Mindful Seeing

This week, our class connected our Mindful Seeing lesson (our ability to visually distinguish details) with a science activity. Students were given a small stick and encouraged to record down as many rich and descriptive observations in their lab book as they could. Throughout their observations, the teacher identified students who were recording observations that might be helpful to the class. This included: using tools to assist (rulers to measure length and scales to measure mass), descriptive sentences and bullet points, drawings (both to scale drawings and enlarging a drawing to get more detail), diagrams, and more. The first challenge was each student had to turn in their stick. These sticks were placed on a table and each child had to find their stick. The had to PROVE, using evidence in their lab book, why that stick was theirs. Students who believed the same stick belonged to both of them took on conversations using their evidence to discover whose stick it actually was. Finally, students added more details in their own lab book and then switch books with another scientist. The real challenge had them use another's notes and details to find the other person's stick. This demonstrated to students how important distinguishing those details are, not just for themselves, but for others.