each on their own piece of paper, one at a time, of: (1) digging a hole, (2) putting a seed in the hole, (3) water and sunlight, (4) a sprout, (5) growing plant, and a (6) full grown plant. This was direct instruction using a visual aid tool to show and discuss with the students the journey a seed takes when becoming a plant. In order to make sure students truly understood this, each student received their own bag with smaller versions of these six pictures. Students were asked to individually put these pictures in the order we just discussed as a whole group. I used this independent work intentionally to make sure students knew the process of how the seed was going to eventually grow into a plant.
“We need to know this because we are going to plant our own seeds.” The first question I got was, “For real or for fake?” A white trash bag was laid out so the group had space to work and plant their own bean seed. We were creating our own structure to clarify the ideas and explanations we were learning about (Pratt, 2012, 57-58). Each student and myself got a red Solo cup (their pot). I filled each cup with dirt, and then I had each student dig a hole with a plastic spoon, plant their seed, cover the seed with dirt, and then water the seed by sharing one Deer Park water bottle I had. Once the seeds were planted, I went through pictures in the book, “Bean and Plant” by Christine Black and Barrie Watts to show the students how our bean seed was going to grow into a plant. Each cup was labeled with the student’s name, giving ownership to the student, and an attempt to avoid confusion once all the cups were back in the classroom. A brief discussion took place after our seeds were planted and I posed the question, “Why do you think it is important to learn about seeds and plants?” We wrapped up the lesson by talking about how fruits and vegetables start as seeds and they are good for us. We also discussed that we will see many trees and plants at Bartram’s Garden the next day that started as a seed.
I really did not know what to expect or how this lesson was going to go, but I was pleased overall. There were some changes I made in the moment because I knew it was not going to play out as I had planned. Specifically, I was going to read excerpts at the end of my lesson of Gail Gibbons’ “From Seed to Plant” but decided against it. During the lesson, I picked it up and paged through it, but felt we were having good conversation and, since it would be the third book I referenced in 35 minutes, I felt it was unnecessary.
Right from the beginning, I was surprised that none of the fruits except the apple had visible seeds. Neither the lemon nor the orange had the seeds I was expecting. Rather than getting frazzled, I kept my calm and suggested maybe the seeds were blending in with the color of the fruit and they were too small to see. One perceptive student suggested this was camouflage and I agreed, saying the seeds were the same color as the fruit. Because we found one in the apple and I moved on to the pumpkin, the students did not seem to realize that seeds in the other fruits were not visible. I had to remain calm and go with the flow. (Flexibility!)
The independent sequencing cards were too much. The kids were so focused on counting how many cards they had and getting them mixed up with their neighbors’ card that they missed the point of the exercise. I was going to use this as an assessment to see who knew the order of the growing process. I did get a general gauge of who had their cards in close to the right order, but certain students were distracted.
The overall dynamic of the group was much better than I anticipated. I thought I was going to be struggling to hear every student’s voice, which relates to my overarching question for Seminar, but it was quite the opposite. Two students in particular really surprised me. Someone who is very shy and reserved and talks minimally in class was chatting throughout the entire lesson. The other student, who has a tendency to be disruptive and has difficulty working with others, was listening and participating thoughtfully. These two students may have displayed different behaviors than usual because the environment was different and a small group may be more beneficial to their learning styles. The hands-on activity and seeds in general are of interest to them and therefore created an access point. Science is a good environment in which to teach diverse learners, because talk in the science classroom is often about materials and events that all students see and experience together. This lesson allowed all students to be on an even level and bridged gaps that are impossible to ignore in mathematics and literacy (Michaels, Shouse, Schweingruber, 2008).
