Preliminary Activity

• Put a Life Saver in your mouth, noting the color and the time you put it in.

• When it is fully dissolved note the number of minutes it took to dissolve.

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the new Minnesota Science Standards

Nature of Nature of Science & Science & EngineeringEngineering

John Olson, Science Specialist, MDE, john.c.olson@state.mn.us

Environmental Concepts in

What is the role of Standards?

• Set expectations for achievement of students at each grade level

• Provide for a progression of learning

• Define the requirements for high school course credit in courses required for graduation

• Biology

• Chemistry or Physics for class of 2015

• Foundation for MCA assessment

• Help districts, schools and programs design curricula

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Current Status: Minn. Standards

• Current Standards - 2004

• Science MCA-II began spring 2008

• Science Revision of Standards 2008-09

• Currently going through Rulemaking to become law

• Implementation 2011-12

• MCA-III, based on the new standards, begins spring 2012. Draft Test Specifications are posted.

• Next Revision 2017-18

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How were the standards written?

• The Revision Committee included about 30 teachers, professors, scientists, engineers and citizens

• Committee worked about a year.

• Developed three drafts – available at MDE website

• Used public input via on-line feedback and public forums

• Relied on national science & engineering standards, plus model states

• Reviews by national curriculum experts, P-16 Partnership and several focus groups

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Legislative Mandates

• Must be written at grade level K-8

• Aligned with post-secondary and work readiness

• Include technology/engineering and information literacy

• Include environmental literacy standards

• Include contributions by Minnesota American Indian communities

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Grounding Documents

• National Science Education Standards (NRC)– http://www.nap.edu/html/nses/

• Benchmarks for Science Literacy (AAAS)– http://www.project2061.org/

– Atlas of Science Literacy, Volumes I & II • www.nsdl.org – “Science Literacy Maps”

• National Assessment for Educational Progress 2009 Framework (NAEP)

• Standards for Technological Literacy (ISTE)– http://www.iteaconnect.org

• Minn. Environmental Literacy Scope and Sequence– www.SEEK.state.mn.us

• ACT, other States, Minn. Math Standards8

Goal of the Science Standards

• Have ALL students interacting with the world as Scientists . . .

– investigate how the world works

– think analytically & make evidence-based decisions

– learn and apply science concepts

• and Engineers.

– design solutions to problems and needs

– examine how science and technologies are used in the designed world

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Science Inquiry – Life Savers

Collect data and compare the color and the time of dissolving for the Life Savers

What factors could affect the dissolving rate of a Life Saver?

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Life Saver Investigation

Each group

• Choose a variable to test

• Write a hypothesis (prediction plus a possible explanation)

• Determine the procedure

• Conduct the experiment, record data and observations

• Report your procedure, results and proposed explanation

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• More surface area dissolves quicker, because more surface is exposed to saliva.

• Warmer temperatures dissolve faster due to faster molecules.

• Faster motion of the liquid dissolves quicker, because the motion of the water brings fresh undiluted water nearby.

• Pressure from a weight reduces the speed of dissolving because less surface area was available.

• Higher concentration reduces the dissolving rate, because other molecules saturate the solution.

• Lighter colors dissolve quicker because there are fewer additives.

Conclusions (from Fergus Falls)

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Summary

Movement of pure water (and water molecules) across the Life Saver increases the dissolving rate.

When a solid dissolves into a liquid, particles of the solid go into spaces between the particles of the liquid. If the liquid already has dissolved particles there is less room for new particles.

