Name: Maria Padilla Date of Observation:

Setting: Classroom Who you observed: Candace Dixon

Childrens age range: K/1
st
Grade

FIELD NOTES
1. Describe the content of the lesson that you observed.

Exploring the Surface Tension of Water with Paperclips:

Students learned about the large surface tension of water. Water molecules tend to attract
each other. In the bulk of the solution, water molecules pull on each other equally in all
directions. But, at the surface the water molecules are pulled into the water because there
are no water molecules above the surface to pull in the opposite direction. The surface
tension causes the surface of the liquid to act like a thin film on top of the liquid. This thin
film keeps the water from flowing over the edge of the cup. Thats why the surface of the
water bulged and formed a dome when you added the paper clips, which kept the water
from spilling out. But, if one too many paperclips are added to the cup, the surface tension
will break, allowing the water to spill over.


2. Describe the instructional strategy or strategies (e. g., cooperative learning, peer
tutoring, think alouds) that were utilized in the teaching of those concepts.

The entire lesson was based on cooperative learning. Ms. Candace started off the lesson by
gathering her students around a table while she completed the experiment with the help of
her students. As Ms. Candace dropped the paper clips into the cup full of water her students
counted the paper clips until they ran out or the water surface tension broke.

3. Please describe if and how the teacher utilized the following during the lesson:
models, the arts, and technology.

Models: Ms. Candace modeled the entire lesson/activity for her students. As an entire class
they performed the activity in which they learned collectively about the surface tension of
water.

The Arts: N/A

Technology: N/A






4. Describe the assessment strategies that the teacher used to assess the content
knowledge of the student. These assessments might be formative or summative.

Formative assessments:
Throughout the experiment Ms. Candace probed her students thinking with questions such
as:
How many paperclips can be added before the water spills?
What is keeping the water from spilling?
Why do you think so many paperclips were able to fit in the glass?


Take notes on student engagement. Pick several students to look at over the course
of the lesson.

The facial expressions made by each individual student were priceless. They were either
surprised, shocked, nervous, excited, anxious, etc. throughout the entire experiment.