Science Fair: Nests Nikki Daigle, Aris Pagan, & Amanda Mlyniec

StandardsPreschool-Kindergarten:

Heredity and evolution: K.2a living things have certain characteristics that

distinguish them from nonliving things, including growth, movement, reproduction and responses to stimuli.

GLE: A.4 (CMT Correlation) Describe the similarities and differences in the

appearance and behaviors of plants, birds, fish, insects and mammals (including humans).

Objectives Children will identify what a wasp looks like Children will discuss the importance of nests to

animals Children will be able to compare bird nests to wasp

nests Children will be able to identify some of the materials

used in making nests Children will be able to compare bird/wasp nests to

human homes Students will create replicas of Robin and Paper Wasp

nests

What We Did… Initiation (KL Chart-K Completed)

American Robin Paper Wasp

Construction of Nests Closure

KL Chart-L Completed Comparisons

What We Learned… Children have different interests Different levels of prior knowledge

(Child A-a lot of prior knowledge/ Child B- not engaged)

Planning process – time consuming Research is important More time needed for children to respond Adaptations are key

What Children Learned… Shapes of nests Materials used Purpose of animal nests How nests relate to homes What human homes have in common

with nests How to construct replicas in a

cooperative environment

Adaptations Environment:

Move wasp making table Take tri-fold away and focus on white board

Less Distraction: Less materials out on bird nest table

Constructivist: Asking more questions in the beginning Related wasp balls to the wasp nests (cover all

white space to make sturdy) More time in between questions More visual cues to account for all learning types

Scaffolding Levels of Questioning (open or

closed-ended) Hand over Hand (newspaper strips

cut/twigs broken) Use of modeling was significant Re-direction

Initiation and closure Books handy

Peer Scaffolding: Children who finished first helped other

peers

Future Activities… Read book during initiation Focus on one type of nest Conduct with fewer groups

Built in reflection time Possibly conducted in Practicum classroom

More rapport Know children’s abilities Follow-up assessment/reflection

Complete over a span of time (ex. 1 week instead of 1 day)

Focus on wasp stingers or other topics (cater to children’s interests)

CFDRC Comments… Group not specifically mentioned (good or bad?) “I did find in some stations the students not giving the children time to

"think" about their answers.  The students will ask a question and when not given a quick response added another question”

“Okay we're done.  (10 minutes left)” Initiation stretched by three minutes

“ I think the children are going to really enjoy your lesson. Kids were very engaged, I like how it is very hands-on”-Ashlee

Pictures of Initiation

Pictures in Action…

Pictures in Action…

Pictures of Closure

Pictures of Final Products