PLANNING

If you are planning the lesson, you will meet with me (Janet McDonough) and we will discuss ideas and activities. If there are any materials that need to be ordered (see the list of supplies available) we can start that list so they can be ordered as soon as possible. You can search on-line for items that might make your lesson better and send the link to me with details such as how many, color, etc. Be sure to allow enough time for delivery (up to a week or more).

Sample curriculum: Air and Flight

Don't count on students that sit in their seats with their hands folded, drinking up your knowledge, instead try to design question-provoking activities that keep the kids thinking and asking questions. Don't be afraid to say "I don't know." or "How could we test that idea?" Also share your excitement with the students, why did you find the activity exciting to plan, how and why did you elect to go to college, why did you pick a particular topic to teach, what interested you about science, etc.?

NEW!! 2008-09: Student taking BISC 105 (fall) and 104 (spring) created and taught one lesson based on their course material. This was a graded option built into their course. This option will be offered again in 2009-10.

BISC 104 students presented their impressions of the outcomes of this experience in a Ruhlman spring 2009.

LOGISTICS

Generally, we will have about 1 hour 30 min. for a lesson. If we leave Wellesley at 12:30 you will have about 15 min to set up and slightly over 1 hour for introductions, the activities, and final summary. The school day ends at about 2:20, so we can be back at WC at 3:30 but we often stop at Dunkin Donuts briefly (outreach pays for your refreshment) and arrive back at about 4.

We have the option to conduct the "experiments" in the classroom (best for introducing the topic of the day or demonstration-style activities) or in the cafeteria (a large room with big round tables). Often we start in the classroom and move to the cafeteria. Sitting in small groups of 3-5 7th graders is my favorite learning situation but I have seen extremely successful lessons completely in the classroom.

MISC: Consider asking for a boxed lunch that day to eat on the drive to the school.

EVALUATION and POTENTIAL

We try to obtain feedback from the participants, their parents, and you to continue to improve our lessons, their delivery, and your experiences as teachers or teaching assistants. Consider adding an evaluative component to your workshops as well as providing feedback to the outreach program evaluating your experiences.

SCIENCE OUTREACH is collecting your lessons for possible future reuse or adaptation by other students or perhaps for publishing. We are encouraging but not requiring the use of either the simple Outreach Activity Template or the more detailed Intel model template to help flesh-out your ideas (see sample) before you teach and submit the lesson to Janet McDonough jmcdonou@wellesley.edu OR to your Program coordinator.

MORE INFO
Mission Grammar Main
Background and Students