Elementary Science Methods

Syllabus

Course Description

This course is designed to support both new and experienced

elementary science educators in refining and focusing their
instructional skills. Course participants will incorporate research and
National Science Education Standards as they practice developing,
implementing, and assessing elementary science lessons. Using cases
and online resources as a launching point, teachers will be given the
opportunity to participate in on-line discussions regarding beliefs, best
practices, challenges, current research, and examine ways to apply
them to their own teaching practice.

Competencies

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

 Apply, evaluate and reflect on a range of elementary science

teaching methods;
 Evaluate and select appropriate resources to assist in designing,
implementing, and assessing elementary science lessons;
 Design and implement developmentally appropriate science
lessons;
 Engage students in building understanding of science concepts;
and
 Use science content knowledge to plan, teach, assess, and
reflect on science methods, ideas, and materials using the
National Science Education Standards as a guide.

Materials

All materials are accessed via the CaseNEX website using the PIN
provided and the user name/password you create.

All readings listed can be found by going to Class MaterialsVirtual

LibraryReadings (Search).

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If you do not have the most recent versions of the following software,
please download each from the given sites.
 Windows Media Player
 RealPlayer
 Adobe Reader
 QuickTime

Cases Used

 Room To Grow
 The Webs We Weave
 Whose Class Is It

Course Schedule

Find session dates by selecting Syllabus on the top menu bar. For
typical courses, final Discussions, Journals, and Workbooks are due by
Saturday at midnight unless otherwise noted. Please see the News
Flash for any alterations of the course schedule posted by your
instructor.

Course Requirements and Grades

[Link]
[Link]

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Introductory Session
Exploring the CaseNEX Site

Complete these tasks prior to the beginning of Session 1.

Readings

Read the course requirements, paying special attention to the Case-

Analysis and Workbook Assignment Rubrics. They will be used by your
instructor throughout the course to evaluate assignments where
appropriate.

Discussion

Post one entry introducing yourself to your classmates. You may

choose to describe your professional background and experience,
relevant personal information, or why you are taking this course. (100
words or fewer)

Journal

What do you find inspiring and challenging about teaching science in

an elementary classroom? (100 words or fewer)

Note

Use CaseMail to send a note to your instructor stating that you will be
taking this course. To do so, click on CaseMail on the top menu bar
and then ‘Click here to create a new message.’ Use the marked link to
look up an address. Continue linking down until you see the class list.
Select the instructor’s name and then compose your message and hit
‘Post Message.’

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Session 1
Applying Cognitive Theories to Deepen Scientific Understanding

Case
Room To Grow

Readings
 A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting
Concepts, and Core Ideas /2 Guiding Assumptions and
Organization of the Framework
 Science in Early Childhood Classrooms: Content and Process
 How Students Learn: Science in the Classroom; Chapter 9

Discussion

Organizing instruction around themes and process skills supports

student understanding of science content. What themes and process
skills have Christine’s students in this session’s case learned and
applied? Using knowledge from the readings, explain how this unit
helped Christine’s students develop their skills and understanding.
What additional actions might you suggest Christine take to further
support her students’ understanding of themes and application of
process skills? What might be her students’ perspectives on
following your and your colleagues’ suggestions?

Journal

According to the “Science for All Children” reading, there are four
steps to the learning cycle. Consider a science unit that you have
taught in the past and will likely teach again. Cite the objectives and
provide some context for where the unit fits within your curriculum.
Reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of this unit, using
knowledge from the reading about the learning cycle and children’s
cognitive development. What actions do you take to balance “didactic
instruction and inquiry-centered experiences” in that unit and in your
classroom in general? What are your students’ perspectives on the
range of learning experiences your offer?
OR

Using knowledge from the “Guiding Assumptions and Organization of

the Framework; Chapter 2” reading, discuss the issues teachers face

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as they balance these components. Consider demands on the teacher,
access to resources, support from administration, adherence to
curriculum, etc. What actions can one take to ensure lessons include
all four steps of the learning cycle (focus, explore, reflect, and apply)?
Note

Check your CaseMail (linked from top menu bar) and News Flash (on
the right when you login) for notes from your instructor every time
you log on to the site.

