Elementary Science Learning Academy

Elementary Science Learning Academy California State University Long Beach

Quick Write • How do you normally plan for a learning sequence? What is your typical method of lesson planning?

Generate a rule What makes something stable?

Organize your data

Revise your rule What makes something stable?

Recall what you just did as a learner • Teacher Does: • Student Does:

Reconstructing the Learning Sequence • Reflect on the sample lesson we just completed. As a group record what you remember about the sequence of events. • First, consider what the teacher did throughout the lesson • Then consider, what learners did throughout the lesson

5E Learning Model • The 5E Learning Model provides a means for designing inquiry learning lessons that positions student-thinking as the key for successful science instruction. • What does each E mean? • How does each E differ from other (traditional) means of instruction? • How do the Es align with your description of our model lesson?

5E Learning Model • Engage - helps to access prior knowledge, generates interest in the topic, and/or provides students with a reason to explore. • Explore - the teacher provides materials, space, and time so that students may generate their own understandings, in their own words, as they complete a task and/or solve a problem. • Explain – occurs in 2 parts; the sequence is important • Students - First, students are given an opportunity to formalize and share the understandings generated in the Explore • Teachers - Then the teacher uses students’ language/descriptions to help structure students’ explanations and refine their new conceptual understandings, by directing attention to important elements, clarifying where needed, and providing science vocabulary. • Elaborate -provides students with opportunities to apply the understandings and vocabulary developed in the earlier phases to a new, but related situation/problem. • Evaluate - This phase occurs throughout the 5E model (not just at the end) and provides teachers & students with feedback about the learning process and students’ progress toward learning goals.

What does a teacher need to do in order for his/her students to learn science?

What does a teacher need to do in order for his/her students to gain English proficiency?

Most of us don’t have the same answer for both questions. Even though we might be talking about the same student.

Science, an EL’s new best friend • INQUIRY science provides context for language. • Science can provide a purposeful and authentic setting to use new language. • Science can be more culturally neutral compared to other content area. • Science allows kids complex thinking while their language skills develop: students can process science content at a high level, through complex thinking processes.

What are the different processes involved in . . . using language? Observing, describing Asking questions Comparing/Contrasting Drawing Conclusions Evaluating Persuading Creating explanations Describing cause and effect And others – Defining, Reflecting, etc. “doing” science? • Observing/describing • Asking questions • Analyzing data • Summarizing Trends/Patterns • Evaluating evidence • Constructing an argument. • Creating explanations • Describing cause and effect • And others – Predicting, Sequencing, etc.

However, EL’s still need language support • While it is true that “EL strategies” often benefit most students, there are language supports that are specific to students not yet English proficient. • Vocabulary in particular is an issue for science.

Embedded Vocabulary • Words that will fold out of the lesson itself. • This is vocabulary that can be developed through scientific exploration (sedimentary, liquid, precipitation). • These words can be introduced during the lesson as students gain experiences related to the scientific concept being explored.

Front-loaded vocabulary • Words that need to be clarified prior to the lesson. • These are words that you would expect English proficient kids to know, words that they would use when they are engaged in the inquiry lesson. • Round, rough, spotted, smooth, above, around, etc.

Let’s add some context • You are going to teach a lesson to a first grade class on the states of matter. • Your content objectives include: • Students can identify the three states of matter (solid, liquid, gas). • Students can support claims with evidence (observations).

The lesson involves students observing three Ziplock bags: • A bag filled with “air”. • A bag with water • The bag with water after an Alka Seltzer tablet is added.

Your task: consider the vocabulary • What functional vocabulary would you need to review/teach in order for students to successfully participate in the activity? • What academic/science vocabulary can be taught through the activity?

Other things to consider besides the vocabulary

Sometimes students know the content, know the words, but struggle with sentence structure. • I see (hear, smell, feel, taste) . • I observed . • When I observed the ,I noticed . • I claim that _______________. • My evidence is . • I claim that, because. • I agree/disagree with your claim of , because.

Sometimes students need to talk to peers or graphics to organize their ideas.

This only works if the content is correct. • Plan the science content first and then consider where your students will need language supports. • Don’t be tempted to water down the content but rather look for ways to reveal student thinking that are not as language dependent. • Scientific inquiry is vital to this process.

Application to a lesson • You will be given a 5E lesson for a first grade class about the states of matter. • Review the lesson and discuss with your table group the development of Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science and Engineering Practices and Cross Cutting Concepts.

Revising a lesson • What words might students need to successfully interact with the materials and each other? • What terms can be developed through the context of the lesson itself? • What other ELD scaffolds can be introduced (peer talk, sentence frames, graphic organizers)?

Comparisons • You will now be given this lesson again with ELD modifications. • Compare these modifications to the ones you came up with. • This is not a perfect example; there is no one “right” version.

What about your lesson? • Consider your own 5E science lesson. • How might you integrated ELD strategies into your current lesson?

Questions!

Level 1 – Input Questions • Focus on gathering and recalling info • Level 2 – Process Questions • Focus on making sense of info • Level 3 – Output Questions • Focus on applying and evaluating info Costa’s Levels of Questioning

Question Sort • Each team will be given an envelope containing a set of question strips • You will have an opportunity to categorize these questions and analyze how the questions pushed “student” thinking • Sort the question strips into Input, Process and Output, levels of questioning

Crafting good questions: putting theory into practice • Review your 5E lesson • Identify questions already in the lesson. • Identify additional questions that are needed. • For all questions, consider…

How People Learn Are there questions/opportunities for students to: • Access appropriate prior knowledge • Build conceptual frameworks – linking new information to existing understandings • Be metacognitive – to think about their own thinking?

Questioning in the lesson • Where are there opportunities to deepen student thinking with more questions? • Are there opportunities for students to talk to each other? Where does that occur? • Consider questions or prompts that will encourage students to talk to each other about their ideas. • Consider whole class vs small group

Questioning Sequence Check the sequence of questions. • Do they add up to student thinking? • Did you miss an opportunity to probe deeper or do you have gaps in your questions that students won’t be able to follow? • Collectively, do your questions build to an understanding of the concept the lesson focuses on?

Elementary Science Learning Academy