Reformed Reformed Traditional Traditional

Student centeredStudent centered ActiveActive Discovery Discovery

orientedoriented CollaborativeCollaborative Thorough, deepThorough, deep FacilitativeFacilitative

Teacher CenteredTeacher Centered PassivePassive Fact ListingFact Listing CompetitiveCompetitive BroadBroad Fast pacedFast paced

IntroductionIntroduction toto CourseCourse

PhilosophyPhilosophy

Research Findings SuggestResearch Findings Suggest

Science argument is rare in classrooms but Science argument is rare in classrooms but central to science; teaching focuses on recall central to science; teaching focuses on recall rather than model-based reasoningrather than model-based reasoning

Classroom norms (teacher, textbooks Classroom norms (teacher, textbooks provide answers) in tension with building provide answers) in tension with building scientific models from evidencescientific models from evidence

Curricula and standards “mile wide, inch Curricula and standards “mile wide, inch deep” (deep” (TIMSS))

Layout of standards is based on grade level, Layout of standards is based on grade level, rather than science concept relationshipsrather than science concept relationships

Modules/kits are common but remain Modules/kits are common but remain discrete and disconnecteddiscrete and disconnected

What and When to Teach?What and When to Teach?

Are all science topics equal in Are all science topics equal in their importance? (they’re not – their importance? (they’re not – believe it or not)believe it or not)

When should specific topics be When should specific topics be taught and in what sequence? taught and in what sequence?

How to Teach?How to Teach?

Even if the science topics are Even if the science topics are being taught in the order being taught in the order prescribed by the district prescribed by the district curriculum plan, students can still curriculum plan, students can still lack conceptual understanding lack conceptual understanding and scientific habits of mind.and scientific habits of mind.

Why? Please respond now.Why? Please respond now.

What, When, and How to What, When, and How to TeachTeach

Consider Consider Decreasing the number of topics Decreasing the number of topics

presented, focusing rather on a few presented, focusing rather on a few core core conceptsconcepts in science (the What) in science (the What)

Developing a research based Developing a research based learning learning progression progression (the When)(the When)

Facilitating Facilitating science proficiencyscience proficiency so so students acquire scientific habits of mind students acquire scientific habits of mind as well as process skills and content as well as process skills and content knowledge (the How)knowledge (the How)

Heidi Schweingruber, used with permissionHeidi Schweingruber, used with permission

Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8

Committee ChargeCommittee Charge

What do we know about how children What do we know about how children learn science?learn science?

What does this mean about how we What does this mean about how we should teach science?should teach science?

What further research is needed?What further research is needed?

Heidi Schweingruber, used with permissionHeidi Schweingruber, used with permission

Key FindingsKey Findings Students in grades K-8 can do more in Students in grades K-8 can do more in

science than is currently asked of themscience than is currently asked of them Science standards and curricula contain Science standards and curricula contain

too many topics given equal emphasistoo many topics given equal emphasis Science classrooms typically provide Science classrooms typically provide

few opportunities for students to few opportunities for students to engage in meaningful scienceengage in meaningful science

Good science teaching requires Good science teaching requires moremore than expert knowledge of science than expert knowledge of science contentcontent

Heidi Schweingruber, used with permissionHeidi Schweingruber, used with permission

Process SkillsProcess SkillsMeasurement

http://connect.larc.nasa.gov/programs/2004-2005/treasures/images/activitySu_6.jpg

The Measurement ActivityThe Measurement ActivityEveryone teaches measurement skills, typically at the Everyone teaches measurement skills, typically at the

start of the year. You might concoct a series of start of the year. You might concoct a series of stations; students move from station to station, stations; students move from station to station, practicing using graduated cylinders, meter sticks, practicing using graduated cylinders, meter sticks, and balances. They might measure a book, the and balances. They might measure a book, the volume of water in a receptacle, the size of a box volume of water in a receptacle, the size of a box and the mass of some objects. Then students are and the mass of some objects. Then students are assessed. Do they all answer correctly when assessed. Do they all answer correctly when quizzed over which instrument measures which quizzed over which instrument measures which concept in what kind of units? Not usually. It may concept in what kind of units? Not usually. It may be because these process skills are divorced from be because these process skills are divorced from any real science content, thus lacking an anchor to any real science content, thus lacking an anchor to which students can associate meaning.which students can associate meaning.

