March - baby steps

This week I thought about going on Wednesday to see Ms. M and her groups use the computer lab (this is their assigned day) because I am so curious to see how she uses that space...but I got back to late on Wednesday night from my Spring Break trip that it didn't work out. We did however email and are starting to piece together the parts of the puzzle in terms of the TIP situation.

-We decided that I was going to go around and watch her in the other classrooms so that I can see the other 5th graders at the school and start to get used to the larger group.
-We are going to sit down and work out the proposal and contracts I need for both of my courses that this is working for - my final project in elementary education as well as the one needed for this TIP project. Hopefully in this effort we can sort out some of the questions and un-worked-out things we have left.
-We are going to collaborate a bit more on the content front with the science teacher and find out the area that we will be focusing on - OCEANS!
-We need to plan out days and times I will be out in the field doing all of this (so that my professor for TIP can some see it too!) and so that i have enough time to put together all of the finiahed product to present it with my digital story to make it happen in time for our last class at the end of April.



So...here's my first step in researching - the 5th grade science SOLs about the Ocean!

Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic
5.1 The student will plan and conduct investigations in which
a) rocks, minerals, and organisms are identified using a classification key;
b) estimations of length, mass, and volume are made;
c) appropriate instruments are selected and used for making quantitative observations of length, mass, volume, and elapsed time;
d) accurate measurements are made using basic tools (thermometer, meter stick, balance, graduated cylinder);
e) data are collected, recorded, and reported using the appropriate graphical representation (graphs, charts, diagrams);
f) predictions are made using patterns, and simple graphical data are extrapolated;
g) manipulated and responding variables are identified; and
h) an understanding of the nature of science is developed and reinforced

That was all I could find in the 5th grade SOLs - and it's the generic first first strands....I am looking under Earth science as well?

ES.11 The student will investigate and understand that oceans are complex, interactive physical, chemical, and biological systems and are subject to long- and short-term variations. Key concepts include
a) physical and chemical changes (tides, waves, currents, sea level and ice cap variations, upwelling, and salinity variations);
b) importance of environmental and geologic implications;
c) systems interactions (density differences, energy transfer, weather, and climate);
d) features of the sea floor (continental margins, trenches, mid-ocean ridges, and abyssal plains) as reflections of tectonic processes; and
e) economic and public policy issues concerning the oceans and the coastal zone including the Chesapeake Bay.


Hmmmmm....