Instructor:

Jeff Goodman
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Office: EDH 112-D
Office Hours:Office Hours: Monday 11-12; Tuesday 10-11; 1-2; 4-5; Thursday 10-11; or by appointment
Office Phone: 262.2176
Home Phone: 828.675.9061
E-mail Address: goodmanjm@appstate.edu
 

Course Description

3 hour course

A survey of scientific principles, concepts and national curricula taught in elementary schools. Emphasis is placed on the development of materials, demonstrations and “hands on” experiments appropriate for integration into the total curriculum. Lecture two hours, laboratory two hours.
 

Course Goals

The student will:

• participate in and develop inquiry-based lessons using the Learn Cycle approach that develop an understanding of broad topics in science (earth, space, life, and physical) [NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 3, indicators 1-3];
• develop science activities that are aligned to the NC Standard Course of Study, use an interdisciplinary approach, and use multiple methods of instruction, including demonstrations, lab activities, role play, and notebooking [NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 7, indicators 1-7];
• develop science activities that use inquiry in teaching science and that focus on science process skills, using commonly available science materials [NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 10];
• make connections between science and social studies, including history and current events [NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 11, indicator 3];
• develop relevant and real-word applications of science that interest a diverse population [NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 15, indicator 1];
• develop a knowledge of controversial issues in science [NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 3, indicator 4];
• understand safety and liability issues related to science teaching in the elementary school [NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 17];
• understand how technology can be used as a tool in the science classroom [ISTE NETS-T Standard II-A];
• and understand how the NCSCOS for K-6 science reflects national science standards and connects to the entire elementary school curriculum.

Text
Koch, Janice. (2005). Science Stories, Third Edition. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
Other readings will be available on-line through the ASU library electronic reserve or will be distributed in class.
 
 

