Learning Science
As part of my postgraduate studies, I specialised in Contemporary Issues in Science Learning (how students learn science best).
Based on these studies and research, I plan every lesson guided by the best principles of science learning theory.
At the same time, I take into account the interests of the students and the fact that most of them like to blow things up, take things apart (by hand or by dissection) and use their creative geniuses in fun ways.
KEY IDEAS IN SCIENCE LEARNING :
The following ideas greatly influence Grade 7 Science classes :
1. SCIENCE DEPARTMENT :
The Science Department meets regularly to discuss key areas in science teaching to improve standards through all grades. In middle school, we are preparing students to be successful in the high school by teaching them essential skills they will need (with a focus on IB Science). We have also adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
2. AUTHENTIC LITERACY :
Authentic literacy is central to every subject and it can be achieved through reading, writing, and talking.
Reading science articles allows students to exercise modes of thinking common to all scientific work. In grade 7 science, all students read science literature on a regular basis. They must also write essays based on their readings. We also discuss and debate science issues as much as possible through interactive lectures.
Why is authentic literacy essential?
It is increasingly clear that the needs of the workplace are “increasingly indistinguishable” from the knowledge and skills needed for college success. All students are expected to read, write, think, and problem solve.
Howard Gardner (2009, p. 18) puts it this way, “The most valued people in the 21st century are those who can survey a wide range of sources, decide which is most important and worth paying attention to, and then put this information together in ways that make sense to oneself and, ultimately, to others … they will rise to the top of the pack.”
Authentic literacy “dramatically increases students’ understanding of new information across content areas and at every grade level.” (Marzano, 2009, p. 87)
3. INQUIRY SCIENCE :
True science inquiry occurs when students engage in “reading, writing and oral language to address questions about science content.” (Hapgood & Sullivan Palinscar)
As well as hands-on science labs, students must be able to read text critically and question ideas presented in the text. Students who can write purposefully about the content will learn the most content (Hapgood & Palinscar 2006-2007, p. 57 – 58).
The simple, essential ingredients for the majority of effective science curricula are :
These are finally being acknowledged as the core of authentic, inquiry-based science and are vital to critical thinking and reasoning in the sciences.
Middle school science students really enjoy the hands-on science labs. However, an over-emphasis on lab activities may be interfering with what matters most in science learning: opportunities for repeated reading, discussion, and writing about essential science content.
It is essential to find the right balance between science labs and the more theoretical aspects of science. The highest achieving countries have one crucial element in common: their “science lessons focus on content,” and on “engaging students with core science ideas.” If we combine these with the right kind (and proper amount) of hands-on labs and activities, then high-quality, effective, engaging science instruction will happen.
4. CONCRETE EXPERIENCES :
“Things before words, concrete before abstract.” (Joahnn Pestalozzi. Third Teacher, p. 163)
One of the central research findings on how people learn is that learners grasp concrete representations more easily than abstract representations. Concrete representations require fewer mental leaps on the learner’s part.
Decades of research in science education indicate that students learn better when teachers begin instructional sequences with more concrete representations, scaffold towards more abstract representations, and then return to concrete experiences (Brown & Abel, 2007; Lawson, 1995) - concrete to abstract to concrete.
A powerful model that follows this concrete/abstract/concrete sequence is called the learning cycle or guided inquiry. The learning cycle consists of three stages :
i. Exploration : students are presented with a challenge-question to explore; phenomenon to observe, or some other guided experience. The purpose of this phase is to provide students with focused, concrete experiences with the phenomenon.
ii. Concept development : students discuss with one another and with the teacher their observations, questions, and possible explanations. The teacher uses students’ ideas to pose additional challenges to clarify their thinking from the concrete to the abstract through discussion and introduction of concepts and provides appropriate terminology for concepts.
iii. Application : students use their new ideas in more complex settings – to solve a new challenge, test ideas, and so forth. This phase helps students see the utility of new ideas, reinforce concepts and expand the application of the concept beyond the initial experience.
