Ready, Set, SCIENCE

Putting Research to Work in K-8 Science ClassroomsReady, Set, SCIENCEChapter 1 A New Vision of Science In EducationFour reasons to Teach Science wellScience is an enterprise that can be harnessed to improve quality of life on a global scale.Science may provide a foundation for the development of language, logic, and problem solving skills in the classroom.A democracy demands that its citizens make personal, community-based, and national decisions that involve scientific information.For some students, science will become a lifelong vocation or avocation.Chapter 1 Key PointsChildren are more capable.Learning can be modeled.Students should play the role of the scientist.Developing experiences like the scientist.Effective change is needed in the entire system to effectively teach science.Content knowledge and instructional skills are essential key components of effective teaching.

Chapter 1Language of ScienceRethinking Childrens Capacity for Scientific UnderstandingStudents that can understand science as a process of constructing theories from facts develop many of the skills and practices that scientists demonstrates.Learn how to apply their knowledge to new problems.Make connections between different representations.

Laying a foundation through work on measurement in Kindergarten and first grade will have important successes in later grades.Chapter 2 Four Strands of Science LearningThe Four Strands of LearningStrand 1 Understanding Scientific ExplanationsFocuses on concepts and the links between them rather than on discrete facts and the ability to use this knowledge.Strand 2 Generating Scientific EvidenceProficiency is acquired by generating and evaluating evidenceMaster the conceptual, mathematical, physical, and computational tools neededDesign and carry out scientific investigationsStrand 3 Reflecting on Scientific KnowledgeStudents will be aware that science entails searching for core explanations and their connectionsStrand 4 Participating Productively in ScienceDoing science and together in groups

Chapter 3 Foundational Knowledge and Conceptual ChangeFour domains of knowledgeSimple mechanic of solid bounded objects.Behaviors of psychological agents.Actions and organization of living things.Makeup and substance of materials.Young children begin school withRich knowledge of the natural worldThe ability to reasonAn understanding of the principles of cause and effectFoundations for modelingThe ability to consider ideas and beliefsAn eagerness to participate in learning Types of Conceptual ChangeElaborating on preexisting conceptRestructuring a network of conceptsAchieving new levels of explanation

Chapter 4 Organizing Science Education Around Core ConceptsExamples of Core Science ConceptsAtomic-molecular theory of matterEvolutionary theoryCell theoryNewtonian laws of force and motionSome Benefits of Learning ProgressionsSerious thinking requiredPrompt educations about topicsDraw on research about childrens learningIncorporate all four strands of proficiencyEngage students with meaningful questionsSuggests appropriate ages for core conceptsSuggest important tools and practices to asses understanding

Chapter 5 Making Thinking Visible: Talk and ArgumentLearning through Talk and ArgumentLanguage has to be preciseUnderstanding of what argumentation meansEncouraging Talk and Argument in the ClassroomRevoicingAsking students to restate someone elses reasoningAsking students to apply their own reasoning to someone elses reasoningPrompting students for further participationAsking students to explicate their reasoningUsing wait timePositive-Driven DiscussionForces students to choose from two or three different but reasonable answers.Appreciating DifferencesAllow all students to understand the importance of scientific languageInclusivenessMake rules of participation visible in classroomMake evident the connections between students everyday thinking, knowledge, and resources.

Chapter 6 Making Thinking Visible: Modeling and RepresentationMathematicsProvides scientists with another system for sharing, communicating, and understanding science concepts.DataStudents need to understand that data are constructed to answer questions.Represented in various ways to see, understand, or communicate different aspects of science.

Scale, Models, Diagrams, and MapsRepresentations allow us to convey complex ideas, patterns, and trends in accessible formats.Modeling and Learning ProgressionsEmphasized different and increasingly complex ideas in different grade bands.

Chapter 7 Learning From InvestigationsStrategies for Teaching how to Construct Scientific KnowledgeFocusTeaching for Conceptual changePromoting metacognitive understandingEngaging students with deep domain-specific core concepts.Pedagogical practicesHelping students understand, test, and revise ideas.Establishing a classroom community that negotiates meaning and builds knowledge.Increasing students responsibility for directing important aspects of their own inquiry

Student rolesTaking responsibility for representing ideasWorking to develop ideasMonitoring the status of ideasConsidering the reasoning underlying specific beliefsDeciding on ways to test specific beliefsAssessing the consistency among ideasExamining how well these ideas extend to new situations

Chapter 8 A System That Supports Science LearningTypes of Support Teachers need to Teach Science WellHigh-quality curriculum or supplementary materialsMeans by which to have their questions answeredTime and support to work through science tasks as learnersOpportunity to explore a variety of materials and experience problems that students might haveTime to think about an assess the knowledge their students bring to class

Teacher learning opportunities should.Reflect a clear focus on student learning Focus on strengths and needs of learnersInclude school-based supportProvide adequate time needed for workParticipation of groups of teachersProvide teachers with a coherent view of instructional systemReceive the active support of school and district leaders