T.B.R.I.

"Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) is a therapeutic model that trains caregivers to provide effective support and treatment for at-risk children. TBRI has been applied in orphanages, courts, residential treatment facilities, group homes, foster and adoptive homes, churches, and schools." (Purvis, 2013).

I recently completed a course for TBRI. I plan to take it again since the entire course is packed with information. 

You can find more information here:
https://child.tcu.edu/sale/#sthash.y9rP2hgg.mg6Io6FK.dpbs

or a link to the course here:
https://child.tcu.edu/free-tbri-101/#sthash.cIISB5WY.kyMxUxXf.dpbs

It is free until August 31, 2020

TBRI is more than just a way to address kids that come from hard places. It is a therapy provided to help children who come from hard places. It has suggestions for connecting to difficult kids. 

I see applications for many uses in and out of the classroom. 

How do we connect with our students? 

TBRI would suggest that we first have to connect with kids. The course used examples that included play therapy, feeding therapy, puzzles therapy. All of which are ways to get the child to talk to you.

In a Science Classroom this could be figuring out a new interesting phenomena! In a younger class you could have students eat a gobstopper and experience the sudden change of flavor as it dissolves on their tongue.

These may seem like simple, but they can lead the way to having honest good connections with students.

Part of TBRI is that you show caring for the whole child. We are not just concerned about their current grade or if they memorized a set of definitions. We are looking to connect with the whole child. Does your student enjoy drawing? Can they present their understanding with a drawing? Will that drawing better represent how they understand? It could be a student drawing a picture of the Coriolis effect rather than writing a paragraph about it. It could be a presentation on the effects of Entropy instead of a series of Entropy equations.

Every student connects in a different way. Can your class accommodate a full variety of learners? 

Go out and Learn!

~ Mrs. R

Purvis, K., Cross, D., Dansereau, D., and Parris, S., (2013) Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI): A Systemic Approach to Complex Developmental Trauma URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3877861/#:~:text=Trust%2DBased%20Relational%20Intervention%20(TBRI)%20is%20a%20therapeutic%20model,homes%2C%20churches%2C%20and%20schools.

Phenomena!

This year has been filled with new and interesting teaching challenges.

Admittedly, I am a secondary Science Teacher, not an elementary teacher. I have great respect for my fellow teachers, especially those who work with elementary aged students.

I had the opportunity to present three separate Science lessons to elementary students in Kindergarten and Second grade. Despite being horribly nervous (Why is it that middle schoolers don't faze me?) the lessons went well. The kids were engaged and it was actually great fun!

----Which leads me to my current topic of the day!

Have you taught using Phenomena?


What is Phenomena?
“Natural phenomena are observable events that occur in the universe and that we can use our
science knowledge to explain or predict.” (NGSS, 2016).

How do I use it in my classroom?
It’s common in the Science Classroom to deliver instruction and background information before
exploration and experimentation. When we teach using phenomena, we shift the exploration to
the beginning of a unit and use that phenomena to guide instruction into the curiosity and inquiry
of the student.

“By centering science education on phenomena that students are motivated to explain, the
focus of learning shifts from learning about a topic to figuring out why or how something
happens.” (NGSS, 2016).

As teachers we want to first introduce a new unit using a natural phenomena. Once the student
observes the occurrence they can begin to ask questions for why it happens. Teachers can
guide the instruction to help students solve real world problems. Appropriate phenomena should
spark curiosity, address the core standards, and can be investigated.
Phenomena does not need to be flashy. Careful engagement and questions from the teacher
can direct new inquiries into old phenomena and can engage all students. Use phenomena to
drive the interest of the student and it can become an anchoring idea that students will build on
for understanding.

More Specific Instruction:
2nd Grade-- Introduce the phases of the moon by having students observe the moon over a
series of days.(Do not just tell the students the phases of the moon, let them figure it out and how it's caused!) Have students come up with their own questions for why the lighted part of the
moon changes. (Standard 2, Objective 2). https://www.ngssphenomena.com/moon-phases

7th Grade-- Have students design their own experiment for testing Newton’s 3rd law of motion.
Allow students to observe the collision of small objects (i.e. marbles/softballs) of different mass
and determine their own reasons for why objects react the way they do. (Do not tell kids the definition of inertia, let them figure it out!)(Standard 7.1.2) A
small ping-pong ball balanced on a larger bouncy ball and dropped together works well for this
phenomena.

