Welcome To K-8 CIA: Science - Foundational
Please fold the white card paper in half lengthwise and write your name in large letters. In small letters write your practicum grade below your name. For example: Mike Link
Grade 5
*Bring this name card to all of your courses with you until your professors have learned your name.*
Land Acknowledgement
Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada
Two TRC Calls to Action linked to education:
10) iii. Developing culturally appropriate curricula
63) iii. Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect
Introductions
Tell us about yourself. Take about 5 minutes. Begin by writing your name on an empty slide.
You may wish to include your preferred pronoun.
Add some pictures if you like.
Mike Link
-Father of three teenagers
-K-8 teacher for 13 years
-Teacher educator since 2008
-Science education professor since 2019
-Research in education for sustainability, ecojustice and place-based education, human-nature connection, well-being
-Loves being in the outdoors, hiking, kayaking, music, and spending time with family & friends
Introductions
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Nature Journal
Required Text:
The First-Year Teacher’s Survival Guide: Ready-To-Use Strategies, Tools and Activities for Meeting the Challenges of Each School Day (5th ed) (2024 edition)
Ebooks available through the uwinnipeg bookstore - books should be arriving soon, perhaps on the shelves now.
Thompson, J. G., & Cummings, M. (2024). The First-Year Teacher’s Survival Guide: Ready-To-Use Strategies, Tools and Activities for Meeting the Challenges of Each School Day (5th ed). Wiley.
Every day when you walk in the lab, open up the day’s slide deck (you can find the latest link on our course website) and then please sign your name on the Welcome Page slide.
Welcome Page - Please write your name as an attendance check-in.
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Course Outline
Before we look at the course outline, in your table groups generate a list of at least eight questions you have about the course (e.g., assignments, topics covered, grading policy). Jot these down on one of the blank slides below.
Once your group is finished, check out the course website and find the answers to your questions.
After we’re all done, we’ll spend some time answering the questions for which the groups found no answer.
Table Group #1
Generate a list of at least eight questions you have about the course.
Table Group #2
Generate a list of at least eight questions you have about the course.
Table Group #3
Generate a list of at least eight questions you have about the course.
Table Group #4
Generate a list of at least eight questions you have about the course.
Table Group #5
Generate a list of at least eight questions you have about the course.
Table Group #6
Generate a list of at least eight questions you have about the course.
Check out the course website and find the answers to your questions.
Nexus
Two uses:
To keep things simple, please use m.link@uwinnipeg.ca for all communications and not the nexus email.
Seminar Assignment: 40% >Due Date: November 10
A seminar discussion will help you prepare for and participate in an in-depth, focused, and meaningful small group dialogue. In preparation for class, read/view/listen to the assigned reading, video, or podcast, highlighting and prioritizing specific passages or quotes you want to discuss with the group and writing a short essay reflecting on those selections (see steps below). Bring your highlighted passages along with your essay and use these as your ticket to participate in a highly structured small group discussion.
As you read/view/listen to the assigned piece, keep in mind the following two questions as you underline or make note of appropriate passages or make comments in the margins:
Seminar Discussion
Step-by-Step Directions
Identifying Constructive Seminar Behaviours
When assessing seminar behaviours, one can ask how a person contributes to the seminar and to what degree they engage in the following three kinds of behaviors.
A. Introduce substantive points: Points that result from thoughtful reading and thinking about the assigned material. A “substantive” point is one that becomes the focus for group exploration lasting several minutes.
· Identify essential issues or questions the piece is discussing.
· Point to the author’s central hypothesis, claims, and supporting arguments and evidence.
· Point to important passages that need to be understood.
· Explain the complexities faced in exploring this material.
· Describe passages or quotes that are personally meaningful or connected to some shared experience.
B. Deepen the discussion: Help the seminar process with individual contributions that lead the group to discover new insights and understanding of assigned readings.
· Provide additional supportive quotes; explain relevance; Ask clarifying questions.
· Share the thought process that was personally used to develop an idea.
· Paraphrase what the author means in a specific passage.
· Summarize the arguments being presented.
· Identify similarities and differences in positions being argued.
· Challenge an idea or present an alternate interpretation.
· Connect ideas from several participants or from other texts the group has read.
· Formulate insightful questions that spark group responses.
· Introduce personal experiences that illuminate the text for others.
C. Facilitate group exploration: Focus on the group's accomplishments rather than on each student's individual performance.
· Help to identify the goals and format for the group process.
· Keep the group on task.
· Focus the group back to the piece.
· Summarize what has been discussed with the group.
· Bring closure to one point and make a transition to a new one.
· Paraphrase someone’s comments, identify what you don't understand, and/ or formulate a specific question asking for clarification.
· Encourage non-participants by being alert to who wants to speak or who hasn't spoken and helping them get the floor.
