"HOW DO I FIT IT?": CONSTRUCTIVIST BIOLOGY

Previously weeks we focused on constructivist physics and chemistry and that week we learned "how do I fit it", that is, constructivist biology and ecology. In other words, it is about how the animals and plants -living things- and their adaptation to the environment. In my opinion, learning biology and ecology can occur every time, because children live in a world that is covered living things; plants, animals, human beings. Therefore, I think that it is enjoyable to engage in animals and plants, because we know that children born with a sense of curiosity about their world and they can simply observe the environment. By that way, they recognize how the ecology works on, what kind of plants present in their home and which animals live between the grass. I think that there is no need lots of extra information to teach children. As I said before, they can learn more efficiently by engaging naturally. Moreover, I claimed that we can facilitate that situation and simply organize our classroom environment and school arrangement. I think it is a good point that we can include dogs, turtles, cats, dogs, chickens, fish, rabbit and sheeps in a kindergarten. We can separate these animals into the outdoor and indoor setting, so we can create an school atmosphere for children in which children not only improve their developmental areas by activities but also they gain a sense of caring environment, lives of animals and plants. At that point, I think that educator should know how he/she integrates the environment to the education. I think there are lots of ways to immerse children to the world of living things. You can easily teach the insects to the children as a result of a kind of insect enter your classroom, or you can organize field trip to the zoo or you can bring up your children to the picnic. By that way, they learn by doing, they learn by observing and they learn by experiencing and discussing. As a future teacher, I claim that teacher fit the environment into their daily activities simply. They can use natural materials such as pine cones, shells or small rocks for art activities or children able to do music by using small rocks. I mean, teachers can integrate environment to their activities, so they learn environment and ecology and living things more effectively.

For the lab session, Pınar and Gülşah present their subject : Animals. I think these are the enjoyable hours for us, because we found the possibility to examine live worms, ants and fish. We made a living area for worms and we comforted them:) We looked them from magnifying glass. All activities worked properly, even though my friends busy with living, active animals. Activities were suitable for children. In future, we can explain worm's lives or birds' eating style with these activities, so I congratulate my friends for these beneficial and enjoyable presentations.

HOW CAN I MAKE IT CHANGE?: CONSTRUCTIVIST CHEMISTRY

That week, I could not attend science session due to my illness; however, I followed the lesson from our book and ppt slides, so I have knowledge about how can I make it change: Constructivist chemistry. First of all, there is the definition that I want to mention it: Transformation. It is the term that reflects what children engaged in and focus ob when they play. Actually, there are different kinds of transformation types. Some of the transformations are physical; that is, it is about change the shape, form or substance of materials. Some of are symbolic. It means that children imagine the changes as an object or a person.

When I look at the categories of chemistry activities, I see that there are two categories and both of them involve change or transformation. The first one is Reconstruction. It is about rearrangement of parts and using structures in order to get a new structure. Actually, an outstanding feature of this type is that it provides children to see and act reversibility of the experiments. This is so important that reversibility focuses on the child's attention on the process of transformation. Other type is combination. That is, transformation experiences occurs as a result of combining materials. For example, color mixing activities are the popular experiments for young children. By that way, they find the possibility to combine more than one materials. during the activity, children do not only focused on changed color, however, they see how the process works and how combination occurs, so children can see the changing and the product.

In fact, when I examined my book, I saw that there are different kinds of way that we can show children changing materials, transformation and combination. I believe that simple chemistry activities such as mixing colors, creating bubbles, changing chain activity provides children how the matters changes easily. Therefore, children achieve the sense pf everything is not always stable. Moreover, I think that when children engage in changing or chemistry activities, they can feel themselves as a little scientists when playing. This situation provides teacher an appropriate observation environment and determine child's attention, ability and development.

WHAT IS GOING ON!

At the lesson of April 30th, our instructor made us a surprise and we visited the METU Science and Technology museum. Our trip includes interestingly both past and present. First of all, we began our tour in the past. We entered into the huge tent which includes old models Chevrolets, Mercedes, Pontiac and Citroen cars. ı think this was amazing, because when we compare them to today's car models, the old ones are bigger according to new ones. Also all of them have very bright colors and shining under the spots. Actually, my friends and I spent enjoyable time in that area with old cars, old and very very big computers, medical machines and fax machines. After that we entered another big tent in which objects that belong to past. I saw big rocks from BC years, home models belong to old age, some medical tools and skeleton. I think that all of these details affected me, because when you think that those past years and their ages, it seems so interesting when compared to today or it is weird to think these skeleton's feelings, life styles and friends, families.

We continue to our trip with examining the old telephones, computers, clocks, marine's materials, musical instruments, medical objects and even also typewriters which belong to presidents of Turkey namely, İsmet İnönü, Bülent Ecevit, Ahmet Necdet Sezer. In my opinion, this situation feels me as a bridge between the past and today, because there were both old and new typewriters belongs to many presidents and ministers of Turkey. After that, we entered another tent which includes modern inventions and an instructor gave us information about the experiments. Then we started to try by own self and experimented almost all projects. Actually we had funny time with these projects. we saw ourselves from different size mirrors, I had electricity and due to that my skirt flied a little bit, we tried to solve puzzles, learned heartbeat numbers and so on.

If I make a reflection, I can say that this was not only enjoyable trip but also beneficial for me, because after that journey, I gained some ideas about working machines, science development in the past and some interesting science experiment. Actually I think that it is amazing that science is explaining many things such as effects of electricity, gravity, results of pressure so on and in this big tent all of these concepts were presented us with the slogan of "What is going on" and " Try this". That is why; first of all we tried to understand what was going on there and we tried to accomplish experiments in order to see what is going on.

