EDIM 508

Unit 2

Two science units that I do in first grade are frogs and bees. Although I have a great amount of age appropriate books on the content, it is hard for the students to fully appreciate lify cycles of frogs without the videos from discovery. For frogs I use a video called "The development of tadpoles:Metamorphosis" to help the students get an up close and personal look at what happens during the process of metamorphosis. Although students already have some background knowledge on frogs and they are already engaged, this is when the students become highly interested in metamorphosis. Seeing this happen (even on a video) really helps to students to experience the change.

Another great video I use from discovery is for bees. Although I also use videos from Youtube and The Magic School Bus for bees, they all play a vital part in helping students to see first hand how bees communicate and work together. I have even had a local apiary come in with their bees but the kids still aquired more knowledge and were more engaged from seeing the up close action of the bees from the videos. Although I think it is important to provide real life expreiences as well as text to introduce and reinforce content, seenig the videos have helped students to better understand the information and retain much of the vital content.