Process in Scientific Lesson Planning Identifying of Science Process

Process in Scientific Lesson Planning

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Identification of Science Process

PROCESS DEFINITION EXAMPLE

Basic Processes

Observing The process of collecting data by use of all appropriate senses and instruments such us lenses and microscopes. Students can observe to investigate the parts of a plant cell under a Light Microscope magnification.

Classifying The process of sorting objects according to their observable common behavioral and physical properties. It can be binary or multistage. In binary classification, objects are sort into two major categories while in multistage classification objects are sort further to form an hierarchy of sets and subsets Students can collect a variety of leaves. First, they can classify them into two major categories according to their vein network. Then, they can sort them further according to the shape of their margins, color, stalks, etc.

Communicating The process recording, organizing and reporting observations, measurements, experiments and conclusions of an important science process. Students can present the academic performance of their class over the last one year by using graphs and pie charts.

Measuring The process of quantifying observations by assigning them standard values depending on their size, amount or degree. Special instruments and devices may be required for this process. Students can use a stopwatch to measure the time taken in seconds for a candle to burn out when completely encloses in glasses of various volumes.

Predicting The process of forecasting future occurrences of a process based on knowledge of patterns and relationships in data. Students can establish the trend of daily average temperature over the last one month and then predict the degree of hotness or coldness ten days thereafter.

Inferring The process of using knowledge and experience to fill the gaps between the observed events and knowledge. Students can be asked to infer the reason why moisture is found on the surface of a glass of cold water.

Integrated processes

Identifying and controlling variables The process of identifying the properties of an object that can change. Variables can be independent, dependent or controlled. The experimenter can control the investigation by keeping constant and varying the controlled variables. Students can record the taken for a candle to burn in an enclosed glass. The investigation can be controlled by varying the volume of the glass used.

Formulating and testing hypotheses The process of stating possible answers to the questions under investigation in a study. The validity of these possible answers can be tested through findings from experiments. Students can test whether 60% of seedlings die if kept in darkness for three days. They can carry out an experiment and collect data of the number of seedlings that die in different samples drawn from different plants. Assuming a normal distribution of the number of deaths in the entire population, they can test the hypothesis.

Interpreting data This is the process of drawing conclusions from organized and analyzed data. Interpretation of data involves making conclusions about trends and meaning of graphs, charts, results of hypothesis testing and tables. Students can explain the graphs and charts obtained from the annual class performance analysis.

Defining operationally The outline of the process of measuring a particular variable and how the measurement operations are carried out. Stating that the age of people in a population is determined in age-groups, where the range of group size of every age-group is 5 years.

Experimenting The process of gathering evidences for testing the validity of hypothesis through controlled situations. Students can keep seedling samples of various plants in darkness for three days and determine the number of seedlings that die in each sample after three days.

Constructing Models The process of representing the whole process by either a physical or mental framework. Students can construct a food web to show feeding relationships between various organisms in an habitat

Science Processes and Inquiry Learning

The table above explicitly describes twelve important science processes which can be used for successful learning in science classes. The processes of learning science as inquiry are essentially important for all students throughout their lifetime from Kindergarten, through the college level and even beyond.

Two major categories can be drawn from the above processes of science. The first category outlines the basic process skills which provide solid foundation for understanding science. Children for instance, could have many unanswered questions in their endeavor to understand the world around them. However, their understanding begins to unfold as they are guided through observing, classifying, communicating, predicting and inferring. The subsequent category outlines the integrated processes of advanced scientific inquiry learning which enables students to explore authentic learning beyond the obvious. All the processes of science above mutually support inquiry learning.

As part of inquiry learning, guidance is very important and it is role attributed to teachers who act as facilitators of the learning process. They decide how to guide their students, encourage exploration and how to scaffolding of learning through prompts, hints and questions. They also decide when to demand more grappling by students, when to provide information and when to connect students to other sources. In general, they control and regulate inquiry learning. Inquiry learning becomes an uninhibited process when students are guided to follow the processes of science in exploration of their natural curiosity and find solutions to their unanswered questions. Consequently, an enthusiastic teacher is the one who is keen to ask questions without restraining the response from students and encourages inquiry into not only the science at hand, but also teaching students to formulate all types of learning based on the methods of inquiry. It is this inquiry approach that creates perpetual learning of content with just accepting the answers but rather understanding the process by which answers can be obtained through investigation and testing.

Lesson Plan

Insect Survival – Camouflage (4th grade, 45-55 min)

Purpose:

The student will draw conclusions regarding the advantages of camouflage in nature; the student will also observe the consequences of environmental alteration, whether natural or man-made, and the process of natural selection. Observing and Communicating

Science TEKS (grade 4)

Adaptations increase survival of species. Formulation of hypothesis 9a: Observe and identify characteristics that allow survival. Observation

Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making 3c: Represent natural world using models, identify limitations. Creating models

Scientific inquiry 2d: communicate valid conclusions. Communicating

Materials:

Black and white newspaper (no colored ads) black construction paper scissors black poster board (approx 8 sheets) cardboard moth cutouts pencil or colored marker (not black) timer or watch data chart

Motivation:

The teacher should place various colored paper moths around the classroom or outside; some should be plainly visible, others should blend well with the surface. Have the students try to find them. Ask the students which were easiest to find and why. Also ask students which moth they would want to be if they could choose.

Activity:

Have the students pair up (teacher may want to assign partners). One member of each group will trace and cut out 20 black construction paper moths. The other member will trace and cut 20 newspaper moths. While students are occupied with this task, the teacher should spread out in a long line several sheets of newspaper. Then place a long line of black poster board parallel to the newsprint. Once the students have completed the cutouts, have the students line up along the newsprint. While one member of the pair faces away, the other member spreads all 40 Moths on the newsprint, making sure they are interspersed. The teacher then has the partner turn and, when it is time to begin, the student will bend down, pick up one Moth and stand up; repeat for 20 seconds, making sure to stand completely after each one. When time is up, partner #2 records the number of black and newsprint moths collected. The group then moves to the black paper and repeats, switching jobs. If the class is large, half the groups can begin with the newsprint while the other half starts on the black paper; then reverse. Once the activity is completed, the teacher should compile the data for the entire class and ask questions regarding the results, leading the children to observe any patters and associations. Experimenting and Communicating

Safety Tips:

Sharp edged scissors; use caution

Concept Discovery:

The students should realize the connections between coloration and background colors. The students should also connect that when an environment is altered by humans or by changes in climate, variations may or may not help the insect survive. Inferring

Going Further:

The teacher may want to relate this activity with the actual historical significance of the peppered moth in England during the industrial revolution. Point out how the peppered moths were able to survive well until the settlement of soot caused the habitat to appear blackish. At that point, what had been a mutation became an adaptation and vice versa. Inferring

Connections:

English: students could write a newspaper article about the phenomena as though there were living during the industrial revolution. They may also try a debate for and against pollution control. Communicating

History: students could research other documented occurrences of environmental change and the resulting change of species adaptations

Math: students can run several trials and take averages to determining the frequency with which the expected results occur; graphing can also be used. Communicating

Reference

Insects in the Classroom: Bugs as Teaching Tools for all Ages. (2003). Retrieved from HYPERLINK “http://iitc.tamu.edu/1998and2000/lessons/lesson13.html” t “newTurabianAPA” http://iitc.tamu.edu/1998and2000/lessons/lesson13.html

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