Constructing Ideas in Physical Science

CIPS Workshop for Middle School Science Teachers Constructing Ideas in Physical Science Joan Abdallah, AAAS Darcy Hampton, DCPS Davina Pruitt-Mentle, University of Maryland

Overview • Introduction • Pre-Assessment (on-line) • Interest in this course - in CIPS 8/2-8/13

Introductions • Divide up into groups of 2 (someone you don’t know) • Interview each other • Be ready to share • introduce your team member to others 8/2-8/13

Overview of CIPS • History • Background • Content Overview • Major Themes • Scaffolding • Pedagogical Principles 8/2-8/13

CIPS History • Constructing Ideas in Physical Science • Initially (~3 years ago) funded by NSF • Collaboration of 3 Universities • San Diego State University • University of Michigan • Eastern Michigan University 8/2-8/13

Background “CIPS is an inquiry-based, year long physical science course that engages seventh or eighth grade middle school students in constructing meaningful understanding of important physical science concepts”. 8/2-8/13

Background • Inquiry-based • Year long physical science course • Target = middle school students • Team or collaborative student efforts • Based on research on student learning • Extensive hands-on experiences • Complemented by computer software • Based on state and National Science Education Standards 8/2-8/13

Background So what makes CIPS so unique? 8/2-8/13

Background cont. • Based on • Project 2061 Benchmarks for Science Literacy and Instructional Criteria • Developed to answer 5 questions • What content and skills should students know and be able to do? • What prior knowledge do they bring? • How should we teach it? • How do we assess? • How can the content be organized throughout a year to make connections? 8/2-8/13

Additional Background • Content based on Project 2061 Benchmarks • Designed to meet Project 2061 evaluation criteria • Systematic sequential year long content • “Packaged” curriculum (kits) • Learning Cycles • Motivational fiction stories????? • Organized principles 8/2-8/13

Systematic Sequence to “connect” the content How can the content be organized throughout a year to make connections? Through thorough analysis of the benchmarks • four major organizing principles of physics and chemistry to be taught at the middle-school level • The Conservation of Energy (4E6-8#1) • Newton's Second Law of Motion (4F6-8#3) • The Conservation of Mass (4D6-8#7) • The Kinetic-molecular Model of Matter (4D6-8#1)(4D6-8#3) 8/2-8/13

What do the 4 have in common? Interaction • The concept of interaction is the central theme of CIPS • Topics are more “coherent and meaningful” for students when each topic is approached explicitly in exactly the same way. • Each CIPS unit is approached as the investigation of different types of interaction (e.g., light interactions, mechanical interactions, thermal interactions, small particle interactions, and so on). • Whenever appropriate, each interaction is described in terms of both energy and forces 8/2-8/13

What are the Units? • Unit 1: Experiments and Interactions • Unit 2: Light Interactions and Energy • Unit 3: Interactions and Motion • Unit 4: Interactions and Conservation • Unit 5: Chemical Interactions 8/2-8/13

Learning Cycles • Each unit in CIPS consists of 2 to 4 learning cycles • Each learning cycle usually targets a small set of related benchmark ideas (about 1 - 4 ideas) • The CIPS learning cycle has gone through many modifications • Current version includes four types of lessons in a learning cycle 8/2-8/13

Four Types of Lessons • Our First Ideas • Developing Our Ideas • Putting It All Together • Idea Power! See Handout 8/2-8/13

Also Referred To As… • Our First Ideas • Elicitation of initial student ideas • Developing Our Ideas • Development of new or modified ideas • Putting It All Together • Support of consensus ideas based on evidence • Idea Power! • Application of consensus ideas to new situation 8/2-8/13

Major Themes • Interactions • Energy • Evidence-based ideas • Explanations 8/2-8/13

Pedagogy Scaffolding • Pedagogical structure • Working individually and cooperatively in teams • Content and skill themes 8/2-8/13

Pedagogy Beliefs About Learning Goals • Students have ideas of new experiences based on their previous school and life experiences • Students make sense of new experiences based on their prior knowledge • Students construct knowledge gradually in a complex process in which they try to reconcile the old and new information 8/2-8/13

Pedagogy cont. Beliefs About Learning Goals • Students’ learning is mediated by social interactions • Interactions with tools (hands-on experiments and computer based simulations) are critical to learning • Complex skills must be scaffolded over time • Understanding is evidenced by applying knowledge in a new situation 8/2-8/13

Questions Contact Information: Davina Pruitt-Mentle Director: Educational Technology Outreach University of Maryland 2127 TAWES College Park, MD 20742 (301) 405-8202 dp151@umail.umd.edu • End slide 8/2-8/13

Inquiry Based? Is that the same as…. • Project Based • An approach to learning focusing on developing a product or creation. The project may or may not be student-centered, problem-based, or inquiry-based. • Problem Based • An approach to learning focusing on the process of solving a problem and acquiring knowledge. The approach is also inquiry-based when students are active in creating the problem. • Inquiry Based • A student-centered, active learning approach focusing on questioning, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It's associated with the idea "involve me and I understand. From: Project, Problem, and Inquiry-based Learning 8/2-8/13

Still Not Sure? Compare Project, Problem, and Inquiry-based Learning Explore the ThinkQuest projects for some excellent examples of all three of the approaches 8/2-8/13

Inquiry Based Resources • Concept to Classroom (online tutorials) • Using the Internet to Promote Inquiry Based Learning • Project, Problem, and Inquiry-based Learning • Institute for Inquiry 8/2-8/13

Inquiry Based Resources • Information Inquiry for Teachers • Inquiry Page • Teach-nology Inquiry Links Back 8/2-8/13

Constructing Ideas in Physical Science