Science in Our Lives Photo Essay

Rationale

Context:

The Photo Essay can be used in a third through sixth grade science class.  The Photo Essay Project was created at Appalachian State University under the advisement of Jeff Goodman, Elementary Education Block II instructor.  I completed the Photo Essay as a requirement for CI- 3543-Elementary Science Methods.  

The Photo Essay is a slide show that presents pictures that were taken in Ashe County, <st1:State><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'">North Carolina</SPAN></st1:State> with a digital camera.  The pictures represent the three main types of science elementary students explore life, physical, and earth science.

Impact:

The Photo Essay is a brilliant strategy to introduce students to earth, life, and physical science.  Students can learn that science is present in their everyday life and surroundings.  Earth Science is represented in the Photo Essay through pictures and questions that involve planetary astronomy, properties of earth materials such as rocks and water.  Life science is represented with pictures and questions that involve animals such earthworms and a cat.  Students are introduced to physical science with pictures of objects that produce forms energy such as a telephone that acquires sound energy.

The Photo Essay is beneficial to students because it teaches them how to use digital cameras, the Microsoft Power Point project, and how to ask higher order thinking questions about science.

Alignment:

            This assignment aligns with the following DPI program Standards:

Standard 3: Elementary teachers have a broad knowledge and understanding of the major concepts in science.

*     Indicator 1: The Photo Essay demonstrates knowledge of basic life science concepts such as structure and function of cats and earthworms.  It also shows the knowledge of characteristic of living things, for example, beavers and their characteristic of creating fantastic beaver dams.

*     Indicator 2: The Photo Essay explores structure and properties of matter in solid and liquid form.  Sources ad forms of energy are also included in the assignment.  The Photo Essay can introduce sound energy created when a telephone rings.

*     Indicator 3:  Earth Science is represented in the Photo Essay through pictures and questions that involve planetary astronomy and properties of earth materials such as rocks and water.

Standard 15: Elementary teachers encourage under represented groups to engage in the schooling process, especially math and science.

*     Indicator 1: The Photo Essay makes earth, life, and physical science contents relate to real world experiences outside of the classroom for underrepresented groups.