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Research to Practice, Practice to Research

Redesigning an environmental curriculum for student engagement

Connected Science Learning January/February 2024

By , , ,

Apart from equipping learners with 21st-century skills, environmental science (ES) education fosters problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking, and a sense of responsibility and agency in children. Community science centres contribute to ES education by stirring up interest, enthusiasm, and awareness in both science and environmental issues; however, they face challenges. This case study uses narrative inquiry to explore how two preservice teachers identified opportunities for improvement at a community science centre, and how they consequently redesigned the curriculum to improve teaching and learning. The pedagogical opportunities for improvement at the Science Centre covered learner experiences, teaching experiences and backgrounds, scaffolded learning, learner engagement with resources, learner connections, and programming at the centre. The successful curriculum redesign was influenced by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model, which provided strategies for improvement. Our findings highlight pedagogical strategies and recommendations to improve ES curricula for young learners at informal learning centres.
Apart from equipping learners with 21st-century skills, environmental science (ES) education fosters problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking, and a sense of responsibility and agency in children. Community science centres contribute to ES education by stirring up interest, enthusiasm, and awareness in both science and environmental issues; however, they face challenges.
Apart from equipping learners with 21st-century skills, environmental science (ES) education fosters problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking, and a sense of responsibility and agency in children. Community science centres contribute to ES education by stirring up interest, enthusiasm, and awareness in both science and environmental issues; however, they face challenges.
 

Leadership Matters

Three Transformative Leadership Practices

Science and Children—January/February 2024 (Volume 61, Issue 1)

By Rebecca Abbott, Meredith Moran, and Alicia Baier Wideman, 

What does it take to prioritize science instruction in an elementary system? In this article, we’ll examine three transformative leadership practices underway in a Title-1 school district in Central Phoenix and their role in shifting the district culture from little-to-no science instruction for elementary students towards a burgeoning commitment to phenomena-based science teaching and learning. We describe how a focus on allocated and reinforced science instructional time, high-quality literacy-rich science instructional materials, and coordinated opportunities for teacher professional growth worked in concert as crucial elements to enact systems change.

What does it take to prioritize science instruction in an elementary system? In this article, we’ll examine three transformative leadership practices underway in a Title-1 school district in Central Phoenix and their role in shifting the district culture from little-to-no science instruction for elementary students towards a burgeoning commitment to phenomena-based science teaching and learning.

What does it take to prioritize science instruction in an elementary system? In this article, we’ll examine three transformative leadership practices underway in a Title-1 school district in Central Phoenix and their role in shifting the district culture from little-to-no science instruction for elementary students towards a burgeoning commitment to phenomena-based science teaching and learning.

 

From the Editor

Making Science Accessible for All

Science and Children—January/February 2024 (Volume 61, Issue 1)

By Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn

It’s time for a change in mindset. We must shift our focus toward recognizing the assets and strengths of our students as a pivotal starting point. While it’s easy to identify deficits, gaps, and challenges, we must also acknowledge our students’ abilities, potential, interests, and yet-to-be-realized capabilities. After all, we are all works in progress, and it is crucial that we nurture inclusivity and equity and celebrate our individuality.

It’s time for a change in mindset. We must shift our focus toward recognizing the assets and strengths of our students as a pivotal starting point. While it’s easy to identify deficits, gaps, and challenges, we must also acknowledge our students’ abilities, potential, interests, and yet-to-be-realized capabilities. After all, we are all works in progress, and it is crucial that we nurture inclusivity and equity and celebrate our individuality.

It’s time for a change in mindset. We must shift our focus toward recognizing the assets and strengths of our students as a pivotal starting point. While it’s easy to identify deficits, gaps, and challenges, we must also acknowledge our students’ abilities, potential, interests, and yet-to-be-realized capabilities. After all, we are all works in progress, and it is crucial that we nurture inclusivity and equity and celebrate our individuality.