11th grade Physics-- Students can use data from high-speed cameras to observe elastic and
inelastic collisions and engineer new ways to decrease the overall impact.(Do not tell them how to slow down a collision, make them figure it out! Bonus if you have them calculate the final velocity/vectors of the collision.)  (Standard PHYS.1.3)

Several of my lesson plans already include phenomena, but I will be adding more phenomena soon, check back next week!

For more information on teaching using phenomena:
Phenomena for NGSS:
https://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/Using%20Phenomena%20in%20NGSS.pdf
Georgia science Teachers association: https://www.georgiascienceteacher.org/phenomena
#project phenomena: https://sites.google.com/site/sciencephenomena/
Mystery Science (Elementary):https://mysteryscience.com/
The Wonder of Science: https://thewonderofscience.com/
Next gen storylines: https://www.nextgenstorylines.org/


Go Out and Learn!

Mrs. R

For the Love of Learning

There are multiple learning models available for teachers. Today I share my two favorites. I personally used these learning methods in my classroom. 

First: 

When I view this particular learning pyramid, I notice instantly the bottom layer. 90% of what a student says and does is retained in memory. As a teacher, this makes me want to instantly assign presentations for every teaching unit. Technically, according to this model, if I have my students present only, they should pass all final exams with a minimum score of 90%! Awesome! But, do our students actually retain 90% of learning when they create a presentation? If you've taught for longer than a year you should know that isn't true. 

However, as a public school teacher who taught multiple class periods of the same topic, I could've taught that last class period in my sleep. Okay, not really, but after presenting a topic several times in a row, you tend to master it in your brain. On occasion I felt bad for that first period of the day, they were my first daily experience of teaching, my students on whom I was experimenting new lesson plans. Whereas, the last class period of the day, I had ironed out any wrinkles, patched any holes and overall presented a better lesson.   

There are other ways that is same pyramid is presented. 

Notice two things, "Doing a Dramatic Presentation" and "After 2 weeks we tend to remember". Hmm... interesting. Dramatic presentation doesn't necessarily mean that we are looking at a powerpoint/keynote or Prezi. It means that we are dynamically engaging our students in the presentation, this could be through asking higher order questions, having students teach, experimenting with real life applications (i.e. doing something a real scientist/historian/mathematican would do.). In reality, each of the steps of the cone/pyramid of learning are important and you can dramatically engage students in a reading activity, hearing lesson, seeing exercise, etc.  

Also, think of the timeline required, 2 weeks to master 90% of the subject: 2 weeks, or 14 days, appoximately 3 weeks in a standard k-12, M-F, non-year round school is the minimum time needed for each unit or subunit according to the Cone of Learning by Edgar Dale.

Second:  

  

The inquiry method learning model. This model makes all steps equally important. Learning is a cycle in which one relection leads into a new wonder. The cycle builds on itself; student learning should lead into the next area of understanding.  But sometimes as teachers figuring out the bridge between one subject to the next is difficult.

Which learning models are your favorite?


Dale, E. (2014) Cone of Learning: http://acrlog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/learningpyramid5.jpg

Dale, E. (1969) Audio Visual Methods in Teaching 3rd Ed. http://wiki.monroe.edu/images/7/7b/MediaConeLearning.png

Embi, M. (2016) Inquiry Learning Cycle Image: https://www.tes.com/lessons/Ur6rBJ5tyb5dcg/technology-enhanced-deep-learning

Aquaponics!

Instructions on making a mini-aquaponics kit. 

Aquaponics

How to build an aquaponics setup at home!

Materials:

2- liter soda bottle

Scissors

1 Straw
Water conditioner
Fish food

Rocks

Plant (semi-aquatic preferred)

1 water animal (tiny goldfish, snail, shrimp or mini frog. Ask your local pet store for advice.)

