Middle School Science

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science 1. Distribute a bingo card to each player. 2. Players circulate to find group members who match descriptions in the bingo squares. 3. When a match is found, the player writes the name of the individual in the square. 4. Different names must be used in each square. When a player has filled a row with names, s/he yells "Bingo!" 5. With the group, check the squares and identify the individuals described. 6. Continue the game for a second round, with the new goal of filling the entire card. 7. When a player has filled the entire card, s/he yells "Bingo!" 8. Check the entire card, identifying group members matching each description.

Grade 6,, Life Science, Physical Science

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  To develop teachers’ application of practices that build academic rigor through conceptual understanding; inquiry, discourse, and the use of symbols, models and tools

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science

 What’s your personal definition of “academic rigor”  What examples can you think of to illustrate what it looks and sounds like in middle school science?  Share your thoughts with a shoulder partner

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  Each participant has been given three articles on academic rigor  Read, and be prepared to discuss the articles  When everyone in the group is finished reading, use the Fan-N-Pick instructions to guide the discussion of the main ideas in the article

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  Form groups of FOUR  Use the Consensus Placemat instructions to develop a definition that incorporates elements of “academic rigor” from the readings and which everyone at your table can agree upon  Be prepared to share the key ideas from your definition with the whole group

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING Creativity Higher order thinking skills 21 st Century Life Skills (creativity) Leadership and entrepreneurship INQUIRY Curiosity and imagination Problem solving 21 st Century Life Skills (collaboration, and critical thinking) DISCOURSE 21 st Century Life Skills (communication) USE OF SYMBOLS, TOOLS, AND MODELS Access and analyze information Data analysis

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science

 To what extent do we see evidence of these key features of academic rigor in our VA Standards of Learning?  To what extent do we see evidence of academic rigor in the VA Science Curriculum Framework?

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  Another lens through which we might view the standards to assess rigor is to determine to what extent do they require the development of Conceptual Understanding  Conceptual understanding is developed through the use of inquiry, discourse, and the use of symbols, models, and tools

Grade 6,, Life Science, Physical Science 14 Conceptual Understanding Connect, Evaluate, Forecast, Synthesize, Create, Design, Determine Importance Inquiry Investigate, Infer, Discover, Collaborate Discourse Communicate, Critique, Debate, Discuss, Explain, Summarize, Argue Symbols, Models and Tools Gather, Measure, Observe, Record, Solve, Select, Calculate, Report, Sequence

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science

CONCEPTUAL KNOWLEDGE  Rich in relationships and understanding  Can be applied to new settings (transfer) within and across disciplines  Developed through thoughtful, reflective learning PROCEDURAL KNOWLEDGE  Based on formal language, symbolic or visual representations  Used as an abstract tool to encode and decode meaning in a specific context  Proficiency developed through rote practice 16

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science CONCEPTUAL KNOWLEDGE  Density  Independent assortment  Conservation in reactions  Ecosystem relationships  Atomic structure  Conservation of Energy  Acceleration  Natural selection PROCEDURAL KNOWLEDGE  d = m/v  Punnet Square  Balanced chemical equation  Food web diagram  Electron cloud model  Energy chain diagram  a = vf – vi / time  Graph of change in frequency of allele in pop’n 17

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  Developing conceptual knowledge is the main goal of education  Conceptual knowledge provides enduring understanding that can be applied to a variety of contexts  Procedural knowledge is a tool for making and sharing meaning within a discipline; it aids in the building and sharing of conceptual knowledge 18

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  Inquiry refers to the activities of students in which they develop conceptual knowledge of scientific ideas  Inquiry in the classroom is structured around the 5 E Learning Cycle in which students – Engage in science-oriented questions – Explore possible answers through investigation – Formulate explanations based on data – Extend and apply understanding in a new context – Evaluate the validity of ideas and understandings 19

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  Discourse relates to using written or spoken language to organize knowledge, ideas, or experiences about a topic  The use of symbols and tools facilitate discourse  Inquiry facilitates discourse because it provides the context for discussion  Discourse should occur both with “self” and “others” – Reading text while using a reading strategy – Watching a video with a purpose in mind – Discussing one’s answers to lab investigation questions – Making links between concepts 20

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  Symbols and tools include words, numbers, formulas, tables, charts, diagrams, 3-D models, simulations, etc.  Symbols and tools are used to encode and decode meaning in a given context  Correct use of symbols and tools do not, of themselves, indicate whether conceptual understanding has been attained 21

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  Ensure that student experiences include all three foundational components in equal measure – Too often the goal devolves toward a measure of procedural knowledge  Provide scaffolding to facilitate students’ use of each of the foundational components  Assess conceptual and procedural understanding – Use both selected response and constructed response assessment methods (i.e., multiple choice, short answer, draw a diagram, performance task, etc.) – Use questions that require analysis, synthesis, and evaluation 22

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  To what degree are the SOL Assessment items assessing Conceptual Understanding and Procedural Knowledge?  In groups of FOUR, sort the items into two piles – one for Conceptual Understanding and one for Procedural Knowledge

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  What’s your new personal definition of “academic rigor”  What examples can you think of to illustrate what it looks and sounds like in middle school science?  Share your thoughts with a shoulder partner

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science

 Discuss in your group how you could use the materials provided to construct a 3-D model to show how inquiry, discourse, and the use of symbols, models, and tools help to build conceptual understanding  Design your model on paper  Your group will build the model at the end of the day

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science

 What adaptations would best enable an owl to survive within a specific ecosystem?  Which factors might increase or decrease an owl’s population’s size?  How do owls respond to daily, seasonal, and long-term changes in their environment?  How do environmental influences, as well as genetic variation, lead to diversity of within an owl population?  What are the possible relationships between mutation, adaptation, natural selection, and extinction in an owl population over time?

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  To what degree did this investigation –  use questions to set the stage for inquiry  use symbols, models, and tools to gather, analyze, and report information  call on students to communicate and share ideas (i.e., discourse)  build Conceptual Understanding of natural selection  How might each of these components be improved?

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science

 To what degree did this investigation –  use questions to set the stage for inquiry  use symbols, models, and tools to gather, analyze, and report information  call on students to communicate and share ideas (i.e., discourse)  build Conceptual Understanding of speed, velocity, and acceleration, etc.  How might each of these components be improved?

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science  Take a moment and reflect on your experiences here today  Write the answers to the following questions and be prepared to share with your group  What are the 3 most important things you have learned today?  What are 2 things you will keep in mind when sharing this information with others (where have you had ah- ha’s today)  What is 1 question you have about academic rigor of Conceptual Understanding? Where will you look for answers?

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science

 Create a three-dimensional model to illustrate the connections between, and importance, of Conceptual Understanding, Inquiry, Discourse, and the use of Symbols, Models and Tools in science to provide academically “vigorous” learning experiences  Be prepared to share your model and explain to others your group’s thinking

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science What Does Rigorous Science Instruction Look Like?

Grade 6, Life Science, Physical Science