Primary GTP Session 2

1. Primary GTP Session 2 Considerations in Planning your Science Teaching

5. How do children form their ideas? • Children learn science from their earliest interactions • Children bring to science lesson their own ideas which often differ from accepted scientific concepts • Teachers must recognise these misconceptions, understand how they arise, and how they may be challenged.

6. Constructivism • Children actively ‘construct’ their knowledge of the world (Piaget) • Learning involves an active process in which each learner attempts to construct meanings from physical experiences, dialogue or text etc.

7. Social Constructivism • (Bruner) stressed the role of social interaction on human development • Vygosky emphasised the role of communication, social interaction and instruction in determining the path of development.

8. Social Interaction Social interaction – particularly those which take place between children themselves – may facilitate the course of development by exposing a child to other points of view and to conflicting ideas which may encourage him to re-think her own ideas.

9. Talk… • helps children to think through ideas and plan their work, it clarifies understanding, gets the thinking straight. • helps children consolidate their understanding and communicate what they have learned. • encourages children to practise new vocabulary and turn vague impressions into phrases and sentences that someone else can understand. • develops problem solving. • provides opportunities to encourage the development of their aural and oral skills.

10. In too many lessons, teachers’ talk dominates and there are too few opportunities for pupils to talk and collaborate to enhance their learning. This is the key feature of the lessons that are satisfactory rather than good and is an impediment to raising standards further. OFSTED report 2003

11. Problems with dialogue I’m really excited about this. At last I will actually get to talk to my children instead of AT them. My class are noisy enough as it is. How am I going to stop them arguing with each other and making loads of noise? I haven’t got time to have dialogue – I’ve got too much curriculum to cover. I don’t want my child sitting talking all day – I want him to get on with some REAL work. When I come to inspect your school I’m looking for evidence of learning – what will you have in your exercise books? I’m shy and I don’t like putting my hand up. How is dialogue going to help me to learn?

12. Teacher asks a question Children put up their hands. Teacher takes an answer. Teacher accepts, rejects or develops the answer. Teacher asks a further question.

13. Teacher asks a question or makes a statement. A child may answer the question, or comment on the statement. Children and/or teacher may ask for clarification or elaboration. Another child may explain, elaborate or disagree. And so on, until a common understanding is gained.

14. Talk partners • In pairs talk about why you think… A 50,000 tonne ship can float…

15. Challenge! Build a boat out of silver foil ONLY, that can hold the heaviest load.

16. Eliciting Children’s ideas Classroom Strategies

17. Eliciting Children’s Ideas Structured drawings or writing (in response to teacher’s questions) e.g. how do we see the clock?

19. Eliciting Children’s Ideas Concept Cartoons

20. Concept Maps

21. Constructivist model of learning through inquiry

22. Existing idea Prediction Stage 1 Linking hypothesis New experience or problem

23. Linking hypothesis New experience or problem Existing idea a b Prediction Investigation to test prediction c New evidence d Does the evidence support the prediction? Testing the prediction

24. Linking hypothesis New experience or problem Existing idea Bigger or modified idea a b Prediction Investigation to test prediction c New evidence d NO Does the evidence support the prediction? YES Constructivist model of learning through inquiry

25. Using the Information

26. Teaching Strategies ‘Whatever happens in the classroom, children should become better and better at thinking and behaving scientifically and understanding scientific ideas’ Sharp et al (2002)

27. Teaching Strategies • Based on previous assessment, plan work which takes pupils another step on. • Work should be challenging, stimulating and demanding • Children should be motivated rather than merely occupied. • Provide a range of experiences to lay the foundations for the ‘big ideas’ later.

28. Teaching Strategies Key ideas should be clearly stated in learning objectives Make it clear to the children what they are expected to learn from an activity. Make key concepts & skills clear: by asking appropriate questions, directing attention towards significant parts.

29. Key Questions • Why does the car travel down the ramp? • Why does it eventually stop? • Where was it travelling the fastest? • Why do you think the blue car went further? • How could you test this idea?

30. Questioning • Open vs. closed questions • Wait for answer to allow thinking time • Ask a child directly • Give no response after the first answer • Rephrase question, or ask a series of simpler question to lead to the answer if necessary. • Avoid the ‘banker’

31. Next steps

32. Teaching strategies Practical activities – use when appropriate, blend with other activities; research, discussion, drawing.

33. Practical Activities • Will all groups being doing the same practical work? • Will all children be doing it at the same time? • Space? • Equipment? • Timing? • Grouping; friendship? ability? Individual?

34. Teachers Role • Trouble shooter? Missing equipment, misunderstood instructions etc • Guide? Provoke thought through questions and explanations. Talk to children, stand back and observe actions. • Encourage children to be independent learners.

35. Teaching Strategies How will children consolidate what they have learnt? • Verbally • poster • drama • powerpoint presentation, • poem • Model

37. Recording What kind of written records should be expected? • Observations? • Conclusions? • Annotated diagrams? • Tables? • Graphs?

38. Floorbooks/Carpet books • Floorbooks are a way of recording children's ideas by having the teacher (or sometimes another adult or even another child) scribe their ideas writing down exactly what they say. • Floorbooks can also include children's own drawings and writings, showing a record of how their ideas have developed.

39. L.O. To encourage children to talk about their findings, ask questions and speculate on reasons to describe their observations.

40. Vocabulary Be precise with vocabulary: Everyday use of words may conflict with scientific understanding:- e.g. plant food Or may have different meanings:- e.g. Mass, field, force.

41. www.sycd.co.uk/primary

42. Using Calligrams Stretch compress

43. Phot synthes se

44. Differentiation • Ability groups with work at different levels • Mixed ability groups with different tasks • Graduated materials with different starting points • Extension work for more able on completion of main task • Expecting different outcomes from different pupils

45. Organisation of Teaching groups • One group does science while others do other subjects • All do same activity; as individuals, pairs, groups etc. • Use activity circus/carousel; pupil rotate

46. Planning!

47. Planning • Long term planning: Broad overview • Medium term planning: Overview of single block of work. • Short term planning: Single lesson • QCA:could be considered long & medium term planning.

48. Learning objectives • Essential to begin planning with these • Drawn from broad learning objectives from medium-term planning (e.g.QCA SOW) • Differentiated e.g. ‘all, most, some’. • Must be communicated to pupils at start of the lesson • Should include SC1 skills as well as knowledge (50%)

49. Previous experiences & learning Could use QCA ‘about the unit’ to refer to previous experiences Could add misconceptions in here too based on previous elicitation activities

50. Lesson Sequence • Not ‘set in stone’ in science; much more flexible than literacy & numeracy • 3 part lesson a useful model • Starter: set the scene (relate to their own experiences) & capture attention (wow factor?) • Main activity; to challenge & develop skills & understanding. • Plenary; to summarise key points, celebrate success, challenge further.