Reading to Learn it: Chapters 1-3

Notes for Reading

Chapter 1
Science seeks explanation to everyday questions.

Science=strategies

• teaching what to do when you don't know the answer, 
• science thinking skill=tools to discovery

Science is a way of knowing, explanations of the natural world, uses evidence to support it's clains.  

• systematic quest
• dynamic body of knowledge generated through a systematic quest for explanations

Body of knowledge:  

• energy can change form
• Matter can change form
• magnetic poles repel each other

Inquiry Processing

Descriptive                              Explanatory                           Experimental 

Questioning.                            hypothesizing.                        predicting

Classifying                              inferring                                  identifying

Comparing                              interpretive                             communicating

                                                                                                controlling variables

Scientific Method

Science as a set of value

1. truth
2. freedom
3. skepticism
4. order
5. originality
6. communication

Scientific method is taught appropriately to the grade level, and will always reverse back around; reassessing. 

Chapter 2. How Children Learn Science

• Science is a way of knowing based on evidence-seeking explanations based on evidence
• children come to you with prior knowledge about science
• science is a progression
• children learn science by doing science
• there is variation in the rate of cognitive development among children.
• Constructivism is a theory of human learning that is rooted in cognitive psychology and to a lesser extent, behavioral psychology. 

1. naive conception
2. assimilation and accommodating
3. contributions of neuroscience

Chapter 3.  

Discovery seeks explanations based on observations, evidence and reflection

Discovery learning=connect to past and future; interactive learning

Inquiry=careful and systematic method of asking questions and seeking answers/explanations

Learning through inquiry means students construct knowledge through the processes of asking questions, seeking evidence, formulation explanations based on evidence and justifying their explanations. 

Learning to inquire-students become aware of and consciously apply the processess assoc with inquiry as part of their thinking strategies. 

Inquiry questions- 

• information-seeking
• wonderment question-proposed relationship between 2 variables
• how does it work
• how to solve a problem question

Use Models to represent their understanding

Investigate

analyze and interpret data-display data

mathematical and computation thinking

construct explanations

obtaining evaluation and communication info

Inquiry skills

1. descriptive models-
• observing                    
• using space/time relation
• using measurement
• questioning
• classifying, impose order
2. Explanatory model-
• inferring-using logic to make assumptions from what we observe and question
• hypothesizing-a proposed relationship put forth to explain a phenomenon.  (predictions=the basis for an experiment)
3. Experimental Model
• experiments test predictions
• Predictions- spec. forcast of a future observation or event.  Based on observation measurement and inferences about relationship betw. variable
• 
  

• Identifying Variables=factors that can make a difference in an investigation
• independent variable-variable being tested
• dependent variable-change that is measured 
• controlled variable -effect of one variable all other factors must stay the same, only ind & dependent variable change.

ex. 1. color of flower-independent

butterflies-dependent

time, lighting, same butterflies-controlled.  

2. Bread in plastic bag in Room temp & in fridge...

how long till it molds?  temp(Independent changes), time (dependent), Bread & bag are same (controlled).

4. Interpreting Data-

• finding patterns and trends based on the data collected in an investigation.