It is an upward learning spiral because each cycle is progressively more complex and builds towards a big idea in science. Appropriate vocabulary is introduced when the students are developmentally ready for them.
Science labs are also based on the essential components of good teaching :
1. Clear learning objectives;
2. Providing background knowledge and creating interest in the topic;
3. Teaching and modelling;
4. Guided practice;
5. Checks for understanding/formative assessment; and
6. Independent practice/assessment.
5. MOTIVATION :
The best learning occurs when students are intrinsically motivated to learn.
As Daniel Pink writes in DRIVE, "…the drive to do something because it is interesting, challenging and absorbing is essential for high levels of creativity.” (P. 45)
Carrot and stick types of rewards make it clear to the student that the task is undesirable.
By making the subject itself exciting and lots of fun, students are hopefully drawn into the subject based on their natural curiosity about the world.
At the same time, if students are aware of the importance of scientific literacy, they will generate a desire to engage in science.
6. CONNECTING TO NATURE :
Living in Tokyo, our children are growing up in a sterile world of freeways, concrete, steel, suburbs, shopping malls, television, iPods, and computer screens.
“The best learning often occurs when children spend unplanned and uncounted hours outdoors investigating, experimenting, exploring and playing – which is to say spontaneously and delightfully designing their own curriculum. In the right circumstances, the result is a lifelong love affair with bugs, birds, fish, plants, trees, water, seashore, forest, and landscapes, a love affair that is the foundation for an imaginative life rich in possibilities.” (The Third Teacher, 2010, p. 14)
Students and parents are encouraged to visit nature often and to experience nature in multiple ways.
Our middle school field trips always have an element of nature in them.
7. ESL (English as a Second Language) :
I also take into account the various language needs of our students by building into my lessons ESL (English as a Second Language) learning strategies. As well as being taught in English, science also has its own kind of language, which can be difficult for many students. Students are encouraged to use proper scientific terminology when appropriate.
Based on these studies and research, I plan every lesson guided by the best principles of science learning theory.
At the same time, I take into account the interests of the students and the fact that most of them like to blow things up, take things apart (by hand or by dissection) and use their creative geniuses in fun ways.
KEY IDEAS IN SCIENCE LEARNING :
The following ideas greatly influence Grade 7 Science classes :
1. SCIENCE DEPARTMENT :
The Science Department meets regularly to discuss key areas in science teaching to improve standards through all grades. In middle school, we are preparing students to be successful in the high school by teaching them essential skills they will need (with a focus on IB Science). We have also adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
2. AUTHENTIC LITERACY :
Authentic literacy is central to every subject and it can be achieved through reading, writing, and talking.
Reading science articles allows students to exercise modes of thinking common to all scientific work. In grade 7 science, all students read science literature on a regular basis. They must also write essays based on their readings. We also discuss and debate science issues as much as possible through interactive lectures.
Why is authentic literacy essential?
It is increasingly clear that the needs of the workplace are “increasingly indistinguishable” from the knowledge and skills needed for college success. All students are expected to read, write, think, and problem solve.
Howard Gardner (2009, p. 18) puts it this way, “The most valued people in the 21st century are those who can survey a wide range of sources, decide which is most important and worth paying attention to, and then put this information together in ways that make sense to oneself and, ultimately, to others … they will rise to the top of the pack.”
Authentic literacy “dramatically increases students’ understanding of new information across content areas and at every grade level.” (Marzano, 2009, p. 87)
3. INQUIRY SCIENCE :
True science inquiry occurs when students engage in “reading, writing and oral language to address questions about science content.” (Hapgood & Sullivan Palinscar)
As well as hands-on science labs, students must be able to read text critically and question ideas presented in the text. Students who can write purposefully about the content will learn the most content (Hapgood & Palinscar 2006-2007, p. 57 – 58).
The simple, essential ingredients for the majority of effective science curricula are :
- Close reading of selected portions of science textbooks;
- Regular reading and discussion of current science articles;
- Interactive lectures based on core science ideas;
- Writing – from short, almost daily pieces to longer, more formal pieces; and
- An appropriate amount of hands-on science labs.
