1. The document describes activities carried out with Year 3 students to determine their understanding of floating and sinking. Activities included questionnaires, predictions, observations, and explanations of experiments. 2. The students were familiar with concepts of floating and sinking from prior experiences. During an experiment, one student correctly explained that an apple floats because it contains air, unlike a grape. 3. Planning effective lessons with varied activities like multimedia, worksheets, and pictures helped improve students' knowledge of concepts like buoyancy. Care was taken to make lessons interesting and ensure equal interaction among students from different classes.

1. Introduction:
Over these 6 weeks teaching Year 3 students in school, I have learned many new
things from it. All the things that I have gone through in the period had give me
beneficial knowledge and experience as a future teacher.
2.0 Mathematics and Science knowledge children bring to class:
We found that students already have science basic knowledge because they have
learned Science subject since they were in pre-school.
3.0. Effective strategies to determine children’s current and developing
understandings:
To explore student’s knowledge on this topic, we have planned a few activities
based on the strategies recommended for probing student’s prior knowledge.
3.1. Interview about Instances (IAI)
We started our activities with questionnaires. Teacher asked them about the meaning of
both terms, floating and sinking and about their experience went for picnic and what they
can see when they throw a small stone into the water. We found that students are very
excited to share their story and give opinion.
Teacher asked:
i) What phenomena did they see during the picnic?
ii) Are there things that they can see on the water surface?
iii) Have you ever thrown a stone into water? Does it float or sink?
Student answer:
i) I can see that there are many people swimming and playing in the water.
Some of them swimming by using the buoy and some of them are playing
with plastic ball that can float on the water surface.

2. ii) Of course, usually I will see insects which look like a mosquito moving on the
water. In the grain behind my house, I can see plastics and rubbish floating.
iii) The stone will sink in the water.
From the answer given by students, we found that they are familiar with floating and
sinking phenomenon.
3.2. Prediction, Observation and Explanation Strategy (POE)
We used this strategy in order to probe student’s prior knowledge and to develop their
understanding. We have planned an experiment to identify which object will float and
sink. For this activity, we have prepared objects with labeling and worksheets that
contain list of all the objects used in the experiment for them. Before they do the
experiment, they need to predict which object will float and which object will sink. They
have to complete worksheet 1 to jot their prediction. Then, they did the experiment in
group. One of them will put the object in the water while the rest will observe and
explain. After they had finished doing the experiment, they need to complete worksheet 2
to jot the result. There are some predictions that are right and wrong. They also have
some misconceptions. They were confused about an apple that is bigger than the grape
but the apple is floating and the grape is sinking. One of the students, named Hakimi said,
“We can see that the apple is bigger than the grape, but the apple contains air but
not the grape.”
Teacher was support Hakimi’s statement:
Hakimi is right. The situation is same with paper cup that is float. It is because
paper cup is hollow at the center of it and it contains air.
4.0. Interacting with children
Before we start our teaching, we asked them to help us rearranged the table and put it in a
suitable position which have good ventilation and lighting. We also ask them to pick up
all the rubbish. Both teachers seat at the end of the table to make sure we can interact

3. with students easily. Besides, students will be easy to interact with us and other friends.
During the activity we were treat them equally and no biasness. We give them chances to
voice out and sharing ideas.
5.0.
Planning and preparation tasks that result in children’s learning.
• Both of us were planned and prepared a lesson plan and teaching aids for this
lesson to make sure students understand and can improve their knowledge on
floating and sinking.
• As a beginner, we used simple and common objects like paper clip, apple and
plasticine to let them observe and proved their predictions. Then, we increased
level of their understanding by applying with daily activities like swimming. We
ask them what the beginner swimmer will wear. They said, buoy.
• Multimedia presentation was used to let them see the phenomenon of the sailor
who wear buoyancy suit during their sailing.
• Colourful pictures and cards used to attract student’s attention.
• Worksheet 1 and 2 were given to students to know their prediction and the result
from the xperiment.
6.0.
Collaboration with peers
Our students came from different classes. The two girls are from Year3 Maju and the two
boys are from Year 3 Kreatif. It makes they were not too close and they are still shame to
befriend with others. They only interact with their classmate. Maybe this is the first time
and they still cannot adapt with new teachers, new classroom and new friends. We have
to overcome this problem for the next class to make them interact among all the group
members.
7.0. C
riteria for a good teacher

4. • To be a good teacher, we have to be prepared and plan our teaching properly
which suits with student’s ability to get better product.
• We have to master in the topic or issues that we want to teach to students so that
the teacher can correct and explain on the student’s misconceptions.
• Teacher also should know how to make his or her teaching interesting and
effective. They should be creative to create and design various activities.
• A good teacher is not because of she is knowledgeable but also good manager in
her classroom. She is able to create a conducive environment which is
comfortable and can give students mood to learn.