· Indicate support by responding to a person's ideas or complimenting them.
· Show active listening using nonverbal cues like eye contact, nods, and smiles.
· Become aware when dominating the discussion and then modifying behaviour.
· Defuse a tense moment with the use of humour.
Please see the corresponding rubric on the course website for full details on the assessment of this assignment.
A Note about AI
As future teachers, AI will be an evolving reality that you will need to reflect on and address. In this course, I’ve tried to design my assignments in a way that emphasizes the importance of local context (e.g., designing lessons that are specific to your students and their community) - a strategy that you may consider as a teacher. The other one is to design assignments that aren’t boring or unoriginal! Assignments that can be effortlessly completed using AI are often generic, bland, or uninspiring. If you are using AI as a tool for designing lessons, please provide an appropriate citation, a description of how you used AI, and ensure that what is provided is correct.
What are some other strategies?
Questions about the syllabus and assignments
I’m also available before and after each class to answer any of your questions.
Lesson Facilitation
Science Lesson Groups
Groups for ‘Go Wild’ School Garden Grant Proposal Applications for the WWF are due October ??st
Science Circus Schedule
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
Form groups of five or so, review the assignment, and select from the four science clusters:
Review the Manitoba science curriculum documents for more information - google ‘science Manitoba education pilot’
We will draw group names from a hat for the selection of clusters. Once the groups have been selected please enter your names on the Science Circus schedule for your section - look under the tab Schedule on our course website.
Sign up for the following schedules on the course website:
Field Trip: Fort Whyte Alive!
Introduction to Environmental Education
An introduction to strategies and activities that will build your skills as an educator in planning field trips and incorporating outdoor experiential education into your lesson planning.
The fee for the field trip is $??. Please bring cash on the day of the trip (exact change please). Start to think about transportation options - carpooling (ask around), biking, etc.
Section 151 September ??: 8:50 am - 12:30 pm
Names to faces
Email Contact List
Access codes for the washrooms in the AnX basement down the hall (& U Brandon neighbours):
(Right): 2468#
(Left): 1357#
Student Lounge in the Basement:
Code is 1-3-6. Unless it’s not.
Group Contract
In your groups, brainstorm some guidelines for our interactions & collaborations.
Group 2
Group 1
Group 3
Group 5
Group 4
Group 6
In your groups, brainstorm some guidelines for our interactions & collaborations.
Group 2
Group 1
Group 3
Group 5
Group 4
Group 6
Student Resources for Well-Being and Equity
Human Rights & Diversity Office
The University is committed to actively supporting equal opportunity, equity, social justice, mutual respect, diversity and the dignity of all people. The University recognizes that every member of the University community has the right to participate, learn and work in an inclusive and respectful work and learning environment that promotes equal opportunities and is free from discrimination and harassment.
Please email s.belding@uwinnipeg.ca or call (204) 988-7508 if you wish to schedule an appointment or seek advice.
Our class preparation schedule involves a combination of readings and documentaries/videos (mostly the latter). Many of the documentaries are on CBC Gem. This is a free app but is heavy with repetitive commercials (very painful). I would suggest paying the $6/month for one month (mid-October to mid-November). There are also a few documentaries from Nf. I’m hoping that most of you have access. If not, I have a back-up plan.
Please approach me if you don’t have access to NF and I will provide substitute readings for you to complete.
Sexual Violence Response Team
Students who have experienced sexual violence are encouraged to call or text the Sexual Violence Response Team call 204.230.6660 or to email svrt@uwinnipeg.ca
If you or someone else is in immediate danger on campus, please call 204.786.6666 to contact UWinnipeg Security.
Counselling Services - Wellness Centre, 1st Floor Duckworth
The university experience will provide you with many opportunities for growth and change. While many of these opportunities can be very exciting, some can be confusing or overwhelming. The Counselling Centre can provide support when you need it. We are here to assist you with your development through personal counselling. If you would like to explore the option of counselling, please contact the centre at: studentwellness@uwinnipeg.ca or 204.988.7611.
The team will respond to a student's request for an intake appointment within two working days. To speak with a counsellor immediately, please call Klinic's 24-hour Crisis Phone Line at 204.786.8686. Visit the Student Wellness for more information.
https://www.uwinnipeg.ca/accepted-students/first-month-on-campus/counselling-services.html
Campus Security
204-786-6666
Can help address immediate or ongoing safety concerns.
Can connect people to SafeRide.
Outdoor Exploration:
With a partner or small group, explore the campus.
You may wish to use your nature journal to draw or write down your observations or questions.
You may also wish to use the feature available on most iphones and android phones to identify any plants or animals (including insects) that you encounter. I can show how it works if you like.
For Next Time
Note to self: Change access from editor to viewer