1. Science for Young Children
ECED 177
Week 4

2. The National Science Education Standards (NSES p
The National Science Education Standards (NSES p. 23) defines scientific inquiry as "the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence derived from their work. Scientific inquiry also refers to the activities through which students develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world."

3. Learn how to identify and ask appropriate questions that can be answered through scientific investigations.

4. Design and conduct investigations to collect the evidence needed to answer a variety of questions.

5. Use appropriate equipment and tools to interpret and analyze data.

6. Learn how to draw conclusions and think critically and logically to create explanations based on their evidence.

7. Communicate and defend their results to their peers and others.

8. Let’s Take a Look
WISIA – Ball video

9. Developing Formative Assessment Probes

10. Formative Assessment Probes
A probe is a purposefully designed question that reveals more than just an answer. A probe elicits a response that helps teachers identify students’ ideas about phenomena or a concept. Probes are also used to encourage thinking and sharing of ideas.
What is a formative assessment probe -
Question designed in such a way that it reveals more that simply an answer -
2 tiered response
Set up a scenario - students have an “entry point” - select an answer / check off items in a list, etc.
2) Asked to explain “rule” or “reason” for what they wrote - reveals thinking

11. Science Preconceptions
Naïve Ideas
Commonly Held Ideas
Incomplete Ideas
Alternative Conceptions
Misunderstandings
Facets of Understanding
They are a ‘good thing’ because they can help us diagnose what students do and don’t know about a topic.
They can be a good thing!

12. Probe vs. Task- Webster’s Definitions
Probe- a usually small object that is inserted into something so as to test conditions at a given point; a device used to penetrate or send back information; a device used to obtain specific information for diagnostic purposes
Task- a usually assigned piece of work often to be finished within a certain time; something hard or unpleasant that has to be done
10:52

13. Specific learning goal(s)
Developing Probes
Specific learning goal(s)
Commonly held ideas +
Specific learning goals may be thought of in terms of the concepts and ideas, drawn from the research base, you wish students to understand. Commonly held ideas can be found in the research base and also through the experience of teaching. These are common misconceptions that students hold. Putting learning goals together with an understanding of student misconceptions can lead to development of formative assessment probes.
Assessment Probe

14. Specific Learning Goals (NSES)
K-4: Light can be reflected by a mirror, refracted by a lens, or absorbed by the object.
5-8: Light interacts with matter by transmission (including refraction), absorption, or scattering (including reflection). To see an object, light from that object- emitted by or scattered from it- must enter the eye.
Let’s take a look at this idea. Here are some specific learning goals for elementary students related to light

15. Commonly Held Ideas
Middle school students will accept the idea that mirrors reflect light but may not accept the idea that ordinary objects reflect light (AAAS, 1993).
Students’ ideas about reflection may be context bound. Some students describe light as bouncing off mirrors but not other objects. A few lacked a conception of light bouncing or reflecting off any objects. A majority of the sample of K-8 children surveyed thought color to be a property of an object rather than reflected light off an object (Driver et al., 1994).
And from research some commonly Held ideas or preconceptions that students might have. If we take a look at the phrase “Some students describe light as bouncing off mirrors but not other objects”, we get an idea for a probe.

16. Putting the Two Together
Specific Learning Goal:
To see an object, light from that object- emitted by or scattered from it- must enter the eye.
Commonly Held Idea:
Some students describe light as bouncing off mirrors but not other objects.

17. Matching a learning goal with a commonly held student idea (or preconception), we can make a formative assessment probe – here is one we looked at tin this summer’s academy.

18. Three Probe Components
Assessment Prompt
Forced Choices
Justification
The form of the probes themselves are fairly straightforward with three parts:
The prompt, the forced choice(s) and the student justification for their answer.

19. Prompt Forced Choice(s) Justification
Ask participants to see if they can identify the prompt, the forced choice and the justification
Go through them one by one (quickly)
Justification

20. Types of Probes Justified List:
Determines how students apply scientific ideas to a variety of objects or phenomena.

21. Types of Probes (continued)
Prediction Probe
Asks students what they think will happen in a familiar situation

22. Types of Probes (continued)
Familiar Phenomena Probe
Elicit thinking about relevant, everyday phenomena.

23. Types of Probes (continued)
Friendly Talk Probe
Set in a context where two or more individuals talk about their ideas of science concepts.
Can also be in the form of a Concept Cartoon

24. Another Concept Cartoon

25. Types of Probes (continued)
Comparison Probe
Students are given contrasting objects or processes to compare and are asked to select and justify which one matches the given statement.

26. NAEYC Standards to Consider
Children are provided varied opportunities and materials to learn key content and principles of science such as:
the difference between living and nonliving things (e.g., plants versus rocks) and life cycles of various organisms (e.g., plants, butterflies, humans).
earth and sky (e.g., seasons; weather; geologic features; light and shadow; sun, moon, and stars).
structure and property of matter (e.g., characteristics that include concepts such as hard and soft, floating and sinking) and behavior of materials (e.g., transformation of liquids and solids by dissolving or melting).

27. Examples of Probes for Young Children

28. Examples of Probes for Young Children

29. Examples of Probes for Young Children

30. Questions about Probe Assignment

31. Reflections What did you learn tonight about:
Babies Brains?
Inquiry?
Plants?
Describe one thing from this evening’s class that you would like to learn more about.

32. Next Week
Science in the Preschool Classroom
Animals