Changing Primary Teachers’ Perceptions of Science

By Camille T. StegmanAllie BrolsmaSonja Hicks

Margy Schieberl

The purpose of this presentation is to assist teachers in changing their perceptions of how science is taught in the primary classroom. The ideas discussed here should not only help you develop lessons, but also help you create a collaborative group that will work together towards designing the best lessons possible that reach the performance expectations in the Next Generation Science Standards.

Lessons Shown:

Nature Walk

Sand Models

Taking a Trip and Making a Map

Slow and Fast

Designing Barriers

Water Everywhere

Water and Ice

Other Activities within the Unit that were not shown in this presentation

BrainPop – “Landforms,” “Fast Land Changes,” “Slow Land Changes,” “Solid, Liquid, and Gas”

Books – Mapping Earthforms Series by C. Chambers and N. Lapthorn (for reading to students, age level is upper elementary)

Assessment Probes: Uncovering Student Ideas in Primary Science by P. Keeley. Use Probe #20 – What Makes A Mountain? Will assist in guiding your lessons towards the most successful outcome.

Nature Walk, Sand Models, Taking a Trip and Making a Map

Performance Expectations: Develop a model to represent the shapes and kind of land and bodies of water in an area (Assessment Boundary: Does not include quantitative scaling in model)

Science and Engineering Practices: Developing a model to represent patterns in the natural world

Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns in the natural world can be observed

Disciplinary Core Ideas: Maps show where things are located. One can map the shapes and kinds of land and water in an area

Materials:

Expansive View

Pictures of Expansive View or internet photos of different landforms

Large poster paper

Sand

Bins

Spray bottles with water

Colored pens, pencils, or crayons

Writing paper/Science Notebook

Engagement:

Take the students for a nature walk and raise questions about what landforms are called, how landforms the see might have developed, encourage students to talk and discuss what they see. Point out runoff, cliffs, man-made and natural landforms. Ex: Children, what might be the different between the hill over there and that mountain?(CCC – Patterns) What might have made this area where the sand and dirt are higher on two side and lower in the middle?

In the alternative, if there is no ability to take a nature walk, use the internet to find pictures of multiple types of landforms. Proceed with similar discussion.

Exploration:

Have students list all the landforms they saw on their walk and have pictures ready to show any landforms they may not have seen (ocean, cliff, and riverbed). Chose 8-10 landforms that the students will model in the sand. Leave bays or rivers or anything with lots of water till the last part of the activity, otherwise you have too much water to do any other landform.

Using bins and sand, get the sand damp. It should be moldable. Allow students the opportunity to create landforms that they saw. (SEP- Developing a Model)

Explanation:

Have the students begin to explain or define what makes one landform and what makes another landform. Ex: What did you make? – A cliff. Why is it a cliff? It is steep (sharp, missing) on one side.

Students do not need use the correct words at first for you to see evidence that they are learning. As the student’s progress in their understanding, the teacher may introduce new vocabulary.

Elaboration:

Students will make a map (DCI – Map where things are located) and write a story about a trip they will take through the landforms. This phase helps student apply previous learning and helps them acquire the new language to build on for future lessons.

Allow students to work in groups and have each group choose 3-5 landforms for their map and trip. Allow students to be creative and name their landforms. After students make their map, have them use the map to create a story of a trip they will go on soon. Their stories must include the name of the landforms on the map and they should be describing the landform in their story. Discuss how their map will help others take the same trip. Ex: I walked up Mount Adams, it was tall and pointy. When I went up the mountain I crossed small hills that were round and short. I crossed a river at the bottom of the hill.

Students should share their stories with other groups and use their map to show others where they went on their trip. Observe the retelling and showing of the maps to ensure students have understanding of a maps many uses. (DCI - Maps can show many things)

Evaluate:

Evidence Statements

Slow and Fast MovementsPerformance Expectations: Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events can occur quickly or slowly

Science and Engineering Practices: Make observations from several sources to construct an evidence-based account for natural phenomena.

Crosscutting Concepts: Things may change slowly or rapidly

Disciplinary Core Ideas: Some events happen very quickly; others occur very slowly over a time period much longer than one can observe.

Materials:

Sand

Bins

Water (spray bottle to wet sand)

Water (in cups for “rain”)

Cups with holes (one with lots and one with few, labelled Fast and Slow)

Plungers (used to pump up balloons)

Rulers

Wood spacer (something to support the bin about 2-4 cm.)

