What Can You Learn From Observing Leaves With Magnifying Glasses? You have been learning how to use magnifying glasses and your senses to help you find out more about your world. In this investigation, you are going to select a leaf to observe. Use your magnifying glasses and your senses of touch, smell, hearing and seeing to help you observe. Draw a picture of your leaf and write (or tell someone) about your observations. Use details and describing words to share your observations. When everyone is finished, we are going to read some of your observations and see if anyone can guess which leaf you observed. 1 of 11
What Can You Learn From Observing Leaves With Magnifying Glasses? Suggested Grade Span K 2 Task You have been learning how to use magnifying glasses and your senses to help you find out more about your world. In this investigation, you are going to select a leaf to observe. Use your magnifying glasses and your senses of touch, smell, hearing and seeing to help you observe. Draw a picture of your leaf and write (or tell someone) about your observations. Use details and describing words to share your observations. When everyone is finished, we are going to read some of your observations and see if anyone can guess which leaf you observed. Big Ideas and Unifying Concepts Form and function Patterns Physical Science Concept Properties of matter Life Science Concept Structure and function Mathematics Concept Diagrams Time Required for the Task 45 minutes. Context This task was given to students during the second month of school to continue practicing the skills of observation. Students had also had several opportunities to practice using a magnifying glass as a tool to help them observe more closely. Students had been learning about their 2 of 11
different senses and how our senses help us to observe more detail about different objects. Students also practiced drawing their observations and using descriptive words to tell about what they were observing. These skills are the foundation of observation and are built upon in later grades. This task is also a way to expand students language and communication abilities. What the Task Accomplishes This task is used for formative assessment purposes and given during the middle of the unit on observation and the five senses. It assesses students ability to use their senses to describe an object through writing and drawing. It also assesses use of descriptive and detailed language to describe what is observed. Student drawings and observations help inform the teacher about the skills and attitudes of science that the students are learning. How the Student Will Investigate Before beginning this investigation, the whole class reviewed each of the senses and discussed which would be appropriate for this particular observation (sight, touch, smell, sound). We also reviewed how to use magnifying glasses and what the purpose of a magnifying glass is. Then, students selected a leaf from a collection provided by the teacher to observe. Students used their senses and magnifying glasses to help them observe more closely. Observations were then recorded (or scribed by the teacher) in words and a picture drawn of their leaf. When everyone was finished, we came back as a whole group for a scientists' meeting and had students share their observations to see if others in the group could guess which leaf they had observed. Interdisciplinary Links and Extensions Science Observation skills are very important and need to be stressed throughout each unit on science. Students can extend this investigation by using their five senses to observe other objects around them and in nature. Students can take nature walks and practice using each of their senses: What do you hear? see? smell? touch? We encouraged them to do this at home as well and to talk with their parents about their observations using descriptive language. For this assessment task, a dissecting microscope, borrowed from the upper grades, can be used to observe more closely. The leaf can be torn and the edges viewed under the microscope, revealing the rectangular-shaped plant cells. Language Arts Provide students with multiple opportunities to observe a variety of objects, events and phenomena. Ask students frequently to communicate these observations using descriptive words and pictures. During the course of this unit, students kept journals about many of their observations. 3 of 11
Some children s literature about the five senses and observation include: The Wonders of Me from A to Z, by Bobbie Kalman The Story of Jumping Mouse, by John Steptoe Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen Time of Wonder, by Robert McCloskey A Tree Is Nice, by Janice May Udry Everybody Needs a Rock, by Byrd Baylor The Sky Was Blue, by Charlotte Zolotow Mathematics Part of good observing includes measuring. Students can learn to use tools such as scales and measuring tapes to learn about and describe different objects. Students can sort and classify leaves and/or other objects by their attributes. Students can create their own math problems to solve with objects observed, using counting and estimating. Students could also use standard and/or nonstandard measuring tools to gather data on leaf size/dimensions and use graph paper to trace shapes and estimate surface areas. Teaching Tips and Guiding Questions We did this activity during the fall, when the leaves were changing colors. It can be also done with green leaves, but green leaves will require more descriptive and detailed observations if students try to identify leaves at the end. It is important to discuss the