have you learn this techniques?

Description
I was waited outside at the class year 4P until Cikgu Nur Azlin, the science teacher entered the class. I asked for permission to have an observation during her class period. As usual I sat at the back of the class. Today, the teacher was doing revision for exam preparation in the next one and a half hour. At first, the teacher required the students took out their exercise book and copied down the questions on the blackboard given by the teacher. Later, the teacher discussed the questions with the students.

Feelings
I felt quite disappointed when I noticed that the teacher was having a revision for the students because I was expected the teacher will having her teaching lesson in the next three science subject periods. During the lesson, I noticed that the students in the class were weaker than the other class year 4B. They were facing the reading, speaking, and writing problems. It was enhanced my observation on the students after I had heard the explanation from the teacher.

Evaluation
The questions those given by the teacher to the students for discussion were as below:
Protection of animals from danger and extreme weather
Based on the pictures given below, answer the questions.
1. Name the special characteristics of animals that given above to protect them.
a) picture (P) – porcupine
b) picture (Q) – polar bear
2. What is the use of the sharp spines on the animal in picture (P)?
3. Where is the animal in picture (Q) lives? And how is the weather?
4. Name the animals in picture (P) and (Q).

Basic needs of plants
Based on the pictures given below, answer the questions.
Plant P – not watered
Plant Q – placed in a black box
Plant R – placed at outdoors and watered
Plant S – placed in a vacuum box
1. What will observe to the plants after 1 week?
a) Plant P
b) Plant Q
c) Plant R
d) Plant S
2. From the observation, draw a table according to the basic needs of the plants each.

Sunlight Water Air
P √ X X
Q X √ √
R √ √ √
S √ √ X
3. Predict for another 2 weeks. What will happen to the plants?
4. From the pictures given, what is the variable that kept same?
5. What conclusion can be made from the experiment?

Basic needs of animals
Based on the pictures given below, answer the questions.
Picture (P) – grasshopper with leaves and cover by glass
Picture (Q) – grasshopper with leaves and uncover
1. State two variables in the investigation.
a) kept same:
b) change:
2. What will happen to the grasshopper after 3 days?
3. Based on question (2), give the reasons for this observation.
4. What conclusion can be made from the experiment?

Life processes of humans
Based on the pictures given below, answer the questions.
Process X – inhale
Process Y – exhale
1. Name the breathing process that shown in the pictures.
2. Give the reasons why the process X and Y happened.
3. State 3 basic parts of the human breathing system.
4. How about the air that contains at the lung when process X and Y happened?

Analysis
From the questions given by the teacher, I can categorize them in to 2 parts of question levels which is convergent questions and divergent questions.
For convergent questions, the students were required to give direct answer only, for example from the questions that given above were:

1. Name the special characteristics of animals that given above to protect them. ( Protection of animals from danger and extreme weather )
2. Name the animals in picture (P) and (Q). ( Protection of animals from danger and extreme weather )
3. What will observe to the plants after 1 week? ( Basic needs of plants )
4. Predict for another 2 weeks. What will happen to the plants? ( Basic needs of plants )
5. From the pictures given, what is the variable that kept same? ( Basic needs of plants )
6. State two variables in the investigation. ( Basic needs of animals )
7. What will happen to the grasshopper after 3 days? ( Basic needs of animals )
8. Name the breathing process that shown in the pictures. ( Life processes of humans )
9. State 3 basic parts of the human breathing system. ( Life processes of humans )

At convergent question level, students were activated the thinking skills which are to recall, recognize, observe, understand, organize, and apply. The students were required to recall all the information that they have learned before. These questions involved cognitive levels of knowledge, understanding and application.
For divergent questions which are higher level from the convergent questions, the students were required to have critical and creative thinking, for example from the questions that given above were:

1. What is the use of the sharp spines on the animal in picture (P)? ( Protection of animals from danger and extreme weather )
2. Where is the animal in picture (Q) lives? And how is the weather? ( Protection of animals from danger and extreme weather )
3. From the observation, draw a table according to the basic needs of the plants each. ( Basic needs of plants )
4. What conclusion can be made from the experiment? ( Basic needs of plants )
5. Based on question (2), give the reasons for this observation. ( Basic needs of animals )
6. What conclusion can be made from the experiment? ( Basic needs of animals )
7. Give the reasons why the process X and Y happened. ( Life processes of humans )
8. How about the air that contains at the lung when process X and Y happened? ( Life processes of humans )

At divergent question level, students were instigated the thinking skills which are to analysis, uncover assumption, make conclusion, evaluate, solve problem and show original results. The students were encouraged to give feedback or reflection on what they have done or felt to expand their thinking. These questions involved cognitive levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
In divergent question level, the highest level is evaluative question. The students were encouraged to make decision or conclusion based on certain criteria that have been identified from their investigation.

Conclusion
Questioning techniques are very important in teaching and learning of science as well as the discussions. The teacher should always be encourage and try to instigate students to involve actively during the discussion to ask further questions. So that, the classroom will always in a place of interactive discussion between the teacher and students.

Action plan
In the future, I will enhance myself by learning to categorize the questions levels before the lesson is start so that the students will always be involve in the discussion and express their thinking along the teaching and learning of science. It would be better if the discussion is including the activity or experiment.