Sustainability through Science:Analysing the teaching and learning of sustainability through science, maths and literacy and links to PrimaryConnections and the VIC ResourceSmart Schools Framework

Sustainability through Science

Facilitators

Ms Sophia McLean

Professional Learning Manager

Ms Louise Rostron

Professional Learning Consultant

PrimaryConnections

Australian Academy of Science

Workshop purpose

1. To understand the teaching and learning of “sustainability” through science linked with literacy and mathematics

2. To explore ways that PrimaryConnections:linking science with literacy, based on the PC 5Es model, enables teachers to assist students to learn about the fundamental concepts of sustainability

3. To link the teaching and learning of sustainability with the ResourceSmart Schools Framework and other Victorian organisations

 

Workshop outline

INTRO: Purpose, outline, outcomes(20 mins)

ENGAGE: Exploration analogy(40 mins) What is a sustainability? Shared meanings.

EXPLORE: What are the problems or issues with “sustainability” education?(30 mins )

EXPLAIN: Sustainability and ….(135 mins) AusVELS

PrimaryConnections 5Es model and curriculum unitsVIC ResourceSmart Schools Framework

ELABORATE: Design potential “sustainability activities” aligned to PC units and (60 mins) VIC ResourceSmart Schools Framework

EVALUATE: Summarise, reflect, and evaluate(30 mins) How has my thinking changed?

Outcomes

On completion of this module participants will understand: • the shared meaning of the cross-curriculum priority of sustainability in AusVELS

• the shared problems or issues of incorporating sustainability into primary classroom learning

• ways to integrate sustainability education into science, maths and literacy • connections between the program PrimaryConnections: linking science with literacy, and sustainability learning opportunities

• ways that the PrimaryConnections program builds teacher confidence and competence in teaching science and literacy, including sustainability

• the support provided by the VIC Resource Smart Schools Framework for sustainability education linked with curriculum

Group Exploration ChartWhat did we do? What did we learn?

Consensograms• How important is the teaching and learning

of “sustainability” in the primary school?

• How well is “sustainability” taught and learnt now?

• How confident do you feel about incorporating “sustainability” into the curriculum?

ENGAGE

Affinity diagram

Describe “things” that you have personally been involved in that you would classify under the broad description of “sustainability” education.

Contribute to the affinity diagram.

Venn Diagram

Focus questions:

• What does this segment tell us about the meaning of “sustainability”?

• How does the concept of “sustainability” link to science and mathematics?

Make notes on your Venn diagram, page 4

P3T Process (Paper, prose, passing)

• Write a statement summarising your meaning of the concept of “sustainability” (page 7) and the ways it links to science and mathematics

• Pass your statements around the group, read others and underline key words

• Collate the common themes from the statements and record them (page 7)

Group Exploration Chart

Contribute to your group’s exploration chart for the ENGAGE phase.

What did we do? What did we learn?

EXPLORE

Fishbone diagram

Prepare a fishbone diagram (page 9) in

answer to the question:

What problems or issues have you experienced in translating the concept of “sustainability” into

productive and useful learning experiences?

Vote on the root cause. Contribute to the whole group.

Group Exploration Chart

Contribute to your group’s exploration chart for the EXPLORE phase.

What did we do? What did we learn?

EXPLAIN

Similarities and differences

Read the statements from AusVELS about the cross-curriculum priority of sustainability, highlight key words and terms and compare with your statements and common themes from the Engage phase of the workshop.

Make notes in the chart “Similarities and Differences” (page 12).

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Australian Curriculum:ScienceAusVELS

Three interrelated strands:Science Understanding (SU)Science Inquiry Skills (SIS)Science as a Human Endeavour (SHE)

• Presented as “content” with “elaborations” for each year level

• An achievement standard for each year is also presented

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Australian Curriculum:ScienceAusVELS

Science Understanding Strand divided into

four sub-strands:

Biological Sciences

Chemical Sciences

Physical Sciences

Earth and Space Sciences

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Science as a Human Endeavour Strand divided into

two sub-strands

Nature and development of science

Use and influence of science

Australian Curriculum:ScienceAusVELS

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Australian Curriculum:ScienceAusVELS

Science Inquiry Skills Strand includes:

Identifying and posing questions

Planning, conducting and reflecting on investigations

Processing, analysing and interpreting evidence

Communicating findings

Evaluating claims

Investigating ideas

Solving problems

Drawing valid conclusions

Developing evidence-based arguments

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Australian Curriculum:ScienceAusVELS

General CapabilitiesLiteracyNumeracyInformation and communication (ICT) capabilityCritical and creative thinkingEthical understandingPersonal and social capability (self management, teamwork) Intercultural understanding.

Cross-curriculum prioritiesAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culturesAsia and Australia’s engagement with AsiaSustainability

Professional learning program linking science with literacy

Supported byquality curriculum

resources

What is PrimaryConnections? – a complete approach to teaching and learning science

Based on research

Funded by the Australian Government 2005 – 2013 $11.2 million

Stage 6 has begun in 2014

Purpose of PrimaryConnections

To improve learning outcomes for primary students in science and literacy

by developing a professional learning program supported with quality curriculum resources

that will improve teachers’ confidence and competence for teaching science through developing their science pedagogical content knowledge.

