May 8, 2020
We are honored to recognize Lindsay Daseler and Alejandro Estrada, 4th Grade Teachers at the International Community School in Oakland, as 2020 Science Super Stars!
They opened up their unit on chemical weathering this past school year by holding a classroom-wide discussion on what their students already knew about rocks. Letting students’ interests lead the conversation, and gauging how they could incorporate meaningful science learning, Lindsay and Alejandro posed the final focus question: How are rocks affected by acid rain?
Throughout their investigation, both teachers overheard apt and insightful comments: “There was a chemical reaction, because I saw bubbles!” and “The crystals prove that marble has calcite.”
They had their students turn these wonderous observations to collected data, by drawing diagrams during the investigation. Both teachers also encouraged reading in the science resource book (an excellent way to enhance both science and language arts skills!) They note the benefits one student in particular:
“I have a newcomer that is new to English, who has felt successful in, and enjoys, science.“
Their students utilized their notes from the experiment and their readings for both the science talks on the focus question and assigned short-answer written questions that assess their understanding of compare and contrast.
Lindsay and Alejandro constantly try to involve the students’ “outside world” into their learning. After a lesson on the “Four R’s” they had their classroom participate in an action project to teach their younger school community on how to properly sort their garbage.
For other teachers interested in teaching science, Lindsay and Alejandro depart the helpful tip: “Focus on the cross-cutting concepts!”