Sep28

Developing Inquiry Skills

Science Scope Cover It's interesting in this issue to see how teachers can incorporate inquiry learning into topics such as Bernoulli's Principle, bridge design, photosynthesis, a beach clean-up program, rocks, paper airplanes, maple seeds, and ponds. The authors show how you don't need elaborate materials to create learning experiences for students that go beyond cookbook demonstrations and focus on real inquiry and problem solving. The articles describe these investigations and also have advice for teachers who want to include more inquiry in their classes. The articles have lots of real-life classroom examples, and the author share their resources, rubrics, and diagrams.

I followed up on some of the suggested websites:
  • Recognizing Inquiry compares three hands-on teaching techniques: guided activity, challenge activity, and an open exploration activity. The the comparison has activities that are on the same topic and use the same materials, but the student outcomes are different, based on which technique is used. This is a chapter from the book Inquiry: 
Thoughts, Views, and Strategies for the K-5 Classroom, published by the National Science Foundation.
  • The Institute for Inquiry from the Exploratorium has ideas for professional development in inquiry and formative assessments. But you can click on Our Philosophy for a description of inquiry, a downloadable book Pathways to Learning, and Inquiry Structure, a graphic organizer that shows a process of inquiry.
  • Doing Science: The Process of Scientific Inquiry is a set of lessons from the National Institute of Health. These lessons guide students (and teachers) through an inquiry process.
  • A continuum from the National Research Council shows essential features of inquiry and how to vary activities to guide students through the process. Where do your classroom activities "fit"?
Efforts to promote inquiry in science have been around for a long time (I remember the discussion in my methods courses eons ago, and it's always at hot topic at NSTA conferences). So why are we still talking about it? What is keeping us from using more inquiry in K-12 science classes? The Science Scope article Engendering Inquiry discusses some of the perceived barriers to implementing inquiry instruction. Are there others? What do you think?
Published: Sep-28-08 | 0 Comments | 33 Links to this post

Sep21

Astronomy

Science and Children Cover Who hasn’t looked into the night sky and wondered about the stars and the universe? But upper elementary and middle school may be the last chance for many students to study or be exposed to concepts in astronomy. Earth and space science is not offered in many high schools or it not chosen by college-bound students. And yet, astronomy is a science that can be pursued and enjoyed even beyond one's school days.

The articles in this month's Science and Children provides teachers with many ideas for getting student started on a lifelong learning adventure. Secondary teachers can get ideas for working with students who do not have much background in astronomy.

Several of the articles have SciLinks codes: SC090801 for Exploring Mars; SC090802 for Moon Phases; SC090803 for the Other Planets; and SC090804 for What Causes Day and Night. Members can explore other topics by typing "astronomy" or "universe" as a SciLinks keyword.

It's hard to study astronomy during the school day, but fortunately there are lots of websites that can be used to get students (and teachers) interested in the topic. Here are some ones worth checking out:
  • Astronomy – Our Place in Space is an "ology" site from the American Museum of Natural History. This is well organized with lots of information, but I found the cartoonish illustrations of the planets (with human faces and appendages) to be unnecessary. These objects have a beauty of their own!
  • Go beyond the planets with Capture the Cosmos that has lots of information, graphics, and simulations on black holes, comets, galaxies, and other phenomena.
  • NASA calls Starchild "a learning center for young astronauts."
  • Don't be put off by the title of Fundamental Physics in Space. Upper elementary and middle level students (and teachers) can learn about the big bang and other topics (and no higher math knowledge is necessary to read and learn from this site).
  • Astronomy and Space is an overview of space research for advanced students or teacher's background knowledge.
  • For some content refreshers for teachers, check out NSTA's Science Objects related to earth and space science. Each object takes 1-2 hours to complete. They're very good as a refresher (or introduction). Topics in include the Universe, the Solar System, and Earth, Sun and Moon
  • Astronomy with a Stick is a classic!
  • A recent issue of Edutopia describes how a teacher uses a free desktop program called "Celestia" to study space from the desktop. The article also has links to other desktop astronomy programs, including the popular Google Sky. Playing with Celestia is next on my list of things to do!
  • I just learned about Galaxy Zoo from a Scientific American podcast. This is another example of citizen science, in that volunteers log in and classify images of galaxies.
If anyone has used either of these last two resources, please let us know what you think!
Published: Sep-21-08 | 0 Comments | 0 Links to this post

Sep14

No Child (or Teacher) Left Inside, and We're Having a Ball!

