How Science Works and Scientific Enquiry

1. How Science Works and Scientific Enquiry NQT Conference, 5th Oct. 2012 Mr Doug Eve

2. What is Science…? Science is… Complete this sentence using exactly five words. Decide on your tables and be ready to feedback 3 minutes

3. Objectives • To appreciate the place of Science and the teaching of Skills within the whole curriculum • To consider APP as a means of assessing HSW skills and the link between APP and the skills needed for the new Controlled Assessments • To look at some strategies for delivering HSW and Scientific Enquiry successfully.

4. Starter • Using the flip chart paper and marker pens provided, work in groups to come up with as many qualities as you can to describe a good scientist. 3 minutes

5. Do you believe in the Big Bang? • What evidence is there for The Big Bang? • Are there any problems with The Big Bang Theory? • 2nd Law of Thermodynamics does not hold, • Inflation ‘invented’, other fudges. • Mathematical theories only hold down to a short time after Big Bang. • New ideas – Multiverse theory, Membrane theory • Sir Roger Penrose (one of the architects of Big Bang Theory) changing his mind in the last five years…

6. Where are you with HSW? • How Science Works was embedded in the current KS4 specifications when they were introduced in 2006 and it filtered down to the KS3 Programme of Study in Sept 2008 which you are teaching to Yr7, Yr8 and Yr9. • Activity: Have you done these things with your Yr7? Spend three minutes filling in the handout. If you do not teach Yr7 then use another KS3 class. • Share your experiences with the person next to you.

7. Setting the Scene: KS3 SATS Questions SATS disappeared four years ago but the amount of How Science Works skills assessment increased as the years went by. In the 2008 SATS, the students were asked: • How they could improve the Reliability of results • To consider a the development of scientific ideas through an Earth-centred solar system question • To interrogate complicated results tables which included different units in the same table (e.g. g and mg) • To comment on the merits of different best-fit lines and give reasons • To analyse data in related tables and graphs to find a trend and then draw a conclusion. These questions amounted to 25% of the assessment

8. New KS4 CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT

9. HSW in the New Curriculum There are two parts to HSW – Practical and Enquiry Skills Explanations, Arguments and Decisions • Previously teachers focused on enquiry only and wider HSW skills at KS3 were not taught explicitly at all. • You should be getting used to teaching all elements of HSW at KS4 • New framework brings KS3 in line to form smooth progression for HSW skills • APP is one method of assessing progress in HSW skills. • KS2 APP, was launched in January 2010 to complement KS3 APP which was launched in Sept 2008. • National Strategies progression framework with rich questions gives an excellent overview of strategies to develop HSW skills. Now in the National Archives or here.

10. What is APP? • AF1 – Thinking scientifically • Models and analogies • AF2 – Understanding the applications and implications of Science • The impact of Science on society • AF3 – Communicating and collaborating in Science • Dealing with data • AF4 – Using investigative approaches • Planning • AF5 – Working critically with evidence • Concluding and Evaluating Student APP

11. Delivering HSW In class you could use HSW objectives to emphasise to learners (and to you!) that you are covering a skill in this lesson. Many published schemes already do this…

12. Some Investigative HSW activities and materials In groups try the activities around the room to address some of the areas in HSW (refer to your copy of the HSW parts of the Framework). One half to be working exclusively on Water Dowsing Experiment– Planning a scientific method - (11 sets of rods, groups of 2-3) The other half to be working on Chewing Gum Experiment – are Newspapers right?! (5 sets, max 5 per group) And looking at these Resources… • Badger APP books – most schools have bought these (one set of three) • Planning Posters – all schools have these (one set) • AKSIS materials – virtually all schools have bought these (one set) • Strategy Materials – Galaxy CD – provided free to your dept (two laptops) or Study Guides • The National Strategies Framework materials – two PCs • Science Enhancement Project CDs– free to all schools (two laptops) • How Science Works Road Map • Upd8 Materials

13. Mini-plenary Reflect on the HSW activities. Take 3 minutes to write down some notes to remind you of what you have encountered.

14. Some Scientific ideas ideas • Science In The News as Starters – find two pieces of evidence, find one opinion and also summarise the main argument in a Newspaper Article in two sentences. • Thematic lessons across subjects to look at cultural differences, communication with audience and purpose. • Concept Cartoons as a starter to encourage group work and discussion and possible plenaries – groups can summarise viewpoints, etc. Example. • Dark Sucker Theory • Images to spark discussion (e.g. picture of Space Shuttle in orbit above Earth – why does it not fall?). Short video clips, i-player clips to set the context and get students thinking. BBC Broadband Learning Zone very good for Science issues. • Upd8 materials • Blogs and Wikis and VLE Forums to collate class views to see if a consensus can be reached.

15. What are the KS4 CAU skills? • Plan a practical way to answer a scientific question and test hypothesis • Devise appropriate methods • Assess and manage risks • Collect, process, analyse and interpret primary and secondary data • Draw conclusions • Evaluate methods of data collection and the quality of evidence

16. Matching APP to CAU skills • Working in pairs, look through the AQA CAU and map the skills being assessed onto the APP grid at the correct level. • Plan a practical way to answer a scientific question and test a hypothesis • Devise appropriate methods • Assess and manage risks • Collect, process, analyse and interpret primary and secondary data • Draw conclusions • Evaluate methods of data collection and the quality of evidence APP AF4 Level 6 APP AF4 Level 6 APP AF4 Level 6 APP AF4 Level 6 and AF3 Level 6 APP AF5 Level 6 APP AF5 Level 6/7

17. How can we prepare students for the CAUs? • Discussion • Next steps for my class

18. HSW implies … • More emphasis on ‘how we know’, not just on ‘what we know’ Rational grounds for accepting ideas, not blind reliance on authority

19. What teaching HSW is not • Teaching complicated ideas about history, philosophy and sociology of science • Discussing ethical issues in every science lesson

20. What teaching HSW is • Getting a better balance between teaching ‘what we know’ and ‘how we know’ • Showing how science works involves imagination, not just cold logical reasoning • Making clearer links between school science and science as you meet it out of school • Making school science more interesting, more engaging and more useful, for all students, whatever their longer term aims.

21. Plenary • On your tables, discuss the materials and activities that you have just encountered in this session to answer the question:- “What are you going to try out next week in your lessons to address HSW skills?”