SCIENCE COMPANIONINTRODUCTION TO THE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM MODULE

Dr. Meg Schleppenbach

May 17, 2011

Agenda

Overview of Science Companion (30 minutes)

What’s in a Module?  (30 minutes) Big Ideas (10 minutes) Assessment (5 minutes) What’s in a Lesson (15 minutes) Lesson Tour (60 minutes)

Goals for the Day

To learn about the philosophy and basic principles of Science Companion

To feel comfortable and excited about using your first Science Companion module

To become familiar with features of the program that support a high-quality implementation

To begin planning for implementation

To know where to go with questions, concerns, etc.

Inquiry: Children learn science by engaging in the work of scientists.

I Wonder: notice, ask questions, state problems

I Think: consider, gather information, predict

I Try: experiment, model, test ideas, repeat

I Observe: watch, examine, measure

I Record: record data, organize, describe, classify, graph, draw

I Discover: look for patterns, interpret, reflect, conclude, communicate discoveries

Content and Process

Both are important for elementary students. Both should be developed with age-appropriate

activities and expectations. (SC Big Ideas encompass both disciplinary content and process skills.)

They should be connected and reinforce one another. For example: Children learn about the properties of rocks by

doing careful observation; AND Children learn how to do careful observations by

being given a meaningful context and purpose for developing/practicing this skill (e.g., observing rocks and recording properties)

Children learn science by engaging in the work of scientists (“inquiry”) What are the

challenges and barriers to using this approach in elementary school classrooms?

TAKE A MOMENT: Talk about barriers and challenges in your group, as well as strategies you have used to address them. Be prepared to share out.

The challenge of TIME

Designed to be done in two to three 45-60 minute sessions per week.

Lessons of consistent length and structure help with pacing and scheduling

Meaningful opportunities to integrate science with literacy and mathematics Science Notebook work and can often be done

during literacy Work with data and measurement can often be

done as part of mathematics Introductory and Reflective Discussions provide rich

opportunities to develop verbal communication skills and critical thinking

The challenge of LOGISTICSWe know…teaching hands-on science can be a pain!

We try to make it easier to address the materials, mess, noise, etc. in a variety of ways:

Field-tested units – We caught lots of issues early, and added many more teacher-suggested tips at point-of-use for managing potential hassles

ExploraGear kits – These include the most tough-to-find materials that you’ll need

Comprehensive Planning and Preparation information – Being prepared is half the battle for managing science

Detailed lesson write-ups – You don’t need to guess or try to figure out what it should look like, what to do next, etc.

The challenge of TEACHER CONTENT KNOWLEDGE Science Companion units are explicitly designed

to develop BIG IDEAS that help teachers and kids focus on key, age-appropriate concepts and skills

The Teacher Background Information (TBI) provides additional content information for teachers – enough to build confidence and context, but no so much as to overwhelm

The TBI and Notes in the lessons provide information about common student (and adult) misconceptions

Teachers are invited and encouraged to learn science alongside their students!

The challenge of STUDENT CONTENT KNOWLEDGEHow do I get students from explorations to new skills and understandings?

SC units are carefully structured to develop BIG IDEAS over multiple lessons and experiences

Lessons are carefully structured to promote student learning of BIG IDEAS “Engage” - activating interest and prior knowledge “Explore” – collecting evidence (data,

observations, etc.); targeted questions to help students “in the moment”

“Reflect and Discuss” - learn from evidence, consolidate ideas, and make connections

Lessons include specific questions and notes about common misconceptions

Learning experiences are engaging and memorable

The challenge of BALANCING CONTENT AND PROCESS SKILLS SC believes that both are important for

elementary students. BIG IDEAS encompass both disciplinary content and process skills, and both are assessed in the program.

Content and Process should be connected and reinforce one another.

Skill Building Activities attend to process skills Units within and across grades provide for careful

articulation and reinforcement of process skills

Science Companion:What’s in a Module?

THE REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF Teacher Lesson Manual Student Science Notebooks ExploraGear Kit

THE OTHER VERY USEFUL STUFF Assessment Book Science Notebook Teacher Guide Teacher Masters and Visuals Teacher Reference Materials (online only)

TAKE A MOMENT: Do you have all of these items for your unit? Do a “scavenger hunt” of your components!

Lesson Clusters

Lesson Clusters are groups of lessons (not necessarily consecutive) that, together, develop/support one or more Big Ideas

Science Companion units generally consist of 2-5 lesson clusters

TAKE A MOMENT: Look at the Introduction to the Our Solar System Unit (p. 14) and the Unit Summary table (p. 16).

How many lesson clusters are there? What does each focus on? How do they connect with one another?

Getting to Know Your Module:Big Ideas

Science Companion units are designed to develop age-appropriate “Big Ideas” related to the topic being studied.

These Big Ideas help teachers (and students) focus on the most important content of the lesson and unit.

Big Ideas tend to be developed through groups of lessons (called “Lesson Clusters”).

TAKE A MOMENT: Read through the Big Ideas (p. 20). What questions or confusions do you have? Discuss with a colleague or the facilitator.

Getting to Know Your Module:Teacher Background Information

This section of the manual is intended to bolster teachers’ content knowledge and confidence.

The information goes beyond the content that students are expected to learn.

TAKE A MOMENT: Read through one section of the Teacher Background

Information (p. 418) What is one new thing you learned? What are some misconceptions students may have?

How does the module address these misconceptions?

Getting to Know Your Module:Process Skills

Science Companion places a strong emphasis on developing student’s knowledge about and comfort with science processes.

Skill Building Activities focus on a particular process skill.

