A RECENT REPORT INDICATES THAT SCIENCE INSTRUCTION IN CALIFORNIA IS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE

I am sorry to report that in the dozens of Oregon schools I have visited in the past four years, the actual teaching of science in grades K-5 is not a lot different from that reported in California. Grades K-2 rarely reported any regular science instruction at all. The norm in grades 3-5 was two 1/2-hour sessions per week (alternating with social studies). The nature of the curriculum was almost universally fact-oriented content while instruction was primarily reading from texts.
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News Inquiry, Science

To answer the question in the title, we will examine some of the major societal trends and the educational needs created if these trends continue into the future. A brief look at the domains of learning will be followed by a review of what we know about how we learn and some models that seem to be compatible with this view. Of those discussed, we will focus on Science Inquiry as a tool that can be used by science and math teachers to empower their students in their roles as life-long learners.
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News Inquiry, Science

Scientific Inquiry Performance Task

Brief Overview of Task:

Students will use the property of paper to absorb liquids and to transmit the liquid along a strip at different rates depending on the liquid, the type of paper, and other variables. For young students the teacher will set up the experiments with student activity somewhat limited. For older students the control of the experiments is transferred to the students.

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Learning Activities Inquiry, Science

As part of a science inquiry performance task, students are asked to provide information regarding various aspects of the process. Here is a form used by participants in the Central Oregon Eisenhower Consortium Summer 2001 Workshop. It can be used across a wide range of grade levels and for all science inquiry topics.

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Learning Activities Inquiry, Science

INVENTION!

By
Dr. Bob Valiant

Children are great inventors. They have not developed the inhibitions that restrict many of us from exploring far-out ideas and novel solutions. The trick is to come up with ideas for what to invent and then to organize for possible solutions. Here are some ideas for the teacher and for the students to come up with some exciting new inventions.

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Learning Activities Inquiry, Science

Scientific Inquiry Performance Tasks

Task Author: Judy T. Sweeney
Task Title: How Surface Area Affects Evaporation
Grade Level: 3 Foss Kit Title Water Activity #3
Earth/Space Science Grade3 benchmark

Brief Overview of Task:
Students will design an investigation exploring how surface area affects evaporation.

Targeted Benchmark:
Identify and describe examples of change over time. Read more…

Learning Activities Inquiry, Science

The Pendulum
Scientific Inquiry Performance Task -
Author: Scott Coles/Madras High School Science Department
CIM Benchmark/Physical Science

Brief overview of task: Utilizing a pendulum (supports, strings & bobs), students will design and execute an investigation to answer the following question… What factor(s) determine(s) the period of a pendulum?

Targeted benchmark(s): 1.) Design a scientific investigation that provides data to address a question or hypothesis specific to a domain of science. 2.) Collect and organize data by using methods and procedures that support analysis. 3.) Analyze data and evaluate sources of error and/or bias. Propose explanations that are supported by data and knowledge of science concepts and principles. Read more…

Learning Activities Inquiry, Science