Putting Research to Work in K-8 Science Classrooms Ready, Set, SCIENCE

Chapter 1 – A New Vision of Science In Education Four reasons to Teach Science well 1. Science is an enterprise that can be harnessed to improve quality of life on a global scale. 2. Science may provide a foundation for the development of language, logic, and problem solving skills in the classroom. 3. A democracy demands that its citizens make personal, community-based, and national decisions that involve scientific information. 4. For some students, science will become a lifelong vocation or avocation.

Chapter 1 – Key Points Children are more capable. Learning can be modeled. Students should play the role of the scientist. Developing experiences like the scientist. Effective change is needed in the entire system to effectively teach science. Content knowledge and instructional skills are essential key components of effective teaching.

Chapter 1 Language of Science Rethinking Children’s Capacity for Scientific Understanding Students that can understand science as a process of constructing theories from facts develop many of the skills and practices that scientists demonstrates. Learn how to apply their knowledge to new problems. Make connections between different representations. Laying a foundation through work on measurement in Kindergarten and first grade will have important successes in later grades.

Chapter 2 – Four Strands of Science Learning The Four Strands of Learning Strand 1 – Understanding Scientific Explanations oFocuses on concepts and the links between them rather than on discrete facts and the ability to use this knowledge. Strand 2 – Generating Scientific Evidence oProficiency is acquired by generating and evaluating evidence oMaster the conceptual, mathematical, physical, and computational tools needed oDesign and carry out scientific investigations Strand 3 – Reflecting on Scientific Knowledge oStudents will be aware that science entails searching for core explanations and their connections Strand 4 – Participating Productively in Science oDoing science and together in groups

Chapter 3 – Foundational Knowledge and Conceptual Change Four domains of knowledge 1. Simple mechanic of solid bounded objects. 2. Behaviors of psychological agents. 3. Actions and organization of living things. 4. Makeup and substance of materials. Young children begin school with… Rich knowledge of the natural world The ability to reason An understanding of the principles of cause and effect Foundations for modeling The ability to consider ideas and beliefs An eagerness to participate in learning Types of Conceptual Change 1. Elaborating on preexisting concept 2. Restructuring a network of concepts 3. Achieving new levels of explanation

Chapter 4 – Organizing Science Education Around Core Concepts Examples of Core Science Concepts Atomic-molecular theory of matter Evolutionary theory Cell theory Newtonian laws of force and motion Some Benefits of Learning Progressions Serious thinking required Prompt educations about topics Draw on research about children’s learning Incorporate all four strands of proficiency Engage students with meaningful questions Suggests appropriate ages for core concepts Suggest important tools and practices to asses understanding

Chapter 5 – Making Thinking Visible: Talk and Argument Learning through Talk and Argument Language has to be precise Understanding of what argumentation means Encouraging Talk and Argument in the Classroom Revoicing Asking students to restate someone else’s reasoning Asking students to apply their own reasoning to someone else’s reasoning Prompting students for further participation Asking students to explicate their reasoning Using wait time

Positive-Driven Discussion Forces students to choose from two or three different but reasonable answers. Appreciating Differences Allow all students to understand the importance of scientific language Inclusiveness Make rules of participation visible in classroom Make evident the connections between student’s everyday thinking, knowledge, and resources.

Chapter 6 – Making Thinking Visible: Modeling and Representation Mathematics Provides scientists with another system for sharing, communicating, and understanding science concepts. Data Students need to understand that data are constructed to answer questions. Represented in various ways to see, understand, or communicate different aspects of science.

Scale, Models, Diagrams, and Maps Representations allow us to convey complex ideas, patterns, and trends in accessible formats. Modeling and Learning Progressions Emphasized different and increasingly complex ideas in different grade bands.

Chapter 7 – Learning From Investigations Strategies for Teaching how to Construct Scientific Knowledge  Focus 1. Teaching for Conceptual change 2. Promoting metacognitive understanding 3. Engaging students with deep domain-specific core concepts.  Pedagogical practices 1. Helping students understand, test, and revise ideas. 2. Establishing a classroom community that negotiates meaning and builds knowledge. 3. Increasing students responsibility for directing important aspects of their own inquiry

 Student roles 1. Taking responsibility for representing ideas 2. Working to develop ideas 3. Monitoring the status of ideas 4. Considering the reasoning underlying specific beliefs 5. Deciding on ways to test specific beliefs 6. Assessing the consistency among ideas 7. Examining how well these ideas extend to new situations

Chapter 8 – A System That Supports Science Learning Types of Support Teachers need to Teach Science Well  High-quality curriculum or supplementary materials  Means by which to have their questions answered  Time and support to work through science tasks as learners  Opportunity to explore a variety of materials and experience problems that students might have  Time to think about an assess the knowledge their students bring to class

Teacher learning opportunities should….  Reflect a clear focus on student learning  Focus on strengths and needs of learners  Include school-based support  Provide adequate time needed for work  Participation of groups of teachers  Provide teachers with a coherent view of instructional system  Receive the active support of school and district leaders