Claim Evidence Reasoning or the CER Model

I was consulting in Texas, leading a workshop.  A Pasco representative was on hand, instructing how to use Pasco's probeware or sensors. The instructor wanted to add value, rather than just promote the equipment, knowing he would gain more customers with another presentation, this time one about the CER model, or 'Claim-Evidence-Reasoning.  I was immediately hooked.  As science teachers, we're always trying to get students to articulate their thoughts and ideas in succinct, cogent paragraphs, often unsuccessfully.  Here's a method. During the first week of Physics classes, I plan to introduce the BSCS CER model with these two CER examples, the first one is the example the Pasco rep used that hooked me on CER.  This slideshow has more details about the process.

NSTA Reviews are published!

About once a month, NSTA sends me books to review, frequently, children's science books, probably because I don't mind evaluating them.  Here the two most recent reviews.

NSTA Review: Animal Bests, Marine Superstars

NSTA Review: Animal Best, Amazing Land Animals

Project Planning

One big advantage Homeschool families have is the ability to insert life skills into lessons.  I know from experience when there are thirty or forty students in a classroom, my time was restricted to a lesson.  Did the Flat Stanley or Pete the Cat project resonate with your family?  Okay, let's involve the child in the plan. Depending on the child's age, she could make a list or start a spreadsheet.  We're going to try this with our favorite six year old, Paul.  We'll just talk through the steps.  One, which character?  Which supplies are needed?  What is already on hand? Next, make the character.  Once he's made the character, take time to decide places to visit.  When she suggests Disney World, talk about the costs and logistics.  We plan to start with local sites and sent Pete the Cat to the cousins.  Next decide which site to visit first.  Plan to take photos--less of a problem because you have a cell phone.  But, Paul likes to use a digital camera and frame his shots.  It feels mor professional.  Let your child select, edit, and print the photos (or email them) to send.  You might decide to mail some, email others, and just post a few to Instagram or Facebook.  Decide together just how extensive the project will be, the number of sites or posts.  Make a plan for the duration of the project.  Just imagine the number of practical skills you're instilling.  Just as a side note, it's fine to use Pokemon Go as an added incentive to explore these sites during your project.

Flat Stanley Project

My husband, Rob, our favorite six year old, Paul, and I just returned from the book sale at the library.  Rob found a Flat Stanley book, which reminded me of the Flat Stanley Project.  I first learned about it from. Homeschool family, when I was reviewing their portfolio.  Another time, I took a group of students to Washington D.C. for the day; one of the chaperones brought her grandson's Flat Stanley to pose around the monuments.  Flat Stanley can be a pen pal or a tourist.  The homeschool family sent their Flat Stanley packed with local information.  Our neighbor, Cassidy, said her teacher did a similar project with Pete the Cat,within the classroom, as a competition for a copy of Pet the Cat book.  I think Flat Stanley is best shared among close friends and family.  The family can go to the closest visitor center and collect brochures.  Wouldn't it be fun to pose a hand-made Flat Stanley or Pete the Cat around local landmarks?  Yes, the ice-cream shop counts!  Print a few photos and write funny captions on the back.  Mail it to a cousin and ask her to make and pose her own Flat Stanley, Pete the Cat, or Flat Jenny around where she lives.  Instruct your child to write and explain why he chose these sites.  You might be able to squeeze a few hand-writing, photography, and history lessons into this project, while having fun!  Who doesn't love to get mail?

Write more.

It's summer and we want to encourage our favorite six year old, Paul, to hone this kindergarten skills. We explained that he needed to practice reading and writing a little, often, all summer.  Now, before you think this is Drakonian, Paul had breaks for vacation each month.  His reading each day was typically twenty or thirty minutes.  It helped that he took part in the summer library program and earned prizes.  (One prize was his photo on the wall at the library.  Cool, right?).  We provided painting projects, such as the Star Wars sun catchers.  But writing is another story.  I didn't even try 'color, cut, and glue'.  Over the past two weeks, Paul had several visits with family and adored time with his cousins.  So, I suggested he write letters telling them how much fun he had.  Paul had to have some help spelling.  He's learning phonetically; missed became 'mist' and time became 'tine'.  Fine.  I provided fine notecards.  I gave him options: painting or sketch?  We reviewed how to address an envelope and where to place the stamp.  Paul is eager to write to all of his cousins and Aunt Gigi.  Today, I let him loose with a digital camera.  My plan is for him to write letters and enclose hand-made pictures with photos.  Paul doesn't realize he's working on hand-writing.

As an update, we've had Paul write several letters, take and print photos, and post the letter packets to his favorite family members.  Did he balk?  A little.  His letters won't win any literary awards; but, he had some practice before resuming school.

Give the kids a camera!

It's the dog days of August and I'm becoming more and more creative planning fun for our favorite six year old, Paul, and his friend, Cassidy.  Last week, My dad visited with my twelve year old sister, Savannah.  She and Cassidy, ten, were fast friends.  The two wanted a camera to take souvenir photos.  I have a photo printer; the kids took loads of shots.  Cassidy was taking photos this morning and it occurred to me to lend a camera to Paul.  I set the digital to 'auto'.  Cassidy gave him a few pointers; she is a natural and has an artist's eye.  So, get a used digital camera at Good Will or dig up an old one from the closet.  (I had two old digital cameras on hand.)  Show the kids how to take a few shots.  Ours have SD cards.  So, I showed both kids how to eject the card from the camera, load it on the laptop, and copy the photos.  We attached their photos to emails to send.  Here are a few of their pictures.

Co-op Groups

I moved to a much bigger city with an extremely active Co-op group.  But, I can't emphasize enough to how useful Co-op groups are.  In my last house, the Co-op, which had maybe thirty members, used a Facebook group to communicate and organize.  They were able to message everyone with cancellations, class work questions, or tips.  The nice thing is that as Facebook friends, we can see all of one another's posts, something I treasure now that I've moved.  The new Co-op group is switching from a Yahoo group to a Google group.  The Co-op group is large, spanning two counties, with about one hundred members.  Email communication is great because there are many more posts.  I can quickly sift through the emails and delete those I find irrelevant.  This group posts scores of local opportunities, such as the Lego exhibit at the Botanical gardens about 1 1/2 hours away.  I scour the event in the area through a magazine at the library, but wouldn't have known about this exhibit otherwise.  Now, this Co-op is organizing two trips for anyone interested in the group.  Home-schoolers, take note!  Pick a local landmark and schedule a field trip as a group, even if the group consists of two moms and their kids.  Don't forget to log field trips, just as you log reading books.  Won't your portfolio glitter next year?