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Weighty Matters:An Engineering Challenge

• Design the minimum size (mass) of a sheet of paper that can support a bottle of water hanging from it for 5 seconds. (must be hung equally in the center from 2 dowels)

• Advanced Challenge: support 2 or 3 bottles

• Materials: sheet of paper, scissors, hole reinforcers, bottle of water, hole punch (shared)

• Procedure: Think, cut, test it, measure the mass, record on chart paper, repeat, Keep track of design changes and mass

End time: ________16

Comparison of typical processes

• Observation and form a question

• Hypothesis & procedure

• Conduct an experiment

• Refine hypothesis and experiment again

• Form a conclusion and communicate it

Result: Facts & theories

• Define the problem and the resources available

• Develop a design

• Test the design

• Modify the design and test again

• Analyze the design and use or market it

Result: Products & processes

Science Inquiry Engineering Design

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Examples of Engineering

• Agriculture

• Construction Planning

• Food Processing

• Wildlife management

• Lake management

• Medical procedure design

• Chemical Engineering

• Architecture

• City Planning

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Scientists vs. Engineers

Copyright 2009 Sanjay Kulkarni http://cowbirdsinlove.com/46 21

What should students learn about engineering?• Uses problem-solving design processes

• Considers constraints, costs, & benefits

• Evaluates the source, use, manufacturing & disposal of materials

• Is done by many kinds of people and cultures

• Has an impact on society and is influenced by society

• Is a potential career23

How Can We teach Engineering?

• Find a curriculum?– Engineering Is Elementary, Gateway, Project

Lead the Way, several others!

• Add a special unit?

• Go on a field trip?

• Bring in an engineer for a presentation?

• Offer after school-activities or competitions?

• Include it in content instruction!24

An Example

In teaching heat transfer, a teacher challenges students to design a container to keep a cup of hot water as hot as possible over a time period.

Science Questions

1. How were convection, conduction, radiation and evaporation involved?

2. What are the variables that affected heat transfer?

3. Which variables were controlled?

Engineering Questions

1. How did you develop and test the design?

2. What were the advantages and disadvantages of the materials you tried?

3. What were the constraints and trade-offs involved?

4. How would you use and market your ideas? 25

Another Example

Design a candy that will give flavor as rapidly as possible.

• Describe the ingredients, how they work and why you chose them

• Give the candy a name and a slogan

• Describe factors that must be considered in manufacturing the candy.

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Forest Ecosystem Example

• Present Problem – chew marks on small trees

• Observe and study plants and animals in that forest. – Ecosystem approach

• Determine cause of the chewing

• Determine positive and negative aspects

• Decide on goals for management

• Develop a management plan

Engineering as Pedagogy

• Project Based Learning - A project organizes the learning

• Problem Based Learning– Students explore and research as they work to solve a problem

• STEM Integration– Apply the skills of science, technology, engineering and math to

address a problem

Engage Create interest & assess prior knowledge

Explore Explore ideas and investigate questions

Explain Develop common understandings

Elaborate Apply concepts to new situations

Evaluate Assess the understanding

• 5E Instructional Model

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Embedding Engineering

• What are some activities or projects that you already do that could be adjusted to include engineering?

• What other opportunities are there in your curriculum to embed engineering?

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Organization of the Standards

I. Nature of Science and Engineering

1. Practice of Science

2. Practice of Engineering

3. Interactions Among

STEM and Society

III. Earth and Space

Science

1. Earth Processes

2. Interdependence…

3. Universe

4. Human Interactions…

II. Physical Science

1. Matter

2. Motion

3. Energy

4. Human Interactions…

IV. Life Science

1. Structure & Functions

2. Interdependence…

3. Evolution in Living Sys.

4. Human Interactions…30

Format of Standards and Benchmarks

• Standards = general goal of student learning.

• Benchmarks = specific knowledge & skills acquired by the end of the grade

• Examples - for clarification and level of understanding, NOT curriculum directives

• At grade of mastery (scaffolding may be needed before)

Strand Sub-Strand

StandardUnderstand that…

Code Benchmark

4 1. Nature of Science & Engineering

2. The Practice of Engineering

2. Engineering design is the process of identifying problems, developing multiple solutions, selecting the best possible solution and building the product.

4.1.2.2.1 Identify and investigate a design solution and how it was used to solve an everyday problem.

For example: Investigate a variety of construction tools.

