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MakingConnections

Introduction to PrimaryConnections

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Introduction to PrimaryConnections90 minute workshop

Facilitator/s: Sophia McLean – Professional Learning Manager

Louise Rostron – Professional Learning Consultant

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Sponsors and supporters

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Workshop purpose

You are here to develop introductory knowledge and understanding of the PrimaryConnections program, its major features and foundation principles, their application in the curriculum resources and the alignment to the Australian Curriculum:Science

Is this your bus? Will you get on it?

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Workshop outline (90 minutes)

INTRO: Purpose, outline, outcomes(5 mins)

ENGAGE: Elicit participants’ beliefs about primary science and discuss the (15 mins) challenges facing primary teachers

The PrimaryConnections Bridge

EXPLORE: Explore the purpose and five underpinning principles of (50 mins) PrimaryConnections

EXPLAIN: Explain the development of PrimaryConnections including its (15 mins) origin, curriculum resource organisation and links to the Australian

Curriculum:Science

ELABORATE: No session

EVALUATE:Summarise, reflect, and evaluate(5 mins)

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Outcomes

On completion of this module participants will understand:

• the purpose of the PrimaryConnections program• the meaning of “scientific literacy”• the two major pillars and the five foundation principles of

PrimaryConnections• the application of the five principles in the exemplary curriculum units• the alignment of the Australian Curriculum:Science

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ENGAGE

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• Low priority for science in the primary curriculum• Overcrowding of the primary curriculum• Unachievable syllabus requirements in science • Inadequate resourcing of science education• Limited access to in-service professional learning for teachers• Limited opportunities for teachers (and trainee teachers) to see quality

teaching of science• Limited time for science education units in pre-service teacher courses• Limited understanding by decision makers of the issues in the teaching of

primary science• Limited understanding of science itself in the school context by teachers,

principals and decision makers• Change-weary teachers• Low teacher confidence

Challenges facing teachers in the delivery ofquality science education

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…is building a bridge for the gaps!

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The Bridge – single arch, two halves

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What sort of bridge is it?

Five underpinning principles provide sturdy foundations

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How do you cross The Bridge?

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More lanes!

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Is there a toll to cross The Bridge?What support is available?

• Involvement in any project requires some effort – the• question is does the benefit outweigh the cost?

PrimaryConnections has lots of support if you feel you need some help to cross The Bridge:

• colleagues• curriculum leaders• professional learning facilitators • master facilitators

• education officers• state coordinators• Academy of Science• website.

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Professional learning program linking science with literacy

Supported byquality curriculum

resources

What is PrimaryConnections? – a complete approach to teaching and learning science

Based on research

Funded by the Australian Government 2005 – 2013 $11.2 million

Stage 6 has begun in 2014

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Purpose of PrimaryConnections

To

improve learning outcomes for primary students in science and literacy

by

developing a professional learning programme supported with curriculum resources

that will

improve teachers’ confidence and competence for teaching science through developing their science pedagogical content knowledge.

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Scientific literacy is a high priority for all citizens, helping them:

• to be interested in, and understand the world around them

• to engage in the discourses of and about science

• to be sceptical and questioning of claims made by others about scientific matters

• to be able to identify questions, investigate and draw evidence-based conclusions

• to make informed decisions about the environment and their own health and well-being.

Scientific literacy

Goodrum, D., Hackling, M. and Rennie, L. (2001). The status and quality of teaching and learning of science in Australian schools: A research report. Canberra: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.

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Scientific literacy develops

___________________________________________________None/very little informed adult

‘The notion of progress in scientific literacy is fundamental to the growth in students’ knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes and the ability to use that knowledge and understanding in everyday situations.’

• Goodrum, D., Hackling, M. and Rennie, L. (2001). The status and quality of teaching and learning

of science in Australian schools: A research report. Canberra: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.

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EXPLORE

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The five underpinning principles…

using the concept of “pushes and pulls”.

…let’s explore!

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Principle 1: The 5Es model

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Phase Focus Assessment focus

ENGAGE Engage students and elicit prior knowledge Diagnostic assessment

EXPLORE Provide hands-on experience of the phenomenon Formative assessment

EXPLAIN Develop scientific explanations for observations and represent developing conceptual understandingConsider current scientific explanations

Formative assessment

ELABORATE Extend understanding to a new context or make connections to additional concepts through a student-planned investigation

Summative assessment of the Science Inquiry Skills (SIS)

EVALUATE Students re-represent their understanding and reflect on their learning journey and teachers collect evidence about the achievement of outcomes

Summative assessment of the Science Understanding (SU)

PrimaryConnections 5Es teaching and learning model

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Science Understanding (ACSSU033)The key concept:

A push or pull affects how an object moves or changes shape

Pushes and pulls – What do you know?

