Teaching Chemistry Through The Use of Authentic Contexts

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• Teaching Chemistry Through The Use of Authentic
  Contexts
• August 2, 2005
• Stephanie Copice Gwendolyn Paisley
• EduChange, Inc.

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Who Is EduChange, Inc?

• EduChange provides practical solutions and
  strategies to address real-world educational
  issues.
• Our approach is a customized one, catering
  directly to each organization's complex needs.

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What is Inquiry Based Learning?

• The term inquiry has taken on many meanings over
  time.
• The range includes occasionally allowing students
  to pose question all the way to total
  constructivism and student driven research.

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Inquiry and the National Science Standards

• Understanding of scientific concepts.
• An appreciation of "how we know" what we know in
  science.
• Understanding of the nature of science.
• Skills necessary to become independent inquirers
  about the natural world.
• The dispositions to use the skills, abilities,
  and attitudes associated with science.

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What Is An Authentic Context?

• Authentic is defined by Websters as that which
  can be believed or accepted.
• Authentic Contexts can be defined as meaningful
  frameworks on which concepts can be hung.

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Inquiry and Authentic Contexts

• What is the connection?
• Authentic contexts spark curiosity
• Students will be more likely to engage and make
  inquires if they are interested in the material.
• Teachers will be more excited about meaningful
  contexts and this energy will be translated to
  the students.

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Some Curriculum Jargon

• Scaffolding
• Spiraling
• Benchmarks
• Standards Concepts Skills
• Backwards Design (Wiggins McTighe)
• Rubrics
• Formative assessment
• Summative assessment

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Curriculum Models Based In Authentic Contexts

• Case study / problem-based
• Thematic units
• Project- or product-based
• Topics
• Skills-driven
• Inquiry or student research
• Chronology or sequence

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What are some approaches to developing authentic
contexts?

• Hastings-On-Hudson
• Topic Based
• Science and Technology in the Military
• Body Images
• Shake, Rattle and Roll
• Fireworks, Explosions in the Sky

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What are some approaches to developing authentic
contexts

• Attleboro Public Schools, Attleboro, MA
• Chronology based Unified Science II
• Big Bang ? Rise of Technology
• Events marked units
• Life Cycle of a Star
• Origin of Organic Molecules
• Topic Based Natures Reactions
• Kitchen Chemistry
• Energy and Society

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What are approaches to developing authentic
contexts?

• Investigations in Biology and Chemistry
• Implemented in multiple New York City Public
  Schools
• Theme based 5 themes (strands)
• Each strand appears in Level I and II
• Each strand is uses its theme as a vehicle for
  the concepts
• Food Nutrition and Fitness
• Level I looks at the journey of food through
  the digestive system
• Level IIlooks at the nature of chemical
  reactions in the body

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How can concepts be linked to contexts?

• Topic Based
• Brainstorm Topics
• Refine ideas to a broad list addressing many
  different areas of interest
• Brainstorm concepts that are appropriate to topic
  (both standards and non-standards)
• Use backwards planning to clearly articulate
  goals of each unit

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How can concepts be linked to contexts?

• Chronology based
• Establish the chronology to be followed
• Brainstorm concepts that are appropriate to
  period in time or process (standards and
  non-standards)
• Use backwards planning to clearly articulate
  goals of each unit

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Backwards PlanningConcepts

• Concepts To Know
• Essential
• Helpful
• Nice

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Backwards Planning Final Assessment
Learning Goals Final Assessment Evidence of Student Learning
What are the target learning goals? (Standards and other concepts) What tasks will students complete to demonstrate that they have achieved learning goals? How will we know if students have achieved learning goals?
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Backwards Planning Formative Assessments
Learning Goals Formative Assessments Evidence of Student Learning
What are the all of the learning goals? (Standards and other concepts) What tasks will students complete to demonstrate their progress towards learning goals? How will we know if students have achieved learning goals?
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Practically Speaking Implementation

• Most likely textbooks will not correlate to your
  chosen paths and goals
• Be creative and collaborative
• Search for alternative programs that match your
  needs
• Search for materials that can be adapted to your
  needs
• Search for organizations to collaborate in
  building your course

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Contact EduChange

• Stephanie Copice
• stephanie_at_educhange.com
• Gwendolyn Paisley gwendolyn_at_educhange.com
• 646-613-8877
• www.educhange.com