“Is tap water different to rain?” Whole class dialogue in the primary science classroom

Line Agent Utterances

95 T What does this person think? Makia, read it out.
96 Makia ((Reading from interactive whiteboard)) 'Water in the tap is different from water that falls as rain.'
97 T "Water in a tap is different than water that falls as rain.' Mmm, what do you think? Have a little chat on your table."
98 Class ((Start talking))
99 T ((Moves to table))
[37 secs of groupwork cut]
118 T So what do you think? Do you agree with this person or do you disagree?
119 Abdakirim Disagree.
120 T You disagree?
121 Ishra "No, agree."
122 T So you think water in the tap is different to water that falls as rain? And what specifically are the ways that you think it's different? Because you can't affect the temperature ((counting on fingers))? Is that all?
123 B3 "And the tap, it can go quickly."
124 T So you can affect the rate of the flow of the water?
125 B3 Yeah.
126 T We can't affect rain?
127 Ishra Rain comes from clouds.
128 T Rain comes from clouds? Where does tap water come from?
129 B3 You can't control the rain.
130 Ishra The tap.
131 T "What, it's just magically in the tap?"
132 Abdakirim The pipes.
133 Ishra The toilet.
134 T "It comes from the toilet? ((Chuckles)) I don't know what tap water you're drinking, Ishra."
135 B3 (Inaudible) but we can drink tap.
136 T OK. Well let's talk about it.
137 T "((Moves to front of class)) ((to class)) 3, 2 ((puts lights on)), 1, ((picks up pot of name sticks)). OK, again, there were some very interesting discussions ((indicating to back table)) on this table. Let's see who's going to share their thoughts. ((Picks out name stick)) Isma, what were you saying on your table?"
138 Isma We think that (inaudible).
139 T "So you think that they're different? So you agree with this person ((pointing to interactive whiteboard)), that water is different? In what way did you think it was different? What was your example? … Just tell us again because I don't think everyone can hear you, darling?"
140 Isma That (inaudible).
141 T "Tap water is clean? Is rain water clean, in your opinion?"
142 Isma (Inaudible).
143 T Mmm ((holds ear))?
144 Isma Not that much.
145 T "It's not as clean as tap water? So you thought that they were different, so you agreed with this person? OK, that's good thinking. ((Pulls out another name stick from pot)) Nabiel, what did you think on your table?"
146 Nabil Erm… I think tap water is clean because…
147 T You think tap water is clean? So are you agreeing with Isma?
148 Nabil Yeah.
149 T "So you think they're different ((indicating to interactive whiteboard)) 'cos tap water is clean and you don't think rain water's clean? OK, did you have any other thoughts about it on this table? … Anyone want to help Nabil out?"
150 TA1 "Come on, what (inaudible)?"
151 T "Who would like to share their idea ((to whole class))? We're going to call this table ((indicating to front table))Come on, what (inaudible)) 'dozy, we've not woken up yet' table. Ayisha?"
152 Ayisha "I wasn't really sure, but I think that rain water is clean, but then the air is- Like, in the city, there is loads of petrol and the air is polluted. So then the rain gets dirty."
153 T "Oh, you think-"
154 Ayisha Then-
155 T "OK, so do you agree or disagree with this, then ((indicating to statement on interactive whiteboard))?"
156 Ayisha I'm not sure.
157 TA2 "Well, you were wondering about what does that person mean in terms of 'different'."
158 T "Ah, that's interesting, isn't it?"
159 TA2 "But we didn't think it was too specific, so we were wondering."
160 T "Yeah. So what did that person actually mean? They didn't explain their idea very well. I think that's a fair point. They just said, 'Well, water from the tap is different from water that falls as rain.' On this table ((indicating to back middle table)) you were talking specifically about what you think they might have meant. Does one of you want to explain your ideas? Go on, Ishy."
161 Ishra "Er, when you have water in a tap, you can control the power and if it's hot or cold, but you can't control rain."
162 T "Ah, OK, that's interesting. So you're saying it is different because, when water comes out of a tap, you can affect the rate of the flow? You can affect the temperature? Amin, do you want to build on that idea?"
163 Amin "I think it's similar as well, because rain is drops and you can make drops come out of the tap."
164 T "Oh, so, if rain's falling as drops, depending on how much you open the tap, you could make it around about the same amount of flow? Yes, I suppose you could. Towha, last idea from you, then we're going to move on."
165 Towha "I think water from a tap is actually the same as rain water, because I had a thought that, in most of this water that we have now, comes from the River Thames, but where did the River Thames come from? The only real way you can think about is that it came from rain, and the water from our taps is just a filtered version of that water."
166 T "Ah, so you think all water, ultimately, comes from one place? Does all water come from the River Thames?"
167 Class No.
168 Ishra It comes from the toilet.
169 Class ((Giggling chatter))
170 T Ishra thinks all water comes from the toilet.
171 Class ((Giggling chatter))
172 T "((Finger to lips)) Well, I don't know about you, but I think it's really important that we have this lesson because I'm not going to give away any of the answers, but I am going to say all water does not come from Ishra's toilet, and I think we're all going to be very glad about that."
173 Class ((Laughs))