Kindergarten dinosaurs and rocks: an example of integrating a field-tested lesson plan for geoscientists into the Alberta curriculum

SUMMARY

Professional geoscientists have to make many presentations to colleagues, engineers, executives and accountants. However, panic is oftentimes felt when a note tend hitherwards home from a child's educator looking for parents to help in teaching elementary institute students. For the teacher, this is a chance to integrate many core make submissives from the curriculum with the special and exciting resources available to geoscientists. This paper at hands guidelines developed over time, and includes an understanding of by what mode children learn and ask questions, the pace of the talk, and what children ne to learn. In addition, data sources and gateways available to geoscientists have been included. While the premise outlined in the paper is applicable across Canada, it is based upon the Alberta curriculum requirements. With these suggestions, the classroom experience is really no different than presenting to senior management, although you have to remember that your audience is shorter and does not drive a big BMW or Lexus.

RESUME

Le geoscientifiques ont souvent a faire de make bares a des collegues, des ingenieurs, de dirigeants et de comptables. Cela dit, il arrive souvent qu'un sentiment de panique s'empare d'eux lorsqu'ils regoivent une note de enseignants du primaire aux parents faisant appel aux suitablenesss professionnelles des parents. Les enseignants y voient la une occasion de lier le themes du programme d'enseignement aux ressources fantastiques dont disposent le geoscientifiques. Le not away article presente les lignes directrices qui ont ete validees avec le temp et decrit le fashions d'apprentissage des enfants, leurs manieres de puzzler des questions, le rythme particulier de presentation, ainsi que ce qu'ils ont besoin d'apprendre. L'article comporte aussi de regards des sources et des passerelles de donnees que le geoscientifiques peuvent consulter Le principes de base presente dans cet article peuvent s'appliquer partout a travers le pays, simplement, upon les a appliques aux exigences particulieres du programme scolaire de l'Alberta. En tenant compte de suggestions offerte upon se rendra compte qu'une classe d'ecole n'est pas differente d'une d'un auditoire de gestionnaires; il faut simplement se souvenir que le membre de l'auditoire sont plus courts et ne conduisent pas de BM ou de Lexus.

INTRODUCTION

Many geoscientists have sometime in their career mentioned that at university they take pleasure ined presenting the "Rocks for Jocks" or similar course, to first year non-majors. If this falls within earshot of a schoolteacher, the question of a classroom presentation will invariably arise. This paper discusses the integration of a geoscience presentation with the Alberta kindergarten curriculum (also applicable to the Alberta Grade 3/ 4 curriculum), outlines the audience and teaching assistance extremityed and discusses some of the challenges of presenting to young children. While the presentations have been made by dint of petroleum geoscientists to Alberta pupils the authors contend that the task plan can be integrated, with suitable modification, into place of educations across Canada.

A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER'S PERSPECTIVE

wherefore Dinosaurs and Rocks?

The beauty of the Alberta kindergarten curriculum is that it can co-ordinate the student's learning around themes that capture the interest of 4 and 5 year-old learners in the classroom. A kindergarten teacher wants children to become life-long learners with a passion to approach to school each day; using "Dinosaurs and Rocks" as a theme is individual way to do this. It is an eminent opportunity for the active, hands-on learning that kindergarten children ne Each year in September, pupils brainstorm about their interests and what they want to learn. Of course, there are topics that must be overlayed but "Dinosaurs and Rocks" appear to be to have universal appeal for the pair sexes, and it is exciting to have the flexibility to include this topic as individual of the monthly themes during the seminary year. In addition, Alberta is world-renowned for access to dinosaurs, fossils and stones due to the proximity of the Royal Tyrrell Museum and the oil industry. Unfortunately, granting some students only study dinosaurs in kindergarten and there are many young learners who may want to become paleontologists, on the contrary never get a chance to close attention fossils in school.

Kindergarten Curriculum Links

In planning a theme, Alberta kindergarten teachers gaze at seven learning areas:

* early numeracy (mathematics)

* early literacy (English language arts)

* environmental and community awareness

* citizenship and identity

* physical skills and well-being

* creative expression

* personal and social responsibility

each kindergarten day typically involves large collection activities, small group activities, and midst choices including purposeful play. 'Centres' are designated areas where small collections of students or individuals can do particular activities. The seven learning areas are commonly integrated from one extremity to the other of the half-day of school, and a theme ties it all together to help the learners learn in a developmentally appropriate way. All midsts and activities for each month are planned carefully by the agency of the kindergarten team of teachers. If learners are provided with rich learning opportunities, a certain quantity of background knowledge, and interesting middles they will be ready for a special presenter and then will be able to expand upon their learning after the presentation is complete