Module 6: Modeling & Dimensional Thinking

Modeling:

Modeling helps us understand the world around us by abstracting a topic and also intertwining dimensional thinking to zoom in and out of topics, ideas, or objects. Modeling helps make things more accessible that might be difficult to experience and understand.

When I was thinking about modeling and dimensional thinking in relation to my topic play. I decided to zoom into my topic. This required me to zoom into the human body of a child. When a child plays they use all aspects of their body. As I have explained in previous posts, play is one thing that parents find difficult to understand how it benefits their child. By using this model of a 3D body we can show and explain to parents how play affects different areas of their child's body. When I plan lessons or activities for children I make sure that they cover all developmental aspects of a child: physical, cognitive, aesthetic, emotional, social, language, affective. I try to incorporate all aspects of a child's development in each area of the classroom. Whether that is the math center, pretend play, construction, art area, etc. By looking at a child's body in a 3D model we can see where in the body each of these developmental aspects is helping to improve their child (physically, emotionally, aesthetically, cognitively, etc).

The model of a child's body will go along with the following images as well:

My main goal for this assignment was to think about how I can educate the parents in my classroom. By organizing a specific parent night dedicated to how play helps a child's development and how we use play in the classroom. This could help parents understand that children aren't just, "playing". 

These images above show each developmental domain and how they are incorporated into the classroom through play. They also show what parts of a child's development are improving in each domain as they grow older and as they learn through play. Using the human body of a child as my first model can help me point to the areas of the body that will develop through the activities that are specifically chosen in my classroom. Helping to show parents how effective it is to learn though play for their child.

The cartoon I show below is one of my favorites:

It shows two parents completely clueless about what is happening in the classroom. They think that all the children are doing is, “playing”. Well of course they are just playing! However, each child is explaining in a speech bubble how the activity they have chosen is affecting their body, mind, and development. This is a perfect cartoon to pass out with the model of a human body of a child. They go hand in hand with each other and help parents understand more of what we as teachers are trying to do for their child. Play is so important for any child. Not only are they learning new developmental stages in their growth, but they are also learning how to interact with others. Children develop many new social skills like sharing for instance. They learn the language that goes with sharing and how to interact with their peers around them. The children also learn with their own bodies and minds. They don't need a teacher telling them what to do all the time. They learn through trial and error to figure out what is right, wrong, and what their bodies and minds can actually do. Obviously, a teacher is there to guide the children when conflicts arise and help push their thinking, ideas, and development. Children are learning all the time through play and they don't even know it yet! 

Module 5: Embodied Thinking

Embodied Thinking:

Embodied thinking is using our bodies and thinking about where they are, what they are doing, and how it feels (the sensation of our muscles, skin, tension, and balance). In my topic (play) we use our bodies all the time to think outside of the box. Our bodies in kindergarten help us learn new topics and understand concepts. When working with English Language Learners embodied thinking is key to helping them understand new English terms. During the spring we did a lesson on plant growth. We planted our own seeds in CD cases, the sensory table, and outside on the playground. We watched them grow and recorded their length, observed them, and took notes. To help the children understand the growth of a seed besides reading books, watching and observing their own, and talking about them. We used our bodies to understand the stages of seed growth. The children would make their bodies really small on the carpet and I would plant the seed. Then as I watered all the seeds they would begin to grow into a sprout. After the sprout they would grow some leaves, then slowly get taller, and have a full stem. The children would then slowly grow petals and grow into a flower or a bean plant. As they did this they used their bodies to demonstrate their understanding of the growth of a seed. Certain body parts meant certain stages of the seed growth. Using our bodies helps us understand new concepts. We get to feel like a seed and act like a seed.

The children also use embodied thinking when we are talking about shapes. The children will use their peers to create a triangle, octagon, rectangle, square, circle, trapezoid, etc. It's interesting the ways they contort their bodies and try to understand each shape and how many sides, angles, and points it should have.

