‘Boom, Let’s Investigate!’

This is my inaugural blog post on this my newest blog and I am excited about my visit to, ‘Boom, Let’s Investigate’ this week on Thursday.

The intention of this blog is to capture in very practical terms what is happening within our various modules at Rototuna Junior High School.  Our learning environment is one that is quite different to the one I experienced as a high school student and for most of our parents and caregivers out there this is also the case.  By sharing the learning I hope to create a vivid picture of the learning for you and highlight some of the ways we are different to the learning we experienced and the ways we may be the same as many other schools out there.

‘Boom, Let’s Investigate’ is an integrated year 9 & 10 Mathematics and Science module being taught by Carolyn Gibbs, Julee Ralph and Mel Moore.  The snapshot of the learning programme that I have captured is of one lesson in the second week of the course running.

The focus of the module is on investigating the impact of one thing on another through a series of scientific investigations.  The focus within science is on the material world which is, in the words of Mel, ‘the exploration of the intangible or the stuff we can’t see or touch easily.’  Through this scientific context students will also be developing their number and statistical skills and knowledge.

During the lesson I observed the students initially in 3 separate groups working with one of the teachers each.  Our flexible learning spaces meant that one group was working in the break out area with Carolyn, one in the main commons area with Mel and one in a science lab area with Julee.  Mel’s group were putting together reflective notes or as Mel put it, ‘notes from their current self to help their future self.’  Students were reflecting on concepts they had already explored in a practical way relating to liquids, gases, particles, solutes, solvents and the different physical and chemical properties of the various things.  A critical part of this reflection process was peer feedback.  So not only do the students recall their own learning they needed to critique and give feedback on one of their peers notes.  This is a great way for us to commit the learning to their long term memory.

Julee was leading a group through another reflective task where students were revisiting the fair testing criteria with a particular emphasis on defining variables including controlled, dependent and independent.  Interestingly the module started with students going through a fair testing investigation process in an effort to collect some information about what they already know.  In subsequent lessons to this one students will be grouped according to the various gaps they had in their knowledge of fair testing (how to write a hypothesis, method construction, identifying and defining controls etc).

Carolyn is one of our graduate teachers and she was leading students through a set of word problems that used a science context but were focussed on developing students ability to solve problems involving ratios and decimals.  Interestingly the students had been grouped in 6 different ability groups with two different levels being with Carolyn at any one time.  One of our underlying philosophies here at RJHS is that students learn just as much from each other as they do from us as educators so providing opportunities for students to learn alongside others at different ability levels assists us in enriching the learning of all students.

Once the groups had rotated through the three different activities they got into a practical, teacher led fair test demonstration relating to the effect heat has on the movement of particles.  This was again an opportunity to build on previous learning and work together as a larger group (each teacher lead a group through a separate investigation).

I observed a high level of engagement and student participation throughout this lesson and just as importantly I observed a team of teachers who have thought carefully about how to engage the students and facilitate learning that will stick with the students.  I can’t remember science and maths being this interesting at school, or as challenging either when I was in Year 9 or 10.