Archive: Science Update: What’s Up with Precipitation? How NASA is Helping Us Better Understand Our Home Planet! April 25, 2024

Did you know that NASA has around two dozen satellites that continually monitor our home planet to help us better understand and protect it? Learn more about NASA’s Earth-observing missions and do a deep dive into the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission’s science, technology, and real-world applications. You will leave with a richer understanding as well as a treasure trove of resources related to weather, climate, climate modeling, Earth’s water cycle, and more!

Did you know that NASA has around two dozen satellites that continually monitor our home planet to help us better understand and protect it? Learn more about NASA’s Earth-observing missions and do a deep dive into the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission’s science, technology, and real-world applications. You will leave with a richer understanding as well as a treasure trove of resources related to weather, climate, climate modeling, Earth’s water cycle, and more!

Did you know that NASA has around two dozen satellites that continually monitor our home planet to help us better understand and protect it? Learn more about NASA’s Earth-observing missions and do a deep dive into the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission’s science, technology, and real-world applications. You will leave with a richer understanding as well as a treasure trove of resources related to weather, climate, climate modeling, Earth’s water cycle, and more!

Did you know that NASA has around two dozen satellites that continually monitor our home planet to help us better understand and protect it? Learn more about NASA’s Earth-observing missions and do a deep dive into the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission’s science, technology, and real-world applications. You will leave with a richer understanding as well as a treasure trove of resources related to weather, climate, climate modeling, Earth’s water cycle, and more!

 

Editor's Corner

How Can We Make Our Students’ Thinking Visible?

The Science Teacher—January/February 2024

Understanding our students’ thinking is paramount to moving a lesson forward and seeing where misconceptions exist. By providing particular prompts, we can uncover their thinking, take action, and enhance the overall learning experience for our students.
Understanding our students’ thinking is paramount to moving a lesson forward and seeing where misconceptions exist. By providing particular prompts, we can uncover their thinking, take action, and enhance the overall learning experience for our students.
Understanding our students’ thinking is paramount to moving a lesson forward and seeing where misconceptions exist. By providing particular prompts, we can uncover their thinking, take action, and enhance the overall learning experience for our students.
 

Career of the Month

Career of the Month: Industrial Engineer

The Science Teacher—January/February 2024

Industrial engineers apply math and engineering principles to make systems—comprised of humans, machines, information, materials and/or energy—more efficient and effective. They can work in a wide variety of industries, as well as academia. Elizabeth Gentry is an industrial engineer who works as a solution value analyst in Philips’ hospital patient monitoring group in Louisville, Kentucky. She also teaches part time for the University of Louisville and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers
Industrial engineers apply math and engineering principles to make systems—comprised of humans, machines, information, materials and/or energy—more efficient and effective. They can work in a wide variety of industries, as well as academia. Elizabeth Gentry is an industrial engineer who works as a solution value analyst in Philips’ hospital patient monitoring group in Louisville, Kentucky. She also teaches part time for the University of Louisville and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers
Industrial engineers apply math and engineering principles to make systems—comprised of humans, machines, information, materials and/or energy—more efficient and effective. They can work in a wide variety of industries, as well as academia. Elizabeth Gentry is an industrial engineer who works as a solution value analyst in Philips’ hospital patient monitoring group in Louisville, Kentucky. She also teaches part time for the University of Louisville and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers
 

Concentrating on Cross-Disciplinary Connections: Using reaction rates to help students make connections between chemistry and biology.

