vels: learning about our world - puentes culturales

VELS: Learning About Our World

Presented by: Sally Anderson Greg DeFrancisCamille Catlett

Good Morning!

Today’s Facilitators:

• Sally Anderson,

Vermont Center for the Book

• Greg DeFrancis,

Montshire Museum of Science

• Camille Catlett,

FPG Child Development Center

Visions & Dreams

For now and into the future, we hope that participants will…

1. be inspired to use the VELS in your practice and gain support from

the depth of reflective work that has constructed this tool.

2. help communicate this tool to your districts, colleagues, and

communities.

3. build a sense of community with others participating in the VELS

Institutes to support your professional growth.

Today’s Agenda

VELS at a Glance An Introduction with Shorthand

Learning About Our World: An Overview

Exploring Force and Motion Small group work

VELS Elements and Domains

Inclusive instruction

Literature links

Gumdrops!

Lunch

Building a Town Small group work

VELS Elements and Domains

Inclusive instruction

Literature links

Gumdrops!

Wrap-up for Today

VELS Overview Video

What are gumdrops?

This is Your Brain on Engineering

This is Your

Brain on

Engineering!

Learning About Our WorldThree domains and multiple elements

Mathematics Science Social Studies

Exploring Forces and Motion

An example of working in the Science domain

Elements: Physical Sciences; Engineering Design

Goals:

1. Children construct concepts of the

properties of matter, sound, motion and

energy through exploration and

investigations.

2. Children design, experiment, construct,

alter, and problem solve to modify the

natural world and meet their needs and

wants.

Exploring Forces and Motion

Balls and Ramps:

• Work in groups of 3-4 at your table.

• Create a ramp with materials provided.

• Explore how balls roll down the ramp. With partners, talk about: • Do all the balls roll the same distance from the ramp?

• How can you change the ramp to make the ball roll further? Not as far?

• Use descriptive words to describe the different balls.

• How can you change the slope of the ramp? What words would

you use to describe the slope?

• Does you ball have enough force to knock over a small block at the bottom of the ramp?

• What can you change so your ball can knock over more than one block?

• Experiment with the ramp and collect data:• What data can you collect about your balls and ramp experiment? Mathematics?

• How many ways can you measure the distance the balls roll beyond the ramp?

• What are some ways you can represent the data you collected?

Exploring Forces and Motion

Marble Runs:

• Work in groups of 3-4 at your table.

• Discuss with your partners your design.

• Cut the boxboard into strips.

• Attach the strips to the large corrugated board.

• Engineer the best solution to make the ramps

• Make changes to improve your design.

• Problem solve to make a marble run where the marble:

• Speeds up (increases velocity).

• Slows down (decreases velocity).

• Changes direction.

• Hits a second marble.

• Falls into a cup.

Exploring Forces and Motion

Debrief

• Good inquiry

• Activity incorporates engineering

and design

• Incorporates mathematics

– embedded in activity in relevant way to

integrate domains

• Collaboration

Exploring Forces and Motion

Connecting to the Standards

At your table:

Using VELS, discuss which Learning

About Our World section Science

domain & Learning Elements aligned

with this morning’s work. Practice use

of shorthand to reference the VELS!

Exploring Forces and Motion

Connecting to the Standards

At your table:

Using VELS to discuss what Math has to

do with it, can you connect to Domains

from other sections that were aligned

with this morning’s work?

Exploring Forces and Motion

At your table:

• Read Piper’s story.

• Discuss at your table how you would adjust this activity to best meet Piper’s needs.

Being

inclusive of

all learners

Exploring Forces and Motion

Literature Links

Unlocking Learning:

Science as a Lever for

English Learner Equity

Making Butter

Using Language to Promote “Science Talk”

Additional Resources…can be

found at link below…

http://www.mothergooseprograms.org/ve

ls-institute-2/

www.montshire.org

Please return by 1:00 Enjoy !

Time for Lunch!

Building a Town

• Elements: Physical and Cultural

Geography; Engineering; Geometry

and Spatial Reasoning.

• Goals:

Children construct concepts about

the physical characteristics and

locations of familiar to more distant

places, and the impacts of people

on the environment. Also construct

concepts of their own cultural

identity and appreciates others’

cultures.

Building a Town

Work in groups of 3-4 at your table

• Discuss with your partners what a

community needs.

• Decide one structure to build.

• Design on planning sheet.

• Get approval for design.

• Use materials available to build.

Improve your design.

• Measure when appropriate.

• Add your structure to the town.

Building a Town

Building a Town

An example of working in the Social Studies domain

Debrief

• Good inquiry

• Activity incorporates

engineering and design

• Incorporates math – embedded

in activity in relevant way

• Collaboration

Connecting to VELS

At your table:

Using VELS, discuss what section

Learning Elements and Domains from

other sections were aligned with this

morning’s work.

Practice your shorthand!

Connecting to the Standards

How would you develop this activity for your classroom?

What will you change to meet your age group’s needs?

Which age group(s) do you work with?

Building a TownBeing Inclusive of All

At your table:

• Read Marisol’s story.

• Discuss at your table how you

would adjust this activity for best

meet Marisol’s needs.

Building a Town

End of Day Exit Ticket

Write Down …

•3 things you learned today

•2 things you want to share with others about VELS Learning About Our World

•1 thing you want to know more about

Creativity Takes Time

Creativity Takes Time

Where can you find this Gumdrop?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPbjSnZnWP0