Science in the Elementary Schools

Introductory remarks
The goal of the course is to help elementary teachers understand the foundational concepts in science that are necessary to implement the Science Standards and to find out what teaching methods are the most effective for certain teachers.

Professor
Eugenia Etkina, GSE room 36C, office (732) 932-7496 ext 339 or home (732) 545-2310,
E-mail: etkina@rci.rutgers.edu

Textbook
Any high school level or college introductory level physics textbook. Some will be provided by the instructor.

Suggested readings:
Raizen, S.A. and Michelson, A.M.(1994). The Future of Science in Elementary Schools – Educating Prospective Teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Narode, R., Heiman, M., Lochhead, J., Slomianko, J. (1987) Teaching Thinking Skills: Science. Washington, D.C.: National Education Association.

Tobin, K. (1997). The Teaching and Learning of Elementary Science. InG. D. Phye (Ed.) Handbook of Academic Learning, Construction of Knowledge. (pp.370-401). San Diego: Academic Press.

Minstzes, J., Wandersee, J, Novak, J. (1997) Meaningful Learning in Science: The human constructivist perspective. Ibid. (pp. 405-452).

Meeting locations:
Science Room in Lincoln Elementary School. 4.30 p.m. Some classes will take place in the Discovery House (Tices Lane). Dr. Etkina will also visit the classes of all the teachers to help them to implement the strategies learned in the course.

Course description:
During the first semester teachers will go over the concepts in physics that are necessary to understand life science, biology and chemistry. Physics serves as a basis for everything else because, without understanding of the main physics concepts, one can not teach chemistry and biology ideas. Parallel to the learning of content the teachers will discuss new teaching methods, constructivist approaches to planning, conducting of experiments, and assessment. The goal of this part of the course is to help teachers to identify the foundational scientific concepts in their teaching and learn how to select activities appropriate for a particular piece of content and students. This will help the teachers to implement the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. Internet opportunities will be explored and the methods of integrating them into science instruction will be introduced. In the spring semester teachers will be paired with GSE students who have completed their science methods course to work on science units they will be co-teaching later.

Weeks 1 - 4. Motion and interaction. Mass, force, weight. Friction. Motion of planets, stars, satellites. Joints. School curriculum and science standards. Opportunities for improvement of science education and science field trips in NJ.

Weeks 5 - 7. Pressure, air pressure. Burning. Pollution. Question asking techniques.

Weeks 8 - 11. Oscillations, waves, sound. Ears and hearing. How to provide feedback in science education.

Weeks 12 - 15. Light, reflection, refraction, diffraction. Eyes and vision. Assessment and testing in science education. Homework and field work.

Weeks 1 - 2. Discussion of contemporary teaching methods, their positive and negative aspects for elementary science education. Emphasis on the conceptual understanding of the teachers before they start teaching any material to the students. School science curriculum and possible units to develop. Each unit should be a part of the present science curriculum.

Weeks 3 -4. What should be included in each unit? Discussion of the generic parts of each unit, and how to implement them for different ages.

Weeks 5 - 7. Students and teachers work on their units; in the meantime students observe the teaching methods of their partner teachers once or twice a week (instead of a regular class meeting once a week).

Weeks 7 - 9. Discussions of the units developed by teachers and students. Equipment and experimental techniques testing.

Weeks 10 - 15. Teachers and students teach the units that they develop; then they discuss successful and difficult moments in class (during the course) for immediate feed back and improvement. Continuous discussions and tryouts of all units will lead each of the participating teachers and students to be able to teach each of the units.

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