Science – Every Day in Every Grade with Every Student!

1. Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program www.rpdp.net East Las Vegas Community Center/Senior Center May 8, 2013 Bret Sibley K-12 Science Regional Trainer Science – Every Day in Every Grade with Every Student! “Do not confine your children to your own learning ,for they were born in a another time.” Chinese Proverb

2. Intended Outcomes • Understand what science is and how it works – you can do it! • Recognize the importance of literacy - both reading and writing in the content area of science. • Access resources to help parents engage in science with their child.

3. When you think of a scientist what comes to mind? YOU!!!

4. What do scientists do?

5. Observation Exercise Observe the object and tell me what you see. The object will be changed…make more observations. One more change…what do you observe? Final change…what do you observe?

6. Record your observations!

7. OBSERVATION “You can observe a lot just by watching” - Yogi Berra • Occurs through the interaction of one or more of the senses with part of the environment. • Sight • Smell • Touch • Taste • Hearing

8. Two (2) types of observations • QUALITATIVE – General or broad statements (describewhat we observe using senses!) • Use adjectives to describe something Ex. Bret has blue eyes. The water is warm. • QUANTITATIVE– Measure what we observe (quantity – numerical) • Use numbers to measure something Ex. Bret has two eyes. The water is 80 °F.

9. Which observation type is better? Both types of observations are valuable in science. In an experiment, quantitative observations can be precisely and objectively compared. Qualitative: This room is big. (describes) Quantitative: This room is 50 feet wide and 60 feet long. (measures)

10. Which observation type is better? • Campfire • Dead Fish

11. INFERENCE • Is an explanation for an observation you have made. • Is based on your past experiences and prior knowledge. • Is often changed when new observations are made. Summary: Observations are information we gather directly from our five (5) senses. Inferences help explain those observations.

12. Here are some examples: • Observation: The grass on the lawn is wet. • Possible inferences: • It rained. • The sprinklers were on. • There is dew on the grass. • An animal urinated on the grass. 

13. Make an Inference from your Observation

14. Inference from observation FOOTPRINT IN MUD WAS MADE BY A DOG LARGE HUMANLIKE FOOTPRINTS IN THE EARTH WERE MADE BY BIGFOOT

15. “Candle” demonstration - debrief

16. What science is! • Our knowledge of the natural world and the process by which that knowledge is built • Relies on the testing of ideas with evidence gathered from the natural world http://undsci.berkeley.edu/images/science_checklist.pdf

17. Science is not linear!

18. Science is a process! http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/howscienceworks_02

19. How Science Works www.understandingscience.org The Process of Science looks complicated! 17

20. Science is: • A body of knowledge and a process • Exciting • Useful • On-going • A global human endeavor http://www.nasa.gov/50th/Folklife_Images/DoubleRainbow.html

21. Science does not: • Make moral judgments • Make aesthetic judgments • Tell you how to use scientific knowledge • Draw conclusions about supernatural explanations http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/whatisscience_12

22. Stop!What are you thinking? • Do you have any questions or comments? • Has your thinking changed? • Are you confused?

23. Tricky Tracks – Interactive Notebook

24. Tricky Tracks Activity – Figure 1

25. Tricky Tracks Activity - Figure 2

26. Tricky Tracks Activity - Figure 3

27. Tricky Tracks - Debrief • Not every question about the natural world will result in a correct or “absolute” answer. • Scientific knowledge is partly a product of human inference, imagination, and creativity – although supported by empirical evidence. • Tentative and subject to change • Based on same set of evidence (observations or data) – several answers to the same question may be equally valid!

28. Interactive notebook format http://interactive-notebooks.wikispaces.com/home

29. Interactive notebook defined

30. Examples of prompts

31. Nevada State Science Standards • Divided into Four (4) Strands • Physical Science • Life Science • Earth & Space Science • Nature of Science • Within each Strand are Unifying Concepts • Ex. Earth & Space Science • A - Atmospheric Processes and the Water Cycle • B - Solar System and Universe • C - Earth’s Composition and Structure

32. Earth & Space ScienceAtmospheric Processes and the Water Cycle (A) Earth systems have internal and external sources of energy, both of which create heat. Driven by sunlight and Earth's internal heat, a variety of cycles connect and continually circulate energy and material through the components of the earth systems.