1. Complete Resource Sheet 1 from Push-pull

2. Discuss with a partner

3. Put this aside for later comparison

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One key conceptual understanding for the 5Es

Sequence.

For Push-pull the Science Understanding(SU) is:

Physical sciences: Year 2 (ACSU033)

“A push or a pull affects how an object moves or changes shape”

Every lesson in the unit contributes to developing this science concept!

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Images of activities from the 5Es phases

ENGAGE: Weather in my world EXPLORE: Plants in action EXPLAIN: Plants in action

ELABORATE: Push-pull

EVALUATE: It’s electrifying

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Principle 2: Linking science with literacy

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Defining ‘everyday literacies’

• are the literacy skills students bring to the learning process

• are tools of learning

• are processes and practices that represent what learners know, do or demonstrate when they represent and communicate understanding

• involve multiple modes of representation.

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A force-arrow diagram

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Defining ‘literacies of science’

• are particular language practices, processes and products that students learn about and use to represent and communicate their understanding of science concepts and processes

• are multi-modal: factual text, data tables, labelled diagrams, symbols, graphs, models, drawings, computer-generated images, gestures, role-plays.

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A science journal entry

From Push-pull Explore Lesson 3, page 24

“Water water everywhere”

“Ask students to use force-arrow diagrams to record their findings in their science journals about the push of water on the objects investigated in this lesson.”

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Examples of “literacies of science”

• data tables• graphs• labelled diagrams• observation records• procedural text• flow charts• investigation reports• science journal entries.

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Scientific literacy is a high priority for all citizens, helping them:

• to be interested in, and understand the world around them

• to engage in the discourses of and about science

• to be sceptical and questioning of claims made by others about scientific matters

• to be able to identify questions, investigate and draw evidence-based conclusions

• to make informed decisions about the environment and their own health and well-being.

Scientific literacy

Goodrum, D., Hackling, M. and Rennie, L. (2001). The status and quality of teaching and learning of science in Australian schools: A research report. Canberra: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.

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Scientific literacy develops

___________________________________________________None/very little informed adult

‘The notion of progress in scientific literacy is fundamental to the growth in students’ knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes and the ability to use that knowledge and understanding in everyday situations.’

• Goodrum, D., Hackling, M. and Rennie, L. (2001). The status and quality of teaching and learning

of science in Australian schools: A research report. Canberra: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.

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Principle 3: Investigating

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Types of investigations in PrimaryConnections

Exploratory investigations occur

at Engage and Explore phases

Fair test, Survey, Design and

Secondary data investigations

occur at the Elaborate phase.

Example: Push-pull Fair Test

Helicopter fall time

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What happens to the “fall time” of a paper helicopter when we change the…………….?

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Planning a science investigation

• What is the question for investigation?• What are the variables?• What equipment do I need?

VARIABLES GRID (M = Measure)

Fall time of paper helicopter

(M)

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Remember:- Cows Moo Softly

• Change something• Measure something• Keep everything else the Same

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Australian Curriculum:Science Science Inquiry Skills

Science Inquiry Skills (SIS) content is described in two-year bands.

There are five sub-strands:

• Questioning and predicting• Planning and conducting• Processing and analysing data and information • Evaluating • Communicating

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Principle 4: Collaborative learning

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Wristbands – collaborative learning roles

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Collaborative learning teams in action

• Director• Manager• Speaker(Director is dropped for F-2 students)

Each role has specific dutiesand responsibilities as thestudents work through theactivities.

Example: Students investigatingsmall animals in the schoolyard.

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Principle 5: Embedded assessment

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Phase Focus Assessment focus

ENGAGE Engage students and elicit prior knowledge Diagnostic assessment

EXPLORE Provide hands-on experience of the phenomenon Formative assessment

EXPLAIN Develop scientific explanations for observations and represent developing conceptual understandingConsider current scientific explanations

Formative assessment

ELABORATE Extend understanding to a new context or make connections to additional concepts through a student-planned investigation

Summative assessment of the Science Inquiry Skills (SIS)

EVALUATE Students re-represent their understanding and reflect on their learning journey and teachers collect evidence about the achievement of outcomes

Summative assessment of the Science Understanding (SU)

PrimaryConnections 5Es teaching and learning model

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Assessment tasks• Assessment tasks are

embedded in the teaching and learning processes.