Workbook

None this session

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Session 2
Understanding the Nature of Science & Project 2061

Case
Whose Class Is It?
Readings
 Teaching Science Literacy
 “Best Practices” of Science Teaching
 Identifying Curriculum Materials for Science Literacy: A Project
2061 Evaluation Tool

Discussion

Miss Lowry’s lesson plan (Scene 6 of this session’s case) reinforces

several misconceptions about the nature of science. Evaluate the
lesson plan, using knowledge from the Science for All Americans
reading. Which components of the lesson are congruent with the
Project 2061 recommendations for science literacy? Suggest actions
Ms. Lowry might take to meet these guidelines. What might be her –
and her students’ – perspectives on these revisions?

Journal

How has your understanding of science as a discipline changed as a

result of the knowledge presented this session? Reflect on your own
learning process and the consequences for your teaching. What
actions will you take in your classroom, as a result of this experience?

Workbook

Lesson Evaluation

Quality instructional strategies must accompany quality curricular

materials. Choose two science activities or lessons to evaluate,
preferably from your curriculum (or you may find examples online).
Cite the source of the lesson/activity. Then, evaluate each
lesson/activity using Appendix A of the Project 2061 Evaluation
Procedure. For each activity, first answer the questions from the
Content Analysis and Instructional Analysis sections. Then, write a
summary statement about the overall quality of the activity, including
its strongest and weakest components. Revise the activity and provide

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a rationale for your suggested changes, based on knowledge from
course readings.

Due by the end of Session 3

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Session 3
Understanding the Standards

Case
The Webs We Weave

Readings
 Integrated Studies Research: Evidence-Based Practices and
Programs
 National Science Education Standards: K-4
 Doing Science; The Process of Scientific Inquiry
 Locate and review your district or state science standards for the
grade you teach.

Discussion

Inquiry, the systematic process of answering research questions

through data analysis, asks students to solve problems, either teacher-
presented or student-formulated, and make generalizations about
broad, fundamental concepts. In order to do so, students are involved
first in gathering, analyzing and interpreting qualitative or quantitative
data, and finally in communicating information. In the Webs We
Weave case, the spider unit was a valuable learning experience for the
students, but it does not constitute inquiry. What actions could Sarah
and Michael take to alter or extend their lesson plan in order to involve
their students in inquiry? Use specific knowledge of the elements of
the inquiry instructional model (engaging, exploring, explaining,
elaborating, and evaluating) as you suggest modifications to their unit.

Journal

Review the “National Science Education Standards: K-4” reading and

reflect on the issues raised that are most relevant to your own
classroom and district. How do these standards match those
promulgated by your district or state? Pick one standard from the
reading and describe how that standard is (or is not) covered in your
classroom. How might you incorporate knowledge from this reading
as you plan future classroom instruction?

Workbook

Lesson Evaluation due by the end of this session.

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Session 4
Implementing Units of Inquiry

Case
Room to Grow
Readings
 How to Use Classroom Observation More Effectively
 Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards: A Guide
for Teaching and Learning, Chapter 3
 The 5 Features of Science Inquiry: What Questions Do You
Have?

Discussion

Define inquiry and what it means to you as a teacher of science.

Then, considering the perspectives of teacher and students, reflect
on Ms. Flores’s classroom and her unit (described in Chapter 3 of this
session’s reading). Compare Ms. Flores’s unit on earthworms from
Chapter 3 of this session’s reading to Christine’s unit on earthworms
from the Room To Grow case. Using knowledge from the readings,
discuss each unit’s goals and objectives, grouping of students,
assessment, student engagement, student ownership and
responsibility of learning, and the five elements of the inquiry
instructional model. What are the positive and negative
consequences of each teacher’s choices?

Journal

This session, provide your students an opportunity to make

observations and engage them in “creative questioning” as described
in the reading. Reflect on the learning consequences (expected and
unexpected) that resulted for you and for your students. What was
their perspective on these activities, and how did this differ from your
expectations?

OR

Consider the perspective of a teacher planning an inquiry-based

lesson, such as those described in the readings. What issues do you
foresee? What actions can you take to overcome these challenges in
your own classroom?

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Workbook

Lesson Plan

Focus on your district’s science standards and inquiry in the science

classroom, as presented in the course readings. Develop a lesson that
you can implement in the next two weeks that targets objectives from
your science curriculum using inquiry. Include the following
information:

 Description of classroom, students, grade level, content,

languages spoken, and any other relevant information;
 Goals and objectives, including local and state standards;
 Grouping of students;
 Materials;
 Procedures, including specific research-based methods from
course readings;
 Assessment (formative and/or summative);
 Rationale for your choices;
 Reflections on your implementation of this lesson and ideas for
its refinement. (Complete this portion after you have delivered
the lesson).

