Formal

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Formal Informal Scientists MeetingsExploring
Circles of Dynamic Science Literacy Learning

• Joan Armon, Ph.D.
• Assistant Professor, Regis University, Denver,
  Colorado
• jarmon_at_regis.edu
• Linda J. Morris, M.S.
• District Science Curriculum Coordinator
• Jefferson County Schools, Golden, Colorado
• ljmorris_at_jeffco.k12.co.us
• Connecting Science Literacy in the
  ClassroomChallenges, Promises Opportunities
  Conference
• St. Louis, MO October 1, 2005

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Framing Questionsfor Workshop

• What is a scientists meeting?
• from literacy perspective
• from science perspective
• Why use scientists meetings?
• How do teachers facilitate them?

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Goals of Workshop Today

• Open Inquiry
• Define a scientists meeting
• Identify purposes of scientists meetings
• from literacy perspective
• from science perspective
• Describe approaches to scientists meetings

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How We Got StartedUsing Scientists Meetings

• Overlapped science and literacy because science
  was not being taught in elementary classrooms
• Explored overlapping through Dr. Saul and
  colleagues foundational work
• Teachers selected a focus on scientists meetings
• Two types evolved as evident in video clips

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Open Inquiry

• Definition Purpose
• Todays Example How are craters formed on the
  moon?

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Possibilities for Open Inquiry Today

• Examine materials and books(s) at your table
• Generate and write a testable question on a
  sentence strip
• Design a procedure to test your question
• Gather evidence
• Formulate explanation(s)
• Connect to scientific knowledge
• Communicate and justify explanation(s)

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Debrief

• What did you do?
• Why?
• How?

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Video Clips

• Introduce videos
• View Mr. Plock, Grade 3, debrief informal
  scientists meeting
• Ms. Staggs, Grade 6, debrief formal scientists
  meeting
• Analyze students and teachers thinking using
  Essential Features of Classroom Inquiry and
  Comprehension Strategies
• Report to whole group

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Revisit Framing Questions
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Framing Questionsfor Workshop

• What is a scientists meeting?
• from literacy perspective
• from science perspective
• Why use scientists meetings?
• How do teachers facilitate them?

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Action Plan

• In your role as an educator, generate 3 actions
  you want to take to initiate or continue
  scientists meetings

My Goals Steps to Achieve My Goals Time Line



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Why do scientists meetings matter?