Schedule
 

Date	Topic	NC Science Strands	Curriculum Integration	Relevant NC DPI Standards for Elementary Educators Standards	Reading or Assignment Due
January 14	Introductions and Information Sheets
	Your Science Journal	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	All Curricular Areas	Standard 7, Indicator 2 Standard 12
	Introductory Inquiry Activities (coffee can, Cartesian Diver, Balloons, penny observation): Basic Process Skills	Science as Inquiry Nature of Science		Standard 10
	Five-E Learning Cycle: Five E Learning Cycle: Batteries and Bulbs	Science as Inquiry Nature of Science		Standard 3, Indicator 2
	Five-E Learning Cycle Overview
January 17	Notebooking in the Elementary Classroom		All Curricular Areas	Standard 7, Indicator 2 Standard 12	"Implementing Science Notebooks in the Primary Grades," Nesbit, Hargrove, Harrelson and Maxey, in Science Activities, Winter 2004.
	Science Autobiography				Bring a two or three liter bottle!
	Science as an Everyday Activity	Science as Inquiry Nature of Science		Standard 15, Indicator 1	Koch, Chapter 2, "Locating Your Scientific Self"
	Introduction to Science Around Us Photoessay			Standard 15, Indicator 1
	Science Around Us Walk			Standard 3, Indicator 3
	The North Carolina Standard Course of Study in Science
	Moon Journal assigned		Art, Language Arts	Standard 3, Indicator 3 Standard 12
January 21	No Class: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 24	Tracks Activity
	Five E Learning Cycle Revisited: Sound The Teacher's Role			Standard 3, Indicator 2 Standard 10	Koch, Chapter 3, "The Teacher as Mediator"
	Connecting the Five E's to Science Process Skills			Standard 10
	Literature and Science: Organisms Introduced		Language Arts	Standard 7, Indicator 2
January 28	Science Process Skills	Science as Inquiry   Nature of Science		Standard 10	Koch, Chapter 4, "The Science Circus: Using the Skills of Scientific Study"
	Centers in the Classroom		Math, especially measuring and graphing	Standard 15, Indicator 1
	Process Circus: Teacher Made Process Skills Centers (Introduced)		Math, especially measuring and graphing	Standard 10
January 31					SCIENCE AROUND US PHOTO ESSAY DUE
	Science Process Skills, Continued		Math, especially measuring and graphing	Standard 10
	Measurement		Math	Standard 10
	Plants and Animals in the Classroom			Standard 3, Indicators 1 and 4	Koch, Chapter 7, "Sustained Inquiry: Exploration of Living Things"
	Hissing Cockroach/ Mealworms Exploration	Science as Inquiry		Standard 3, Indicators 1 and 4 Standard 10 Standard 12
	Strategies for Teaching About Evolution	Nature of Science Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Social Studies	Standard 3, Indicator 4 Standard 14
	Literature and Science 1: Organisms		Language Arts, Social Studies	Standard 3, Indicators 1 and 4 Standard 7, Indicator 2	Bring book for Literature and Science 1: Organisms
February 4	Assessment			Standard 7, Indicator 7	Koch, Chapter 14, "What's the Big Idea? Assessing What Students Know and Are Able to Do"
	Assessment			Standard 7, Indicator 7
	Informal Assessment: Interviewing Techniques			Standard 7, Indicator 7
February 7	Process Circus (each pair brings a center)		Math, especially measuring and graphing	Standard 10	PROCESS CIRCUS CENTER DUE
	Designing a Process Skills Assessment for Your Portrait of a Learner		Math, especially measuring and graphing	Standard 7, Indicator 7 Standard 10
	Demonstrations and Discrepant Events	Nature of Science Science as Inquiry		Standard 10 Standard 15
	Discuss Demonstration Day: Choosing a Demo	Nature of Science Science as Inquiry		Standard 15, Indicator 1
February 11	Science, Math and Design Technology: Exploring Force and Motion with Homemade Cars	Nature of Science Science as Inquiry Science and Technology Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Math, especially measuring and graphing	Standard 3, Indicator 2	"Why Demonstrations Matter," in Science and Children, September/ October 2005 electronic reserve Koch, Chapter 12, "Science and Technology: A Seamless Connection"
	Literature and Science : Matter Introduced		Language Arts, Social Studies	Standard 3, Indicator 2 Standard 7, Indicator 2
February 14	Force and Motion Continued: Interpreting and Communicating Our Findings	Nature of Science Science as Inquiry Science and Technology Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Technology, Math	Standard 3, Indicator 2
February 18	Lesson Planning and the Elementary Curriculum		All Subjects	Standard 7, Indicators 1-7	Koch, Chapter 11, "Planning for Science: Lesson Plans and Instructional Strategies"
	Introduction to Science Kits and Materials: FOSS, STC, TRACS, GEMS and AIMS
	Assessing Web-Based Materials, Videos, and Other Software	Science and Technology		ISTE-NETS Standard IIC
	Science Misconceptions: Sinking and Floating	Nature of Science Science as Inquiry	Social Studies	Standard 3, Indicator 2 Standard 10
	Literature and Science : Matter		Language Arts, Social Studies	Standard 3, Indicator 2 Standard 7, Indicator 2	Put on Taskstream websites for Literature and Science 2: Matter
February 21	Social Studies Conference				Assignment in lieu of class to be announced.
February 25	Science Process Skills Exam				PROCESS SKILLS EXAM
	Lesson Planning Continued				Koch, Chapter 8, "Spiraling Curriculum: Explorations of Density"
	Planning for Diverse Learners			Standard 7, Indicator 6 Standard 15, Indicator 1
	Questioning Techniques	Nature of Science Science as Inquiry		Standard 10	Questioning Taxonomy
February 28	Soils Inquiry	Nature of Science Science as Inquiry		Standard 3, Indicator 3 Standard 10	DESIGN TECHNOLOGY PHYSICAL SCIENCE PROJECT REPORT DUE
	Literature And Science 3: Earth Science		Language Arts, Social Studies	Standard 3, Indicator 3
	The Science-Social Studies Connection: Planning a Field Trip	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives Science and Technology	All Subjects (Social Studies especially)	Standard 3, Indicator 3 Standard 11 Standard 15, Indicator 1	Koch, Chapter 5, "Making Connections: Science in Students' Own Environment", especially pages 115-117 on Field Trips
March 3	Field Trip to the Landfill	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives Science and Technology	All Subjects (Social Studies especially)	Standard 3, Indicator 3 Standard 11 Standard 15, Indicator 1
March 6	Matter Inquiry	Nature of Science Science as Inquiry		Standard 3, Indicator 2 Standard 10	Koch, Chapter 6, "Science is Not Neat: Explorations of Matter"
	Practicing Demonstrations			Standard 15, Indicator 1	DEMONSTRATIONS DUE
	The Science-Social Studies Connection: Planning a Field Trip	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives Science and Technology	All Subjects (Social Studies especially)	Standard 3, Indicator 3 Standard 11 Standard 15, Indicator 1	Koch, Chapter 5, "Making Connections: Science in Students' Own Environment", especially pages 115-117 on Field Trips
	Literature and Science 4: Ecology		Language Arts, Social Studies	Standard 3, Indicator 3 Standard 11
	Science Safety: Designing a Safety Checklist for Your Internship Classroom	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives		Standard 17, Indicators 1-5	Science and Safety: It's Elementary MSDS On-line
March 10 and 13	No Class: Spring Break
March 17	Astronomy: the History of the Ideas	Nature of Science Science as Inquiry Science and Technology Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Social Studies		LESSON PLAN DRAFT DUE
					Koch, Chapter 9, "Making Models: Explanations of the Solar System"
	Phases of the Moon: Revisiting your Moon Journal	Nature of Science Science as Inquiry Science in Personal and Social Perspectives		Standard 3, Indicator 3
	Days, Years and Seasons	Nature of Science Science as Inquiry Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Social Studies	Standard 3, Indicator 3
	Scale Model of the Solar System	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Math	Standard 3, Indicator 3
	Literature and Science 4: Astronomy		Language Arts, Social Studies	Standard 3, Indicator 3
March 20	Reflection				Koch, Chapter 15, "Pulling it All Together: Reflection and Self-Assessment"
	Sharing Portrait of a Learner				LANDFILL TREASURE HUNT QUESTIONS DUE
March 24	No Class: Easter Holiday
March 28	Catch-up and portfolio day				LAB SAFETY SURVEY DUE
March 31	Final Exam				FINAL EXAM
April 1-April 31	Full Time Internships: Practice Teaching in the Field
May 1	"Get Everything Ready Day" for Interns				Meetings with Jeff to go over lesson videotapes
May 2	Final Gathering				LESSON PLAN and REFLECTION DUE

