Author: lcolley

Temperature

http://www.brainpop.com/science/energy/temperature/

Title: Temperature

Author: Brain POP

Summary: The video explains molecular movement creating heat energy and relates this to temperature. A thermometer is described thoroughly and touches on Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin scales. Atoms and molecules are discussed relating to heat energy. When something heats up, molecular motion is increased. Boiling points and freezing points are also explained. This video can keep students interested while also learning about temperature changes.

Instructional Strategy: This would be great for a fourth grade class learning about temperature. The video touches on many aspects of temperature and to promote understanding I want the students to do his/her own writing. This writing activity has students write three key terms from what they have just learned and two ideas that he/she would like to learn more about. After each student is done, he/she turns to a partner and discusses the words and concepts written down.For example, atoms and molecules could be two key terms that were just learned, and an example of an idea the student would like to learn more about could be the stopping of molecular motion.

TEK: 112.15b(5)(A)

(A)  measure, compare, and contrast physical properties of matter, including temperature.

One Great Text: My Pet Germs

The One Great Text I shared with my student is a poem called My Pet Germs by Kenn Nesbitt. Kenn Nesbitt is an author of humorous poetry for children, including the books My Hippo Has the Hiccups and Revenge of the Lunch Ladies. I thought this one poem was really cute and funny while also explaining some patterns of germs. The poem also uses good vocabulary such as “epidermis.” The end of the poem leaves the kids with a question that should make them ponder on how many germs there actually are.

I have a half a billion germs
I keep as tiny pets.
They’re cute and clean and never mean
and give me no regrets.

They spend all day engaged in play
upon my skin and hair.
They’re on my clothes, between my toes
and in my underwear.

They dance and shout and bounce about.
They run and jump and slide.
My epidermis teems with germs
who party on my hide.

I never fret about the pets
inside my shirt and socks.
I love them there but wonder where
they keep their litter box?

My student absolutely loved this poem. She laughed throughout the reading and wanted me to read it again once I was finished. She understood and said that “Germs make you sick because they are tiny and we can’t see them.” She also said that “Germs are bad, but I don’t think they go in your underpants and have a party (haha).” I feel like even though the poem was humorous, Ingrid understood the point of the poem. She giggled about three times while also responding with insight! I would recommend this poem and more Kenn Nesbitt poems to use in the classroom!

Snippet: In My Family/En Mi Familia

by: Carmen Lomas Garza

This beautifully written book is very informative and full of important cultural traditions. Carmen Lomas Garza grew up in Kingsville, Texas, in a Hispanic household and community. Each page includes one tradition she remembers from her youth. The book is written in English but has a translation in spanish for each section. The spanish translation creates for a sense of openness for the Hispanic community. This story places Spanish culture in the limelight, which teaches children to appreciate all cultures. The second grade Social Studies TEK about culture fits perfectly here by understanding the importance of family and community believes, customs, language, and traditions.

Here is a short snippet of her work:

“This is my grandfather, Antonio Lomas. He’s shaving off the thorns from freshly-cut cactus pads, called nopalitos. My sister Margie is watching him work. Napolitas are called “the food of last resort,” because back when there were no refrigerators and your winter food supply would run out, you knew you could eat the cactus pads through the last days of winter and the early days of spring. My grandmother would boil the nopalitos in salt water, cut them up, and stir-fry them with chile and eggs for breakfast” (page 2).

“This is a Saturday night at El Jardin, a neighborhood restaurant in my home town. It’s the summer, so warm that you can dance outside. A conjunto band is playing–drums, accordion, guitar. and bass. This is the music I grew up with. Everybody’s dancing in a big circle: the young couples, the older couples, and the old folks dancing with the teenagers or children. Even babies get to dance. I learned to dance from my father and grandfather. This is where my love of dance started. To me, dance means fiesta, celebration. You have the music, the beautiful clothes, and all the family members dancing together. It’s like heaven. It is heaven” (page 13).

Ashley Bryan by Laura Colley

Ashley Bryan is a children’s author and illustrator who wasn’t published until he was forty years old. He mainly focuses on the African American experiences and subjects. He focuses on African American history, folktales, and spirituals. He is the first African American who published a book he wrote and illustrator.

His poems and books are lyrical and use alliteration and onomatopoeia. You can use his work Beat the Story Drum, Pum-Pum to introduce folktales connecting to the Social Studies 1st grade TEKS.

Here is a sound clip of Ashley Bryan explaining his life story and where his inspiration comes from as well as reading words to My Life’s Song.

Ashley Bryan is a children’s author and illustrator who wasn’t published until he was forty years old. He mainly focuses on the African American experiences and subjects. He focuses on African American history, folktales, and spirituals. He is the first African American who published a book he wrote and illustrator.

His poems and books are lyrical and use alliteration and onomatopoeia. You can use his work Beat the Story Drum, Pum-Pum to introduce folktales connecting to the Social Studies 1th grade TEKS.