by Debbie Breeding Bancroft Middle School
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"Where are you, Miss Breeding?" "I'm taking the picture." "What is that?" "It's a type of plant called a cholla cactus. It's also called jumping cactus. Some people call it teddy bear cactus." "Oh, yeah! it looks like a teddy bear!" "Does it really jump?" "How do you think it is sticking to that shoe?" (Mass movement toward the screen) "The little sticks are sticking into it," "Those are called needles. The cholla needles have a tiny hook at the tip that makes them stay hooked. They hook onto whatever may come by so quickly that it looks like part of the cactus jumps to it." "What do they hook onto?" "Why does it do that?" "Can you think of a reason this plant might be this way? What do you think happens to the parts that get carried away?" (Slide show stops. Big discussion occurs. Slides resume.) "Who are those people?" "They're other teachers who wanted to learn more about the desert." "Where are you, Miss Breeding?" "Oh look! There she is! There's Miss Breeding!" I believe learning is a life-long process, and the best way to learn is through first-hand experiences. That's why I love such opportunities as the Desert Explorations Workshop Series, sponsored by Target Science West Los Angeles Leadership Team. We learned by doing hands-on activities in a classroom setting, and then spent a day in the desert with knowledgeable (and humorous) experts. I learned quite a bit, as well as experiencing an excellent model for teaching. Now I can pass on my knowledge through meaningful classroom activities and such field experiences that are possible. Sharing my first-hand experiences and slides with my students brings them closer to experiences beyond their reach, and to models of life-long learning. Actually being in the desert helped to make my knowledge of it more meaningful to me. Just seeing pictures of me there made the desert more tangible to my students. I encourage you to join in. Where are you in the picture? The Target Science Teacher Network is part of the SMART Plan. For more information, or to register for a Target Science Explorations workshop series, call 1-800-83-SMART. |
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