Engagement:

Take students out to the playground where there is some erosion – perhaps a rivulet or stream. Alternatively, show pictures of riverbeds that are “cut” deeply.

Ask students if they have ever seen the wind blow so hard that it knocked things over. Ask them to explain what happened. Alternatively, show pictures of damage caused by a windstorm. Ask if that is something that happens quickly or slowly. (CCC- Things change fast and slow)

Ask students what they do in an “earthquake drill.” Ask them to explain why they hide under their desks or in a doorway. Ask them if they know what is happening

Exploration:

Divide students into three groups. Each group will have a different task. One group will work with rain, one with wind, and one with land movements. Students will be switching groups and will have been in all three at the conclusion.

Have students create a land form that is their favorite (Hill, Mountain, Cliff, Riverbed, etc.) using water to carve the sand into the shape they want.

Rain station:

In this station, students will be comparing fast and slow amounts of rain and the effects on a landform. (SEP – Making observations)

Students will place the spacer under their bin on the short side so that the whole bin tilts. Students will place two rulers at the one end of their bin and will place the “slow” cup on top of the rulers. They will slowly add water to the cup so that it drips onto the land. Watch that they do not overfill the cup. Students should repeat the process 3 or 4 times, reshaping after each time. You may need a bucket to empty out excess water. Students will “record” their observations (this can be done as a drawing, writing, or even verbally with older students assisting).

Students will switch to the “fast” cup on top of the rulers. They will slowly add water to the cup so that it drips onto the land. Watch that they do not overfill the cup. Students should repeat the process 3 or 4 times, reshaping after each time. You may need a bucket to empty out excess water. Students will “record” their observations (this can be done as a drawing, writing, or even verbally with older students assisting).

Wind station:

In this station, students will be comparing fast and slow wind movements and the effects on a landform. (SEP – Making observations)

Ask students how they can observe the effect of wind on their landform using a plunger and how they can pretend the wind is going fast and slow. Students should quickly recognize after playing with the plunger – that they can make the air move fast or slow.

Help the students practice with the plungers so that they understand a slow “wind” and a “fast” wind. Plunge quickly against their partners hand for fast wind and slowly for slow wind. Explain that they should try to do it the same way every time they attempt to “blow” on their landform.

Students will create their landform. They should place the plungers about 2cm away from the landform each time they make the “wind blow.” They should blow slowly first several times and students will “record” their observations (this can be done as a drawing, writing, or even verbally with older students assisting). After blowing slowly, students can reshape their landform and blow quickly on their landform, same distance about 2 cm. Students should repeat the process 3 or 4 times, reshaping after each time. Students will “record” their observations (this can be done as a drawing, writing, or even verbally with older students assisting).

Earth Movements station:

In this station, students will be comparing fast and slow movements and the effects on a landform. (SEP – Making observations)

Students will create a landform; hills, mountains, and cliffs work best. Students need to practice slow and fast movements with their arms using empty containers if you have enough.

For the slow movement, have students slowly tip the sand bin from side to side, not moving more than a few centimeters in each direction.

For the fast movements, have students tip the sand bins in each direction quickly – take care to make sure they understand where “too far” is – so that sand does not fall out of the bin.

Using a timer, have students shake their landforms side to side gently for 3 seconds. Have the students reshape their landform and repeat the activity. Students will “record” their observations (this can be done as a drawing, writing, or even verbally with older students assisting). After a few repetitions, have the students reshape and this time allow the “shaking” to occur for 8 seconds. Repeat a few times. Students will “record” their observations (this can be done as a drawing, writing, or even verbally with older students assisting).

Using a timer, have students shake their landforms side to side quickly for 3 seconds. Have the students reshape their landform and repeat the activity. Students will “record” their observations (SEP – Making observations) (this can be done as a drawing, writing, or even verbally with older students assisting). After a few repetitions, have the students reshape and this time allow the “shaking” to occur for 8 seconds. Repeat a few times. Students will “record” their observations (this can be done as a drawing, writing, or even verbally with older students assisting). (SEP – Making observations)

Explanation:

Working in groups have students discuss what all the stations had in common. Students should be able to explain that sometimes things happen to the Earth quickly and sometimes things happen slowly.

