Was there ever a time when a one-size-fits-all approach to science instruction was appropriate? In the past, it seems that some students were systematically excluded from an expectation of success in the sciences – those with cognitive or physical disabilities, those who did not speak English, or those who did not appear to have the intellectual or reading levels that were thought to be important. Fortunately for our students, we now have many alternative strategies to help all students learn concepts and skills in science.
Having hands-on, collaborative experiences is essential for all students. The article Increasing the Drive of Your Physics Class describes a project in which novice engineers (i.e., students!) design, build, and test paper cars, not just by trial and error but by developing an understanding of the principles. The article has a SciLinks connection with the topic “Roller Coaster Physics” (use TST030802 as the keyword). Most of these have students design a coaster through online simulations. While this is very enjoyable, most of these sites would require the teacher to help students understand and apply the physical principals of force and motion. Wouldn’t these be great to use with a Smart Board and have teams of students contribute their ideas? In Roller Coaster from the Amusement Park Physics site (does anyone use the term “Amusement” Parks anymore?), students design a coaster via a simulation with explanations of physical principles. The Funderstanding Roller Coaster has a description of some of the physics principles and students must include variables such as gravity in their design. Roller Coaster Physics is an animation showing the physics principles in the various part of a coaster. Roller Coasters and Amusement Park Physics doesn’t have a simulation, but it does have an in-depth discussion of physical principles. This would be a good supplement to the other sites, especially to Build Your Own Coaster, which is fun to explore but does not have any explanations or suggestions.
Two other articles this month, “Helping Students with Learning Disabilities Succeed” and “Sounds Like Success: A Framework for Equitable Assessment,” address the needs of students with learning disabilities and those who are English language learners. As I looked at the suggestions for assisting these students, I have to wonder why we don’t use some of these instruction and assessment strategies with all students? Wouldn’t all students benefit from having advance organizers, focused vocabulary, clearly stated assessment items, and themes or explicitly stated goals for a unit of instruction? I’m currently working on another project that is based on the work of Robert Marzano and the book Classsroom Instruction That Works by Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock. (This is available from Amazon or from the bookstore of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. The book describes research-based strategies that have been shown to help all students. On the web, you can find a summary of the strategies or the study guide. I can really recommend this book and the companion handbook if you would like more information on strategies that work.
The assessment article has a SciLinks connection with the topic “Assessment Strategies” (use TST030801 as the keyword). You’ll see that many of the websites there also deal with reading and writing in science, which many students need help with.