Major Projects
[Note: standards listed are those specifically assessed]

Science in Our Lives Photo Essay (5%)
Each prospective teacher will gather and present visuals that represent science in their surroundings and those of their students. These visuals will be required to represent the range of science content areas (Biology, Physical Science and Earth/ Space Science) and will include images from, home, school, and issues in the local and national news.

[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 15, indicator 1]

Design Technology Physical Science Project (10%)
Prospective teachers will design, build and test rolling vehicles. Measurement data (e.g. mass, dimensions, average speed) will be gathered and analyzed both by hand and using a computer spreadsheet. Emphasis will be placed on developing similar experiences for children at a variety of levels.

[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 2, indicators 2 and 4]
[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 3, indicator 2]
[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 9, indicators 4 and 5]
[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 15, indicator 1][ISTE NETS-T Standard IIA]

Process Circus Center (10%)
Each pair of prospective teachers will develop one center dealing with a basic science process skill for the in-class Science Circus.

[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 10

Demonstration (10%)
Each prospective teacher will develop a short demonstration to be presented in an after-school setting. On the assigned Demonstration Day, the class will present demonstrations to groups of children.

[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 3, indicator depending on topic]
[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 15, indicator 1]

Science Process Skills Exam (10%)
There will be one mid-term covering science process skills, with an emphasis on measurement.

