Teaching Scenarios

One of the teaching scenarios that I would not teach is number 8: "You, as teacher, teach a recycling unit by presenting important information about recycling to your students." I think that this is a good basis for a unit, but that it needs much more! I would most likely begin a unit on recycling with a lecture about the importance of recycling, and why we recycle. However, I would not just stop there after presenting the important information. I would ask students to inquire about what would happen if we did not recycle. How can they recycle at home? We could also set up a recycling program within the classroom. I would definitely bring in various items and show students which ones can and cannot be recycled. I would get the students actively engaged by starting a recycling program in the classroom. I would ask students to go home and find out how they recycle in their own homes. I would use this vignette as a basis, but I would expand on it greatly!

A second teaching scenario that I would not teach is number 16: "You, as a teacher, design a science unit around the question "What's in our drinking water?" Again, this is a good start, but there is no real inquiry here. There are many things that could be done with this unit. I would have the students doing lots of inquiry such as what are the effects of pollution to our drinking water? Where do we get our drinking water from? What is safe and unsafe drinking water? Again, I might begin with a lecture about what is in drinking water, but I would have the students doing lots of research on their own/discussion about what is safe and unsafe drinking water. I would try to set up a field trip to a local water plant as well. Especially the local "dirty" water plant. I remember going as a student to the Detroit Water plant and seeing how much waste was in the water. I remember being almost scared by this, but it taught me the importance of keeping our environment clean because I saw how much waste was in the water. Very memorable (and smelly) experience that I would like to one day share with my future students.