33. 5th Grade Science CRT • Contains Multiple Choice Questions from each of the four strands (Physical, Life, Earth, and Nature of Science) • Contains three (3) constructed response questions • NV Science Standards • http://www.doe.nv.gov/APAC_Science_Standards_Resources/ • NV DOE Testing Schedule 2012-2013 • http://www.doe.nv.gov/Assessment_Resources/ • Achievement Indicators by Grade Band • http://www.doe.nv.gov/APAC_Science_Standards_Resources/

34. 5th Grade Physical Science CR Item

35. Answer • Part A: One key element • One key element for identifying electricity, electrical energy, or electrical current as the energy that comes from the wall. • Part B: One key element • One key element for describing that electrical energy is transformed into light energy. (The response may describe that electrical energy is transformed into heat energy, which is then transformed into light energy.) • Part C: One key element • One key element for explaining that some of the energy used by the lamp is transformed into heat or heat energy.

36. 5th Grade Life Sci CR Item

37. Answer • Part A: One key element • One key element for identifying one of the following living organisms in this ecosystem: • Jackrabbit • Lizard • Cactus • Yucca plant • Grasses/Reeds • Shrub • Any other plausible type of organism found in a desert ecosystem, but not visible in the picture (e.g., bacteria) • Part B: One key element • One key element for identifying one of the following nonliving things found in this ecosystem: • Air • Water • Soil • Rock, Sand, Sunlight, Heat, Clouds

38. Answer continued • Part C: One key element • One key element for any of the following explanations of why it is important for the living organism to interact with the nonliving thing identified in Part B. • The jackrabbit or lizard uses air to breathe. • The jackrabbit or lizard uses sunlight to see in the daytime. • The jackrabbit or lizard uses sunlight or heat to stay warm. • The jackrabbit or lizard uses water to drink or stay cool. • The jackrabbit or lizard uses soil/sand/rocks for shelter. • Any of the plants use nutrients and water to grow. Any of the plants take in gases from the air that are needed for growth and to produce food via photosynthesis. • Any of the plants give off gases to the atmosphere. • Any of the plants use water to maintain shape, move nutrients, and make food via • photosynthesis. • Any of the plants use light energy in sunlight to make food via photosynthesis. • Any of the plants use soil/sand/rocks to anchor their roots and hold the plants in place. • Any other plausible explanation of why it is important for a living organism to interact with the nonliving thing identified in Part B in a desert ecosystem

39. 5th Grade Earth Science CR Item

40. Answer • Part A: One key element • One key element for identifying two of the following processes: • Weathering • erosion • Deposition • Part B: Two key elements • One key element each, for up to two of the following explanations: • Weathering breaks larger pieces of rock into smaller pieces (examples include rocks cracking due to water freezing and expanding in existing cracks, larger rocks being broken down into smaller particles when colliding in rivers and streams, minerals in rock dissolving in water). • Erosion (typically caused by moving water or wind) moves weathered rock or soil from one place to another. • Deposition adds rock or soil to parts of existing landforms (resulting in landforms being built up from deposits of rock or soil that were moved by erosion).

41. Connect with nevadangse.net Sign up with NevadaNGSE.net and stay informed about changes to K-12 science education in Nevada!

42. RPDP Website http://www.rpdp.net/

43. TIPS Resource http://rpdp.net/sciencetips_v3/

44. Additional Web-Based Resources • Understanding how science really works • http://undsci.berkeley.edu/index.php • Science Matters from NSTA – Tips for busy parents • http://www.nsta.org/sciencematters/tips.aspx • Activities from US Science and Engineering • http://www.nsta.org/sciencematters/websites.aspx • U.S. Department of Education – Science • http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/science/part_pg7.html#p7 • Nevada Next Generation Science Education • http://www.nevadangse.net/

45. Did we accomplish today’s intended outcomes? • Understand what science is and how it works – you can do it! • Recognize the importance of literacy; both reading and writing in the content area of science • Access resources to help parents engage in science with their child