Because I was so surprised by the dynamic of the group and how each student really shined and held their own, I did not have to use many management strategies. I was happy and surprised the students were interested, and I really did not have to enforce many rules or norms that would have been implemented in our full kindergarten classroom. They were talking to each other and asking questions and sharing stories, as evidenced in the Science Youtube video. Students are learning through talk and argument. There is a disagreement about whether apples are poison, showing that scientific argument is ideally about sharing, processing, and learning about ideas (Michaels, Shouse, Schweingruber, 2008). This lesson provided the opportunity for students to engage in a productive form of communication (Michaels, Shouse, Schweingruber, 2008, p. 89). Also note the usage of the term “core” and Jasai asking what a core is. This is an example of using technical terms in the early grades which will help students fundamentally understand and avoid memorizing terms and definitions in the future (Michaels, Shouse, Schweingruber, 2008, p. 65).
During my time with the students I was conscious that a lesson is not solely an activity. I made a distinct effort to not just plant a seed and have the students bring it home, but to frame the activity and then discuss every step while planting the seed to make sure I was facilitating “the thought experience as well as the active experience” (Koch, 1996, p. 255). However, my questions fell a little flat. The phrasing of a question is a huge part of teaching because it is such an effective tool. There were several times I asked a question and the students continued talking among themselves. They were talking about the seeds and the lesson, but were not answering my attempt to have them compare the seeds or share the differences between the seeds that they observed.
In the end, I was happy that I was relaxed, but at the same time, this exact lesson would have to be modified for the entire kindergarten class. I used phrases such as “loud and proud” and “back it up,” which are not appropriate. I also addressed the group as “guys.” There was one student who was mesmerized by the camera, of which I did not realize the extent until I saw the videotape. Seeing myself on videotape and receiving constructive feedback are two very helpful tools, especially for teaching, which I hope I can to continue to use in the future. When I am in the moment and focused on my lesson, everything else seems to disappear, so watching the video puts thing in perspective.
This lesson was conversation-based and, therefore, the student artifacts are limited to the structured process of planting the seed. The responsibility of each student growing their own seed brought to light a very important detail that I overlooked and did not even think to explain. I first realized this when Jeremiah asked at the end of the day why his seed had not sprouted yet. While I loved his vocabulary – “sprouted” - and his eagerness, I overlooked the conversation about how this process was going to take time. I told him it was going to take days, but looking back, I should have explained it during the lesson and even at that moment when he asked at dismissal. Of course, when I was thinking about how the lesson went on my way home, I thought of the analogy of Jeremiah growing - he did not get to be the size he is overnight, it took time and was a process. Comparing the seed to the students during the lesson would have been beneficial. The following week, Jeremiah’s dad brought the red Solo cup with his seed back to school because Jeremiah was waking up in the middle of the night to check on it and was getting frustrated that it was not growing. At one point, I did address that plants are usually watered every other day or every day depending on the seed, but Jeremiah was watering his three times a day at home, like meals. I regret I did not emphasize that more because his is the only one not growing in the classroom as of a month later: I think he drown the seed.
I thought all the students were going to bring their seeds home, but three of the five are still in the classroom. The routine of checking on the plants every day when I am there, weeks later, is something I was not expecting because I thought they were all going to be taken home. This is an example of strand four: participating productively in science because of the active conversations we have about the plant and the constant changes we are observing. This lesson was a good example of all four strands coming together: understanding scientific explanations (studying how a seed becomes a plant), generating scientific evidence (cutting open the fruit, planting their own seed, observing various other seeds), reflecting on scientific knowledge (Bartram’s Garden field trip as well as discussion about why one seed did not grow but the other four did), and participating productively in science (follow-up conversations days/weeks later about progress of seed) (Michaels, 2008).
It was a very special moment when we noticed the first sprout had broken the surface. Seeing the kids’ reactions (and my reaction!) is an example of what makes teaching so rewarding. Despite all the times they are not listening and the times that my plan does not go accordingly, their excitement and desire to water and care for this plant were amazing.
Books Used:
Richard, Jean, and Anca Hariton. A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds. Minneapolis: First Avenue Editions, 2006. Print.
Back, Christine, and Barrie Watts. Bean and plant. Morristown, N.J.: Silver Burdett Co., 19861984. Print.