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Science For All: Strengths-based approach

• Strengths-based perspective (10 min)• Observations (20 min)• Taking a closer look at resources for

learning learning science– Structure and function of plants (30

min)– Salad Extension Case study (30

min)– Lesson plan development (if time)

• Digistory assignment – Kid’s digistories (20 min)– Big Ideas & Storyboards (30 min)– Peer review (20 min)

Strengths-based approach

• Understanding student learning and achievement in science from the strengths students bring to the classroom (rather than their deficits).– Learning: a process of everyday sense making where students draw upon a

variety of resources from the classroom, the home and the community in order to new construct ideas.

– Achievement/success: Can be seen by what students.. • know and can do with science (knowledge and skills),

• what they think science is and their role in science (do they see themselves as scientific and as someone who can use science independently to solve problems),

• when and how students participate in science (do they ask questions outside of class, seek out independent work).

– Reflection questions (to keep in mind during class today):• Why is a strength-based approach important?

• Why is it important to think about children’s success in science as involving: learning new ideas, learning how to use those ideas and believing that they are scientific?

• What are some of the strengths that you bring to learning and teaching science?

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Any interesting stories of science in your lives this past week?

Here is mine! What the heck is this thing next to the soccer ball in my backyard? It seemed to show up over night!

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• What is a mushroom?Mushrooms are one member of the phylum Basidiomycota, a group of fungi named because their spores are produced on a structure called a basidium. They are saprophytic, which means that they obtain their food from digesting dead or decaying matter. They normally have no chlorophyll and don't carry on photosynthesis; thus they are usually a color other than green. The object we usually call a mushroom is only a small part of the total organism. The mycelium or main body consists of thread like hyphae which is spread out through the soil. The mushroom is a fruiting body that carries sexual spores and grows up from the mycelium.

Calvatia gigantea• The giant puffball, Calvatia gigantea, is

easily recognized by its size and shape. Typical specimens are about the size of a soccer ball.

• Like all puffballs with white interiors, Calvatia gigantea is edible before the flesh begins to darken and turn into spore dust. In fact the giant puffball can be found in farmers' markets across the Midwest in late summer.

• It is frequently sliced into "steaks" that are then battered and fried in butter. The fact that puffballs are tasteless, and that the resulting morsel tastes more like batter and butter than anything else, does not seem to deter.

Scientific classification

Kingdom:Fungi

Division:Basidiomycota

Class:Agaricomycetes

Order:Lycoperdales

Family:Lycoperdaceae

Genus:Calvatia

Species:C. gigantea

Making Observations

Using the

five senses

QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONS

Making Observations

Using tools

Quantitative Observations

Making Observations

•We use our s_______________ to observe objects and events and look for p_________ in those observations.•We c____________ to form new concepts by searching for similarities & differences.•Orally and in writing, we c_________________ what we know and are able to do.•To quantify descriptions of objects and events, we m_______________.•We i_____________ explanations and willingly change our inferences as more information becomes available.•We p____________ possible outcomes before they are actually observed.

Making Observations

5 sense chart

SIGHT

Hearing

Taste

Touch

Smell

Your observations….

Qualitative Quantitative

Science for all: learning to recognize & draw from your

students’ experiences

The case of Mr. M and learning about parts of plants– Part 1: Examine original lesson

plan– Part 2: Examine how Mr M

adapted lesson plan– Part 3: Videos and discussion

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Parts of Plants

Lets say you were going to teach a lesson on the parts of plants in the 5th grade…..

And you knew you had to cover the following GLCEs

And the following lesson is what you found in some materials provided at your school:

• K-7 Standard L.EV: Develop an understanding that plants and animals have observable parts and characteristics that help them survive and flourish in their environments.

• L.EV.05.12 Describe the physical characteristics (traits) of organisms that help them survive in their environment.

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Lesson on plant parts

Part A. What are the main parts of plants? 1.Discuss plant parts2.Identify plant parts in plants, pictures & specimens3.Draw a picture and label parts

Part B. What parts of plants do we eat?Discuss parts of plants we eatDivide class into groups to research parts of plants & present to classMake a survey to take to a supermarket & home to learn more about parts of plants we eat.

Adapting the lesson…• Reviewing the lesson plan

– In your own words, what is this lesson about? What are main parts of the lesson and what are they supposed to teach?

– How well does the lesson plan meet the GLCEs? – How does the lesson connect to your students experiences and

knowledge (think of your placement students)? – How interesting is the lesson?

