EDU4MTM METHODS OF TEACHING (MIDDLE YEARS)

1. EDU4MTM METHODS OF TEACHING (MIDDLE YEARS) Science

2. 1st Your science background Positives and negatives What is science?

3. Today • Lecture • Tutorial/Workshop – hands on science activities

4. In this subject, the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) and National Curriculum that relate to the Middle Years of Schooling (Years 5-9) are addressed. Students focus on the structure, content and strategies for learning and teaching young people who are at a stage of schooling where they build breadth and depth. Students develop an understanding of the content and approaches in teaching each of the disciplines: Arts, English, Humanities, Mathematics and Science.

5. The VELS strands of Physical, Personal and Social Learning and Interdisciplinary Learning are taught within the disciplines in an integrated manner providing a context to allow students to explore pedagogical and supportive strategies to enhance both students' learning and well-being during this stage of schooling. Cross curriculum capabilities of literacy, numeracy and ICT are also addressed.

6. Victorian Curriculum http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/overview/index.html VELS sample units Out of this World - Level 4 http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/support/units/outofthisworld/outofthisworldrevised.pdf  The Ins and Outs of Waste - Level 6 http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/support/units/waste/theinsandoutsofwaste.pdf  Earth Report - Level 3 http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/support/units/earth/

7. Primary Connections http://www.science.org.au/primaryconnections/ Primary Connections - units aligned with the Australian Curriculum http://www.science.org.au/primaryconnections/curriculum-resources/

8. Before you get weighed down by curriculum documentsWhy and how do you teach science?Why? Science as a human endeavorsociety misconceptionsHow?constructively

9. But ……1stand foremost make it fun – for you and the students • If its fun they want to learn • So use strategies that make it fun • Make it relevant • Make it interesting • Make it active • Be prepared to make a mess • Make it relevant to syllabus and assessment

10. Research suggests that Science should be taught throughhands on activities • Cooperative learning • Object-mediated learning • Embodied science

11. Teach science with enthusiasm and teach it constructively Be aware of the ‘alternative conceptions’ in society

12. Why the change in emphasis? Alternative conceptions • Many students at the end of secondary schooling still hold ideas or conceptions that are not in accord with how scientists understand our world • These scientifically incorrect interpretations are usually called ‘Alternative Conceptions’

13. Constructivist views on how students learn science • Characteristics of alternative conceptions resulted in a constructivist view of learning science • Learning in science can be considered from a personal and social perspective

14. Constructivist views on how students learn science • Personal constructivism • Students construct rather than absorb new ideas • Actively generate meaning from experiences • Change takes place in learner’s head • Students construct their ideas and knowledge from everyday experiences

15. Constructivist views on how students learn science • Social constructivism • Social and cultural settings impact learning • Learning of concepts and ideas is constructed through interactions with others • Participating in a learning community (science classroom) is vital • Learning is a dynamic process

16. Discursive practices in science • Ways in which students engage and participate in the: • knowledge • conventions • practices of the science community

17. Constructivist teaching models or schemata • The 5E model (engage, explore, explain elaborate, evaluate) • Model is based on a number of earlier instructional models • Comprises exploration, concept development and expansion • Recently used by the Australian Academy of Science’s Primary Connections http://www.science.org.au/primaryconnections/

18. Constructivist teaching models or schemata • Interactive Teaching approach • Model focuses on students questions • Especially designed with primary teachers in mind • Consistent with a social constructivist perspective

19. Where does middle years science fit in. • Background is important what happened before year 5. • What do they need to know for year 10. • Is there a divide between years 5 and 6 constructivism to year 7 traditional teaching methods. • How do you bridge that divide?

20. You should be hooking kids on Science in the Middle Years

21. Example volcano or mento’s coke reaction • Can you explain what is happening is it a reaction or a model??? • How can you expand on the ideas. • Science is not magic. • Science is about repeatability and explanation not just tricks.

