Teacher Education 340
Post Critique #2
During the second visit to the same 4th grade class at Dresden Elementary, two activities
were introduced. The first lesson was “the Straw Drill” using 2 plastic drinking straws and a raw
potato. The objective was to physically show that although air is composed mainly of gasses, that
gasses are invisible, and that fast moving air (wind) can apply enough pressure to pierce a potato
with a flimsy straw when these gases are trapped inside the straw. The second lesson “Bump”
demonstrated the forward movement of wave energy using a book and 6 marbles. The student
could actually witness kinetic energy at work. Bump demonstrated kinetic energy and how it is
transferred from one marble to the next without moving them until it gets to the very end marble.
Which did actually move.
These activities were completed as a individual accomplishment. The desks were not
level, so we had to put the books on the floor so that the marbles would not roll off the book
before we did the activity. The marbles were passed out, 6 to each student. After the explanations
were given, it was very difficult for them to gently roll the marble into the other 5. I had marbles
flying all over the place. A modification would be to have more space between students, even if
they are on the floor and have the marble pre-bagged in lots of 6. I surmised that the addition of
the other 4 students who were absent the previous day added a volatile mix to the group, or the
marbles made them crazy, because Ms. Plumlee interjected once or twice during this days lesson
with promises of grave consequences “if” for several of the students.
The potato and straw experiment went well; I walked around constantly to assist those
who were having difficulty, all the while reminding most of the students the potatoes did not
need to be killed by a violent attack; they were not a living thing anymore. Did I mention there
were many more boys in the classroom that there were girls, but the girls were definitely holding
their own with them? This activity was not beyond the comprehension of any student in the
class. Again with and ELL student, if there had been one, I would have allowed observation with
peer intervention to explain the why, with a teacher follow up to check for specific understanding
away from the whole group.
Obviously a child who is not able to get down on the floor with the “Bump” experiment,
would have completed the experiment on a more level surface. There is little diversity in this
classroom. Ms. Plumlee pulled me aside after class and asked me to base the next two lessons on
electricity, as T-Capp testing is coming up and they had not covered it as yet. She also informed
me that her class and another class had been especially combined because they were poor
performers on previous testing. Obviously she had years of teaching experience and it is
depressing to see so much anxiety in that kind of teacher due to state testing. They are obviously
being driven by “the test.” She also informed me that the dynamics of the class was such that
their attention span was limited and retention was very difficult for most of them.
The students also worked individually to complete the “Bump” activity. Close proximity
led to some serious marble thumping. I had to verbally correct them more during this visit than
on the previous visit. Ms. Plumlee made reference to some dire consequences for some students
that would follow at the appropriate time because of their behavior during the activity. As I
walked around, I asked some students to lower the velocity of their marble rolling, and with
others I had to ask them to increase the velocity of their marble rolling to correctly accomplish
the task. Overall the lesson went well, I am not sure that many of them will remember the lesson
as kinetic energy, or “we got to play with marbles today.”
My feelings about this experience were very good. It was only a forty minute session, but
I can visualize a science classroom, more time, and sequences of events that will flow from one
topic to another which will make more sense. I will also be able to fit it into my big picture.
Apparently the big picture in most of the Tennessee schools I have visited since I began college
is to have all student proficient on T-Capp scores. The teaching I love; pleasing some bureaucrat
in Nashville or DC is not high on my priority list. As a non-traditional student who does not have
30 or 40 years to teach, or something to prove to the world, I may never please the system, but I
surely intend to teach my student what they must know and what they need to know.