• Modifying the lesson plan– How would you modify the lesson to better cover the GLCEs?– How would you modify the lesson to better connect to your students?– What resources might you draw upon to teach a lesson on this topic

(local community resources, cultural resources, other)?– How does being in an urban, suburban, or rural school shape the

resources you can draw upon to support student learning?

• Reporting out16

What did Mr. M. do?The Salad Investigation

What did Mr. M. do?In Class Lesson: Making a Salad

Objectives

In this lesson students learn about the structure and function of roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruit and seeds. They are asked to think about plants as botanists do.

Overview

• Collect & Discuss Salad Stories

• Reviewing Plant Parts

• Plant drawings

• Observing Salad Ingredients

• Making a classroom salad

What else did Mr. M. do?Lesson Extension: Salad Stories

Directions:

Interview someone in your family who cooks. Ask them to describe a salad that your family makes. While interviewing them, write down answers to the interview questions on the second page.

Next, write down the recipe of the salad in the space provided on the second page. Make sure to include each ingredient, how that ingredient needs to be prepared, and how much you need to use (please include measuring units). An example would be: “Step 3: Add one cup of chopped carrot to the salad.” Also note if any ingredient is optional or can be substituted for something else.

After you have written the recipe, circle all the ingredients that come from plants. Then figure out what part of the plant that each ingredient came from. Did it come from the root, stem, leaves, flower, fruit, or seed of a plant? In the table on the third page write each salad ingredient under the part of the plant it came from.

Finally, on the fourth page you can choose to draw a picture of your salad, paste a photograph that you have taken of your salad, or cut out and paste examples of the ingredients that your salad uses from supermarket flyers.

How would you summarize this scenario? • What resources did the Salad Extension lesson draw upon? • What knowledge and skills did the lesson cover?

Learning Gains

• How did Salad Stories support the students in meeting the learning goals (to understand the structure and function of plants and to think like a botanist)?

– Connecting to the content– Developing understandings of the content– Feeling comfortable and confident in science

• What other ideas do you have for how the original lesson might be adapted to draw upon students’ resources for learning?

Teacher’s role• What does the teachers need to know about their students and the science to perform their roles in these

episodes? • What could the teacher have done differently to support even stronger connections between science learning

and the students’ culture and background?

Create a 1 page ppt with your response to these questions. Use evidence from the video and written case to support your claims.

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Summing up:Adapting Science Curricula

No curriculum is perfect

To better address science

To better connect to students

• Learning goals• Authentic inquiry and

theory building• Logical sequencing of

ideas - “story line”

• Students science conceptions• Personal backgrounds and

interests• Cultural knowledge and

experience• Special needs

Linking with student resources!

How did Mr. M. adapt the lesson?

• To better address

science?

• Learning goals• Authentic inquiry and theory

building• Logical sequencing of ideas -

“story line”

Linking with student resources!

How did Mr. M. adapt the lesson?

• To better connect to

students

• Students science conceptions• Personal backgrounds and

interests• Cultural knowledge and

experience• Special needs

Linking with student resources!

Adapting Science CurriculaNo curriculum is perfect

To better address science

To better connect to students

• Learning goals• Authentic inquiry and

theory building• Logical sequencing of

ideas - “story line”

• Students science conceptions• Personal backgrounds and

interests• Cultural knowledge & experience:

“Funds of knowledge” (NSTA book)• Special needs

Linking with student resources!

Science & Me Digistory assignment

• Part 1: Questions about assignment?

• Part 2: Looking at kid’s digital stories (spend about 10-15 minutes on each set)– Read introductions to DS set 1

– Watch videos

– Discuss reflection questions

– Do the same thing for DS set 2

• Part 3: Work in teams on your “big ideas” & storyboard (25 minutes)

• Part 4: Getting feedback from your peers (20 minutes: 10 min per group)

Science & Me Digistory assignment

• Part 3: Work in teams on your “big ideas” & storyboard (25 minutes)– Read big ideas wiki page

– Brainstorm a set of possible big ideas & select one for developing

– Read storyboarding wiki page & develop your big idea into a story (using handout on wiki)

• Part 4: Getting feedback from your peers (10 minutes per group)– Present your story to another team (about same grade level or content)

– Have group provide feedback using handout

– Repeat process for the other group

– Revise stories

Next week

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Pulling it together: Learning goals, resources and building lessons

• Grade level teams (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

• Pick a Content Area: Related to Gardens (Plants, soil, cycling of matter in nature, etc.)

• Look for GLCEs that support what you want to teach

• What is a lesson you might do? (learning goals, GLCEs, 1 slide)

• How would you utilize the children’s garden or a similar community resource? (1 slide)

• What student experiences would you draw from in support of your learning goals? (one slide)

• Share ppt with class