Classification Of leaves

I always think it is a very easy topic till I collect their work. After all , it is not easy for them. I just discovered from the 2 educators, Nancy Frey & Douglas Fisher ,that there is a difference between error and mistake , and of course they emphasize the importance of giving feedback.

I have used all the pictures below to give feedback on their mistakes and errors in class.


The pupils went to the school garden to draw the leaves I chose. This is one that is well -drawn with all the details.



Pupil 1

 I guess the one of the left is a mistake. Pupil did not realise that he/ she overlooked C. As for the error on the right,  the pupil does not know what is parallel vein.

The next 2 pictures from pupil 2 & pupil 3 are full of errors. I actually re taught the whole class how to go about doing the classification wth a lot more scaffolding. I actually reflected why they made so many errors. As I said, I thought it is rather easy but it is not for them. They needed much more scaffolding and the original task is very open and allows divergent  thinking. Pupils could classify the leaves according to colours, leaf edge, leaf shape, leaf vein and size. So I modified the task and it became closed and allows convergent thinking. I got them to copy the classifiaction table and the heading of the classification and got them to classify the leaves. I was too ambitious. Pupils should master the basic before attempting the open task.




Pupil 2



Pupil 3

This is the only one with perfect work.

Using POE & Think pair share For Hydroponics Lesson

I really like POE ( Predict Observe Explain) strategy. I asked pupils to predict what would happen if we removed the roots of the vegetables. I also asked them to predict what would happen if we remove all the leaves. I , as well as the pupils, predicted the vegetables would die.

To my surprise, it turned out otherwise.



Roots removed a week before

 The vegetables did not die. So the pupils wrote the observation that the outer 3 leaves are drying and the inner 2 leaves are still surviving. One leaf was turning yellow. And we explained that the vegetables were not able to absorb water, thus they were drying up. The leaf turned yellow because it was not able to make food due to lack of water.

Earlier on, I got the pupils to do think pair share why the vegetables dried up. I heard the conversation of 2 boys. Lin Wei said, " No water". I asked, " There is water in the hydroponics system." Irrfan shared, " The plant has no roots." I asked the two of them to synthesize their 2 partial answers. They quickly answered that the vegetables did not have roots to take in water. I could see that both were happy to get their final answer. I am pleased with think pair share strategy.



All the leaves were removed a week before

 The leaf stalk with the leaves removed did not grow back the leaves. Instead new leaves grew from the stem. We explained that the new leaves grew because they used the food stored in the stem.

It is a great learning experience for both the kids and myself.

Activity For Kinesthetic Learners

I have to get pupils to trace the flow of blood and the path that substances as they are transported by the human circulatory system. It is not easy for pupils to remember the concepts. I tried using this activity as shown below.




Our circulatory system!



I got the pupils to be the blood moving through the arteries and veins. When they were moving from the heart to the different parts of the body, they used handsigns like " O" and palm facing upwards to show that they were carrying oxygen and digested food. When they were moving through the veins, similarly, they used hand symbol " C" and palm facing down to represent carbon dioxide and waster.

Pupils enjoyed the activity and more importantly, they were able to remember the substances that are tranported in the different blood vessels through movements.