difference between using descriptive language (color, size, etc.) and subjective language (nice, pretty, etc.) At the kindergarten level, students need help writing about what they observe. We scribed for students whenever necessary. If you have science buddies with older students, you could also have them be the scribes. It is also important to review with students each of the senses before beginning this investigation task. Some possible guiding questions to ask students as they observe include: What do you see? hear? smell? feel when you touch your leaf? Did you look at both sides of the leaf? How are they the same? different? How can you draw a picture of your leaf so that other people will know what it is? How can you describe your leaf so that other people will know which leaf it is? What kinds of descriptive words can you use? What else can you say about it? What shapes, textures or smells do the leaf s traits remind you of? Have you ever observed anything else like it? Did you discover anything new when you used the hand lens? 4 of 11
Concepts to be Assessed (Unifying concepts/big ideas and science concepts to be assessed using the Science Exemplars Rubric under the criterion: Science Concepts and Related Content) Physical Science Properties of Matter: Students observe physical properties and characteristics of matter using the senses. Students observe properties of material, make predictions and classify materials. Life Science Structure and Function: Students identify, classify and sort characteristics of organisms (needs, structures, senses, behaviors). Students describe and show examples of interdependence, such as life cycles within a specific habitat. Mathematics: Students use diagrams appropriately. Skills to be Developed (Science process skills to be assessed using the Science Exemplars Rubric under the criteria: Scientific Procedures and Reasoning Strategies, and Scientific Communication Using Data) Scientific Method: Observing, manipulating tools, collecting and representing data through drawing and writing, and communicating what was learned. Other Science Standards and Concepts Addressed Scientific Method: Students describe, investigate and explain phenomena. Scientific Theory: Students look for evidence that explains why things happen and explain phenomena in the physical world. Students modify explanations when new observations are made. Life Science Structure and Function: Students observe, sort and classify, and identify objects in nature. Students understand that living things are found almost everywhere in the world and are interdependent. Physical Science Properties of Matter: Students describe and sort objects and materials according to observations of similarities and differences of physical properties. Communication: Students use verbal and nonverbal skills to express themselves effectively. 5 of 11
Suggested Materials The following are provided to students: Magnifying glasses A collection of leaves (different sizes, shapes and colors either provided by the teacher or brought in by students) Recording sheet or science journal Crayons and pencils Possible Solutions Students are assessed on the ability to record through writing (or scribing) and drawing what they observed using their senses and magnifying glasses. A correct solution will include evidence that the student used more than one sense and made more than two observations about the leaf. The teacher will also look for a range of descriptive language (about colors, size, textures, etc.) as opposed to subjective language (pretty, nice, etc.) to describe the leaf. Students should begin to use some related science language in their observations (stem, veins, etc.). Task-Specific Assessment Notes Novice The student includes a picture of the leaf (which appears as two pictures). There is some detail in the drawing, but it is difficult to tell if the student used the magnifying glass to observe more closely. The student includes two observations but uses only one sense (sight) to describe. Descriptive language is limited to color of leaf and size of stem. Apprentice The student includes a picture of the leaf. There is some detail in the drawing as well as some indication that a magnifying glass was used. The leaf was also traced for more accuracy. The student includes four observations but uses only one sense (sight) to observe. Descriptive language is used for some of the observations ("veins in it," "curves in the veins"). There is evidence of appropriate use of related science language (veins, stem). Practitioner The student includes detailed pictures of the leaf. There is evidence that the magnifying glass was used for the observation. The leaf was traced for more accuracy. The student includes numerous observations and uses three senses (hearing, sight, touch) to observe. Descriptive language is used for each observation ("long stem," "some veins," "pointy," "crunchy" and compares its smell to the "woods"). Expert The student includes a detailed picture of the leaf, evidence that the magnifying glass was used for the observation. The leaf was traced for more accuracy. The student includes numerous 6 of 11
observations and uses two senses (touch and sight) to observe. Descriptive and appropriate science language is used for each observation ("veins on it," "yellow stem," "bit of brown"). The student extends thinking by making a hypothesis, based on observations and prior knowledge, about how the holes got in the leaf. ("I think a bug tried to eat it.") 7 of 11
Novice 8 of 11
Apprentice 9 of 11
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Expert 11 of 11