Creativity and Excitement in Primary Science

1. Creativity and Excitement in Primary Science Helen Wilson, Jo Thompson Oxford Brookes University h.wilson@brookes.ac.uk j.thompson@brookes.ac.uk

2. The tension in the current English education system? My test results must improve Creativity Process driven Content driven

3. ‘The stress on results means that there is a tendency towards extreme instrumentalism in learning: if it is not assessed then it is not important.’ Wilde et al (2006) Nuffield Review Higher Education Focus Groups Preliminary Report The Nuffield Review of 14 – 19 Education and Training http://www.nuffield14-19review.org.uk/cgi/documents/documents.cgi?a=106&t=template.htm

4. Lessons from Gifted & Talented My test results must improve Creativity Process driven Content driven

5. Creativity My test results will improve Process driven Content driven

6. If you are willing to deal effectively with the needs of able pupils you will raise the achievement of all pupils. Renzulli

7. A rising tide…

8. Evidence?

9. Structure of the ProjectOriginally funded by: the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust

10. 16 Oxfordshire primary schools Oxfordshire AZ Project 2002 - 2004 Year 6 teacher Science co-ordinator CPD: 8 days INSET

11. London York

12. Key Outcomes of Projects • More emphasis on pupils’ independent scientific thinking • Increased time within lessons spent in discussion of scientific ideas • More focused recording by the pupils, less time spent writing • More time for hands on, practical investigations

13. Or, more simply: • More practical activity • Deeper thinking • More discussion • Less writing • More questioning

14. Think Threads The Bright Ideas Time Talk Focused recording Do Practical science

15. Investigations Bright ideas time Focused recording Questions Pupils as researchers Infusion: Higher order thinking Dialogue Creativity ICT Problem solving Coates, D. & Wilson, H. (2003). Challenges in Primary Science. London: Fulton

16. Bloom’s Taxonomy • High: • synthesis - hypothesising, showing originality by • creating, inventing and composing • evaluation - judging, rating and giving opinions • analysis - categorising and comparing; distinguishing • between fact and opinion or relevant and irrelevant • information • Middle: • application/use - transferring knowledge from one • situation to another similar one • Low: • comprehension - summarising and putting ideas or • information into other words • knowledge - remembering, reciting or listing facts

17. Relates, rearranges Information Possible answers Another definition of Higher Order Thinking: ‘Higher order thinking occurs when a person takes new information and information stored in memory and interrelates and/or rearranges and extends this information to achieve a purpose or find possible answers in perplexing situations.’ Lewis and Smith (1993, p.136)

18. Too busy working to have time to think?

19. Infusion HOT Reflection Use/Apply Content of the Curriculum

20. Bright Ideas Time The Bright Ideas slot has taken off throughout the school. It really encourages the pupils to think & it is rather like a science mental starter All the project schools developed this discussion slot

21. Thinking time Think Pair Share

23. The Bright Ideas Time • Game shows: Odd One Out • PMI • A big question • Concept cartoons Discussing big ideas is more important than finding the right answer

24. The Odd One Out

25. Which is the odd one out & why? • Chocolate, paper, water

26. Which is the Odd One Out and why? Salt Sand Iron filings

27. Which is the odd one out & why?

28. Which is the odd one out & why?

29. http://www.azteachscience.co.uk/resources/cpd/bright-ideas-in-primary-science.aspxhttp://www.azteachscience.co.uk/resources/cpd/bright-ideas-in-primary-science.aspx Video clip: Odd One Out

30. The Bright Ideas Time Sheets of examples ofthe Bright Ideas Time http://www.azteachscience.co.uk/resources/cpd/bright-ideas-in-primary-science.aspx

31. PMI Chocolate door handles

32. PMI: A world without electricity

33. Positive Statements: • You won`t waste so much energy • Instead of electrical toys you would have wind up radios – • that would be fun!! • The world would be equal

34. Minus Statements: • It would be very scary walking home at night. • There wouldn't`t be a London underground. • You wouldn't`t be able to watch T.V!

35. Interesting Statements: • You would have to be inventive in your spare time. • Torches might become really fashionable. • People might be fitter – less T.V = more exercise.

36. The chocolate teapot Living on the Moon An eye in the middle of your hand A world without friction A flexible skeleton

37. The Bright Ideas have been an excellent way of stimulating discussion and questioning. They have also come up with some far more interesting ideas than I have thought of. I have noticed that the more we do, the more scientific their ideas have become.  There is more of a buzz and children are a lot more confident when sharing their ideas - risk-taking has increased/improved greatly and this has a positive knock-on effect Incorporating Bright Ideas time into every session

38. Practical Investigations: Do people with the strongest legs jump the furthest? I think… because…

39. Example: Do people with the strongest legs jump the furthest? Responses from Year 2 pupils

40. Rate these responses, according to the depth of thinking involved: • Most of the time people jump further when they are stronger • Muscles has got nothing to do with how far because muscles are if you carry heavy things not how far you go • I think the people with the lightest legs will jump the highest because they don’t have to lift as much • There is no reason • The people with the stronger legs are strong so they can jump higher • I think the strongest legs will push the most and go the furthest. • The people with the strongest legs will jump the furthest because they have the strongest legs.

41. Year 2 Patterns in Data & Evaluations • Lillie had the biggest bit round the thigh but she did not jump the furthest • I think its about how high you go because it takes longer to land

42. How to focus the LO in Sc1 • Concentrate on one particular aspect of an investigation, e.g. • prediction • planning • results • conclusion.

43. Focus Recording – on the learning objectives

44. ‘But then when you do an investigation, you understand what you are actually writing about and you can write a lot clearer.’   ‘If you’re just told to write something, but if you find out something first and then report it, then you learn.’

45. How do we know that the Earth is a sphere?

46. ‘If it’s flat, when you make the foundations for a temple why doesn’t it go through?’ ‘Why doesn’t water fall off the edge if the Earth is flat?’

47. ‘Because gravity comes from the centre of the earth, because a sphere is the smallest shape you can make from the centre, it would most likely be pulled up into a sphere.’

48. Why don’t we sense the motion?

49. ‘Because we’re not going around fast’

50. “But if everything is moving all the time, like all the trees and houses, then you don’t feel any different from anything else.”