momto4kings Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Brilliant! Blackawton is in my county, I had no idea they had done this. I am going to share it with friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 It inspires me to do more authentic science with my kids. The problem is, I'm not great with curriculum that has "suggestions". I just need something more concrete or else it will just not get done. What to do? Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 I'm going to go watch it. I love TED! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 So great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 I have not seen that particular talk but I love TED. This is another to put on my list. Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Thanks so much for posting this! All I have to say is, "Yes, yes, YES!!" Here is the kids' article, for anyone interested. I am printing it up for my kids. It inspires me to do more authentic science with my kids. The problem is, I'm not great with curriculum that has "suggestions". I just need something more concrete or else it will just not get done. What to do? Beth Can you work from a process checklist for yourself? The 5E Model is a good one. Below is a cut (edit) and paste from a previous post of mine about how we do inquiry science. ------- We keep a question board strictly for science and write down any and all questions. These questions can be posed anytime throughout our day but I deliberately solicit them at the beginning of official science time. Questions also emanate from our readings, which are often intentionally planned to provoke the dc's thoughts about certain timely subjects (gardens in the spring, ice in the winter, etc.). We then decide whether our questions are research questions (can find the answer in a book) or testable questions (can design an experiment and find the answer for ourselves instead of looking up the answer in a book). Then we act accordingly. I tend to follow the dc's lead on this unless they are just not seeing something easy and obvious because I realize that there are many questions we could technically design experiments to answer but they would be too challenging for where we are. If we have questions about how to design a test or need more information about a subject before proceeding, we choose resources from our shelves (it really helps to have some great science resources on hand) or schedule a trip to the library. Sometimes we don't need books at all but instead just go ahead and figure out a way to throw together an experiment. Kids are far more clever and creative than we give them credit for. Here are some of the books I recommend ad nauseam in science inquiry threads. :D * are favorites. *Nurturing Inquiry Science Notebooks Scaffolding Science Inquiry Through Lesson Design * Organizing Wonder The Really Useful Science Book (because in order to be successful in teaching with inquiry methods, it helps to know some stuff to help you be a better guide) Nurturing Inquiry is my personal favorite, BUT (and this is a very big but for some people), it is not a complete how to. You will finish it inspired but with a lot of questions about how you can make his model work for you, as in how to design specific lesson plans (the Scaffolding book was supposed to be the answer to those questions, although it's not as inspiring as I had hoped it would be). NI is the book that perfectly fits how I want science to happen in our homeschool. I put together an outline of some of my notes from the many inquiry books and articles I've read. The 5E Model (you can Google that for more info) has served as my guide for lesson planning. My outline will be completely distorted so forgive me. :) 5E Model ØE1 – Engage oConduct demonstration or read a book to hook the kids. §Use fiction so you don’t give away answers. §Pause for questions to encourage interaction with the book and its ideas. Ask kids if they can visualize. oModel questioning. Maintain question board and write all questions down. oKWL Chart – What I know. What I wonder. What I learned. §Ask kids about prior knowledge. Don’t correct fallacies at this point. §Wonderings can come from experiences with books, other students, personal interests and experiences and/or prior experiences with discovery boxes. ØE2 – Explore oProvide kids with free access to materials related to subject matter (discovery boxes). oAllow hands-on interaction. oModel observation and other process skills. oNI – Encourage kids to ask questions. Differentiate between testable and research questions. ØE3 – Explain oHave kids articulate observations in their own words. oDiscuss experiences with the students and introduce scientific terminology (helping to connect their exploration experience with appropriate new vocabulary). oRead non-fiction books to help give words and meaning to what was observed and to further understanding. oEncourage additional questioning. oModel language and vocabulary that you want kids to learn. ØE4 – Elaborate oHave kids design tests to answer them. Discuss variables, controls and what constitutes a fair test. oAsk kids to predict results. ØE5 – Evaluate oDiscuss the process and what was learned. (Finish KWL chart with this information). oReview new vocabulary. oRecord data, observations, experiences, conclusions, etc. in science notebook/discovery journal. oIf age appropriate, allow for student dissemination of information in the form of reports/papers, presentations, keeping a Discovery Journal, stories, and/or narration. Questions to Encourage What would happen if…? What might you try instead? What might you try next time? What does this remind you of? How are you going to do that? Why did you decide to try that? How do you know…? Why do you think…? What is your evidence? Where could you get more information? OK, that explore part up there is important. It's another place to start. Instead of soliciting questions from your kids, lets say you decide one day to give them a discovery box (big in NI). You give them styrofoam, a tub, a pitcher of water, some toothpicks, aluminum foil, etc. You say, "OK, kids, look what we've got. Let's all build boats and see whose can hold the most marbles. Go!" Now that's some fun and they're going to learn some great stuff. To solidify the great stuff they've learned, you can look up flotation in your science encyclopedia. Anyway...this is long. This if FUN! Science is our favorite subject and the more loosey-goosey I get with it, the more we all like it and the more we learn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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