“Helping Students Set Up A ‘Scientific’ Journal”
Items Needed:
-
(1) Oak tag manila folders (schools should be able to supply these from their own stock)
-
(2) Three ring lined notebook paper. About 10 pages to start within each folder
-
(3) Punch three holes in folder and put in 3 clip pins to hold papers
-
(4) Books on crystals for children. (See Bibliography for students and teachers at the end of the
First Journal Entry
.)
LESSON OBJECTIVE:
To have students begin to set up, in an organized fashion, a record keeping journal:
-
(1) their observations and good description, preferably in writing.
-
(2) what occurred in the experiment; explain thoroughly, preferably in writing.
-
(3) what chemical, natural or synthetic, was used;
-
(4) apparatus used, including measurement devices;
-
(5) after each experiment, the student will, in three brief paragraphs (or more), state:
-
____
____
a) what he learned from the experiment and
-
____
____
b) in what way does this experiment relate to something in your everyday life.
This should be done at the end of all journal entries.
(6) new words learned
(Glossary)
These six objectives should be clearly printed by each student in
the front cover of the manila folder left side
. In this way, they will always know what their guidelines are for each experiment.
Start a glossary list which will be posted for all to see (e.g. on a size of oak tag paper—like the multiplication table charge poster). Also I would have students make their own identical word chart in their journals with definitions from dictionary. (Use the noun definitions.)
You may want to start giving these words on student weekly
spelling test
.
