Energy Performances in the K-12 Curriculum Andy Anderson, Hui Jin MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Environmental Literacy Research Group

Objective and Approach Objective: Model-based reasoning at high school level Approach: Learning Progression with focus on making transition from story telling to model-based reasoning Environmental Literacy Research Group

Objective: Model-based reasoning at high school level MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Environmental Literacy Research Group

Why energy conservation? Energy is defined by the way it is used in the first law of thermodynamics – energy conservation. Energy conservation is the core principle of thermodynamics. Students’ confusions and misconceptions are concentrated around energy conservation. –It is a very pervasive phenomenon that conservation law is used incorrectly to explain phenomena. –Students’ understanding of “heat” is different from its meaning in the first law. –Energy conservation and energy degradation are viewed as contradictory. Environmental Literacy Research Group

To what extent do we expect students understand energy conservation? Use energy as conceptual tool to analyze processes. –Process change systems in terms of energy transfer –Energy conserves when systems change

How well do students use energy as a conceptual tool to analyze processes? MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Environmental Literacy Research Group

All Students: Informal and Metaphorical Usages of “Energy” Synonyms for “energy” from Dictionary.com activity, animation, application, ardor, beef, birr, dash, drive, effectiveness, efficacy, efficiency, endurance, enterprise, exertion, fire, force, forcefulness, fortitude, get-up-and-go*, go, hardihood, initiative, intensity, juice, life, liveliness, might, moxie*, muscle, operativeness, pep, pizzazz, pluck, potency, power, puissance, punch, spirit, spontaneity, stamina, steam, strength, toughness, tuck, vehemence, verve, vim, virility, vitality, vivacity, zeal, zest, zing, zip*, élan Environmental Literacy Research Group

College Science Majors: Energy as a “Fudge Factor” Environmental Literacy Research Group

Science Teacher Candidates and Physiology Students: More Energy as a “Fudge Factor” Jared, the Subway ® man, lost a lot of weight eating a low calorie diet. Where did all the fat/mass go? Thoroughly explain your answer. “The fat went through some metabolic processes and was converted into sugar*. The sugar was used in respiration and was given off in the forms of CO 2 and H 2 0 and heat (and energy for other human processes). Some may have been given off as waste (urine and feces).” (best answer: 1/33) Matter-energy conversions (mentioned by 28/33, sometimes in conjunction with other ideas) –“The fat was converted into useable energy and burned by muscle contraction for movement” –“I’m assuming that much of his fat was used up by his body for energy to compensate for his lowered calorie intake.” – “The fat was metabolized and used for energy in the body. Environmental Literacy Research Group

Approach: Learning Progression with focus on making transition from story telling to model-based reasoning MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Environmental Literacy Research Group

Student Understanding - Telling stories Examples of student responses Underlying problem - informal and metaphorical definition of energy Environmental Literacy Research Group

Telling story vs. analyzing process Stories organize the world into linear sequences of events, while processes organize the world in term of non-linear patterns in phenomena. Stories have agents or actors in settings, while processes follow fundamental principles, such as conservation laws. People use analogies and metaphors to see connections among stories or patterns across stories, while processes are connected by formal scientific models. Events in stories are caused by other triggering events, while processes are driven by conditions or states of systems. Environmental Literacy Research Group

Energy learning procession - transition from telling story to model based learning Elementary Level: Stories linked by analogies and metaphors Upper Elementary and Middle School Level: Learning consistent metaphors Middle/High School Level: Qualitatively and Quantitatively accounting for energy in processes Environmental Literacy Research Group

Learning consistent metaphors as the key for transition Analyzing events as processes Identifying energy released or absorbed – energy as metaphorical direction Identifying energy sources or sinks in systems – energy as invisible agent Environmental Literacy Research Group