Purpose:Increase the quality and quantity of science teaching and learningin primary schools

Vision: • Engaged students• Confident and competent teachers of science

PrimaryConnections

What PrimaryConnections isn’t!!

• It is not just “a resource”!

• It is not just “a set of books”!

• It is not “a commercial product resulting from the Australian Curriculum:Science”!

• It is not mandatory!

It is…………..

…….all about giving primary teachers and students a

research-based program that builds

• science conceptual understanding• science inquiry skills• an appreciation that science is a human endeavour• literacy skills especially the “literacies of science”

……..using a highly effective approach:

the PrimaryConnections 5Es teaching and learning model!

It is all about helping and providing benefit to teachers and students to develop improved “scientific literacy”!!

Curriculum Units Stage Year Biological sciences Chemical sciences Earth and space

sciencesPhysical sciences

Curriculum focus: awareness of self and the local world

ES1 FStaying alive What’s it made of? Weather in my world On the move

1 1Schoolyard safari Spot the difference Up, down and all

aroundLook! Listen!

(replaces Sounds sensational)

2Watch it grow All mixed up Water works Push pull

Curriculum focus: recognising questions that can be investigated scientifically and investigating them

2 3Feathers, fur or leaves Melting moments Night and day

(replaces Spinning in space)Heating up

4 Plants in Action Material worldBeneath our feet Smooth moves

Friends or foes Package it better3 5

Desert survivors What’s the matter? Earth’s place in space Light shows(replaces Light fantastic)

6Marvellous

micro-organisms Change detectives Earthquake explorersIt’s electrifying

Essential energy

Phase Focus Assessment focus

ENGAGE Engage students and elicit prior knowledge Diagnostic assessment

EXPLORE Provide hands-on experience of the phenomenon Formative assessment

EXPLAIN Develop scientific explanations for observations and represent developing conceptual understandingConsider current scientific explanations

Formative assessment

ELABORATE Extend understanding to a new context or make connections to additional concepts through a student-planned investigation

Summative assessment of the Science Inquiry Skills (SIS)

EVALUATE Students re-represent their understanding and reflect on their learning journey and teachers collect evidence about the achievement of outcomes

Summative assessment of the Science Understanding (SU)

PrimaryConnections 5Es teaching/learning model

Analyse a curriculum unit in detail

Form groups of 5-6 to analyse ONE curriculum unit in detail

1. Identify and summarise the “sustainability” paragraph at the front of the unit (page 14)

2. For one phase of the unit only, identify and summarise the following in the charts on pages:

• Science activities• Mathematics activities • Literacy focuses and practices• Sustainability activities• Sustainability opportunities

3. Report back to the group your summary in the order of the 5Es. Each person summarises the entire unit on their chart (pages 18-19)

Analyse the ResourceSmart Schools Framework in detail

Join one of the six groups available to analyse ONE aspect of the ResourceSmart Schools Framework in detail:

• Why participate?• Curriculum• Completing modules• Certification process• Who is involved?• History

Each group will appoint reporters on their aspect. The group will:

• analyse the information available on the website (15 mins)• prepare a visual representation based on their analysis (15 mins)• report to the whole group (2 mins each)

Each person summarises the information on their chart (pages 20-21).

Group Exploration Chart

Contribute to your group’s exploration chart for the EXPLAIN phase.

What did we do? What did we learn?

ELABORATE

Design a “sustainability activity”

Jigsaw group divides into two sub-groups.

Using the curriculum unit you have been studying, each sub-group:

• re-visits the sustainability statement from their unit

• identifies a sustainability opportunity from their analysis

• designs and summarises an appropriate “sustainability activity” on the planner (page 22)

• refers to the ResourceSmart Schools Framework and identifies the link to an appropriate module or project

• identifies other VIC organisations that could support the sustainability activity

Group Exploration Chart

Contribute to your group’s exploration chart for the ELABORATE phase.

What did we do? What did we learn?

EVALUATE

Beliefs continuum

Collaborative learning strategy: Beliefs continuum

_________________________________________________ Agree Disagree

DOs and DON’Ts

DO• Teach 4 units each year (1 from each colour)• Teach the lessons in the sequence as written• Modify the unit based on the literacy outcomes• Base decision making on the “Disaster Scale”• Check website for updates

DON’T• Cherry pick from units• Try to cover multiple conceptual areas at once• Avoid the Chemical and Physical sciences• Leave out the literacy processes

Dialogue for meaning

How has my thinking changed?

Rules of DialogueSuspend judgement

Ask questions

Clarify answers

Hold opinions ‘gently’

Group Exploration Chart

Contribute to your group’s exploration chart for the EVALUATE phase.

What did we do? What did we learn?

PrimaryConnections website

www.primaryconnections.org.au