Ok I really like teaching earth science mostly because of the fun subject matter. I enjoy seeing students learn about space, weather, oceans, or how to protect our environment. It is a subject where my inner nerd can come out and it not be too obvious (I am so Sam Sparks on “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs“). The more I enjoy the subject matter, the more “fun” lessons that come from it. I then see students get excited about it.
So now I have begun my Rock and Mineral unit. To me this is so boring. It’s a rock, like takes a million years to do something. I really have trouble coming up interesting lessons. It does not help I am lacking in lab materials and computers. I worry I am going to end up resorting to lecturing – which would be pretty boring, because I am bored by the subject matter.
Here is the biggest shocker: I have found myself online searching for lesson plans. I haven’t done that since college! Still not finding much. I think the rest of the world, other than my 2 y/o, is bored by rocks too. My PLN on twitter has helped me some, but still at loss.
Let’s just say I am ready to move on to earthquakes and volcanoes.
So what motivates you when you get stuck on a subject matter you do not really like? What do you do to make it interesting for your students?
And I have to ask, have any suggestions for this unit? (before you give me a great idea using internet, computers, etc, please note I only have access on Friday for 45 minutes and that is the day most of my students blog).
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You’re breaking my heart! Rocks and minerals are my favorite part of earth science!!! I need your e-mail, and I will send you whatever I have!
@Lauren My email is amandacdykes (at) gmail.com. Thank you sooooo much!
My Mom used to give kids lists of properties plus bunches of rocks (most she found/made me find in our yard or down at the marsh or river) and pieces of glass and other materials to test them against. They got to essentially figure out what rock was what kind based on process of elimination. Then their test was to be given 3 rocks and had to explain which one was which. They seemed to like it (or at least 8th graders seemed to like it when I was in 4th grade and terrified of them!) lol.
This is so funny! A friend of a friend is doing her geology PhD and does at lot of work at the American Museum of Natural History here in NYC. So, the first thing I thought of off the top of my head is to contact a museum, or check their website and see what people who are really into rocks have to say. Good luck!