Focusing Science Teaching on Content using Big IdeasElizabeth Cavanaugh-Broad

Department of Neuroscience

Arts and Sciences

Introduction

AcknowledgmentsOutcomes

The University of Pittsburgh/Pittsburgh Public School District GK-12 program enables graduate and undergraduate students in science to serve in K-8 schools as a “scientist in the classroom” knowledgeable about content, applications, and effective methods of teaching science and math. In 2005-2006, I worked at Northview with an elementary science specialist and in 2006-2007 I am working with an 8th grade science teacher at ATA.

A Focus Lesson: Adaptations of Birds

As a result of my work in Pittsburgh Public Schools:• Teachers have increased their understanding of science content • Teachers have acquired novel methods of teaching the curriculum• I have gained a new awareness of K-8 teaching practices and challenges• I have a greater understanding of science within and beyond my own work as

a student.

Big Ideas are central science concepts that help put content points into context for students and unite material in different topic areas.

This lesson was designed to supplement the FOSS guided inquiry science curriculum by addressing the part of our Big Idea that states that organisms have different adaptations to fulfill their life needs in different habitats.

• Jennifer L. Cartier and Joseph J. Grabowski, co-principal investigators

• Wendy M. Sink, graduate research assistant• Tara Crousey, partner teacher at ATA• Graduate Fellows of the GK-12 program• National Science Foundation and the University of

Pittsburgh for financial support

PLANNINGPLANNING

TEACHING TEACHING

ACTIVITYACTIVITY

ASSESSMENTASSESSMENT

• Grades 6-8• 303 students• City of Pittsburgh

and Mt. Oliver students may apply

Working in Schools

I work with my partner teacher to more effectively communicate science content through the district’s FOSS curriculum by identifying “Big Ideas" and incorporating them into lesson

My team has developed lesson plans, curriculum extensions, materials, and assessments.

plans.

Enrollment Information

White

African American

Hispanic

Multiracial

Allegheny Traditional Academy Middle (ATA) Socioeconomic Status of Students

Free Lunch

Reduced Lunch

Regular Lunch

Reprinted, with permission, from: Tools for Change: Curriculum Enactment Through Teacher-Scientist Partnerships, Wendy M. Sink, Jennifer L. Cartier, Joseph J. Grabowski; paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Science Teacher EducatorsClearwater, Florida, January 5, 2007.

Big Ideas