EPE Experiences, Patterns and Explanations

EPE

EPE Table Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data) Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs, tables, categories) Explanations (models, theories) Application: Model-based Reasoning – using models / theories to explain experiences Inquiry: Finding and Explaining Patterns in Experience

An Example - Photosynthesis

Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data)

An Example - Photosynthesis Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data) Pea plants placed in the dark did not grow well. The gas given off by elodea was be shown to be O 2. Watering radish seedlings helped them grow. Iris leaves and pine needles are green and have stomata. Measurements of CO 2 used by elodea. Starch production by geranium leaves experiment.... and so on...

An Example - Photosynthesis Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data) Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs, tables, categories) Pea plants placed in the dark did not grow well. The gas given off by elodea was be shown to be O 2. Watering radish seedlings helped them grow. Iris leaves and pine needles are green and have stomata. Measurements of CO 2 used by elodea. Starch production by geranium leaves experiment.

An Example - Photosynthesis Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data) Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs, tables, categories) Pea plants placed in the dark did not grow well. The gas given off by elodea was be shown to be O 2. Watering radish seedlings helped them grow. Iris leaves and pine needles are green and have stomata. Measurements of CO 2 used by elodea. Starch production by geranium leaves experiment. Plants need light to grow. Plants take in CO 2 and water. Plants give off O 2. Plants produce sugars and starches. Plants have pigments. Plants have stomata through which gases can pass.

An Example - Photosynthesis Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data) Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs, tables, categories) Explanations (models, theories) Pea plants placed in the dark did not grow well. The gas given off by elodea was be shown to be O 2. Watering radish seedlings helped them grow. Iris leaves and pine needles are green and have stomata. Measurements of CO 2 used by elodea. Starch production by geranium leaves experiment. Plants need light to grow. Plants take in CO 2 and water. Plants give off O 2. Plants produce sugars and starches. Plants have pigments. Plants have stomata through which gases can pass.

An Example - Photosynthesis Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data) Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs, tables, categories) Explanations (models, theories) Pea plants placed in the dark did not grow well. The gas given off by elodea was be shown to be O 2. Watering radish seedlings helped them grow. Iris leaves and pine needles are green and have stomata. Measurements of CO 2 used by elodea. Starch production by geranium leaves experiment. Plants need light to grow. Plants take in CO 2 and water. Plants give off O 2. Plants produce sugars and starches. Plants have pigments. Plants have stomata through which gases can pass. Plants make their own food to use for energy and building materials. 6CO H 2 O C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6H 2 O + 6O 2. Light energy is transformed into chemical energy in food.

An Example - Photosynthesis Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data) Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs, tables, categories) Explanations (models, theories) Pea plants placed in the dark did not grow well. The gas given off by elodea was be shown to be O 2. Watering radish seedlings helped them grow. Iris leaves and pine needles are green and have stomata. Measurements of CO 2 used by elodea. Starch production by geranium leaves experiment. Plants need light to grow. Plants take in CO 2 and water. Plants give off O 2. Plants produce sugars and starches. Plants have pigments. Plants have stomata through which gases can pass. Plants make their own food to use for energy and building materials. 6CO H 2 O  C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6H 2 O + 6O 2. Light energy is transformed into chemical energy in food. Application: Model-based Reasoning – using theories to explain experiences Inquiry: Finding and Explaining Patterns in Experience

Guidelines Are your Experiences: specific real-world objects, systems, or phenomena, not the concepts we use to explain them? For example, “light-dependent reactions” is not a good real-world example for photosynthesis. “Plants not growing in the dark” is. experientially real to your students? They should be either systems or phenomena that your students have already experienced or that you could help them experience, first hand or vicariously.

Guidelines Coherence  Do your Experiences, Patterns, and Explanations fit into a coherent whole?  Your observations, patterns, and explanations should be connected to one another. For example, each model or theory that you list should have observations and patterns to go with it.  Do your E’s, P’s and E’s make sense with respect to the inquiry and application arrows?

Guidelines Connecting to Big Ideas  Are your observations, patterns, and explanations connected to your big ideas?  The key models, laws, and theories in the big ideas statement should be listed in summary form in the last column of your table.

EPE Experiences, Patterns and Explanations Joyce’s Pedigree Lesson

Assessment

We should be doing it every time we teach. Needs to match the objectives. It should inform the teacher about adjustments that need to be made. It should also inform the students.

Assessment Consider a range of assessment methods: Performance tasks / Projects Quizzes, tests Observations, work samples, dialogues Student self assessment

Assessment Questions to ask yourself: Have you included the actual questions that students will answer or prompts they will be able to respond to? Will you learn from incorrect answers? Is the task relevant to the objective? Does it engage students in the practice described in your focus objective(s)? Is the task worded in a way that will be clear to the students? Will they understand what you are asking? Would a good answer to the task require students to relate some of the experiences, patterns and explanations?

Assessment Joyce’s Pedigree Lesson