Turning Kids Onto Science

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Improving Learning in the Science
classroom CONASTA 54 The University of Melbourne
3 - 7 July 2005
Mary Loveless Adviser in Science
Education School Support Services
The University of Waikato Private Bag
3105 Hamilton, New Zealand 0800
WAIKATO www.waikato.ac.nz
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Learning Intentions

• To model good teaching practice as a means of
  improving science learning in the classroom
• To familiarise teachers with a range of teaching,
  learning and assessment strategies that can
  assist learning and facilitate student engagement
  in the learning process
• It is all about Engaging learners and engaging
  teachers
• Keogh Naylor (2005)

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Its About Learning and Its About Time

• Stoll, Fink and Earl (2003)

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We need to provide and manage opportunities for
students to learnBy

• Encouraging thinking
• Allowing time to practice and try things outin a
  supportive environment
• Giving time to communicate ideas, and collaborate
  with others to reach a consensus
• Providing models or exemplars to show what
  learning could look like

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Learning is not just recalling facts or
transmitting knowledge but is about
understanding. With understanding students can
make links between their observations and prior
understanding, predict what could happen next,
investigate their ideas and suggest explanations
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Some questions to think about

• What is science learning?
• What does it looks like?
• How do we feed forward science learning?
• Think about learning as being concept dependent
  and context independent

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What are the purposes of science Education?Gott
Duggan (1995) and Hodson (1996)

• Nature of science
• Explanations of science
• Doing of science

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What are the purposes of science Education?

• The three aspects are inextricably linked and all
  contribute to the development of students
  knowing science
• Understanding both the nature of science and the
  doing of science are impossible without an
  understanding of the explanations of science
• English Hipkins (1999)
• http//www.tki.org.nz/r/science/curriculum/bsc/ped
  agogical/asera99_e.doc

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Concept Cartoons Introduction, Engagement,
recognising prior knowledge

• Discuss the conversation the characters are
  having about the scene
• Which of the characters do you agree with?
• Why?
• How could you investigate the situation to find
  out which alternative(s) is the scientific one?
• Share your ideas
• www.conceptcartoons.com
• www.millgatehouse.co.uk

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Concept Cartoons (contd) Introduction,
Engagement, recognising prior knowledge

• Using the concept cartoon with the blank speech
  bubbles
• Consider the statement the character has made
• What do you think will be the responses of the
  other characters?
• How could you investigate your ideas?
• What are the science concepts that you need to
  help you to understand the situation?
• Discuss the cartoon with the completed speech
  bubbles
• Which of the characters do you agree with?
• Why?
• Did you have different ideas from the characters?

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Concept Cartoons and the Assessment Resource
Banks http//arb.nzcer.org.nz/nzcer3/nzcer.htm Us
er name arb password guide Prior knowledge
Finding out Critical thinking Baked Beans and
Soup Arb PW3689
http//arb.nzcer.org.nz/nzcer3/science/physical/36
00-699/pw3689.htm
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Marbles

• http//www.tki.org.nz/r/science/curriculum/bsc/ind
  ex_e.php

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A Curly Question

• Judicious questioning is nearly half the learning
  
• Jerome Bruner
• Asking the right question has been called the
  essence of good teaching as it can act as the
  bridge between teaching and learning.
• Depper (2001)
• I wonder what would happen if.?

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Teabag Rocket Prior knowledge Finding out
Critical thinking What You Need Tea bag that
has an attached string Matches Square of foil
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• What You Do
• Remove the staple and string from the tea bag
  without tearing the bag
• 2. Carefully empty the tea from the bag and
  discard
• 3. Open up the tea bag to from a tube
• 4. Place the tube on the square of foil so it is
  sitting on one of its open ends
• 5. Light the top of the tube and allow it to burn
  down to the base
• 6. Predict what you think will happen
• 7. Observe the tea bag closely
• 8. What do you notice?
• 9. Explain what you think is happening
• Caution Make sure that there are no air draughts
  and take care to remove any flammable objects
  nearby

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Punctured Balloon

• Prior knowledge, finding out, critical thinking
• What You Need
• A balloon
• Kebab skewer
• Cooking oil
• 5c coin
• Paper towels

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• What You Do
• Place a 5c coin into a balloon
• Blow up the balloon until it is about ¾ the size
  of the skewer and tie the end in a knot
• Dip the skewer into the cooking oil so that about
  1/3 is in the oil
• Hold the pointed end of the skewer near the knot
  in the balloon where the rubber is not so
  stretched
• Predict what you think will happen when you carry
  out step 6

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• What You Do
• 6. Using a twisting and pushing movement begin to
  force the skewer through the balloon.
• 7. Aim for the thicker part of the balloon at
• the opposite end to the knot where the
• balloon is not so stretched and
• continuing to twist and push, force the
• skewer through the balloon.
• 8. Observe what happens

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• What You Do
• 9.Can you explain why this happened? ( If the
  balloon popped, try again)
• 10. Pull the skewer back through the second hole
  you made. Put your finger over this hole.
• 11. Gently shake the 5c coin inside the balloon
  until it is over the second hole. (You may have
  to shift the coin using the skewer)
• 12. Predict what you think will happen when you
  carry out step 13
• 13. Remove your finger from the hole
• 14. Observe what happens to the coin
• 15. Can you explain why this happened?

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Amazing ToothpicksPrior knowledge Finding out
Critical thinking

• What You Need
• Eyedropper
• Toothpicks
• Water

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What you do

• Snap one toothpick in half so that the 2 halves
  remain connected
• Predict what you think will happen when you place
  3 drops of water on the break of the snapped
  toothpick
• Observe carefully what happens
• Explain what has happened
• Now snap 5 toothpicks in half making sure the 2
  halves remain connected
• Arrange like the spokes of a wheel
• Predict what you think will happen when you place
  3 drops of water in the centre of the wheel
• Observe carefully what happens
• Explain what has happened

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Inquiry learningAsking and refining questions,
ways of finding answers, different ways of
reporting scientific information

• Frisky Fish

What You Do Place the cellophane fish on the
palm of your hand Observe what happens Now place
the cellophane fish on a hard surface Observe
what happens Dampen a paper towel by dipping it
in water and squeezing out as much water as you
can. Flatten the towel on the table and place
the fish shape on top Observe what happens What
questions do you have about what you have just
observed?
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Inquiry learningAsking and refining questions,
ways of finding answers, different ways of
reporting scientific information

• Classification Keys
• Science Exemplars
• Trotters Bush
• http//www.tki.org.nz/r/assessment/exemplars/sci/l
  iving/lw_3b_e.php

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Inquiry learning INTERACTIVE Framework Asking
and refining questions, ways of finding answers,
different ways of reporting scientific
informationFocus activityGenerating
questionsFinding answersPresentation of
findings

• PLANTS

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Cooperative Learning

• Introducing new concepts, practicing working
  cooperatively, problem solving
• Eye
• Baby Rebops
• Classifying animals
• Human body

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Barriersand GamesPracticing new knowledge,
maintenanceDominoesWord ChaseI Has, Who Has?
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Learning is a constructive process that occurs
best when what is being learned is relevant and
meaningful to the learner and when the learner is
actively engaged in creating their own knowledge
and understanding. (Lambert McCombs)

Contact details Mary Loveless Adviser in
Science Education School Support Services
Emailloveless_at_waikato.ac.nz
The University of Waikato Private Bag
3105 Hamilton, New Zealand 0800
WAIKATO www.waikato.ac.nz