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Environmental Concepts

1. Scan the Benchmark Summary to find environmental concepts.

2. Pick a Benchmark at a grade level.

3. Review the wording of the standard and benchmark in the Standards document.

4. Look at related content standards and benchmarks at that grade level.

5. Look at the NSE benchmarks at the grade level and think about how then can integrated in your setting

Comparison of 2004 & 2009

• Structure – strands, substrands, standards, benchmarks

• Similar number of benchmarks

• Substrands are reorganized

• Some grade changes. Many topics consolidated.

• New areas: engineering, environment, STEM connections,

• Physics & Chemistry course standards are added

• Similar “grain-size”

• Addition of examples

• Greater distinction in topics and rigor between grade levels

Similarities New Features

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Practice of Science Practice of Engineering Interactions of Science,

Engineering, & Society

K Pose questions and make observations.

Natural vs. man-made objects.

1 Describing and comparing. Parts related to function.

Tools and techniques used.

2 Raise questions and seek answers by observations.

Design object to meet need.

Compare materials to uses.

3 Evidence to support claims.

Question->investigation.

Use by many peoples.

Tools improve observations

4 Design, test and evaluate a solution to a problem.

Needs of society influencing technologies.

5 Scientific reasoning.

Controlled experimenting.

Influence of local traditions.

Techniques analyzing data.

6 Apply design process.

Risks and benefits.

Investigate and analyze systems.

Nature of Science & Engineering Flow of Ideas (samples)

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Impact on MCA Testing

• Tests are given at grades 5, 8 and high school (end of biology course)

• The new standards will be used for the MCA-III science assessment beginning in the 2011-12 school year

• Test Specifications for MCA-III are being developed. First Draft is posted for review.

• Resources are available for student practice

• education.state.mn.us Accountability Assessment MCA

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Curriculum Planning Ideas

• Suggested Implementation Schedule– 2009-10: 3rd & 6th (first classes to take MCA on

revised standards)

– 2010-11: 2nd, 4th & 7th, 9th, other pre-biology– 2011-12: K, 1st, 5th, 8th, biology – 2012-13: chemistry and physics alignment

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Curriculum Planning Ideas

1. Begin with content standards and benchmarks- Look at the progression of the ideas from previous

grades and to later grades. Refer to the Atlas of Science Literacy.

- Identify instructional resources & needs

2. Look at Nature of Science & Engineering standards and benchmarks- Identify opportunities for embedding into content

instruction

3. Start developing unit plans with activities- Suggestion: use backwards design

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Curriculum Alignment Templates

Benchmark Idea

Curriculum Materials Reference

Supplemental Materials

Needs

Content Standards

Benchmark Idea

Content Connection

Curriculum Materials

Supplemental Materials

Needs

Nature of Science & Engineering Standards

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Some Resources

• Minnesota Science Teachers Assn. www.mnsta.org – Spring Conference with Elementary Strand,

Willmar,Apr15–17– Newsletter, discipline conferences, school membership

for elementary

• Science Teacher Partnership –– Education Cooperative Unit + college + a district– 2010-11 Grades 3-6 Nature of Sci. & Engineering

• Informal Ed, Colleges and Industry– Science Museum, The Works, Bakken Museum– Engineering departments, local industries

• Elementary Engineering Conference – November, www.theworks.org - teachers tab

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Some Science & Engineering Resources• National Science Digital Library www.nsdl.org• Design Squad http://pbskids.org/designsquad• Try Engineering http://www.tryengineering.org/• Teach Engineering http://teachengineering.org• Science net links (AAAS):

http://www.sciencenetlinks.com• National Center for Technological Literacy:

http://www.mos.org/nctl/• SciLinks (NSTA): www.scilinks.org• STEM bookmarks:

http://share.xmarks.com/folder/bookmarks/H8Q1C20Uu4

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Contacts

• http://education.state.mn.us Academic Standards Science - standards and supporting documents

• http://www.mnsta.org – listing of workshops, links

• http://www.getstem-mn.com – resources and events

• John.C.Olson@state.mn.us, Science Instruction Specialist

• Jim.Wood@state.mn.us – Science Assessment Specialist

• Dawn.Cameron@state.mn.us – Science Assessment Specialist

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