At the end of the visiting museum, we turned back the our faculty to attend the lab session. This week we discuss the machines and magnetism with my friends Aysun, Gamze and Itır. They actualized many experiments in order to teach these concepts. I think all of them constructed good job so I want to congratulate them. Moreover extra activity part includes four different concept's experiment which were done by Kübra and Rukiye. They tried to teach power of air, importance of our skeleton, making a magnifying glass and density of different liquids. According to me, all activities were beneficial and have the features to draw children's attention. For this reason, I thank to my friends for this efficient work.

"HOW CAN I MAKE IT MOVE?" : CONSTRUCTIVIST PHYSICS

Last week, we focused on the subject: How can I make it move. It is about constructivist physics and includes knowledge about how children perceive the some actions of movement such as pushing, sliding, rolling, tilting and also other objects that we like to move; balls, cubes, marbles, wheels, water and air. According to Kami and De Vires(1978) the physical knowledge occurs as a result of the child's actions on objects and child's observations about the reactions of the objects. At the lesson, first of all, we discussed categories of the physical knowledge which are movement of objects and changes in objects. Actually, I saw that constructivist perspective asserts that there are some criteria that make the child's experience more meaningful;

• The child should create his/her own actions


• The child must be able to vary his/her actions


• Reaction of the objects must be observable


• The reaction of the object must be immediate

In my opinion these features provide the children effective physical knowledge by creating appropriate environment. Then we examined the categories of physics activities;

• moving objects


• directing movement


• representing motions

To apply these activities, our instructor brought to class some materials such as glue, scissor, small balls, cardboard and so on. By using these materials, each group created their own set. As a group we prepared a set that includes bridge, maze, a spiral tunnel and a twist. Then we presented this set by using a small ball. We tried to have passed ball in the maze, over the bridge and twist. However, after the presentation, we realized that we had not left any space for free moving of the ball. That is, everything was arranged as close as possible and this situation prevents the child2s manipulation skill. If a child plays with this set, ball goes on without any fail or requiring child's ability. That was our mistake, but the we corrected it.

Moreover, there are also some principles that guide physics activities;

• Observing children carefully and anticipate extension.


• Consider varying scale


• Consider varying properties of materials


• Consider using all areas of materials


• Consider social interaction

Also during the lesson, we did some exercises on the Internet which are about pendulum. We tried to predict its velocity by manipulating its lenght, weight and heigth. I think this activity is so efficient that I really understood its logic, because when I was preparing University Entrance exam, I solved this type of questions by learning its features verbally, but at lesson I saw how it works and this reality is more meaningful. So, I can say that this week I gained beneficial knowledge about how we can teach physic to children and how they achieve it.

BEING A CONSTRUCTIVIST TEACHER

That week we focused on roles of constructivist teacher at science teaching. In my opinion This lesson is very important for us. because as a future constructive teacher candidates we should know roles and responsibilities in detail, so we can provide efficient science education for our young children. Now, I want to tell about these principles which require a constructivist teacher must have.

First of all I want to mention that we separate traditional science teaching from constructivist perspective. Actually, both traditional and constructivist perspective have different aspects in terms of education; however I absolutely prefer constructivist perspective for science teaching as I stated before. For this reason; I give importance characteristic of constructive teacher which are indicated below;

• Teacher as presenter: It means a constructivist teacher presents to children options, activities and ideas in order to provide to construct their own knowledge and actions. That is why, I think a constructivist teacher should know the way of presenting ideas carefully and effectively.
• Teacher as observer: Constructivist teacher observes children not only with one way but also he/she integrate several ways such as anecdotal records, target child observations, checklists and video recording in order to assess students development efficiently, to develop an appropriate curriculum for children. Also, observing and making assessment help us to enhance family involvement for curriculum. I think this is important. By that way we get more effective education for young children.
• Teacher as question asker and problem poser: A constructivist teacher asks good questions that help children make their own theories. Moreover, teacher emphasize more open ended questions than convergent questions, but I think convergent questions are also necessary for children to reach solutions, answers and build theories.
• Teacher as environment organizer: That is, constructivist environment is arranged by constructivist teacher in order to get effective science teaching. Easy traffic flow, flexibility, accessibility, reciprocity, self direction and social interaction are the proportions of the constructivist environment.
• Teacher as public relations manager: Constructivist teachers have frequently communication with parents, administrations and colleagues. Teachers use video recording, photos or slides to share with children's parents
• Teacher as documenter of children's learning: It means that constructivist teacher observes children carefully and as a result he/she prepare work samples and portfolios. I think these samples are too valued for watching child developmental level. Also, teachers organize, compile and share information about child's doing and learning.
• Teacher as contributor to classroom culture: Naturally, teacher is the person who puts the rules, organizes the classroom environment and makes choices about the activities. Those actions create the classroom culture. I claim that at that point a constructivist teacher should behavior carefully and create morally healthy environment.

All of these roles indicate how a constructivist teacher should be. Actually, I see that for a constructivist teacher, the important is children. That is, most of the thing are arranged according to children's demand and support child's development efficiently.

In our lab session, we made our extra activities which were "deprem deneyi", "maya ile şişen balon", "mum deneyi", "yüzen tekne". Actually, all of these experiments give children information about different subjects but unfortunately we could not actualize them influentially. However, we get efficient feedback from our instructor and try to correct our insufficiency.