© 2015 The University of Waikato | Primary Science Week Soil activities and the science capabilities Andrea Soanes with Angela Schipper 19 May

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Primary Science Week Monday 16 May to Friday 20 May 2016 The topic is soil Primary Science Week is an annual event that provides opportunities for all New Zealand schools to engage in science learning. It is organised by the New Zealand Association of Primary Science Educators (NZAPSE). Their role is to celebrate science in primary schools and to enhance the teaching and learning of science at primary level. © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

New Zealand Society of Soil Science © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

© A Schipper © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Hub soils resources levels 1–5 © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Science capabilities Gather and interpret data Use evidence Critique evidence Interpret representations Engage with science © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Science capabilities and the NZC Students need to be ready, willing and able to use their science knowledge. Students need to be critical consumers of science:  Know some of the science (content)  Know strengths and weaknesses  Ask informed questions about the issue. The science capabilities help students practise the types of thinking, questioning and actions needed to become informed citizens. © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Exploring the science capabilities via Primary Science Week activities © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved. Gather and interpret data Use evidence Critique evidence

Exploring the science capabilities via Primary Science Week activities © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved. Interpret representations Engage with science Soil moisture maps courtesy of NIWA

investigating-soil-moisture-content © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

For each soil sample: Put some soil into a sieve or colander and shake it over an ice cream container to remove stones and large pieces of organic material. Weigh the clean ice cream container and record its weight. Measure out ½ cup of soil and put it in a clean ice cream container. (Keep some of the left-over soil for comparison.) Weigh the container of soil. Subtract the container weight to determine the initial soil weight. Record it on the table provided. © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Microwave the soil for 1 minute. NOTE: the soil can get very hot. Remove the container and gently shake it until steam from the soil is no longer obvious. Observe what the soil looks like. Weigh the container of soil and record the weight (minus container weight). Continue to heat the soil in 1-minute intervals and record the weight. Stop heating the soil when the weight does not change. This is the final weight. Observe changes to the soil. Use the senses of sight and touch to observe before and after samples. Measure volume. To determine the percentage soil moisture content: (initial weight – final weight) ÷ final weight = soil moisture content © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Vegetable garden soil Before and after 5 minutes in the microwave Initial weight: 68 g Final weight: 49 g Soil moisture content: 39% © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved. Results from the first soil sample

© Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved. Results from the second soil sample Native forest (gully) Before and after 7 minutes in the microwave Initial weight: 45 g Final weight: 19 g Soil moisture content: 137%

Learners make careful observations and differentiate between observation and inference. Science knowledge is based on data derived from direct or indirect observations of the natural physical world and often includes measuring something. An inference is a conclusion you draw from observations – the meaning you make from observations. Understanding the difference is an important step towards being scientifically literate. Gather and interpret data © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Gathering the data on the soil samples What could we observe with our senses – see, hear, smell, touch or taste? What did we measure? Do students limit their answers to observable things? Do they include detail? © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Interpreting data on the soil samples What do students think? Can they support their ideas with observations? (colour, feel, weight, volume) Do they draw on a number of observations to support their ideas? © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Repeat experiment – gully soil 19 January % soil moisture content 14 April % soil moisture content © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved. 4 May % soil moisture content

Interpreting data on the soil samples What do students think? Why are there differences in the moisture content? Can they support their ideas with observations? Do they draw on a number of observations to support their ideas? © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Rainfall on 18 January No rain in the week before 14 April Very little rain in the 2 weeks before 4 May In science, explanations need to be supported by evidence that is based on observation of the natural world. How do you know that? What makes you think so? How could you check that? © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved. Use evidence

Evaluating trustworthiness of data How did you get the data? What were the possible shortcomings of this method? How could you check your findings? How many times was the experiment repeated? How were the measurements taken and recorded? How confident are you that the measurements are accurate? Did these results surprise you? What were you expecting to find out? Critique evidence © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Look at data from PSW Do you think the data is reliable? What questions can you ask about the data? Is there a correlation between location and soil moisture content? Does the soil moisture data match up with the NIWA soil moisture maps? Did any data surprise you? © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

moisture-maps © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Soil moisture maps Maps are based on data from NIWA’s National Climate Database. Data from over 600 stations. Data is presented in visual or pictorial form. Easier to read than tables of numbers. © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Soil moisture anomaly map Anomaly – something that is different from normal. The soil moisture anomaly map indicates whether soils in an area are wetter or drier than normal.

© Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved. Soil moisture deficit map The historical average is based on a 30-year period 1981–2010, while the other two maps are 12 months apart.

© Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved. Soil moisture deficit map Deficit – less than normal. Surplus – more than normal. Field capacity – upper limit of water a soil can hold once drained. 50% storage – half the normal amount of soil moisture. Soil moisture maps courtesy of NIWA

Scientists represent their ideas in a variety of ways, including models, graphs, charts, diagrams and written texts. What does this representation tell us? What is left out? How does this representation get the message across? Why is it presented in this particular way? Interpret representations © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Soil moisture maps courtesy of NIWA

© Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved. Extension ideas Soil moisture maps courtesy of NIWA

This capability requires students to use the other capabilities to engage with science in real-life contexts. It involves students taking an interest in science issues, participating in discussions about science and, at times, taking action. Engage with science © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved.

Real-life issues NIWA’s Hotspot Watch watch NZ Drought Monitor resources/drought Climate change Irrigation and water rights © Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved. Soil moisture maps courtesy of NIWA

© Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved. For more in-depth explanations of the science capabilities and examples of how to develop them, see TKI © 2015 The University of Waikato |

© Copyright University of Waikato. All rights reserved. Nature of Science – a key component of scientific literacy

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