Chapter 9 Strategies Fostering Thinking in the Science Classroom

How to Read This Chapter You will find three major ideas developed in this chapter, interactive teaching strategies, establishing a culture of learning, and strategies fostering independent and collaborative thinking. You find many strategies that you will be able to implement in the classroom and consequently you will want to return to the chapter from time- to-time. If you are interested in improving interactivity among you and your students, then you’ll find the first part of the chapter very appealing. You will also find a section on language and learning science with specific strategies on talking about, reading science, and writing about science. The last section explores the importance of problem solving in the context of independent and collaborative thinking. 332

Invitations to Inquiry What teaching strategies can be used to foster critical and creative thinking among students? How does the idea of multiple intelligences expand the way we think of human potential? How research on language, in particular the work on talking, reading and writing science contribute to the development of a constructivist classroom? What strategies aid student independent and collaborative thinking? How can computer technologies be used to enhance thinking in science? 332

Chapter 9 Map

Thinking in the Science Class Look at the list of teaching tasks on page 332, and decide which are example of critical thinking and which are examples of creative thinking. What is the difference between “critical” and “creative” thinking? 332

Inquiry 9.1: Microteaching Microteaching is scaled down teaching. You will use it to explore the interactive teaching strategies that are presented, pp Prepare a 5 minute lesson and use it to focus on one or more of the teaching strategies (advance organizers, questioning, using examples, etc.). Teach the lesson to a small group of peers; use the video tape to reflect and make changes in the lesson for a re-teach episode. How successful were you?

Interactive Teaching Strategies Critical and creative thinking require that students be actively involved. The following “interactive” teaching skills will foster this: –Advance Organizers –Creating Stimulating Environment –Art of Questioning –Using Examples –Positive Learning Environment –Closure & Making Transitions Select one of the above, and write a lesson plan that incorporates the skill into a lesson in biology or physics

The Art of Questioning Do an inquiry into the Art of Questioning: –Why is it an art? –How would you categorize the questions listed on page 334? –What is the difference between a low-inquiry question and a high- inquiry question? –What are some examples of low- and high-inquiry questions? Write a few out. –How does using “wait time” influence critical and creative thinking in the science class? –What suggestions does Blosser make in the article on Questions? (see p.361) What does this picture tell you about the moon? Who made the Footprint?--How would classify these questions?

Culture of Learning: Language and Vygotsky Language is tool for the expression of information and ideas. In the science classroom, we’ll explore: –Talking science –Reading science –Writing science And find you who is Lev Vygotsky Important keys to learning are described in this chapter.

Lev Vygotsky Russian psychologist Higher-level learning take place on the “social plane.” The social context and language are the essence of learning. Distinguished between “scientific” and “spontaneous” concepts. School is the environment for the dialog between these two types of concepts. Coined the term “zo-ped” or zone of proximal development--the place where student’s rich experiential knowledge (spontaneous) meets the systematic world (scientific). Link to the Vygotsky Page

Talking Science Students need to talk about their ideas in science class. Here are some strategies: –Structured Controversies –Open-Ended Questions –Think-Aloud-Pair Problem Solving –Science Talk –Science Stories

Structured Controversy The Cycle shown here is a cooperative learning debate model (see p. 343). Students are divided into teams of four. With in each team, students are divided into pairs. Each pair is assigned a learning position (one side of the issue). Topics should have two clear positions. Once a topic is identified, resources should be gathered and identified for teams to do their research. The previous slide lists a few suggested topics

Reading Science Enhancing students’ reading abilities in science can be assisted via: –Listening activities –Coming to Terms--The Vocabulary Problem –Reading for Meaning (K-W-L strategy) –Semantic Mapping

Sample Lesson 8.1: Earthquakes Using the K-W-L Strategy This is an example of a content lesson that utilized a reading strategy, K-W- L. The emphasis is on having students read for meaning. To do this, the K-W-L strategy creates an active reading environment. –K-What do they Know? –W-What do student Want to know? –L-What did students Learn? 348 Earthquake map, California

Writing Science There are many ways to help students express their ideas through writing, thereby bringing thought to consciousness. These include: –Web writing –Science logs –Letter writing –Science newspapers –Story writing

Sample Lesson 8.3: Learning Log Read the section on the use of learning logs ( ). Describe how you will set up the use of the learning log in your course. How will you assess learning logs? 353

Project-Based Teaching Project-Based teaching supports high-level thinking and problem solving. Here you will find a collection of project-based ideas to implement in the classroom. They are organized into: –Life Science Projects –Physical Science Projects –Earth Science Projects The Mars Egg Drop project challenges students to construct a cargo system to safely protect an egg dropped from a high place. Students design their vehicle and then are taken to a place where they can drop it at least 10 meters. Click on the icon above to go to other project ideas.

Think Pieces 360 Make a list of strategies you think will enhance critical thinking in science classrooms. Then make a separate list of strategies you think will enhance creative thinking. What criteria did you use to generate each list? How do the criteria compare? Construct an essay (no more than two pages) on the efficacy of using structured controversies in the science classroom to enhance critical and creative thinking. Find an article in the literature on the K-L-M reading strategy and write a brief report for the class. Prepare a think piece, which defends the integration of reading and writing skills in the science curriculum, or argue against the integration of these skills in science teaching. What habits of mind do you think are enhanced by encouraging students to participate in either science projects or science fairs?