Teacher Training By Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski

• Took a hike around the schoolyard to learn how to incorporate schoolyard ecology into the science curriculum.
• Observed the complete life cycle of the lady bug on Hibiscus plants growing on schoolyard property.
• Studied characteristics of plants and animals with emphasis placed on structure and function.
• Designed and constructed a model of a plant or animal cell using simple household materials.
• Observed plant and animal cells with a microscope.
• Observed pond water organisms with a microscope.
• Observed the life cycle of brine shrimp.
• Made a classroom terrarium that was brought back to their own classroom to teach about interdependence, ecology, population, energy transformation, plant and animal kingdom, producers, consumers, and decomposers.

The following photos were taken during the full-day teacher training workshop.

Teacher observes pond organisms under the microscope.Teacher builds model of plant cell using simple household materials.Teachers used interactive student notebooks during workshop.

Teacher observes ladybug on Hibiscus flower.

Teacher building terrarium to teach life science concepts.

Teachers built terrariums to teach life science concepts.

Teacher builds model of plant cell using simple household materials.

Teacher uses a microscope to study a fish scale.

Teachers used interactive student notebooks during workshop.

Completed classroom terrarium.Cell mitochondria made with gelatin capsule and wrap tie during teacher training workshop.

 

It’s nice to have the luxury of conducting teacher training workshops with a small group of teachers. From my observations I’ve noticed that with a small group size, teachers are more likely to ask questions that they may be reluctant to in a larger group setting. As the facilitator of the teacher training workshop I’m able to identify any misconceptions and content weaknesses individual teacher participants may have. Thus, I can clarify misconceptions, and modify the training explorations accordingly. The following photos are from a six hour workshop I conducted with a group of third grade elementary teachers. Physical science content was taught by having the teachers conduct inquiry-based hands-on science investigations to explore a wide array of physical science concepts. The teachers left the workshop with an increased understanding of physical science concepts, and the necessary skills and materials to implement the investigations within their own classrooms, and that’s what it’s all about!  Teachers conducted the following investigations within the day-long workshop.

• Built and tested simple solar collectors
• Conducted experiments with UV beads
• Made a simple sun-dial
• Conducted investigations to explore how color affects heating by absorption of light.
• Explored reflection and refraction of light waves
• Built a spectroscope out of a mailer tube and diffraction grating material to view the visible spectrum and
• Built a thermometer to indicate temperature change.

Solar Collector

Teacher builds parabolic design solar collector.

Teacher tests effectiveness of solar collector during teacher training workshop.

Testing effectiveness of solar collector during teacher training workshop.

Testing solar collector during teacher training workshop.

Teachers observe UV beads.

Teachers made a simple sun-dial, and marked the shadow line throughout the day.

Teachers designed an experiment to test how color affects heating by absorption of light.

Teachers built a simple thermometer to detect temperature change.

Teacher observes the visible spectrum with a spectroscope built during workshop.