Chapter 2

First Experience with Science The first experience children usually experience with science may have started in the sandbox or even in the bathtub. They were experimenting with objects for trial and error and learning life long skills like cooperating and sharing with others while in the sandbox.

Second Step The second step of the formal introduction to science probably occurred during elementary and middle school where teachers introduce students to the scientific method and doing “experiments.” These activities are step-by-step procedures of a prescribed activity or lab. This is the way students learn to do hands-on science in school. In many ways, painting by numbers is just like completing structured, cookbook activities and labs. They both have an expected and predetermined outcome.

Third Step Involves the presentation of problem solving and teacher –initiated inquiry tasks. In teacher-initiated inquiries, the problem is posed by the teacher, but the student is given the leeway to solve the question or problem in multiple forms. This allows a great deal of choice, ownership, and flexibility in completing the problem or task.

Last Step This is the student-initiated inquiries—where the relevant question or problem arises from the students’ interests and curiosity. In the Chapter the author states that “painting what interests a real artist is equivalent to the self-generated question that interests real scientists.”

Analogy between Art and Learning Finger Painting Sandbox Science Paint by Numbers Structured Labs Paint a Bowl of Fruit Problem Solving Paint What You Like Scientific Inquiry

High Structure – Low Structure This model leads us to the acceptance, appreciation, and understanding of a student’s need for structure in the initial phases of learning how to inquire. Effective modeling is a form of providing structure and guidance to students. Students need structure in developing science process skills and procedural knowledge, as well as formulating positive attitudes about the nature of science. But they need to get part that structured stage and being the inquiry stage or experimentation.

Directive and Supportive Behavior INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH DEMONSTRATED INQUIRIES AND DISCREPANT EVENTS STRUCTURED INQUIRES AND PRESECRIBED ACTIVITIES GUIDED AND TEACHER- INITIATED INQUIRIES SELF-DIRECTED AND STUDENT INITIATED INQUIRIES Role of the Teacher Motivator CoachFacilitatorMentor Directive Behavior High Directive Medium- High Directive Medium- Low Directive Low Directive Supportive Behavior Low Supportive Medium- Low Supportive Medium- High Supportive High Supportive