A Fifth Grade Science Talk: Condensation Monica Hartman

Science Teaching Standards The planning of inquiry-based science programs The actions taken to guide and facilitate student learning The assessments made of teaching and student learning The development of environments that enable students to learn science The creation of communities of science learners The planning and development of the school science program

Professional Development Action research is a model of professional development recommended by research and national reform documents

Science Talks The kinds of talk and thinking children engage in when studying science naturally parallel what both practicing scientists and historians report (Gallas, 1995) Science is socially constructed through the process of confrontation and negotiation (Latour & Woolgar, 1986)

Benefits of Science Talks Discourse makes thinking visible (Collins, Brown & Holun, 1991) It encourages deep processing (Chinn & Brewer, 1993) Competing theories can be contrasted to scientific theory

Benefits of a Collaborative Learning Environment Creates multiple zones of proximal development Disagreements are likely but beneficial because conceptual change is more likely to occur in environments that encourage questioning, evaluating, criticizing Cognitive load is spread among the members enabling a higher level of achievement

Exploring Ideas Exploring ideas can only be to the good, even if it takes time. Wrong ideas, moreover, can only be productive. Any wrong idea that is corrected provides far more depth than if one never had a wrong idea to begin with. (Duckworth, 1996, p.71)

Michigan Curriculum Framework Constructing New Scientific Knowledge Generate reasonable questions about the world based on observation Develop solutions to problems through reasoning, observation, and investigation Strand I/Content Standard 1/Elementary/Benchmarks 1,2

Michigan Curriculum Framework Reflecting on Scientific Knowledge Develop an awareness of the need for evidence in making decisions scientifically Strand II/Content Standard 1/Elementary/Benchmark 1

Michigan Curriculum Framework Using Scientific Knowledge Describe common physical changes in matter: size, shape, melting, freezing (K-2); dissolving, evaporating (3-5) Describe common physical changes in matter: evaporation, condensation, thermal expansion, contraction Describe how water exists on earth in three states, liquid, solid, gas

Research Questions How does students’ knowledge of condensation develop during a science talk? How can I better facilitate a science talk to help students develop a deeper understanding of the concept of condensation?

Questions for Discussion What are students’ ideas about condensation? Do their ideas change during the science talk? If so, how? What prerequisite knowledge or skills do students need to understand the phenomena of condensation? What other things might this teacher do to better facilitate students’ understanding?