The 5E Learning Cycle

1
The 5-E Learning Cycle

• Cycles, Systems, and
• Classroom Instruction

2
5-E Learning Cycle

• Originally developed by Biological Sciences
  Curriculum Study (BSCS)
• Student-centered instructional design that
  supports inquiry-based practices
• Inductive, rather than deductive, in
  presentation
• Inclusive of embedded and authentic forms of
  assessment.

3
The Teaching of Science as Enquiry(Schwab, 1962)

• Science is conducted as a continuous narrative of
  negotiation, argument, dialogue, exchange of
  ideas - a Narrative of Inquiry
• Science Teaching is often conducted as a
  monologue, an attempt to convince students of the
  truth of bits of information - a Rhetoric of
  Conclusions

4
Engagement

• Object, event or question used to engage
  students.
• Connections facilitated between what students
  know and can do
• Usually short in duration - 5-15 minutes
• Teacher-directed but student-centered
• Can be a video, a question-and-answer, a
  demonstration or discrepant event, or other
  attention-getting and attention-focusing action.

5
Exploration

• Objects and phenomena are explored
• Hands-on activities, with guidance
• Students generate ideas, data, perceptions, etc.
  from experiences
• Students conclude with their description of the
  phenomena, in their own words, expressing their
  concepts based on the experiences.

6
Explanation

• Students explain their understanding of concepts
  and processes, using their own words
• Teacher solicits and pools student information,
  applying appropriate terminology
• New concepts and skills are introduced as
  conceptual clarity and cohesion are sought
• Newly acquired concepts are summarized and
  generalized with teacher guidance.

7
Elaboration

• Similar to Exploration Activities
• Allows students to apply concepts in new
  contexts, and build on or extend understanding
  and skill
• Can be inclusive of a performance-based authentic
  assessment.

8
Evaluation

• Students assess their knowledge, skills and
  abilities
• Is of multiple assessment strategies, including
  both paper-pencil tests and authentic
  assessments
• Activities permit evaluation of student
  development and lesson effectiveness.

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Example - Igneous Rocks

• Engagement - visual presentation of a volcano in
  eruption, or examination of a series of polished
  samples of plutonic rocks
• Exploration - Using various colors of crushed
  hard candy, students mix ratios of the colors and
  fuse the mixes in a toaster oven, then describe
  the resultant rock in terms of color and
  texture (grain-size)
• Explanation - develop a class chart on the colors
  and textures of each students rock, and
  compare with a standardized rock classification
  chart

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Example - Igneous Rocks
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Example - Igneous Rocks

• Elaboration Using the standardized chart, have
  students custom-make a particular igneous rock,
  of theirs or your choosing
• Evaluation - Have students identify a range of
  real igneous rocks based on the chart.

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But wait, theres more!

• All of your existing instructional strategies fit
  within this organizational framework
• All of the strategies you have wanted to do fit
  within this framework
• This organizational framework more closely
  matches the process of how science knowledge is
  generated
• This framework justifies all of the activities
  you have ever wanted to you
• This framework allows you to hit SOLs multiple
  times!

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Universality
Fractal geometry patterns within patterns
within patterns
Feigenbaum Ratio - change comes exponentially
faster and faster
Sensitive Dependence For want of a nail . . .

Power Law Relationships bigger events are
exponentially less frequent
Strange Attractors like a fountain
recognizable shape that varies continuously
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Another Example

• Select a cycle (rock, water, carbon, nitrogen)
• On cards, identify components of that system
• Using yarn and cards, identify processes that
  connect those components
• Dont forget to identify hidden processes
• Describe temporal effects (past processes
  becoming todays effect, todays processes
  becoming future effects)

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Carbon Cycle
16
Nitrogen Cycle
17
Wilson Cycle
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Evaluation

• What would happen if Siberia and Alaska collided?
• What would happen if Africa rifted?
• What would happen if to your cycle if either of
  these occurred?
• How can we explain the desert deposits of the
  Permian period?
• How can we explain the carbonates of the
  Ordovician period?

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Systems Thinking in Earth ScienceAssaraf Orion
(2005)

• Identify components
• Identify relationships among components
• Organize components and processes
• Describe generalizations about system
• Describe dynamic nature of systems
• Identify hidden dimensions of system
• Identify cyclical nature of system
• Describe temporal nature of system