[AbbyR]

I have an interview Wednesday with a demonstration lesson required. Anyone have any ideas? I'd like to do something language arts related, and my first inclination is "Things that drive your teacher crazy" and go on to teach There - their - they're or its and it's.

I'd like to make it interactive, too. Any other ideas? I'm scared to death!

[teacher4]

I would suggest a mini science lesson on acids and bases or the 3 states of matter. It can be hands-on by giving each person a journal page to make predictions, write observations, reflect on lesson. Here are some other topics;
float or sink ( use a variety of items to test)
density ( use suryp, water, and oil) they predict which will sink and which will float and explain why)
solubilty (predict which materials will dissolve in water) sand, salt, corn starch, baking soda

These are easy investigations to conduct in 30 mins. Also read some back ground knowledge so you can explain what happened. Good Luck

[ma-bethany]

i would also do a science lesson. i do this lesson every year, and it's always a huge hit with my kids (no matter the age!)

it's basically a lesson on dinosaur fossils.

1. introduce vocabulary they might hear - paleontologist, fossils, excavation etc. (you can find more words when you preview the following story for yourself).

2. read Magic School Bus: In the time of Dinosaurs ( I think that's it). read it aloud, but i always stop where they get to the fossil sight and are doing the excavation. it's about midway thru. i don't get into the dinosaur bones or whatever it is the rest of the book is about.

3. students participate in their own excavation. give each kid a chocolate chip cookie and a couple of toothpicks. tell them that hte cookie is the fossil site, and they need to excavate the chocolate chips from the "rock." they aren't allowed to turn and move hte cookie, because in the field you can't turn the rocks!

4. a big part of science is observing. so have the kids start off by observing their "site" and have them draw what they see. then give them about 3 minutes to start digging. stop them a few minutes later, and have them go back and record their new observations. you can do this a few times. you could create some sort of observation sheet for it. i'd send mine to you, but we're not in school this week.

5. at the end, discuss how this could be related to a real dinosaur dig.

** i always tell the kids that they are not allowed to eat the cookie. it's a science project, and we never eat science materials. they don't like the idea, but then at the end i always let them eat the cookie

GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!!

[teacher4]

I do that lesson also to introduce archaeology. It is easy to conduct!

[AbbyR]

I'm going to save that one. I probably won't use it this time because of lack of time, but it really is a good idea. Thank you!

I have a panel interview and have to do a 15 minute language art demo? Any suggestions? Too many ideas out there on the web!

The idea is great! I would love to see the observation sheet for more clarification if possible.

THanks!