Science and Literacy Links: Primary Connections

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Science and Literacy LinksPrimary Connections

• 20 August 2007

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Objectives -

• To enable discussion about issues and challenges
  in science education, and
• To enhance teachers understanding of the 5
  principles of learning underpinning Primary
  Connections
• 5 Es pedagogy
• Investigation/inquiry
• Literacy and science links
• Cooperative Learning
• Authentic assessment

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The National Scene

• National Report
• The Status and Quality of Teaching and Learning
  of Science in Australian Schools (2001)
• Major Recommendations based on premises
• The purpose of science education is to develop
  scientific literacy
• Closing the gap between the actual and ideal
  pictures of school science education
• Teachers are the key to change
• Change takes time and resources

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National Initiatives

• ASISTM - Australian School Innovation in Science,
  Mathematics and Technology www.asistm.edu.au
• SEAR Science Education Assessment Resources
  www.curriculum.edu.au/sear
• SiMERR Science, Information Technology and
  Mathematics Education for Regional and Rural
  Australia www.simerr.une.edu.au
• Primary Connections Linking Science with
  Literacy www.science.org.au/primaryconnections
• Science by Doing Secondary Connections in
  development
• National Scientific Literacy Progress Map

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National debate

• Australian Education Review Re-imagining
  Science Education Engaging students in science
  for Australias future Russell Tytler
• School science has not kept pace with changes in
  science and society
• Need to focus on learning capacity rather than
  knowledge acquisition
• Make science curriculum more relevant and
  accessible
• http//www.acer.edu.au/documents/AER51_Reimagining
  SciEdu.pdf

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• Australian Primary Principals Association Draft
  Charter on Primary Schooling
• Science involves children in conjecture,
  problem solving and the discovery of new ideas.
  It offers knowledge and experience of the natural
  world, participation in the identification and
  collection of scientific evidence and an
  introduction to experiment.
• www.appa.asn.au

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Recent developments

• National Statements of Learning Science
• National Summer Schools Science is one of the
  Learning Areas
• Scientists in Schools www.scientistsinschools.edu.
  au
• Perth Declaration

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South Australia

• Strategic Directions in Science and Mathematics
  for South Australian Schools 2003 - 2007
• www.scimas.sa.edu.au
• Curriculum Projects
• Action Learning Projects
• Primary Connections
• Graduate Certificate in Science and Maths
  Education
• Twinning Scientists with Teachers
• Premiers Industry Awards

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DECS Strategic Directions

• Science is a Key Focus Area for 2007
• Tri-Level Strategies and Actions in Science
• Central Office
• District
• Sites
• future SACE

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Rote Learning/ Problem Solving?

• Collective nouns
• Your group has a wrapped parcel with a label on
  every layer.
• Your task is to use your collective thinking
  skills to determine the animal.
• Write your groups guess on the card provided
  with your parcel BEFORE you unwrap the next layer.

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Example

• Herd?
• Clash?
• Stubbornness?

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Answer?

• Rhinoceros
• Links with SACSA?
• 1.5 Investigates the features and needs of living
  things, and demonstrates an understanding of
  their interdependence with each other and the
  physical world.
• 2.5 Explores relationships between living things
  .
• 3.5 Explains the interrelationships between
  systems within living things, and between living
  things in ecological systems.

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Where are we now?

• How important is science in primary school?
• How well would you currently rate the teaching
  and learning of science in your school?
• Work out your answer in 10 intervals and post
  on the consensograms.

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Present Issues?

• Collective brainstorm issues ranking
• What are your top three concerns with teaching
  science in your context?
• Share these with a friend. Are there any common
  issues?
• What are the three most significant issues for
  these sites?

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Primary Connections

• Linking Science with Literacy
• Exemplary Resources
• Professional Learning Program

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Scientific Literacy

• Scientific Literacy is the main purpose for the
  teaching and learning of science. It supports
  students to
• to be interested in and understand the world
  around them
• engage in discourses of and about science, to be
  sceptical and questioning
• identify questions and draw evidence based
  conclusions
• make informed decisions about the environment and
  health and well-being.

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National Scientific Literacy Progress Map

• Three domains
• 6 levels
• Level 1 --- years 2 and 3
• Level 2 --- years 4 and 5
• Level 3 --- years 6 and 7

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5Es an inquiry model

• Engage
• Explore
• Explain
• Elaborate
• Evaluate

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Engage

• Activity or question mental engagement
• Prior knowledge and skills
• Connections between prior knowledge and new ideas
• Whats inside the black bag?