Cut off the top of the soda pop bottle at the shoulder.	When the top is flipped it should settle nicely on top of the bottle without falling into the bottle.
Wash 3-5 rocks and put them in the bottom of the soda pop bottle.	Add water to the soda pop bottle. Add a water conditioner to the water or let the water sit for 24 hours before adding fish.
Use a straw to blow bubbles in the water for a few minutes. This will jump start the CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) that the plant needs to survive.	Gently put your fish into the water.
Gently tuck your plant into the soda pop lid, use a small clean piece of sponge if you need something to hold the plant in place. (You will not need the bottle cap/lid.)	Place the plant on top of the bottle allowing the roots to hang in the water.
You can feed your fish as needed. I also suggest blowing a few bubbles into the water every so often.

Another Geography Lesson

Here's another Geography Lesson for you! Go Out and Learn! ~ Mrs. R

Geography

Hey, here at Rosenvall Science we LOVE more than just Science, we love learning! So here's a geography lesson plan video. The first one has all the instructions the second one is mostly coloring-- you can speed through it. Enjoy!

Go Out and Learn!
Mrs. R

Physical and Chemical Changes

More videos for 2nd grade (yes, again they can be for other grades, but I specifically made them for a younger audience!)

Solid Liquids and Gases Part 1

Physical and Chemical Changes Part 2

Physical and Chemical Changes Part 3

Go Out and Learn!
Mrs. R

More 2nd Grade Videos!

2nd Grade Videos for making edible "rocks" at home!

Igneous Rocks!

Sedimentary Rocks!

So, again, these can be used for more grades, but I did specifically make them for 2nd grade enjoyment.

There are many other ways that you can introduce rocks to your classes.

Sedimentary: Break open a kit kat and view the layers of the candy bar. (or a snickers also works well.) Or make Rainbow Jello as shown above. (rainbow jello can also be used to should how metamorphic rocks deform.)

Metamorphic: Get a bag of salt water taffy and have the kids squish them and mix the taffy in their fingers. Talk about how heat and pressure make the rock change, but notice that we aren't melting the candy.

Igneous: Put frosting between two layers of graham crackers and let the "molten" frosting ooze out from the cracks in the crackers aka rocks.

The one that the kids really have fun with is this one: (you can see part of it in end the video below)

You will need: 

1. a few different loafs of bread (a white and a dark bread like pumpernickel or rye work best.) 

2. a desk or flat area that you don't mind getting dirty that the kids can see easily.

Talk to the students about how rocks are formed. As they tell you about dirt/sediments etc (usually the kids come up with this on their own if not guide them.) Crumble up some bread on the desk.

"Oh Look! I have a lovely pile of sediments -- but that's not a rock. What needs to happen next?"

The kids usually will tell you that they need to be squished--- here comes the fun part!

Smash your bread "rock layers" use a hammer, your hands-- or the kids FAVORITE-- SIT ON IT!

After that you can talk to them about Sedimentary layers. The bread will be nicely squished together and if you rip it down the middle you will be able to see the flat sedimentary "layers".

Mush the bread slightly (while still keeping some layers intact) and you have a metamorphic rock!

Squish it up entirely until you cannot see the layers at all and you have an igneous rock!

Go Out and Learn!

Mrs. R

Teaching during Stressful Situations

COVID-19 has been on everyone's minds and I know that teachers are working through very difficult times to have everything available to their students.

I reached out to my kids teachers and asked where I could help.

Some teachers requested lessons plans and other videos.

Since I want ALL teachers to have access, here are my 2nd Grade videos. (They are listed for 2nd grade however they can be used for other grades. So this can be used for younger grades. I also kept them nice and short.

Enjoy!

My Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbksMGzni7mVYdowYZ9rWkg

The Rock Cycle (can be used through 8th grade, but I was speaking to a younger crowd.) 

Sediments!

Sedimentary Rocks!

Metamorphic Rocks!

Igneous Rocks!

Go Out and Learn!~ Mrs. R