Writing and Argumentation in Elementary Science: Day 1

1. Writing and Argumentation in Elementary Science: Day 1 November 6, 2013

2. Welcome!

3. Hopes and Fears?

4. What does argumentmean in our everyday language?

5. Argument in Science In science, an argument is used… “to promote as much understanding of a situation as possible and to persuade colleagues of the validity of a specific idea….[it] is ideally about sharing, processing, and learning about ideas” (NRC 2008, p 89)

6. A new model for the practice of science

7. Why is argument important? “Traditional science laboratory activities are structured around the laboratory report format. Students are expected to engage in a format that outlines the hypothesis, procedures, observations, results, and discussion. Unfortunately, scientists use this format not in the laboratory but primarily to report their work in journals for publication. In the lab, they pose questions, make claims, gather evidence, debate with each other, compare their answers with others in the field, and attempt to look for patterns across their results. Scientists are engaged in argumentation – at the very core of science activity is scientific argument. Having completed this process of argument, scientists then prepare their written reports for publication.” ~Hand, Norton-Meier, Staker, and Bintz

8. Orchestra students are musicians; students on the basketball team are athletes; what opportunities do our science students have to be scientists?

9. Developing a Scientific Argument • How are the ideas and information that you read connected to our conversation about argument? • What new ideas did you get that extended or broadened your thinking in new directions? • What challenges or puzzles have come up in your mind from the ideas and information presented? Adapted from Making Thinking Visible; Ritchhart, Church, and Morrison; pages 132 – 139.

10. We need to make sure that student writing and discourse involve all of these components – not just descriptions of an activity.

11. Time to embrace your inner child….

12. As we consider the CCSS in ELA… • How are the ideas and information that you read connected to our conversation about argument? • What new ideas did you get that extended or broadened your thinking in new directions? • What challenges or puzzles have come up in your mind from the ideas and information presented? Adapted from Making Thinking Visible; Ritchhart, Church, and Morrison; pages 132 – 139.

13. Next Generation Science Standards

14. Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

15. Architecture of the NGSS: Performance Expectations • Performance Expectations: • These describe what a student should be able to do at the end of a unit • They are not meant to be lesson sequences or required activities

16. Architecture of the NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas Science and Engineering Practices Crosscutting Concepts

17. Architecture of the NGSS: Connections • Connections to: • Other content/grade-bands within the NGSS • Common Core State Standards for ELA/Literacy and Mathematics

18. NGSS Resources http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards

19. Our shift in thinking… From thinking that one scientific method fits all To thinking about how to engage our students in the practices of scientists Asking questions and defining problems Developing and using models Planning and carrying out investigations Analyzing and interpreting data Using mathematics and computational thinking Constructing explanations and designing solutions Engaging in argument from evidence Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information

20. Our shift in thinking… From thinking that “hands-on” science is ESSENTIAL To thinking that engaging students EVERY DAY in scientific practices and thinking is POWERFUL

21. A new model for the practice of science

22. Shifting our practice… Next Generation Science Standards Science & Engineering Practices Asking questions and defining problems Developing and using models Planning and carrying out investigations Analyzing and interpreting data Using mathematics and computational thinking Constructing explanations and designing solutions Engaging in argument from evidence Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information From… How am I going to teach this? To… How are students going to learn about this?

23. As we consider the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices… • How are the ideas and information that you read connected to our conversation about argument? • What new ideas did you get that extended or broadened your thinking in new directions? • What challenges or puzzles have come up in your mind from the ideas and information presented? Adapted from Making Thinking Visible; Ritchhart, Church, and Morrison; pages 132 – 139.

24. Math CCSS NGSS What’s common? ALL the standards — Math CCSS, ELA CCSS and NGSS — require that teachers focus more attention on disciplinary practices. ELA CCSS

25. An Examination of Practices

26. An Examination of Practices

27. Instead of practices, the ELA CCSS identify the capacities of a literate individual

28. http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NGSS/files/ConnectionsBetweenPracticesinNGSSCommonCoreMathandCommonCoreELA_2-12-2013.pdfhttp://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NGSS/files/ConnectionsBetweenPracticesinNGSSCommonCoreMathandCommonCoreELA_2-12-2013.pdf

29. http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NGSS/files/ConnectionsBetweenPracticesinNGSSCommonCoreMathandCommonCoreELA_2-12-2013.pdfhttp://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NGSS/files/ConnectionsBetweenPracticesinNGSSCommonCoreMathandCommonCoreELA_2-12-2013.pdf

30. Scientific Argument Student Discourse Writing

31. As you consider this quote, what are the implications for our classrooms? When procedures are uniform for all students, where data are similar, and where claims match expected outcomes, then the reportage of results and conclusions often seems meaningless to students and lacks opportunities for deeper student learning about the topic or for developing scientific reasoning skills. (If everyone gets the same answer why ask the question? How meaningful is this type of experience? Is this just another school exercise done to them?) ~Hand, Norton-Meier, Staker, and Bintz

32. We need to change our thinking with respect to experimentation!

33. Experimentation Then spend the rest of the year learning content through text resources or telling. Separate Unit on the Scientific Method Conventional

34. Experimentation ? Students then observe the cloud in a jar that confirms what they already “know.” Students read the text to learn vocabulary and background information about clouds. Conventional

35. Experimentation ? Students ask questions about cloud formation and do some investigating on their own. Students search for answers to their questions as they read the text. Shifts in Practice for NGSS

36. Scientific Argument Student Discourse Writing

37. How might we put it all together?

38. 5E Learning Cycle 5E Model is based from the SCIS Model of Instruction by researchers Atkins and Karplus in 1967. 5E Model was originally proposed by BSCS (Biological Science Curriculum Study) in the late1980’s.

39. 5E Learning Cycle http://www.bscs.org/bscs-5e-instructional-model Engage Explore Explain Elaborate Evaluate

40. Scientific Argument Student Discourse Writing

41. Student Discourse

42. Why is talk important in the science classroom? Talk Science Primer, Pages 4 – 6

43. AS we consider the importance of talk in the science classroom… • How are the ideas and information that you read connected to our conversation about argument? • What new ideas did you get that extended or broadened your thinking in new directions? • What challenges or puzzles have come up in your mind from the ideas and information presented? Adapted from Making Thinking Visible; Ritchhart, Church, and Morrison; pages 132 – 139.

44. Goals for Productive Discussion Talk Science Primer, Page 9

45. How does student talk fit into the 5E learning cycle? • Engage • Explore • Explain • Elaborate • Evaluate http://www.bscs.org/bscs-5e-instructional-model

46. Planning for student Discourse

47. Before we meet again…