These are finally being acknowledged as the core of authentic, inquiry-based science and are vital to critical thinking and reasoning in the sciences.
Middle school science students really enjoy the hands-on science labs. However, an over-emphasis on lab activities may be interfering with what matters most in science learning: opportunities for repeated reading, discussion, and writing about essential science content.
It is essential to find the right balance between science labs and the more theoretical aspects of science. The highest achieving countries have one crucial element in common: their “science lessons focus on content,” and on “engaging students with core science ideas.” If we combine these with the right kind (and proper amount) of hands-on labs and activities, then high-quality, effective, engaging science instruction will happen.
4. CONCRETE EXPERIENCES :
“Things before words, concrete before abstract.” (Joahnn Pestalozzi. Third Teacher, p. 163)
One of the central research findings on how people learn is that learners grasp concrete representations more easily than abstract representations. Concrete representations require fewer mental leaps on the learner’s part.
Decades of research in science education indicate that students learn better when teachers begin instructional sequences with more concrete representations, scaffold towards more abstract representations, and then return to concrete experiences (Brown & Abel, 2007; Lawson, 1995) - concrete to abstract to concrete.
A powerful model that follows this concrete/abstract/concrete sequence is called the learning cycle or guided inquiry. The learning cycle consists of three stages :
i. Exploration : students are presented with a challenge-question to explore; phenomenon to observe, or some other guided experience. The purpose of this phase is to provide students with focused, concrete experiences with the phenomenon.
ii. Concept development : students discuss with one another and with the teacher their observations, questions, and possible explanations. The teacher uses students’ ideas to pose additional challenges to clarify their thinking from the concrete to the abstract through discussion and introduction of concepts and provides appropriate terminology for concepts.
iii. Application : students use their new ideas in more complex settings – to solve a new challenge, test ideas, and so forth. This phase helps students see the utility of new ideas, reinforce concepts and expand the application of the concept beyond the initial experience.
It is an upward learning spiral because each cycle is progressively more complex and builds towards a big idea in science. Appropriate vocabulary is introduced when the students are developmentally ready for them.
Science labs are also based on the essential components of good teaching :
1. Clear learning objectives;
2. Providing background knowledge and creating interest in the topic;
3. Teaching and modelling;
4. Guided practice;
5. Checks for understanding/formative assessment; and
6. Independent practice/assessment.
5. MOTIVATION :
The best learning occurs when students are intrinsically motivated to learn.
As Daniel Pink writes in DRIVE, "…the drive to do something because it is interesting, challenging and absorbing is essential for high levels of creativity.” (P. 45)
Carrot and stick types of rewards make it clear to the student that the task is undesirable.
By making the subject itself exciting and lots of fun, students are hopefully drawn into the subject based on their natural curiosity about the world.
At the same time, if students are aware of the importance of scientific literacy, they will generate a desire to engage in science.
6. CONNECTING TO NATURE :
Living in Tokyo, our children are growing up in a sterile world of freeways, concrete, steel, suburbs, shopping malls, television, iPods, and computer screens.
“The best learning often occurs when children spend unplanned and uncounted hours outdoors investigating, experimenting, exploring and playing – which is to say spontaneously and delightfully designing their own curriculum. In the right circumstances, the result is a lifelong love affair with bugs, birds, fish, plants, trees, water, seashore, forest, and landscapes, a love affair that is the foundation for an imaginative life rich in possibilities.” (The Third Teacher, 2010, p. 14)
Students and parents are encouraged to visit nature often and to experience nature in multiple ways.
Our middle school field trips always have an element of nature in them.
7. ESL (English as a Second Language) :
I also take into account the various language needs of our students by building into my lessons ESL (English as a Second Language) learning strategies. As well as being taught in English, science also has its own kind of language, which can be difficult for many students. Students are encouraged to use proper scientific terminology when appropriate.