msta explanations slides
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Say What You Mean!Strategies to Help Students BetterCommunicate Science
MSTA 56th Annual Conference
Detroit, Michigan
Nancy Williams and Stephen Best
University of Michigan School of Education
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Objectives
Recognize some of the common communication
issues we present to students through written
tasks and questioning Discuss what constitutes an explanation, a
scientific explanation, a description, and a
definition of a scientific term
Examine possible ways in which the tasks wepresent students do not align with the
understanding we are looking to assess or build
Provide strategies to support student written work
in science
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Say What You Mean...
Then you should say what you mean. (March Hare)
I do; at least - at least I mean what I say -- thats the
same thing, you know (Alice)
Not the same thing a bit! Why,
you might just as well say that, I
see what I eat is the same as I eat
what I see! (Mad Hatter)
You might just as well say, that I
like what I get is the same thing
as I get what I like! (March Hare)
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A Task for You
Your handout packet has a task under
the cover page
Take 2-3 minutes to review the
question and to reply in writing as you
would want your students to do for this
question Dont worry if you arent as familiar
with the content - do what you can...
Lets see what you all came up with...
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A Little Experiment
You all had different questions with similar
content, but the verb changed.
Do we know the difference between the
following sets of verbs:
Explain
DescribeDefineList
Do our students understand these
differences?
Classify
OrganizeCompareContrast
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Descriptions
description |diskrip sh n|
noun
1
a spoken or written representation or account of aperson, object, or event : people who had seen him were
able to give a description.
Generally use adjectives to present observable
characteristics of the object or phenomena being
described.
Provide imagery or other sense-specific
concepts to convey a reasonable representation
of the topic
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Common Problems With
Descriptions Students use examples of a particular
object or concept, but dont actually
describe its characteristics Descriptions are too vague to discern
understanding of the concept
Students may use analogies that are notappropriate to the topic or concept
Description is appropriate, but does not
then apply this to a more challenging task
or problem context to present understanding
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Definitions
definition |defni sh n|
noun
1 a statement of the exact meaning of a word, esp. in adictionary.
an exact statement or description of the nature, scope,
or meaning of something : our definition of what constitutes
poetry.
A description that is so accurate as to uniquely
describe that word or concept
A description where the converse statement is true
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The Definition Test
The Inverse test:
If A then B is true
If B then A is also true(not so for descriptions or examples)
If it is an ATOM, then it
is A SMALL PARTICLE
Atoms Small Particles
If it is A SMALL
PARTICLE, then it is an
ATOM
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Common Problems with
Definitions Students use examples of a particular
object or concept, but dont actually define it
Definitions are too vague to pass theInverse test (but may show the limits of the
students actual understanding)
Students might be able torecite a definition
for an object or concept, but do not
understand what it means and cannot
apply it or restate it in their own language
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Explanations
explanation ekspln sh n
nouna statement or account that makes something clear :the birth rate is central to any explanation of population trends.
a reason or justification given for an action or belief :Freud tried to make sex the explanation for everything| : myapplication was rejected without explanation.
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Common Problems with
Explanations (in Science Class) Scientific explanations are different than typical
explanations, especially when used to explain a
conclusion from investigation
Students dontrecognize the difference
between regular and scientific explanation
Students explain a theory or conclusion by
restating the observation Students dont know how to reason through a
conclusion (in written form)
Students dont understandthe concept, but
know how to take a test
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A Structure to Scientific
Explanation
Claim
Evidence Reasoning
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The REAL Problem with Descriptions,
Definitions, and Explanations We often dont teach these things, and
assume students know them
We dont understand them ourselves We dont provide structures for kids to
better understand these ideas
We often accept oral versions duringinstruction, but then assess student written
explanation
Im not a Language Arts teacher
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For More Information
Handouts and slides available at:
http://mmstlc.net
Slide shows, commentary, podcast,
and other resources at:
http://catalyst.mmstlc.net
Contact information at the MMSTLC
Site listed above
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