The Four Strands of Scientific The Four Strands of Scientific ProficiencyProficiency

Students who understand science:Students who understand science: Know, use, and interpret scientific Know, use, and interpret scientific

explanations of the natural worldexplanations of the natural world Generate and evaluate scientific Generate and evaluate scientific

evidence and explanationsevidence and explanations Understand the nature and Understand the nature and

development of scientific knowledgedevelopment of scientific knowledge Participate productively in scientific Participate productively in scientific

practices and discoursepractices and discourse

Heidi Schweingruber, used with permissionHeidi Schweingruber, used with permission

The Four Strands of Scientific The Four Strands of Scientific ProficiencyProficiency

The four strands are interwoven in The four strands are interwoven in learning. Advances in one strand learning. Advances in one strand support advances in the others. support advances in the others.

The strands emphasize the idea of The strands emphasize the idea of “knowledge in use” – that is “knowledge in use” – that is students’ knowledge is not static students’ knowledge is not static and proficiency involves deploying and proficiency involves deploying knowledge and skills across all four knowledge and skills across all four strands.strands.

Students are more likely to Students are more likely to advance in their understanding of advance in their understanding of science when classrooms provide science when classrooms provide learning opportunities that attend learning opportunities that attend to all four strands.to all four strands.

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Heidi Schweingruber, used with permissionHeidi Schweingruber, used with permission

Ready, Set, Science!

User friendly accounting of User friendly accounting of the findings from the findings from Taking Taking Science to SchoolScience to School

– Eight Concise chaptersEight Concise chapters– Rich, descriptive case Rich, descriptive case studiesstudies– Questions for discussion Questions for discussion

Ready, Set, Science!Ready, Set, Science!

Contains case studies that Contains case studies that – illustrate core concepts, learning illustrate core concepts, learning

progressions, and scientific progressions, and scientific proficiencyproficiency

– encompass the encompass the whatwhat and and when when in a in a holistic way, rather than holistic way, rather than compartmentalizing science content compartmentalizing science content separate from process skillsseparate from process skills

– convey convey howhow teachers facilitate teachers facilitate science proficiency in their studentsscience proficiency in their students

Growth: First GradeGrowth: First Grade

These case studies are elaborated in Ready, Set, Science! p. 115.

Heidi Schweingruber, used with permissionHeidi Schweingruber, used with permission

Growth: Third GradeGrowth: Third Grade

Ready, Set, Science! p. 116

Heidi Schweingruber, used with permissionHeidi Schweingruber, used with permission

Growth: Fifth GradeGrowth: Fifth Grade

Stem and leaf plot, p. 121 “Bins” of ten, p. 122

Growth: Fifth GradeGrowth: Fifth Grade

Used a 2D coordinate grid, p. 124

Median measure is at apex, p. 124

Growth: Fifth GradeGrowth: Fifth Grade

Though axes are unlabeled, the Y axis is height, and the X axis is plant specimen number, p. 120

Heidi Schweingruber, used with permissionHeidi Schweingruber, used with permission

Resources for the WhatResources for the What

What are the core concepts?What are the core concepts?– American Association for the American Association for the

Advancement of Science Advancement of Science Benchmarks for Scientific Literacy Benchmarks for Scientific Literacy

– National Science Education National Science Education Standards Standards

Taking Science to School Taking Science to School acknowledges acknowledges there is not a finite list although there is not a finite list although BenchmarksBenchmarks might come close might come close

Resources for the WhenResources for the When

References for constructing a References for constructing a learning progressionlearning progression

– AAAS Atlas for Science LiteracyAAAS Atlas for Science Literacy

– NSDL Science Literacy MapsNSDL Science Literacy Maps

Resources for the HowResources for the How

Taking Science to School: Learning Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8and Teaching Science in Grades K-8

Ready, Set, ScienceReady, Set, Science Middle School Portal 2 (MSP2)Middle School Portal 2 (MSP2)

– funded through NSF - developed funded through NSF - developed specifically for grades 5-8 specifically for grades 5-8 mathematics and science middle mathematics and science middle school teachersschool teachers

Continue to think about Continue to think about the…the…

WhatWhat– core concepts (as opposed to topics)core concepts (as opposed to topics)

WhenWhen– as part of a cross grade level learning as part of a cross grade level learning

progressionprogression HowHow

– facilitating scientific proficiency by facilitating scientific proficiency by attending to the four strands of scientific attending to the four strands of scientific proficiencyproficiency