Making the Transition Implementing the science & engineering practices Secondary Science Teachers Professional Development Richland School District One August 15, 2013

In the beginning…

Science & engineering practices

What happened to inquiry? Inquiry is more than a set of skills: Necessary to understand “how science works” Set of abilities needed to “do science” Instructional approach Scientific inquiry is one form of scientific practice.

Why practices? Minimizes tendency to reduce habits of science to a single set of procedures Avoids mistaken belief that there is a single, specific “scientific method” that is common to all science Lack of commonly accepted definition for “inquiry” Places emphasis on outcomes Activities become basis for learning References scientific inquiry and engineering design Does not separate doing from learning.

Similarities and Differences

The case of the Third little Pig Imagine that there are no bricks available for the third little pig to build his house. What type of house would you design and build to withstand the huffing and puffing of the wolf? State a claim (answer) for the 3rd little pig’s problem. List at least 3 examples of evidence (data) that supports your claim. Provide the reasoning (explanation that connects your evidence to your claim) for your design.

Designing a house for the third little pig Materials: Straws Toothpicks Craft sticks Linguini Plastic and Styrofoam cups Paper clips Shaving Cream (optional) Cardstock pig Hair dryer or fan Tape Marshmallows Use any of the materials provided to build the house that your team designed. The house must have an entrance. There must be room for the pig to stand inside the house. The house cannot be secured to the table. Designing a house for the third little pig

SEP and the case of the third little pig SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PRACTICES Practice Evidence of Practice from The Case of the Third Little Pig 1. Asking questions and defining problems 2. Developing and Using Models 3. Planning and Carrying Out Investigations 4. Analyzing and Interpreting Data 5. Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking 6. Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions 7. Engaging in Argument from Evidence 8. Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information Describe your team’s design. What worked and didn’t work? What would you have done differently if given the opportunity to make revisions or adjustments to your initial design? What other types of materials could be considered for use to build the house for the 3rd little pig? SEP and the case of the third little pig

Questions for discussion What would the practices look like in your classroom? (What would students be doing? What would you be doing?) What support do you need to address any challenges to implementing the practices? What concerns do you have?

Where Do We Go From Here? On-going professional development on the SEPs. (District PD, Department meetings, Delayed start, Early release) Incorporate science and engineering practices into lessons and labs.