TAKE A MOMENT: Find examples of students engaging in science processes during the lessons.

What science processes are students engaged in? What science content are they exploring at the same

time?

Assessment

In Science Companion, both content and process skills are assessed. Assessment is tied to Big Ideas and Lesson Clusters.

Assessment Resources: The embedded assessment suggestions in the lessons The assessment tools in the Assessment Book, including:

Rubrics for each Big Idea/Cluster Performance Tasks and Quick Check Items Skills and Attitudes Checklists and Self-Assessments Overviews of Assessment Opportunities Evaluation Guidelines, Blackline Masters, and

Recording Tools

Assessment

TAKE A MOMENT: Look at the Assessment section on the Quick

Look page of any lesson in your Teacher Lesson Manual. Do the embedded assessment suggestions make sense to you?

Look at any Opportunities Overview page in your Assessment Book. Is it clear will you will find more information about the various opportunities? Also look at the rubric on the facing page for more information about the criteria. What questions do you have at this point?

Interactive Teacher Lesson Manual (iTLM) All Science Companion print components

(TLM, SN, TM, AB, SRB, Visuals) are available as linked pdfs (the iTLM).

Science Companion:What’s in a Lesson?

Before the Lesson Quick Look and Preparation

During the Lesson Engage Explore Reflect and Discuss

After the Lesson Science Center Extensions Looking Ahead

Lesson 2 – 11:02 AM

Lesson 2 – 12:18 PM

Lesson 2 – 2:30 PM

Lesson 2 – 4:15 PM

Lesson Tour

During the Lesson Tour, you may want to take notes on the “Note-taking

and Cheat Sheets” in your handout packets.

Exploring the Clusters in Groups Use kit materials to create the (generally

summative) models in your cluster. Cluster One: Daytime/nighttime models from Lessons

6 and 7. Cluster Two: Seasonal models from Lesson 19. Cluster Three: Moon phases models from Lesson 13. Cluster Four: Scale models from Lesson 20.

Consider questions, misconceptions, and other models the kids may have or produce. Look through the lessons in the cluster and consider how they would build students’ understanding of the model.

General Notes

Many of these lessons are weather-dependent. Consider what you might do if the weather does not cooperate (SBAs?)

Never allow kids to look directly at the sun. Prepare Family Links and Science Notebooks

at the beginning of the module. Be careful with terms such as:

Rotating Orbiting Apparent movement of the sun

Cluster 1: Sun’s Daily Pattern Lesson 1:

Bring spherical and flat objects for discussion Post and refer back to questions

Lesson 2: DEMO. Lesson 3:

Use compass to find southern sky Bring drawing supplies; secure a nice spot Observe 3 times (morning, mid-day, afternoon)

Lessons 6 & 7: Share! Include SBA (Models)

Cluster 2: Sun’s Annual Pattern Lesson 4,14, &16-Fall, Winter & Spring

Sky Dome and Shadow Recording activities Set up space and tools Pay attention to suggested dates for best

observations 3 observations (1 hour apart; one at noon) See photos!

Lessons 5, 15 & 17-Fall, Winter & Spring Use the flashlight to model the sun with the

sky dome and shadow recording data.

Lessons 4, 14, 16 – Shadow Recording Tool

Lessons 4, 14, 16 – Sky Dome Observation 1

Lessons 4, 14, 16 – Sky Dome Observations 2 and 4

Cluster 2: Sun’s Annual Pattern Lesson 8

Students start collecting sunrise/sunset times for 5 days Two days for lesson: One to start and one to look at

results from a few days Must be maintained weekly for the rest of the year (Use

a Class Astronomer for this and Cluster 3 Moon Phases chart)

Use internet for sunrise/sunset data if needed. Lesson 18

Make line graph of daylight times Use SBAs (elapsed time, line graphs) with lessons.

Cluster 2: Sun’s Annual Pattern Lesson 19: Share!

Cluster 3: Moon’s Cycle

Lesson 9 Note good times to view moon (1st/3rd quarter) Note similarities between this lesson and Lesson 3

(observing the sun in the sky) Complete 3 observations, at least one hour apart

Lesson 10 Get moonrise/moonset times for kids Have procedure for acquiring data daily (Class

Astronomer?) for 28 days Have procedure for when moon is NOT visible Avoid long school layoffs during the 28 days

Cluster 3: Moon’s Cycle

Lesson 11: Wondering and research Lesson 12

Conduct after month of moon observations is complete.

Observe flipbook: What are some challenges?

Point children to data resources for helping them complete the flipbook.

Lesson 13: Share!

Cluster 4: Stars and Planets

Lesson 20: Share! Link to SBA (Building to Scale)

Lesson 21: Children wonder and research. Lesson 22:

Set up constellations in advance. Consider challenges.

Determine if you can visit planetarium. Attend to Polaris and the visibility of stars in daytime. Use Family Links-constellations and star counting!

Lesson 23: Prepare transparencies; learn if planets are visible.

Cluster 4: Stars and Planets

Lesson 24: Gather books and sites about planets Provide time for research (Language Arts?)

Lesson 25: Extend from previous lesson Language Arts?

Lesson 26: Secure outdoor space for making model.

Getting Ready to Teach:

Logistics for getting started: Use the Before You Begin Teaching (BYBT)

section as a checklist for preparing to teach the unit.

You might also look at the Lessons at a Glance to get the big picture for scheduling, etc.

TAKE A MOMENT: What do you want to get accomplished this afternoon in terms of planning and/or preparation?

Questions?? Don’t be Shy!

Contact:Meg Schleppenbachmegschleppenbach@uchicago.edu

Also check out www.sciencecompanion.com for lots of helpful information!