Chapter 1 Children, Science, and Inquiry

Why should children learn science? Science provides opportunities for children to: Exercise their curiosity Learn about the natural world Develop problem-solving skills Build their scientific literacy Develop inquiry abilities Develop language arts and mathematics skills

What does it mean to be scientifically literate? According to the National Science Education Standards, scientific literacy is defined as: The knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes required for personal decision-making, participation in civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity National Research Council, 1996 (p. 22)

Where have we been, where are we now, and where are we going in elementary and middle school science education in the United States? Pages 10-11

What is science? Science is an attempt to understand the world by: Questioning, investigating, and observing what happens Trying to make sense of our observations Using our new knowledge to make predictions about what might happen in the future Testing our predictions to see if your understanding is correct. Paulu & Martin, 1991

What does it mean to approach a question scientifically? To understand the natural world by finding, describing, and explaining its patterns, order and organization. Develop investigations that lead to evidence for answering the question

What is the nature of science? Science is dynamic (always changing) Science is a human endeavor (joy in the search for knowledge) Science has limitations Doing science means raising questions, searching for evidence, forming explanations, making and testing predictions, and revising scientific understanding

What is the nature of scientific inquiry? Questioning, investigating, and observing Trying to make sense of observations Using our new knowledge to make predictions Testing our predictions

What is the nature of science knowledge? Science knowledge is tentative Two main types of scientific knowledge: Factual knowledge Facts Conceptual knowledge Concepts (ideas derived from experience) Principles (generalizations) Theories (imaginative networks of facts..)

What attitudes and values characterize the doing of science? Being curious Insisting on evidence Being willing to reflect on and change ideas Being predisposed to apply science knowledge Working cooperatively Caring for others, for the natural environment, and for the human-made world

What should we teach in Science? Proficiency 1 Facts Concepts Principles Theories Models

What should we teach in Science? Proficiency 2: Abilities to Carry Out Scientific Inquiry Ask a question Plan and conduct a simple investigation Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather and interpret data Use evidence and scientific knowledge to develop explanations Communicate procedures, data, and explanations to others

What should we teach in Science? Proficiency 3: Understandings About the Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry Science is something people do and create Science is a way of answering questions about the natural world Scientific knowledge is generated through questions, investigations, observations, and explanations Scientific knowledge is tentative Scientists present their investigations to the scientific community for critical evaluation Scientists display certain attitudes and habits in doing science

Connection between science, technology, and society Science and technology are closely related, but they differ in goals. The goal of science is to understand the natural world. The goal of technology is to make modifications in the world to meet human needs. (examples- computer, bicycle….)

State a problem Design an approach Communicate the problem,, Evaluate the solutionImplement a solution Technological Design Cycle design, and solution

FIGURE 1-3 Tasks of scientific inquiry. Arthur Carin, Joel Bass, Terry Contant Teaching Science as Inquiry, 10e Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

What is the connection between science, technology, and society?

FIGURE 1-2 Scientific explanations make sense of puzzling observations by connecting them to scientific knowledge about the world. Arthur Carin, Joel Bass, Terry Contant Teaching Science as Inquiry, 10e Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

FIGURE 1-7 Tasks in designing a technological solution to a problem. Arthur Carin, Joel Bass, Terry Contant Teaching Science as Inquiry, 10e Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

Goals for Elementary and Middle School Science Skills for inquiry Scientific knowledge Increase children’s understanding of science, technology, and effects on humans Scientific attitudes and habits of mind Modeling/guiding Encourage team work