Teaching Science As Investigations

This book provides teachers with a series of carefully developed 5-E inquiry lesson models. The lessons are standards-based and organized to provide a sequential development of physical, life, and earth/ space science concepts appropriate to use directly with students in K-8 classrooms. Each lesson series focuses on one element of science teaching. Learning how to teach science is thus embedded in the context of authentic learning cycle lessons.

This book explores teaching and learning through science investigation and practical work. It draws upon two representative case studies from New Zealand and examines what students are learning from science investigation; in addition, it identifies and describes ways in which teachers can make changes that benefit student learning when given time to reflect and respond to research literature and findings. The book illustrates how teaching through science investigations in ways that are informed by research can lead to positive learning outcomes for students. As such, it offers valuable insights for practitioners, researchers, and educators with an interest in learning through science investigation.

Science Lessons & Investigations presents science learning through in-depth investigation and observation, supporting Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Each unit guides students through exploring a science concept and includes hands-on activities to extend learning. This robust teaching resource gives you everything you need, including teacher support pages, informational text and graphics, vocabulary review, reading and writing activities, and hands-on science projects. Students apply science, technology, engineering, and math concepts to solve real-world problems. Each of the 15 units focuses on a hands-on challenge in which students work together as engineers to design, prototype, test, and refine their creations. Topics support NGSS. Book jacket.

Through content area reading, hands-on experiences, and inquiry investigations, young scientists learn the essential concepts of science. The language is clear, simple, and scientifically correct. The imaginative and effective lessons cover life, earth, and physical sciences. Helpful extras include science inquiry worksheets, an inquiry assessment rubric, and alignment to standards.

Students often think of science as disconnected pieces of information rather than a narrative that challenges their thinking, requires them to develop evidence-based explanations for the phenomena under investigation, and communicate their ideas in discipline-specific language as to why certain solutions to a problem work. The author provides teachers in primary and junior secondary school with different evidence-based strategies they can use to teach inquiry science in their classrooms. The research and theoretical perspectives that underpin the strategies are discussed as are examples of how different ones areimplemented in science classrooms to affect student engagement and learning. Key Features: Presents processes involved in teaching inquiry-based science Discusses importance of multi-modal representations in teaching inquiry based-science Covers ways to develop scientifically literacy Uses the Structure of Observed learning Outcomes (SOLO) Taxonomy to assess student reasoning, problem-solving and learning Presents ways to promote scientific discourse, including teacher-student interactions, student-student interactions, and meta-cognitive thinking

Time-tested activities to teach the key ideas of science—and turn students into scientists! This witty book adapts classic investigations to help students in grades 3 through 8 truly think and act like scientists. Chapter by chapter, this accessible primer illustrates a “big idea” about the nature of science and offers clear links to the Next Generation Science Standards and its Science and Engineering Practices. You’ll also find: A reader-friendly overview of the NGSS Guidance on adapting the activities to your grade level, including communicating instructions, facilitating discussions, and managing safety concerns Case studies of working scientists to highlight specifics about the science and engineering practices

Humans, especially children, are naturally curious. Yet, people often balk at the thought of learning scienceâ€"the "eyes glazed over" syndrome. Teachers may find teaching science a major challenge in an era when science ranges from the hardly imaginable quark to the distant, blazing quasar. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards is the book that educators have been waiting forâ€"a practical guide to teaching inquiry and teaching through inquiry, as recommended by the National Science Education Standards. This will be an important resource for educators who must help school boards, parents, and teachers understand "why we can't teach the way we used to." "Inquiry" refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and in which students grasp science knowledge and the methods by which that knowledge is produced. This book explains and illustrates how inquiry helps students learn science content, master how to do science, and understand the nature of science. This book explores the dimensions of teaching and learning science as inquiry for K-12 students across a range of science topics. Detailed examples help clarify when teachers should use the inquiry-based approach and how much structure, guidance, and coaching they should provide. The book dispels myths that may have discouraged educators from the inquiry-based approach and illuminates the subtle interplay between concepts, processes, and science as it is experienced in the classroom. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards shows how to bring the standards to life, with features such as classroom vignettes exploring different kinds of inquiries for elementary, middle, and high school and Frequently Asked Questions for teachers, responding to common concerns such as obtaining teaching supplies. Turning to assessment, the committee discusses why assessment is important, looks at existing schemes and formats, and addresses how to involve students in assessing their own learning achievements. In addition, this book discusses administrative assistance, communication with parents, appropriate teacher evaluation, and other avenues to promoting and supporting this new teaching paradigm.

This book reflects its authors' many years of experience in elementary school teaching, pre-service and in-service education in science, and substantial work in science curriculum development. It is derived from, informed by, and directly linked to both the Benchmarks for Science Literacy and the National Research Council's National Science Education Standards. No other methods book integrates standards to this degree. Written with the idea that students "learn science by doing", this well respected author team focus on the constructivist approach and the integrating of science with other elementary academic subjects.