Have a collection of internet pictures from erosion both fast and slow ready to display to the student groups. In a group discussion, have students connect what they did in their activity to what they see on the overhead. (DCI – Some events happen quickly, some too slowly to see) For example, if you show a picture of an eroded river bank the students should be able to use their observations about the fast rain water to explain what might have happened. Begin to use the words “claims and evidence” to help students begin to understand that a claim is something they think is correct and the evidence helps provide support to their claim.

Elaboration:

Students can watch Brainpop, Slow movements and fast movements.

Evaluate:

Have students create a poster/drawing of what happens when wind, water, or the Earth move quickly and slowly.

Evidence Statements

Designing BarriersPerformance Expectations: Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind and water from changing the shape of the land (Examples of solutions could include different designs for dikes and windbreaks to hold back wind and water, and different designs for using shrubs, grass and trees to hold back the land)

Science and Engineering Practices: Develop a model to represent patterns in the natural world; Constructing explanations

Crosscutting Concepts: Things may change slowly or rapidly

Disciplinary Core Ideas: More than one solution to a problem; Wind and water may change the shape of the land.

Materials:

Sand

Bins

Water (spray bottle to wet sand)

Water (in cups for “rain”)

Cups with holes (one with lots and one with few, labelled Fast and Slow)

Plungers (used to pump up balloons)

Rulers

Wood spacer (something to support the bin about 2-4 cm.)

Manipulative blocks (to create a house)

Assorted items to build barriers – pipe cleaners, toothpicks, tongue depressors, straws, wire (electrical wire covered in rubber is good), string, rocks, gravel, just about anything that can be used to anchor something is useful.

Engagement:

Refresh student’s prior knowledge about activities done in “Fast and Slow.” As students to describe what might happen if there was a heavy rain or lots of wind or lots of earth moving around and a house was in the way.

Some video of storms might be helpful – be understanding of the fact that they are young students. However, erosion and destruction is a fact of life. The media elements should represent both water and wind erosion.

Exploration:

Have students brainstorm ways that might help stop erosion from occurring. If applicable, a nature walk around the school might show some areas of erosion and students can actively think of ideas that could stop that erosion on school grounds.

This activity is best when done outside. There is a lot of sand and water that is going to be everywhere.

Have students get into groups of about 2-4 students. Give students bins with sand (slightly wet so it can be molded into a landform (cliffs and canyons give the most dramatic results) (CCC - Things may happen quickly or slowly)

Students will need the cups with many holes (fast) and few holes (slow) to represent amounts of rain and a plunger for wind. Students will also need manipulative blocks (legos, Duplo) to build a small house that will sit on the riverbank, cliff, or canyon edge.

Have the students place their house on the edge of the landform and create their storm. The storm is created by pouring water into the cup with holes and plunging air towards the landform. (DCI – Wind and water change the land)

Ask the students to explain what happened with the storm and the house.

Tell the students their task is to design a barrier or protection so that the house does not get moved in a storm (problem/solution). Tell the students that they can have any of the materials they want to make the barrier/protection, but their final product may only use 4 items (constraint).

Explanation:

As students develop and test their ideas, stop the activity and have each group walk around and look at other groups ideas. Have one student stay behind in each group to explain how their design is working. After the visit, have the students spend a few minutes discussion other things they saw in each group with members of their group. Students may pick up a few other ideas and incorporate those into their design.

Allow the designs to continue being altered until success is achieved by multiple groups.

Elaboration:

Bring all groups together to explain each final design.

At the end of the explanations, ask the students what the similarities are between all the models and what are the differences. (SEP- Constructing Explanations, DCI-Comparing multiple solutions)

Ask what seemed to be a required (needed) item or piece for each solution (most likely it will be anchoring or somehow being tied down, other alternatives may involve putting rocks and gravel to stop the sand washing away)

Evaluation:

Have students draw their solution and what two other solutions that worked. Have students focus on an explanation for why each solution worked at keeping back erosion.

Water Everywhere and Water and Ice

Performance Expectations: Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid

Science and Engineering Practices: Obtain information using various texts, text features and other media that will be useful in answering a scientific question; Asking questions

Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns in the natural world can be observed. Things may change slowly or rapidly

Disciplinary Core Ideas: Water is found in the ocean, rivers, lakes, and ponds; Water exists as solid ice and in liquid form; Heating and cooling may cause changes that can be observed

Materials:

Earth Ball

Water

Cups

Ice

Freezer

Paper/Markers/Pencils

For alternate or additional Elaboration:

Milk

Sugar

Flavoring (vanilla, cherry, mint, etc.)

