Week 2 Journal

Student Name: Khawla Saeed Alshehhi

ID Number: H00296836

Date: from 12th to 15th.March.2017

Journal title:

Using manipulatives and models

Picture:

Using play doh

Journal Body:

A positive experience I have been through in my fourth week in GEMS school was when I had

my first MCT observation lesson which was a great experience. Especially, when I tried the

Gallery Walk strategy to have students moving around and checking others work with play

doh. Students were supposed to create shapes out of play doh using different skills then moving

around and leaders only left behind to describe the shapes and the skills. I liked the idea of trying

a new strategy in learning and it benefits students in looking at others work.

A negative experience that I have been thorough was the day of my observation, students were

supposed to go to the auditorium to watch WSR has talent show. I was afraid of having them

late, they came to class and skipped the launch time which had them too noisy to have food and

some of them too lazy to work during class. This has panicked me a little but the class went good

at last.

Using manipulatives and models

In science, students and especially first grades students are supposed to use manipulatives and

models so they can get the concept right. They need to touch things with their hands so they can

understand it well. I used the play doh in teaching my lessons so far, I gave each student a play

doh for his/her own so they can get the chance to try it by them selves and understand using

hands. This approach can mostly helps kinesthetic students to learn faster.
Another lesson that I have taught required using manipulatives was sorting materials to ones that

change shape and others that cannot change shape. I used some models like: pipe cleaners, towel,

bottle of water, sponge, spoon and a stone. I gave each student the chance to try using the models

so they can link between the skills using for changing shapes and the names of each shape.

Students were able to use the different skills in changing the shape of each one of the model.

Children must use manipulatives during the learning process of Science because it requires a

deep understanding of things. Doing experiments is one example of using materials to reach to

an obvious result that explains the scientific process done in a particular phenomena. Children

need to see and touch things so they can have an overall understanding of the experiment or the

science topic.

I have observed many manipulatives inside the lab of the school and in the storage inside

classrooms but they kept them locked so students will not touch them. Science manipulatives are

mostly used under the teachers guidance to make sure that students will not be in possible

danger. Using play doh and such things in Science helps students to get more interested and

involved in the lesson as they consider it part of their exploring time.