Earth Science Week Chemistry Week OK, it's almost October and it's time to celebrate science. Get ready for Earth Science Week this year (October 12-18, 2008). The theme is "No Child Left Inside."

If you really are in a celebratory mood, you can move right into National Chemistry Week October 19-25, 2008. The theme is "Having a Ball with Chemistry."

Both of these websites have lots of resources, and it shouldn't be hard to find some that align with your curriculum and standards. I did not get any results when I googled National Physics Week or National Biology Week, but please let me know of any nationwide events in these areas!

Astronomy gets into the lineup of October events, too. Check out the Great World Wide Star Count in which your observation data can be uploaded and shared with participants from around the world during the October 20 – November 3 time period.

Don’t forget that October 23 is also the time to celebrate Mole Day.

And then, top off the month by attending the NSTA conference in Charlotte, NC from October 30 – November 1.

With all of these events to celebrate in October, who needs Halloween?
Published: Sep-14-08 | 1 Comment | 216 Links to this post

Sep08

Starting the Year Off Right

The Science Teacher Cover "Don't smile until Thanksgiving." When I started teaching, that was the advice from a few veterans on the staff. Fortunately for my students, I disregarded that advice and followed the example of my advisor: "Be fair, firm, and friendly."

For getting an academic year started, I'd recommend the work of Harry and Rosemary Wong, whose book The First Days of School you may be familiar with but which is worth a reread. It's impossible to redo the first day of school, but it's not too late to establish routines in the classroom. These routines are different from lists of rules or from teacher-directed or lockstep regimentation. Check out How to Start a Class Effectively by the Wongs for some ideas for these routines. One that I found effective was to post an agenda so that when the students came into the room, they knew what the main of the lesson was, what activities they were going to work on in class (or for homework), what needed to be turned in, what materials they needed (pencil, notebook, paper, textbook, etc.), and perhaps a bellringer activity. I'd also establish routines for the end of class (so that students just don't race out of the classroom) and for transitioning between activities during class. These routines may take some time and modeling until they become automatic, but it's worth it.

The featured articles in the September issue of The Science Teacher have some even better advice for getting started: using concept maps, implementing inquiry assessments, and fostering creativity.

The article Mapping for Conceptual Change describes the use of concept maps before and during instruction and also as an assessment. Some other resources for concept maps include Graphic.org's description of Concept Maps, the Cmap Tools mentioned in the article, a Concept Mapping explanation from the Study Guides and Strategies web site, and Concept Maps on the website of the Inspiration mapping tool. To see lots of examples, google "concept map" and search the Images.

You can see the value of routines in the article Whole-Class Inquiry Assessments. The authors describe how to scaffold this type of activity so that students learn how to engage in inquiry. If you want some examples of inquiry-type assessments use the Performance Assessments Links in Science site (one of my favorites). You can also go to SciLinks and enter the code TST090801 (or click the code). This set of websites also addresses reading issues in science.

Creativity in science is not just about drawing diagrams or making arts-and-crafts models! The authors of article Creativity in the Science Classroom describe how to get students thinking and problem solving "outside of the box," reminding me of Einstein's statement that "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

I suspect there are teachers who are not smiling yet and who think that their students are not "ready" for conceptual, higher-order, creative thinking (and tell them so, with their words or choice of assignments). But don't give up if the students don't "get it" at first. It's been my experience that most students (with modeling, scaffolding, and encouragement) will surprise us with what they really can do, even at the beginning of the year.
Published: Sep-08-08 | 0 Comments | 0 Links to this post