Large freezer bags

Small freezer bags

Rock Salt

Engagement:

Have students break into groups of 7-10 kids.

Ask the students what the green and yellow areas are (Earth), and ask them what the blue areas are (water). Ask what they think the white areas are (clouds, glaciers, snow and ice are most of the answers) Ask the students what these (clouds, glaciers, snow and ice) are made of (water).

Have the students to raise their right hand and extend their pointer fingers. Explain that the Earth will be gently tossed around the room (outside or in a multi-purpose room is even better) from one student to another. When the catcher catches the ball they should examine where their index finger pointed on the ball and tell everyone if it landed on Earth or water.

If it landed on a green or yellow area, they will shout out Earth

If it landed on a blue or white area, they will shout out Water.

Each time the ball is tossed a tic mark should be given to the correct category (depending on ability, you could have a student recorder at each station)

At the end of 10 tosses, add up how many times each group landed on Earth and on water. Ask the question “What patterns do you see from all the times we threw the model of the Earth?” (CCC-Patterns in the natural world can be observed)

The difference should be about 70% water and 30% Earth (no matter what the numbers it should be higher for water than Earth)

Exploration:

Ask the students to think of all the different types of water that are on Earth.

Most will answer: Oceans, lakes, streams/rivers. A few students might know that the atmosphere, glaciers/ice caps, and inland seas.

Using the Earth ball, ask students to describe where the ice/glaciers exist on the planet (poles). Ask if anyone knows why (cold, less sun).

Using maps, pictures, and video – have students look at different types of water sources

Ask students what is the difference between many of the water sources they saw or know about. Some will state liquid (water) vs. solid (ice). Some will state that they are the same just in different spots. (DCI -Water is found in the ocean, rivers, lakes, and ponds)

Explanation:

Give students small cups with water to examine and observe. (SEP - Asking Questions) - Let them touch it and look at it. Have a helper (or aide) write down what words the students use to describe the water. After the simple words like liquid, wet, clear are used, probe further by asking students what other things are like water and what does water do? (DCI – Water is found in solid and liquid form)

Students will place their cups into a freezer (if available), this should happen before a recess or some other activity to give the water a chance to freeze. If containers are small enough it will hour to freeze.(DCI – Heating and cooling) if this is not possible, simply use readymade ice and continue with observations of the ice. Ask students if they know where ice comes from. (DCI – Water is found in solid and liquid form)

Give students a small cup with some ice cubes to examine and observe. (SEP – Asking Questions) Let them touch it and look at it. Have a helper (or aide) write down what words the students use to describe the water. After the simple words like hard, cold, white are used, probe further by asking students what other things are like ice and what can ice do?

Elaboration:

Students will use the words they have generated to create a Diamante Poem. This poem assists students with nouns, adjectives, and – ing words. http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/diamante/ are some great examples.

The poem begins and ends with a noun, has two adjectives for line 2 & 6, three – ing words for 3 & 5 and 4 nouns for line 4 (the middle of the poem). In the end they look like a diamond. They can be synonym or antonym poems. Students can create their poems in groups from the word list.

Alternative or Additional Elaboration – Making Ice Cream (moving towards core idea PS1.B)

This activity is best done outside.

Students will each need a large freezer baggie – filled with approx. 2 cups ice and couple teaspoons of rock salt. The small freezer baggie will go inside the large one (with ice and salt surrounding it). The small baggie will include 1 cup milk, ¼ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon flavoring, Students will need to shake vigorously for the milk to turn into ice cream.

Have students explain how the liquid (milk) became a solid (ice cream). Students do not need to understand the details of what took place (salt lowering the freezing point of the ice and therefore taking the heat from the milk, which melts the ice and freezes the milk – remember heat always moves from hot to cold). Students should begin to explain that heating or cooling a substance (DCI – Heating and Cooling) may cause changes that can be observed. (SEP – Asking Questions) Sometimes these changes are reversible (melting and freezing) and sometimes they are not (baking a cake, burning fuel) (CCC – Stability and Change).

Evaluation:

Ask students to explain where water is found on Earth and how they know where water might be found vs. where ice might be found. Ask students to explain how they know what they know (evidence).