[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 10

Inquiry-Based Science Plan and Lesson (20%)
In groups, prospective teachers will develop inquiry-based science lessons in the 5-E format. Special attention will be given to questioning strategies, planning for diverse learners, assessment techniques, and the integration of other curricular areas. These lessons will be presented in the schools during the field experience. Students will be required to videotape themselves teaching and to watch this video and reflect on their teaching; students will meet with their instructor individually to go over these reflections. These reflections will constitute a separate grade (see next item).

[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 3, indicator depending on topic]
[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 7]
[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 10]
[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 15, indicator 1]

Reflection on Teaching Science Lesson (10%)
Each prospective teacher will review the video of the lesson taught in the field and make notes, including the time on the video where specific things occurred. The student will then meet with the professor and go over these lessons; finally, the student will write a reflection on this lesson.
 

Lab Safety Survey (5%)
prospective teachers will research lab safety issues in the elementary school and then develop a lab safety survey to assess safety issues in their internship classroom. This must be completed before the Inquiry Science Lesson is taught in the classroom.

[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 17, Indicators 1-5]

Final Exam (10%)
The final exam will include questions on the science pedagogy and content covered in the course, including questions on life, earth, space and physical science. It will include sample elementary student work and will require pre-service teachers to analyze Students' science journals will be important resources for this exam.

[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 3, indicators 1-3]

Community of Practice/ On-going and In-Class Assignments (10%)

Science Notebook
Each student will keep a science journal modeled on the journals elementary school science students will keep. This journal will include experimental protocols, data, drawing, conclusions and associated writing. In addition, this journal will contain a section in which the student will note issues of safety and effective science pedagogy.

[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 7, Indicator 2]

Field Trip/ Landfill Questions
In conjunction with the Social Studies methods class, students will develop materials to be used in conjunction with a field trip to the landfill and/or water treatment facility. This trip will be done instead of one day's Science class. In conjunction with the Language Arts class, we will work on thank you notes after the trip.

[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 3, Indicator 1 ]
[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 4, Indicator 13]

Literature and Science Activities
In groups, prospective teachers will be assigned elementary age-appropriate current events articles (e.g. from Discover Kids) and children's literature dealing with a series of science topics and will participate in discussions groups throughout the semester. At the end of the semester, the student will submit materials from literature circles in their portfolio.

Organisms Text Discussion
[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 3, Indicators 1 and 4]

Matter Websites
[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 3, Indicator 2]

Wikispace
Last semester, student began an on-line collaborative Wikispace site, covering a range of topics in the elementary science curriculum. This semester, we will have the opportunity to benefit from their work and add to this effort as a part of your final exam.

Moon Journal
Over the course of the semester, students will keep data on the moon. Students will compile this data and submit it in the form of a moon journal before we begin our formal discussion of Astronomy.

[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 2, Indicator 2]
[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 3, Indicator 3]
[NC DPI Elementary Education Program Standard 12]

On-Going Classroom Projects
In addition to individual and group assignments, we will be responsible for several on-going projects as a class, modeled on the sorts of on-going science explorations teachers have in elementary classrooms. Our work will include setting up and maintaining a simple weather station, planting and caring for classroom plants, raising a silkworm culture, maintaining a worm bin, and feeding and caring for classroom pets.

Homework, Participation and Attendance
This class is based on a Community of Practice model. The discussions and interactions that take place in the classroom are an important part of this course. At times you will be asked to read, write, view or do something outside of class; a listserv has been set up to facilitate class communication about logistics and course content. Class participation will also include oral and written feedback on other students' work. Since there are a number of activities that we will do as a class that will be difficult to make up if you are absent, it is important that you make every effort to come to every class. Please tell me if you know in advance that you are going to miss a class so I can fill you in on what you need to do. Missing class without contacting me, or missing class more than once (even if you let me know) will lower your grade up to one letter grade per class missed; being late will count as one third of an absence.