Adolescence and Middle School Science

DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS

• Positive social interaction with adults and peers

• Structure and clear limits

• Physical activity

• Creative expression

• Competence and achievement

• Meaningful participation in families, school and communities

• Opportunities for self-definition

Common Knowledge

• “Storm & Stress

• “Upheaval & Trauma”• Only thing normal is “abnormality”

Period of Adolescence

• Vulnerable• Serious Need of help

Adolescence & Puberty

• Negotiate meaning of biological changes

• Awareness of opposite sex

• Sexual experience• Decisions about

contraceptives

Maturation

• Disadvantage for Late maturing boys---self-esteem, popularity & “macho” behavior

• Early maturing girls--small network and poorer emotional habits

Identity: Who Am I?

• Urban middle school kids who drop out say:

• “They don’t tell you anything about yourself.”

• “They don’t tell you about other kids”

Maladaptive Decisions

• 2/3 of the (19 million) have tried alcohol• 1/3 tried illicit drugs• % with AIDS has increased• Recent study of 8th graders

– 26.2% used alcohol– 15% engaged in binge drinking– 11.3% used marijuana– 5.8% used inhalants– 1.3% used cocaine

Teen Health

• Not about disease, but preventable social, environmental & behavioral factors…such as

• Accidents• Homicide• Suicide• Early pregnancy

Teen Sexual Behavior

• “Reproductive maturation most distinctive feature of transescence”

• Traditionally… suppress, ignore or weakly influence sexual behavior of teens

• 560,000 teen births/yr

Peer Groups & Gangs

• Passionate herding instinct?

• Little evidence that peer pressures overpower values of parents

• Try out various identities

Friends

• Someone loyal and “doesn’t talk about you behind your back”

• Enjoy activities with friends more than any other activity

• Few or no friends: aggressive, drop out, criminal behavior

Everyday in America

• Three died from abuse• Six committed suicide• 16 killed with guns• 316 arrested for

violent crimes• 406 arrested for drugs• 466 babies born with

little prenatal care

Everyday in America

• 1,420 babies born to teenagers

• 2,556 babies born into poverty

• 3,533 to unwed mothers

• 3,356 dropped out

• 5,702 arrested

• 13,076 suspended

• 100,000 remain homeless

Number of births to teens ages 15-19 per 1,000 females in this age group

Which Means

• We need a middle school with special curricula

• Close the gaps between early adolescents & their well being

Middle (Junior High) Schools

• Berkeley & Columbus (Ohio) created 7-8-9 schools in 1907

• Functions of JHS– Integration

– Exploration

– Guidance

– Differentiation

– Socialization

Effective School for Early Adolescents

• Vision was not being met

• Lack of qualified teachers

• Curriculum did not match “needs of early adolescents

Ideal “middle” School (1965)

• Focus on needs of early adolescents

• Individualized instruction

• Stress on intellectual components

• Emphasis on inquiry, discovery, learning how to learn

• Exploratory experiences

• Health and PE

Middle vs Junior Highs

• Research revealed they were more alike than different

• Few data to support advocates or critics

• Yet, middle schools flourished from the mid-seventies on

Middle School Science

• Starting in the late 60s• Reformers: Scientists• Content

– Structure of discipline

– A Way of knowing

• Science Activities as motivation (Bruner)

• Goals directly linked to science discipline

• EXAMPLES– Introductory Physical

Science (IPS)

– Earth Science Curriculum Project (

– Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS)

Middle School Science: Real Curriculum

• General Science replaced with ES, LS, & PS

• Grade 6--PS• Grade 7--LS• Grade 8--ES

Real Science

“Should Be” Curriculum

• Structured more in terms of student interests

• Social concerns• Human agenda• Human ecology

But, the MS Science Curriculum

• Based on academic preparation

• Ignores use of science in everyday life, societal decision making, career choice

• “Turns off” 2/3 of our students

• Teachers uncertain how to change curriculum

Science for the People

• Select those concepts and principles of science relevant to students’ daily life and adaptive needs

• Not to prepare scientists

• Science must be put into service for individuals and society

A New Vision for MS Science

• Connects students with today’s world

• Development of life skills

• Increasing the quality of life

What good is all this to me?

From the Traditional to the “Lived”

• TRADITIONAL

• Textbooks• Principles• Generalizations• Theories• Methods • Specific science areas

• LIVED CURRICULUM

• Foster links between the lives of early adolescents and their quality of life

• Personally oriented• Interdisciplinary• Makes sense of science,

re: everyday life

Life Science Curriculum Topics

• Getting to know ourselves: What kind of a creature are we?

• People have a long history on Earth

• Human life cycle• How we learn about people

& the world• Learning & remembering• Language &

Communication

• Knowing & deciding• Nutrition• Health, Hygiene &

Safety• Human beings as

social animals

Core Themes for MS Science

• Health and Wellness• Stablilizing the Global

Environment• New Energy

Resources• Quality of Life• Quality of Work

New Curriculum focus upon utilization of science/technology knowledge as it enhances adaptive needs of students

Some Examples

• Green Classroom• Project Ozone• Project Water Watch

Adolescents and Science Learning: A Subject Sampler