The Science Teacher—January/February 2024

By , ,

Too often, science courses (e.g, biology, chemistry, and physics) are disconnected from one another. When this happens, students often don’t see how the different disciplines relate to one another. For example, we have heard students ask, “Which is bigger, a cell or an atom?” Indeed, when students are asked about cells and molecules, they often get them mixed up or think that “molecules” are just things learned in chemistry (Driver et al., 2014). Through Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs), the NGSS has encouraged integration across disciplines (Czerniak & Johnson, 2014). While much progress has been made in helping students make cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary connections with SEPs and CCCs, disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) are still often siloed. One way to help students see connections between disciplines is to find DCIs that can be connected across courses. In this article, we demonstrate how we used a lesson on the concentration and temperature of reactions (HS-PS1-5) to make connections to the digestive system and cellular respiration (HS-LS1-7)
Too often, science courses (e.g, biology, chemistry, and physics) are disconnected from one another. When this happens, students often don’t see how the different disciplines relate to one another. For example, we have heard students ask, “Which is bigger, a cell or an atom?” Indeed, when students are asked about cells and molecules, they often get them mixed up or think that “molecules” are just things learned in chemistry (Driver et al., 2014).
Too often, science courses (e.g, biology, chemistry, and physics) are disconnected from one another. When this happens, students often don’t see how the different disciplines relate to one another. For example, we have heard students ask, “Which is bigger, a cell or an atom?” Indeed, when students are asked about cells and molecules, they often get them mixed up or think that “molecules” are just things learned in chemistry (Driver et al., 2014).
 

Becoming Scientifically Literate: Developing Epistemic Practices through Reading Scientific Papers

The Science Teacher—January/February 2024

By ,

To help students confront pseudoscientific claims and misinformation in their everyday lives, it is important to develop the epistemic practices of scientists in the classroom. Many of these practices can be illuminated by challenging students to read primary source literature. This article outlines a lesson that has sophomore students reading review and research articles on a pertinent topic. While reading, students think like scientists to extract main ideas, analyze bias, and justify claims with evidence. The papers themselves, as well as the steps employed in the classroom to support students in reading them, highlight the fact that scientists regularly utilize statistics and data, develop a strong theoretical knowledge-base prior to forming conclusions, and seek out critique of their work. Students read these papers collaboratively, working together with one another and with upperclassmen peer mentors to engage in scientific discourse and solidify their understanding of the process of science. This experience challenges students to think as scientists do and provides them with a strong foundation for scientific literacy, preparing them to make more informed decisions about their futures.
To help students confront pseudoscientific claims and misinformation in their everyday lives, it is important to develop the epistemic practices of scientists in the classroom. Many of these practices can be illuminated by challenging students to read primary source literature. This article outlines a lesson that has sophomore students reading review and research articles on a pertinent topic. While reading, students think like scientists to extract main ideas, analyze bias, and justify claims with evidence.
To help students confront pseudoscientific claims and misinformation in their everyday lives, it is important to develop the epistemic practices of scientists in the classroom. Many of these practices can be illuminated by challenging students to read primary source literature. This article outlines a lesson that has sophomore students reading review and research articles on a pertinent topic. While reading, students think like scientists to extract main ideas, analyze bias, and justify claims with evidence.
 

Exploring Student Perceptions of Engagement During Maker-centered Instruction

The Science Teacher—January/February 2024

By , , ,

This article explores the levels of engagement that students experience during maker-centered instruction, with a particular focus on students in two secondary STEM classrooms. The authors first define key terms related to making and maker-centered instruction, emphasizing the importance of experiential learning and the maker mindset. The authors then describe the lesson context and discuss how engagement was perceived by students. The article draws on three views of engagement: engagement as a partnership with students, engagement as a multidimensional construct, and engagement as a continuum of student actions. We conclude with implications for promoting student investment in learning through explicit attention to engagement in lesson planning and implementation. The authors highlight the importance of maker education in supporting content knowledge and skill-building while also empowering students to invest in their learning. Ultimately, the article emphasizes the potential for maker-centered instruction to promote active and engaged learning for all students while highlighting the need for the support of student engagement through explicit lesson design and student reflection.
This article explores the levels of engagement that students experience during maker-centered instruction, with a particular focus on students in two secondary STEM classrooms. The authors first define key terms related to making and maker-centered instruction, emphasizing the importance of experiential learning and the maker mindset. The authors then describe the lesson context and discuss how engagement was perceived by students.
This article explores the levels of engagement that students experience during maker-centered instruction, with a particular focus on students in two secondary STEM classrooms. The authors first define key terms related to making and maker-centered instruction, emphasizing the importance of experiential learning and the maker mindset. The authors then describe the lesson context and discuss how engagement was perceived by students.
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