EarthComm Inquiry: Preparing Students to be Critical Thinkers and Science Literate Citizens Key Points: Today’s talk is about a high school Earth science curriculum developed by AGI and the extent to which it prepares students to be critical thinkers and science literate citizens. The American Geological Institute is a non-profit organization that promotes the interests of 42 Geoscience organizations.

AGI’s High School Curriculum EarthComm: Earth System Science in the Community grades 9-12 Key Points: EarthComm is geared towards 9-12 students. It was also published in 2001. It is a modular curriculum and is currently being used by tens of thousands of students in close to 40 states.

Meeting New Standards Promote inquiry-based instruction Inquiry is an instructional outcome Equitable Developmentally appropriate Interesting and relevant to students Inquiry in professional development Key Points: The development of EarthComm was guided by the AAAS Benchmarks for Science Literacy (1993) and the National Science Education Standards (1996). These documents called for 6 main standards in science education programs. The first standard calls for science programs and curricula to promote an inquiry-based approach to instruction. Teachers should promote inquiry-based instruction and provide classroom environments and experiences that facilitate students’ learning of science through inquiry The approach to content, as well as the teaching and assessment strategies, should reflect the acquisition of scientific understanding though inquiry. The second standard calls for science programs to promote inquiry as an instructional outcome for students. Students should understand the parts of inquiry and know how to carry out inquiry in addition to its use as a pedagogical approach. Students should become fluent in the process skills involved in doing scientific inquiry. The third standards calls for science programs to provide equitable opportunities for all students. Science programs should provide equal opportunity for all students to learn and achieve, no matter their race, gender or ethnicity. The fourth standard calls for science programs to be developmentally appropriate. Science programs need to recognize the knowledge and understanding that students bring to the classroom and build upon these. The fifth standard calls for science programs to be interesting and relevant to students. Students are motivated to learn science when they are connected to what they are learning. The last standard calls for science programs to provide professional development activities that involve teachers in the learning of science and pedagogy through inquiry.

Our View of Inquiry Learners ENGAGE in scientifically oriented questions. Learners give priority to EVIDENCE in responding to questions. Learners formulate EXPLANATIONS from evidence. Learners connect explanations to scientific KNOWLEDGE. Learners COMMUNICATE and JUSTIFY explanations. Key Points: AGI maintained the following 5 essential features of classroom inquiry in the development of EarthComm. The first feature is that learners be engaged in scientifically oriented questions. Scientifically oriented questions lend themselves to empirical investigation, and lead to gathering and using data to develop explanations for scientific phenomena. The second feature is that learners give priority to evidence in responding to questions. At this stage, students obtain evidence in the form of data gathered from observations and measurements in an attempt to answer their questions. The third feature is that learners formulate explanations from evidence. At this stage, students use critical reasoning skills to evaluate their evidence or data and develop explanations for what they have observed or measured. The fourth feature is that learners connect explanations to scientific knowledge. At this stage, students evaluate their explanations in light of new information they may have learned from their teachers, discussions with other students, or from textbook materials. They may possibly eliminate or revise their explanations in light of new information. The last feature of inquiry is that learners communicate and justify explanations. At this stage, students share their explanations in order to provide others the opportunity to ask questions, examine evidence, identify faulty reasoning, and point out statements that go beyond the evidence. At this stage, others may offer alternative explanations for the same observations.

ENGAGE in Scientifically Oriented Questions How do volcanoes affect the biosphere? Key Points: A specific example from EarthComm shows how students apply the five essential features of inquiry. One of the EarthComm modules is titled Earth’s Dynamic Geosphere. In this module, students learn about volcanoes, plate tectonics and earthquakes. In the chapter on volcanoes, students are challenged to answer the following questions: How do volcanoes affect the biosphere?

EVIDENCE in Responding to Questions Students investigate the following: What is the relationship between the volume of an eruption and the size of the area it covers? Key Points: In responding to the question, how do volcanoes affect the biosphere, students are asked to make observations and collect data about the following: The relationship between the volume of an eruption and the size of the area it covers. 2. They do this by using liquid soap to simulate the flow during a volcanic eruption. They look at the relationship between the volume of liquid soap and the surface area that the soap covers. 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 cubic centimeters of soap in each trial.

EXPLANATIONS from Evidence Which river valley has a steeper gradient? Explain the evidence that suggest the gradients are not constant? Would a community 50 km away have enough time for evacuation? Key Points: In answering the question, how do volcanoes affect the biosphere, students examine evidence to form their explanations. Students examine a table that contains the expected travel times of lahars triggered by an eruption of Mt. St. Helens. They examine the travel time of the lahars down two river valleys to determine: The gradients of two river valleys. The extent to which the gradients are constant. The time for the lahars to travel 50km and the effect on a community.

Connect Explanations to Scientific KNOWLEDGE Students consider the following: Why might a lahar (mudflow of volcanic debris and water) affect a community more severely than a lava flow? Key Points: After students have gathered evidence and developed their own explanations for the affects on the biosphere from the lava flowing from an eruption, they are presented with information about lava flows. The consider this information to answer the following: Why might a lahar affect a community more severely than a lava flow?

COMMUNICATE and JUSTIFY Explanations Students use the map to answer the following: The factors that control the flow of lava Key Points: In the final part of the chapter, students are asked to justify their explanations for ocean currents. They are asked to communicate: The factors that control the flow of lava.

Student Outcomes Know and understand scientific ideas Understand how scientists study the natural world Critical thinking and problem-solving skills Key Points: Following this process of inquiry, there are a number of student outcomes. For example, students become familiar with and understand scientific ideas. Students understand how scientists study the natural world. Finally, students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that apply to all aspects of their lives.