PROJECT CLARION Module IV: Scientific Investigation Center for Gifted Education, The College of...
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Transcript of PROJECT CLARION Module IV: Scientific Investigation Center for Gifted Education, The College of...
PROJECT CLARIONModule IV:
Scientific Investigation
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Instructional Purpose
– To develop an understanding of skills and habits important to a scientist.
– To develop an understanding of the steps of scientific investigation.
– To apply macro-concept generalizations to scientific investigations.
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
In the ideal science classroom:
What would teachers be doing?
What would students be doing?
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
VideoWhat are teachers
doing?What are students
doing?
What is Scientific Inquiry?
…an approach to learning that involves a process of exploring the natural or material world, and that
leads to asking questions, learning more through observation, forming a
hypothesis, and rigorously testing the hypothesis in
the search for new understanding.
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Research on Inquiry-Based Classrooms:
What do they look like?• Inquiry-based classrooms are ones where:
* Teachers serve as facilitators in question-asking and processing to help students arrive at new understandings (Holbrook & Kolodner, 2007)
– Students are actively engaged in learning science and experimenting (DeBoer, 1991)
* There is student activity and engagement in the act of being a scientist – not as an onlooker but an active participant (Haury, 1993)
– Students are working in groups to pose and test questions about science (Bishop & Ryan, 2007)
– Students are discussing and reflecting upon their findings with teacher guidance (Holbrook & Kolodner, 2007)
Research on Inquiry-Based Classrooms: How Effective Are They?
• Promoting inquiry in a science classroom…* Enhances student performance in science when students are actively
engaged and discussing content – (Mattheis & Nakayama, 1988)
– Improves critical thinking – (Narode et al, 1987)
– Promotes positive attitudes toward science – (Rakow, 1986)
* Posits higher achievement scores on tests – (Glasson, 1989)
– Improves content knowledge, process skills, collaboration, communication, and planning skills far exceed those of their peers in traditional classrooms
– (Holbrook & Kolodner, 2007)* Is found to be difficult until students and teachers are trained in inquiry-
based processes and continue to practice them– (Holbrook & Kolodner, 2007)
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Benefits of Inquiry• Encourages communication through
practical action as well as through symbols.
• Develops language and literacy capacity.
• Provides direct and accurate knowledge of each child’s level of science learning.
• Advances children’s knowledge of science, inquiry, and scientific habits of mind.
• Contributes to children’s social development.
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Three Types of Question Models• Problem-based learning
– What do we know?– What do we need to know?– How do we find out?
• Scientific Reasoning model– What data or evidence supports your position?– What inferences do you draw from the evidence?
• Concept Model– How does the macro-concept (change) apply to essential
understandings (understanding life cycles)?
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Sample Questions for Inquiry
• Is it possible to…– Is it possible to clean polluted water?
• Comparing…– When comparing radish seeds with grass seeds, which will sprout
sooner?• What if…
– What if we put vinegar and baking soda into a balloon?• How can we…
– How can we prevent erosion on our model mountain?• What is…
– What is the life span of a mealworm?
Pearce, C. R. Nurturing Inquiry, Heinemann.
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Other Sample Inquiry Questions
• If I had _____, how could I _____?
• How can I improve_____?
• What will happen if _____?
• Suppose I could _____?
Pearce, C. R. Nurturing Inquiry, Heinemann
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Inquiry can be spurred through observation
Observation• Observation is fundamental to all scientific
disciplines;• Inquiry, hypothesis, and data collection are based on
observation;• Practice is required if children’s observational skills
are to become increasingly more powerful, productive, and scientific;
• And yet, observation is an often under-valued skill in educational settings.
– Eberback, C., & Crowley, K. (2009). From everyday to scientific observation: How children learn to observe the biologist’s world. Review of Educational Research, 79(1), 39-68.
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Comparative observation
ObservationObservation
subjectCharacteristics
(Be specific and precise)
What is different?
What is similar?
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Question Asking with the Need to Know Board
What do we know?
Prior knowledge
and observation
What do we need to know?
Questions
How can we find out?
Observation
Research
Experimental design
What have we learned?
Conclusion
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Lower Primary Wheel of Scientific
Investigation and Reasoning
Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary
SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION AND
REASONING
Make Observations
Ask Questions
Learn More
Design and Conduct the Experiment
Create Meaning
Tell Others What Was
Found SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION AND
REASONING
Wheel ofScientific
Investigationand
Reasoning
Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary
Use your curiosityFind something of interest to study.Use your senses to learn.
Make Observations
Ask Questions
Learn MoreFind what you need to knowFind what others know.Learn more through observations.Re-examine your question.
Design and Conduct the Experiment
Form a hypothesisList experiment steps.Identify materials you need.Conduct experiment.Record data.
Organize your data.Analyze data.Make inferences and draw conclusions.Check to see if you answered your question.Think of related questions.
Select an audience.Decide on the best way to communicate.Include data tables.Report conclusions.
SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION AND
REASONING
Identify all the questions you have.Select ONE question you want to answer.
Create Meaning
Tell Others What Was
Found
Modeling: Questions to HypothesisMy Question… What caused the shadow to get larger
or smaller?
I learned more… •I learned that a shadow is a dark shape made by something blocking light. •I observed that the shadow of an object may change.
I now think… A shadow changes when the object making the shadow is moved closer or further away from light.
My prediction or hypothesis… When an object is closer to the light it creates a larger shadow than when it is further from the light.
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Experiment vs. Activity
An experiment is a fair test. Anything else you do is an activity.
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Design and Conduct an Experiment•Start with a testable
question•Form a hypothesis•List materials and experiment steps•Check that the planned experiment should prove or disprove the hypothesis•Conduct experiment•Carefully record data
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Create Meaning…
• Organize your data.
• Analyze data.
• Make inferences and draw conclusions.
• Check to see if you answered your question.
• Think of related questions.
• Was your hypothesis correct?
• Why or why not?
• How could you change your hypothesis?
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Data Options
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Data Options
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Data Options
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Tell Others What You Found• Select an audience.• Decide on the best way to
communicate.• Include data tables.• Report conclusions.• Tell what you did.• Tell what you found.• Explain why the information is
useful.• Tell how you would change the
experiment the next time.
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009
REPEATas needed
Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary
SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION AND
REASONING
Make Observations
Ask Questions
Learn More
Design and Conduct the Experiment
Create Meaning
Tell Others What Was
Found SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION AND
REASONING
Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary
Scientific Investigation conclusions:
Observation and Inquiry
Questions to Testable Questions to Hypotheses
Research and Experimentation
Meaning and Sharing