We also used embodied thinking in our classroom to help us think about molecular movement. When we were discussing the topic solid, liquids, and gases it was difficult for some of the ELL students to understand this. We then decided to use our bodies to demonstrate what the molecules are doing in each one of these states. We told the children they were an ice cube starting as a solid. The children all huddled close just vibrating their bodies slowly. Then as they began to melt they turned into a liquid spreading farther apart and bumping into each other. Then as we continued to boil the water some of the water evaporated into a gas. The children then bounced off each other and spread far throughout the classroom. Turning into a gas was their favorite! Using our bodies in the classroom helps allow children to feel new concepts. It is teaching through a whole different perspective. Now when we ask children questions like how does a seed grow or what happens when a molecule is a solid. The children will be able to answer because they will think with their bodies and remember how they moved like a seed, or like a molecule. This will help them recall our little embodied thinking lessons to help them in the future with these concepts being taught.

Embodied thinking is an excellent tool to use in any classroom. Instead of sitting in our desks watching videos, reading, writing, etc. We can get up and use our bodies to understand and develop concepts further. It's important in general for young children to get up and move, so why not do it in a lesson and teaching something while they move.

Below is a video of a classroom acting out the seed growth. It is not my classroom, but it is something along the lines of what I would do in my classroom minus the guitar.

Here is a video I found of children using their bodies to understand solid, liquids, and gases. 

The Creative "I"- Variations on a Theme

Original Lyrics:

"Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye
(feat. Kimbra)

[Gotye:]
Now and then I think of when we were together
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die
Told myself that you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company
But that was love and it's an ache I still remember

You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness
Like resignation to the end, always the end
So when we found that we could not make sense
Well you said that we would still be friends
But I'll admit that I was glad it was over

But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
No you didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

[Kimbra:]
Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believing it was always something that I'd done
But I don't wanna live that way
Reading into every word you say
You said that you could let it go
And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know

[Gotye:]
But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
No you didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

[x2]
Somebody
(I used to know)
Somebody
(Now you're just somebody that I used to know)

(I used to know)
(That I used to know)
(I used to know)
Somebody

My Version:

“Now I'm No Longer That Person That You Used To Know” by Gotye

(feat. Kimbra)

[Gotye:]

Now and then I think of when we were together

Like when you said you felt so happy you could die

Told myself that you were right for me

But felt so lonely in your company

But that was love and it's an ache I still remember

I know you can't get addicted to my lack of creativity.

Like Darwin and Fleming you want me to be.

So when I looked at our experiences I can make sense

Well you said that I could be more creative

But now if you let me back into your life.

But you didn't have to doubt me.

Make out like I was never creative and I was nothing.

And now I'm the creative one.

But you see I've turned all the knobs on my creativity and that feels so good.

Yes I had to look at our past differently

I turned all the knobs on my creativity and changed my vision.

Now I'm no longer the person you use to know.

Now I'm no longer that person that you used to know.

Now I'm not longer that person that you used to know.

[Kimbra:]

Now and then I think of all the times you weren't creative.

But now he had me thinking it was something I had done.

But I don't want it this way.

Living with a person that has nothing new to say.

You said that you could turn those knobs.

And now I'm just hung up on someone that I thought you were.

[Gotye:]

But you didn't have to doubt me.

Make out like I was never creative and I was nothing.

And now I'm the creative one.

But you see I've turned all the knobs on my creativity and that feels so good.

Yes I had to look at our past differently

I turned all the knobs on my creativity and changed my vision.

Now I'm no longer the person you use to know.

[x2]

No longer

(the person you use to know)

No longer

(Now I am the one that you want me to be)

(the person you use to know)

(that you use to know)

(you use to know)

No longer

At first this assignment seemed extremely difficult and I didn't know how I was going to be able to change any lyrics into something new that coincided with this article. After reading the article I noticed a few things that the authors were conveying about creativity. One being that there are many “knobs” that we can twist and turn to create an original one of a kind piece. I thought that it would be difficult to be creative and rewrite lyrics. I didn't think I was capable of this, but after completing my song I have created something original, one of a kind, and different. Another point the article mentions is in order to be more creative we can take a look at our life experiences and use our background knowledge to increase our creative ideas. This is what I did with this song. The song is about a relationship. She thinks he is boring, not creative, and doesn't think he can be that creative man for her. Whereas he realizes after looking back at their past relationship and turning his “knobs” he is in fact the “creative” one she wants him to be. He just had to use his background knowledge and past life experiences in a different perspective to see what he was missing all along. In fact anyone can be creative, but this character needed a wake up call and to see their relationship in a different light. Now he claims he has changed his behavior and he is ready to see, adapt, and change to better their new relationship.

Music Video: