As a teacher, I always make sure that my students have a clearer picture of the concepts I am teaching. I also make sure that they will understand the lesson and that it is less difficult for them by making the lesson interesting. Perhaps my main goal is to improve their academic performance.
Aside from the use of multimedia resources, books, and modules, I am using improvised materials that will help them have first-hand experience and use their intellectual ability to observe and record their experiences through the improvised instructional material.
One fine afternoon, I was supposed to start my lesson during the first period but suddenly there was an announcement of having the First Earthquake drill for the school year.
I was just in my classroom. My students were taking precautionary measures during an earthquake as they performed the duck, cover, and hold. After we went outside to the assigned area for evacuation.
As soon as the earthquake drill was done, I went to another classroom for my next Science Class.
Life in a public school is quite different from a private school here in my country when it comes to facilities and instructional materials but I always make sure that they can learn and understand concepts by applying different teaching strategies. And part of it is making learning fun through Science improvisation.
Making the Bottled Balloons
This Science activity is about making a model similar to how the lungs work during the breathing process and to help the students describe how the movement of the diaphragm affects the breathing process.
Just before they went to school, I already assigned to them the materials that they had to bring which were two-liter or 1.5-liter plastic bottles, sturdy straws, tape, and scissors.
My students have also brought a tray, some rubber bands, and a set of small and big balloons to be used in the improvised material.
After I had given them the activity sheets, they went to an area where they could work on their task. In the activity sheet that I have given, the objectives, materials, procedures, and guide questions were found.
Before they started doing the task, I emphasized to them that they had to record their observations. And that they must be able to answer the processing or the guide questions.
They were working in groups and I am happy to see all of them enjoying the activity. Here are some quick photos I took while I was roaming around each group to check if they were doing the activity and performing it well.
I am glad to see them all working together as they help each other so they can have the best model. The first thing that they did was cut the bottle. Inside the bottles, there must be two straws tied with a rubber band and covered by the plastic bottle cup. Then the straws outside must be connected to the two smaller balloons inside. And lastly, it must be covered with a bigger balloon.
Meanwhile, in one of the groups, I have seen a bottled balloon with my favorite color. You know how I so love pink and I find the project so vibrant because of the pink color. I truly love pink in all shades that is why I was so attracted to this.
After a moment, one of the groups called my attention and said that they were already done. One of the members even said to me that she loved to be captured so I took a quick photo of her. Aside from the task, each of them has a portfolio to make in which all of their outputs will be put there to check their progress and record beautiful memories I also told them to attach photos whenever we will be having any kind of activity.
Here are the finished products of the improvised material that my students have done. They were in different colors and I love how vibrant are they.
Each part of the model represents a certain part of the Respiratory System. With the use of the local resources, they were able to record their observations and answer the guide questions.
The bottled balloons have now become a lung model that matches how the human breathing system works. Each of the parts of the bottled balloons represents a certain part of the Respiratory System.
The two straws represented the bronchi. The plastic bottle represented the chest cavity and the two small balloons inside represented the lungs. Moreover, the bigger balloon that covered the plastic bottle represented the diaphragm.
As the students pulled down the part that represented the diaphragm, they could see the effect of the two balloons inside inflated. This happens because the area of the chest cavity is increased, lowering the air pressure and made the two balloons inflate.
Similarly, in the human respiratory system, when we breathe in, the diaphragm. muscle contracts, the rib cage goes up, increasing the area of the chest cavity and lowering the air pressure, which allows the air to get inside the lungs, and this is through inhalation. And when the student pushes up the bigger balloon, the two balloons deflate, the same as the exhalation process wherein the diaphragm muscle relaxes.
Perhaps I love seeing the big smiles of my students as they were able to present their improvised material while explaining the answers to the processing questions to me.
Disclaimer: All texts and pictures are my own unless otherwise stated.
