I dont know how many of you have seen the movie “What the BLEEP do we know” but it is about modern quantum physics, with a section about water and the effects humans can have on it, both positive and negative. In the movie there is a scientist named Dr. Masaru Emoto and he has been doing amazing studies on water. <http://www.masaru-emoto.net/english/e_ome_home.html>
He has two sets of books, one for adults and one for kids. The book for adults is “The Hidden Messages in Water” it is pretty detailed concerning his experiments and the process he uses to get his data. The one for kids is “The Secret of Water”. More basic concepts with pretty pictures. I used this book to teach a lesson to 5th graders about intention and water. The book has great pictures about how human thoughts have a direct impact on the quality of water molecules, like if you say positive words to water, the water crystals are beautiful and in very geometric shapes. But you say negative things to water and the crystal will dissolve right before your eyes. Before I taught the lesson I wondered if 11 year olds could grasp such an abstract concept. By about half way through the lesson most students were fully engaged in the lesson. We made stickers with positive words (of their choice) to put on their water bottles. The liked this part of the lesson.
I feel that we have a very important role in helping reshape the world with a positive image. Water is one of the most important aspects of our planet, as we saw in the Imax movie about the Grand Canyon and the Colorado river, as well as the water treatment plant. Our bodies are roughly 70-80% water, an overwhelming majority of the overall percent of our bodies, and what we do with water effects our bodies as well as all plants and animals on the planet. This book brings a new perspective on how we can change water in our world and have a positive impact on our surroundings, without money, just our thoughts and words.
This is a basic change in how we think about our relationship with water, and what a better place to start than with the youth of our country. I believe strongly in the new studies concerning water and how we impact it. Share your opinions and findings about this topic and talk about it with your friends. The more aware we are of this aspect of water the larger impact we can have.
Here is my lesson plan: It was a literary lesson, not a science lesson so that makes it a little weird. I really wanted to teach this information so I found a place to fit it in.
Purpose of Lesson:
Standard: Reading/Writing 4.d. Make predictions and draw conclusions from text in various genres.
- Make educated guess, using what you know.
- Check prediction and revise if necessary
Goal/Objective
Materials: Blank stickers, Markers, pens, Dot cam.
Physical Space: Children will stay seated at groups of desk as teacher moves around the room
Time needed: 50 minutes
Differentiation/Accommodations:
- For any student struggling with predictions a verbal or written prompt will be given to help them begin their writing. ex. “I predict the book will be about ….”
- Key vocabulary will be posted the board. ex. “Prediction, revise, evaporation, condernsation, precipitation …”
- - Students will also be given the opportunity to visually show their understanding by drawing the water cycle.
Anticipatory Set/Motivational/Activating Prior Knowledge:
“Today we are going to learn the Secret of predicting.”
- What is a prediction?
- An educated guess about what might happen in a text prior to reading.
*What types of predictions have you made in the past? (connecting content to prior knowledge)
* Visual motivation from pictures in the book.
Body of Lesson:
*During the science block I will read aloud to the students.
*Each group leader will come to front of class and get graphic organizer from teacher and hand to each student in their group.
*I will write the goals and objectives on the board.
*I will hold up the book “The Secret of Water” and ask children what they think the secret of Water is?
-They will then make predictions of what they think and write them down on their predictions graphic organizer.
**Predictions: (only have them make one prediction at a time, have them write their predictions on the left side of the organizer and number them).
- What do you think the secret of water is? (guided prediction)
- How long do you think it takes for a water molecule to complete a cycle of the water process? (A little less guided)
- How many gallons of water do you think you use in a single day? (in group or by self, but without teacher)
- Do you think your words or thoughts have an effect on water? (no teacher involvement)
*WATER CYCLE: What do you remember about the water cycle?
-Evaporation->Condensation->precipitation->Collection.
-How long do you think it takes for a water molecule to complete a cycle of the water process?
-Do any of you want to make revisions on your predictions?
**The Process takes about 50 years for a water molecule to go from the first stage “Evaporation” to the last stage “Collection”.
-There was just some information that made ME want to make some changes to my predictions.
?? What are some of the ways we use water every day?? have students give examples.
-Prompts; (brushing your teeth, showers, wash dishes)
*Based on these uses; How many gallons of water do you think you use in a single day?
-Allow time for predictions
Water facts:
-10 minute shower=42 gallons of water
-Brushing teeth for 90 seconds= 3 gallons of water
-Running the dishwasher= 10 gallons of water
-Laundry/washing machine=40 gallons of water
-Flushing Toilet=1.5 gallons
-Water to drink=.5 gallons
*Does anyone want to make changes or revisions to their predictions, I know I need to make some changes?
*read pg. 8; The average person uses 100 gallons of water per day.
??How many gallons of water do you think you use in a year.
100 gallons per day for 365 days= 36,500 gallons per year
Student Practice (Guided/Independent): Students will demonstrate their ability to make educated predictions on their graphic organizer. They will have practiced predictions and revising their predictions 4 times throughout the lesson. I will guide their prediction on the first two, but not the last two.
Activity: make a positive sticker for your water bottle.
Closure:What did we learn today?
-Students will write one thing they learned on a exit slip to be given to teacher on the way out.
Did you learn anything new?
Anything else, questions?
(Connect back to the objective and point to objective on Board)
Assessment:
How will you know the students have achieved the purpose?
Students will either get it or be able to make an educated guess. They can have a wrong answer, but if they made revisions over the course of the reading they will get full points.
If they have the wrong answer and no revisions they get no credit. If students get it and make corrections the show that they dont need more instruction. No right answers and no revisions shows that the student is having trouble with the concepts and needs either small group or one on one instruction.
What documentation/data/evidence will you have?
*Students will turn in their graphic organizers showing their work.
I have been hearing a lot of things lately about the power of positive thinking and I thought that your blog fit in with what i have been hearing. I have heard that a positive thought is ten times more powerful than a negative thought and, though I am not sure how, I have even heard that scientists have found a way to scientifically prove it. It is very interesting to me that positive thinking isn’t just encouraged in some philosophies, it even occurring in science. I think that any opportunity to teach kids the power in being positive is one that needs to be takes advantage of. Thank you for sharing such a unique perspective!
I really like the idea of using the concepts from ‘What the Bleep?!’. I think it’s an incredibly thought-provoking film, even if a lot of people think it’s just hoodoo-voodoo. This is a great way to teach children how to think well of themselves; if they don’t think of themselves as exceptional individuals, who will? Especially for those with rough home lives where their parents couldn’t care less.
Jason M.