Nature of Science and Model Based Inquiry

1. Nature of Scienceand Model Based Inquiry Using Models to assess students’ prior knowledge

2. Understand the nature and development of scientific knowledge • What is the nature of science? • Card Sort Activity • Look through the cards you have been given and split them into two piles. One that represents what you think science is and one that represents what you think science is not. • Interact with the others in the class (with your same color cards) and trade cards with them to build your best possible hand of cards for each of the 2 categories: • Science Is…. • Science Is Not…

3. Card Swap • Decide on Top 3 Cards • In groups of 3-4 people. Build a group hand of 3 cards that best represents the group’s ideas of science. Everyone must contribute at least one card. • Rank the top 3 cards: 1 = best represents science, 3 = least represents science. • Discuss your rationale for choosing each card. • Repeat above for “science is not” • Share your results with the whole group

4. NOS Card Swap • Theoretical Emphasis: Science is primarily a rationalistic, theory-driven endeavor • Empirical Emphasis: Science is primarily a data gathering, experimental endeavor in pursuit of physical evidence • Anti-Science View: Science is overrated. One should not give much credence to the aims, methods or results of science • Scientism: Science is the way of knowing; it is the perfect discipline • Cultural View: Science is embedded in a social, historical, and psychological context which affects all that goes on in science • Balanced View: Science is a complicated affair that cannot easily be reduced to one or even a few simple descriptions

5. What Aspects of the Nature of Science Can we Reasonably Expect to Teach? • Empirically Based (observations, data) • Tentativeness (subject to change) • Creativity • Subjectivity (theory-laden) • Social and Cultural Context • Functions and Relationships of Theory and Law • Observation vs. Inference • Science is a process of building, testing, and modifying scientific models.

6. Models and Modeling • What are scientific models and how do scientists use them? • What are some characteristics of “high quality” models? • Discuss these two questions with the teachers at your table and write some of the characteristics of high quality models on the post-it papers at your table to share.

7. Examples of Models Scale model (toy airplane) Analogical model (ball and stick model) Symbolic model (Chemical formula) Mathematical model (equation) Theoretical Model (kinetic molecular theory) Maps, diagrams, and tables (periodic table or food webs) Concept-Process Models Simulations

8. High Quality Scientific Models

9. Generate a Model • You are stranded on a desert island with no fresh water source. You remember your middle school science teacher talking about island survivors using a Solar Still to get drinkable water. Using the resources on your table, build a solar still and draw a model of what happens inside the Still over a day. • Describe (with drawings and words) what is happening inside the Solar Still at the molecular level. • Explain why did it happen that way?

10. What is Model-Based Learning? Model-Based Learning is a theoretical framework for science education that moves students’ conceptual understanding from preconception or misconception to the attainment of understanding of the target model or desired knowledge state. (Clement, 2000)

11. Model Based Inquiry Science is a process of building, testing, and modifying scientific models. When students participate in all three of these activities, they not only learn the content of science but also about the nature of science and the process of science.

12. Generating an Initial Model • When students generate their own initial models of a phenomenon before any instruction, teachers can: • SEE student prior knowledge • SEE student misconceptions • SEE what students still need to learn • SEE what might need to be changed in upcoming lessons • Knowledge is Power! • Power to teach only the standards that need to be taught thus saving time • Power to differentiate even in a class of thirty+

13. Learning Progression for Modeling Students construct models consistent with prior evidence and theories to illustrate, explain, or predict phenomena. Students use models to illustrate, explain, and predict phenomena. Students compare and evaluate the ability of different models to accurately represent and account for patterns in phenomena, and to predict new phenomena. Students revise models to increase their explanatory and predictive power, taking into account additional evidence or aspects of a phenomenon.

14. What Aspects of the Nature of Science Can we Reasonably Expect to Teach? • Empirically Based • Tentativeness • Creativity • Observation vs. Inference • Subjectivity • Functions and Relationships of Theory and Law • Social and Cultural Context

15. Misconceived Notion of the Relationship of the Categories of Scientific Knowledge Law Theory Hypothesis Observations

16. Law and Theory Defined Scientific Law- states, identifies, or describes relationships among observable phenomena Scientific Theory – inferred explanation for observable phenomenon

17. Alternative View of the Relationship of the Categories of Scientific Knowledge Social and Cultural Context Law Theory Hypothesis Observation/Data

18. Scientific Law Boyle’s Law Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance Newton’s Laws of Universal Gravitation and Laws of Motion Scientific Theory Kinetic Molecular Theory Chromosome Theory ? Relationship of Scientific Theory and Law

19. The procedure is actually quite simple. First arrange things into different groups. Of course, one pile may be sufficient depending on how much there is to do. If you have to go somewhere else due to lack of facilities, this is the next step, otherwise you are pretty well set. It is important not to overdo things. That is, it is better to do too few things at once than too many. In the short run this may not seem important but complications can easily arise. A mistake can be expensive as well. At first, the whole procedure seems complicated. Soon, however, it will become just another facet of life. It is difficult to foresee any end to the necessity of this task in the immediate future, but then one never can tell. After the procedure is completed one arranges the materials into different groups again. Then they can be put into their appropriate places. Eventually they will be used once more and the whole cycle will then have to be repeated. However, that is part of life.