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Explore

• Hands on activities
• Explore the concept or skill
• Make sense of the ideas
• Describe new knowledge
• The name game

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Explain

• Concepts and terms used to describe learning
• Explanation follows experience
• Properties of materials

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Elaborate

• Apply knowledge and skills to new situations
• Greater depth to learning
• Collaborative learning
• What if..

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Evaluate

• Reflect on and review learning
• Evidence of changes to understandings and beliefs
• Linking properties and uses

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• MORNING TEA
• Lucky door prize

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Cooperative Learning

• Roles and responsibilities of group members
• Card Sort

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Literacy Links

• Links with the Multi-literacies Map

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A Visual Representation

• Use one of the large post-it notes provided and
  draw one aspect of your life from the last 24
  hours that has something to do with science.
• Display these drawings on the Visual
  Representation Chart on the wall.
• Group representations

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Linking Science with Literacy

• What could you do with visual representations to
  promote literacy and scientific understanding?

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Investigating Science

• The Challenge.group investigation
• To find out whether the surface on which an
  object rolls influences the distance it travels
• Object small car or cardboard roll
• Surface floor, table top, pavement.
• Measuring devices tape measure, ruler, string
  (2 metres, 1 metre lengths), foot prints

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Investigation Design and Results

• Design an investigation appropriate to your level
  of teaching.
• Present your results in a manner appropriate with
  your year level/s.

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Fair Testing

• What constitutes a fair test?
• What are the things you might keep the same?
• What is the one thing you might wish to change?
• What is actually being tested here?
• Variables chart

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Links with other learning Opportunities

• What links can your and your group identify with
  other learning opportunities?
• Collective brainstorm

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Resources

• Science Equipment Scheme

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Preparation for Day 2

• Write your name on the lists for day 2
• R-3 or 4-7
• Select a Primary Connections Resource you would
  like to explore

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• LUNCH
• Sample Bags

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Assessment and Science

• Based on the 5 Es
• Engage
• Explore
• Explain
• Elaborate
• Evaluate

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Engage

• An activity to determine your prior knowledge and
  your thinking and working practices
• Your group will undertake either Activity A or
  Activity B
• Prior knowledge, prior skills

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Explore

• What is the disciplinary science needed to
  successfully immerse in the activity and related
  investigations?
• What are the links between the activity and
  SACSA?
• Relating new knowledge with know formats

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Explain

• What are the assessment opportunities?
• What are diagnostic, formative and summative
  assessment?
• Using the assessment planner
• New knowledge using technical language

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D F S

• Diagnostic assessment used to find out prior
  knowledge, current thinking, misperceptions(Asses
  sment for learning)
• Formative assessment used to determine the
  stage of students learning and the next steps
  (Assessment for learning)
• Summative assessment used to determine
  students knowledge, skills and understandings
  (Assessment of learning, sometimes for learning)

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Elaborate

• Using a range of assessment tools
• Eg
• Observation
• Rubrics
• Performance
• Application of tools

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Observation

• The Observation check list can be used to
  determine children's and students skills and ways
  of working. It is not necessarily used to assess
  knowledge.

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Rubrics

• Rubrics can be used for diagnostic, formative or
  summative assessment. The criteria for success
  can be determined in conference with students.
  The descriptors should be written in positive
  terms about what students CAN do rather than what
  they cant do.

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Performance

• A performance is often used as a summative
  assessment but can also be formative. It could be
  a test, role play, demonstration, assignment.
  Knowledge, skills and understandings are all
  assessed. The check list can be used to determine
  a mark scheme.

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Evaluate

• Reporting how could you tell children, students
  and parents about this learning?
• SACSA Links with Primary Connections

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Day 2

• Meet with your group
• Focus on A Primary Connections resource and your
  allocated PC Principle
• Utilise the Cooperative Learning Principle
• Plan and prepare a presentation for your year
  level audience on Sept 11
• Presentation length 15-20 minutes

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Day 2 Presentation

• Any format determined by the group
• All or some of the group can present on behalf of
  the group
• Whole group reflection using one of the Primary
  Connections tools

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Resources

• Primary Connections Resource Books
• Aligned to your presentation