22. Science teaching starts with engagement • Science day primary school student -‘we did no work we had fun’ • Year 7 student – ‘it is about blowing things up’

23. What was fun about science when you went to school?

24. Science examples • DNA prac • Magnets and separation • Flower 2 colours • Genetics websites • Ant farm • Mythbusters • Fake blood – forensics • Slime • Molecular models and biology cell models

25. CSIRO and double helix • Lots of science shows • YouTube (watch it first) • Toy frogs for natural selection • Dinosaur dig • Ecology and puppets • Bird in a cage • Fish or yabby in a bowl (ethics) • Kitchen chemistry science experiments http://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/experiments/Kitchen%20Chemistry/chemistry.html

26. Integrated studies – think outside the box • George’s marvelous medicine and sherbet • Fossils and art Faux fossils • Clay fossils • Build a bridge with straws • Egg drop • Environmental science • Excursions/field trips • Solar kits

27. Don’t be tricked by DVD’s • Students have short attention spans • They don’t take notes • They reach for the popcorn • Beware liposuction for digestion video

28. RISKASSESS for Australian High Schools http://www.riskassess.com.au/ http://www.riskassess.com.au/assets/RiskAssessmentMadeEasy.pdf

29. Australian Curriculum http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/curriculum.html Australian Curriculum Science

30. Australian Curriculum Science Middle Years Years 3-6: typically students 8 to 12 years of age. 5.2.2 Years 3–6 (typically from 8 to 12 years of age) Curriculum focus: recognising questions that can be investigated scientifically and investigating them During these years students will have the opportunity to develop ideas about science that relate to their life and living. A broad range of science concepts will be explored. Within these, the unifying ideas of patterns, systems, cause and effect, and evidence and explanation will be developed.

31. Australian Curriculum Science • In the early years of primary school, students will tend to use a trial-and-error approach to their science investigations. As they progress through these years, the expectation is that they will begin to work in a more systematic way. The notion of a ‘fair test’ and the idea of variables will be developed, as well as other forms of science inquiry. Understanding the importance of measurement will also be fostered.

32. Science understanding • properties and uses of materials • forces and motion • forms, use and transfer of energy • structures and functions of living things • life cycles of organisms • living things and the environment • changes on earth and in space • relationship between earth, moon and sun • earth’s resources and their uses.

33. Science inquiry skills • identify questions and predictions for testing • plan and conduct simple investigations • observe, describe and measure • collect, record and present data as tables, diagrams or descriptions • analyse data, describe and explain relationships • discuss and compare results with predictions • draw conclusions and communicate ideas and understandings.

34. Science as a human endeavour • consider how science is used in work and leisure • become aware of science-related careers • recognise the effect of science and technology on our environment • be aware of the historical nature of science ideas.

35. Mythbusters and year 7 students http://school.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/myth-busters/

36. School Environment Education Directory North East Victoria • http://www.seed.vic.gov.au/

37. Aquatic Environment Education Centre http://www.alburycity.nsw.gov.au/www/html/522-aquatic-environment-education-centre.asp

38. SEAR – Science Education Assessment Resources Can search a large database for science resources All tasks and assessment are linked to scientific literacy levels General information about assessment in science http://cms.curriculum.edu.au/sear/newcms/view_page.asp?page_id=3526

39. LINKS Quantum Victoria http://www.quantumvictoria.vic.edu.au/ Ecoportal http://ecoportal.net.au/ Scale of the Universe http://htwins.net/scale2/ CSIRO - about insects http://www.ento.csiro.au/about_insects/index.php Stellarium http://www.stellarium.org/

40. Primary Connections http://www.science.org.au/primaryconnections/ Primary Connections - units aligned with the Australian Curriculum http://www.science.org.au/primaryconnections/curriculum-resources/ Geological Time scale http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/geotime/index.html NSW Curriculum http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/

41. Museum website http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/discoverycentre/600-million-years/education-resources/?subject=600+Million+Years&searchtype=info&topic=Education+Resources&rs=15 Fizzics Education http://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/index.html

42. Teachers’ ideas about materials • For more information on the particulate nature of matter, explore the websites below http://www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/atoms/states.html http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/science/changing_matter/index.htm

43. Aussie educator http://www.aussieeducator.org.au/resources/teaching/scienceresources.html OZ fossils • http://www.abc.net.au/science/ozfossil/

44. The National Academies Press • http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4962#content General information about assessment in science • http://cms.curriculum.edu.au/sear/newcms/view_page.asp?page_id=3526

45. Other http://vimeo.com/17367218 http://www.csh.umn.edu/wsh/UnderstandingComplexSystems/index.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH-groCeKbE – starlings at Otmoor Old Bernies Pond http://www.helensburg-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/TALE/Old%20Bernie's%20Pond/ http://www.aaee.org.au/ http://www.vaee.vic.edu.au