ED223: Field Observation 4 15 Points

Your Name: Jess Beal Date of Observation: 11-21-17

Name of School, Center or Site: West Hempfield Elementary Type of Program: Science
Age of Children: 4th grade Time of Observation: 1-2 pm
Number Present: Teachers: 1 Children: 23
.
Observational Task: Classroom Technology Audit

1. Explore a Pre-k-4 classroom and make a list of materials for science/health instruction.
Include items such as technology (be specific to equipment and software), textbooks,
manipulatives, games, books, etc You may need to ask the teacher to assist you in
completing you list.
2. Reflect on what your opinion of the teaching style of the teacher based on the
materials. Note any items that you feel might be missing from the materials list that
could enhance science/health instruction.

Mr. Bagiatis has always been a very enthusiastic science teacher, thats why I chose his classroom
for this assignment. He is also incorporates various uses of technology whenever he can. I am not tech
savvy therefore I wanted to explore his classroom for these aspects. Fossweb.com was explained to me
as the one stop shop for the entire science class. This website allows for students to complete
different modules based on their grade level and our standards. The modules Mr. Bs students have
completed or will complete are mixtures and solutions, water and climate, water, structures of life,
living systems, earth and sun, energy, soils, rocks, and landforms, environments, motion and matter,
structures of life, motion, force, and models, living systems, soils, rocks, and landforms, sun moon, and
planets, weather on earth, weather on earth, energy and electromagnetism, measuring matter, and
environments. They are currently working on mixtures and solutions so I decided to explore this module.
This module provides a summary of what the students will be working on, teacher prep videos of how to
teach these lessons, teaching notes, module updates, data sheets for labs, a list of necessities for this
lab, focus questions, key vocabulary terms, and recommended books, websites, and other resources for
the teacher to use in the lesson. My favorite component of this website is the science notebooks. Each
student is able to submit their science notebook to the teacher while the best part is that the teachers
have an entire section explaining what to expect as a good submission of a journal entry. It also explains
the components that students should include in their journals. Basically, it breaks down how the
teachers should approach explaining the journals, what to look for in the journals, then how to make
suggestions in improving their students work. In science I think an essential aspect will be for my future
students to keep a science journal. Therefore this is a great resource to show the right way to keep a
science journal. Another aspect that I loved was that there is an accommodation for ELL/Spanish
speakers. Every resource is also in a Spanish version. I plan to move down south to teach therefore there
should be available resources for those learning English or do not know English at all. I was signed in to
this website as a teacher however there is a student version as well.
The student version contains various resources such as a periodic table, vocabulary references,
module summary, home/school connection option, recommended books and websites for further
investigation on a topic. The students textbook is also online. Its not just one big textbook, it is
broken down into modules of certain topics in science. There are also activities for the students to
complete; in this unit there were separating mixtures, junkyard analysis, and the fizz quiz. I wish there
was a way for teachers to post assignments for the students rather than the website just creating all the
activities. For example a teacher might not agree with how the website either presents the information
or doesnt like the assessment that goes with the lesson. Overall FOSS (full option science system) is a
great resource, more so for teachers than students. This website gives teachers the absolute most
resources for success however I wish the website was more flexible for the students.

Type a one page rationale/reflection about your observation. Include your perceptions, thoughts,
opinions, and reflections on your time in the classroom. Include a PA Academic standard that ties to
the specific observation with an explanation.