• They are linked with student representation and teacher feedback and questioning.

Formative assessmentFantastic forces Resource sheet 4 (Explain phase)

Summative assessmentPush and pull pictures Resource Sheet 1 (Evaluate phase)

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In summary

• PrimaryConnections:

• links science with literacy• is based on the PrimaryConnections 5Es teaching and learning

model• uses an inquiry/investigative approach • uses collaborative learning strategies• embeds the assessment processes in the teaching and learning

model• provides exemplary curriculum units and other resources.

All of these contribute to students’ developing scientific literacy.

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EXPLAIN

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Professional learning program linking science with literacy

Supported byquality curriculum

resources

What is PrimaryConnections? – a complete approach to teaching and learning science

Based on research

Funded by the Australian Government 2005 – 2013 $11.2 million

Stage 6 has begun in 2014

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Award-winning units and DVD

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PrimaryConnections curriculum unit organisation –

before Australian Curriculum:Science

PrimaryConnections stage

Years of schooling Outcome levels*

Early Stage 1 1 <1-1

Stage 1 2-3 1-2

Stage 2 4-5 2-3

Stage 3 6-7 3-4

* Levels are based on the National Scientific Literacy Progress Map

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Curriculum resources – before Australian Curriculum

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Curriculum Units – Australian Curriculum:Science

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Units with Indigenous PerspectivesYear Biological sciences Chemical sciences Earth and space sciences Physical sciences

Curriculum focus: awareness of self and the local world

F Staying alive What’s it made of? Weather in my world On the move

1 Schoolyard Safari Spot the difference Up, down and all around Look! Listen!(replaces Sounds sensational)

2 Watch it grow All mixed up Water works Push pull

Curriculum focus: recognising questions that can be investigated scientifically and investigating them

3 Feathers, fur or leaves Melting moments Night and Day (replaces Spinning in Space)

Heating up

4Plants in Action Material World

Beneath our feet Smooth movesFriends or foes? Package it better

5 Desert Survivors What’s the matter? Earth’s place in space Light shows(replaces Light fantastic)

6Marvellous micro-

organismsChange detectives Earthquake explorers

It’s electrifying

Essential Energy

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Australian Curriculum:Science

Three interrelated strands:Science Understanding (SU)Science Inquiry Skills (SIS)Science as a Human Endeavour (SHE)

Presented as “content” with “elaborations” for each year level

An achievement Standard for each year is also presented

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Australian Curriculum:Science

Science Understanding Strand divided into four sub-strands

Biological sciences

Chemical sciences

Physical sciences

Earth and space sciences

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Australian Curriculum:Science

Science as a Human Endeavour Strand divided into two sub-strands

Nature and development of science

Use and influence of science

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Australian Curriculum:Science

Science Inquiry Skills content is described in two-year bands.

There are five sub-strands:

Questioning and predicting

Planning and conducting

Processing and analysing data and information

Evaluating

Communicating

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Australian Curriculum:Science

General CapabilitiesLiteracyNumeracyInformation and communication (ICT) capabilityCritical and creative thinkingEthical understandingPersonal and social capabilityIntercultural understanding

Cross-curriculum prioritiesAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culturesAsia and Australia’s engagement with AsiaSustainability

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2007 TRIAL

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Major message

The Australian Curriculum:Science outlines the

“what” of the curriculum….what should be taught

and learnt.

It does not outline how teachers deliver the

curriculum. How do you actually do this at the most

fundamental “coal face” level….the teacher and the

students?

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2007 TRIAL

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PrimaryConnections……..

………..provides the “what” and the “how”!!!

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EVALUATE

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There is much excitement and enthusiasm around the school this term…it is all a buzz with science.

I now feel I can actually teach science in a quality way…and enjoy doing it.

I had children walking out saying that science was fun, interesting and even their ‘favourite subject’.

It gave me renewed skills as a teacher.

Thanks to your resources I was able to help deliver science to primary age students in an engaging and meaningful way. 

This has been the most invigorating and rewarding project I have been involved in.

What teachers are saying about PrimaryConnections