This Workbook assignment is due by the end of Session 5.

(Note: If you are taking this course during the summer you are
expected to make every effort to involve students in your assignments
as noted. Accessing students in summer school programs, or working
with those you know socially are acceptable alternatives to
implementing assignments with your own class when that option is not
available. If you cannot arrange access to students, the student
feedback and reflection portions may be omitted at the instructor’s
discretion).

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Session 5
Implementing Cooperative Learning Groups

Case
Room To Grow

Readings
 10 Elements of Effective Cooperative Learning in the Classroom
 A Brief Introduction to Cooperative Learning
 Taking Science to School, Part II: How Children Learn Science

Discussion

Using knowledge of the strategies in the readings, evaluate the

partner work that Christine assigned to her students in Scene 4 of this
session’s case. Consider both the perspectives of Christine and a
range of students. What goal was Christine attempting to accomplish
and how did her students respond? What other actions might
Christine have taken to incorporate cooperative learning into this unit?
Discuss the consequences (planned and unplanned, positive and
negative) of how she organized cooperative learning for this unit.

Journal

Describe issues you have faced using cooperative learning groups to

deepen students’ understanding of science content. What additional
knowledge would help you in implementing cooperative learning
groups? What actions might you take to prepare your classroom for
cooperative learning groups? What are the positive and negative
consequences of using cooperative learning groups in the science
classroom?

Workbook

Lesson Plan due by the end of this session.

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Session 6
Engaging Students through Technology

Case
Whose Class Is It?
Readings
 Beyond Q&A: Six Strategies That Motivate ALL Students to
Participate
 Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?: The Reasons
Are Many
 Real Science for Younger Scientists

Additional Resource
 Journey North: A Global Study of Wildlife Migration and Animal
Migration

Discussion

Review the six strategies for designing encouraging student

participation from this session’s first reading. Provide specific examples
of actions Miss Lowry could take to incorporate these suggestions in
her classroom. Explore possible issues she might face if she followed
these suggestions.

Journal

Consider the perspectives of your school faculty and your student

population about the integration of technology into the curriculum.
How much access do your students have to the Internet and
computers? What actions have you taken to use technology to teach
science content? What consequences have you seen as a result of
these actions?

OR

How do you currently incorporate technology in your science lessons?

In your experience, what consequences has technology integration
had for student engagement and learning? What further knowledge
would help you to make better use of the technology resources you
have?

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Workbook

None this session

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Session 7
Assessing Student Understanding

Case
The Webs We Weave

Readings
 All About Assessment / A Process—Not a Test
 Self-Assessment Helps Classroom Focus on Learning and
Understanding
 Priorities in Practice: The Essentials of Science, grades K-6:
Chapter 1: Trends in Elementary Science Education
 Formative and Summative Assessments in the Classroom
 National Science Education Standards: Assessment (explore
each link)

Discussion

In this session’s case, Sarah uses a variety of assessment methods as

her students’ work through the spider units. Using knowledge from
the readings, what specific actions might you recommend she take to
strengthen her use of oral presentations to build student content
understanding? What assessment strategies from the unit as
presented in the case would you suggest she retain? Provide a
rationale for your choices

Journal

Discuss three assessment issues detailed in the readings. Which of

these have you faced in your own classroom experience? What
specific actions might you take to make assessment more meaningful
and productive for you and your students? What might be the
instructional consequences (both positive and negative, long- and
short-term)? Consider a range of student perspectives as you frame
your response.

Workbook

Authentic Case Analysis

Use the 5-Step Case-Analysis Method to reflect upon a specific

situation in your school or classroom related to science instruction and
focusing on assessment. Describe the situation in one or two
paragraphs. Address each of the 5-Steps in turn, referring to the

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Course Tutorial and the Case-Analysis Rubric to guide your thinking.
Draw upon the methods, concepts, and ideas presented in this course
throughout your analysis. Research (and cite) at least two other
sources related to elementary science assessment to support your
analysis.

Due by the end of Session 8

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Session 8
Building Students’ Concept Knowledge

Case
The Webs We Weave

Readings
 Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12
 The Trouble with Textbooks
 Tools to Enhance Young Children’s Thinking

Discussion

In Scene 8 of this session’s case, Sarah uses a KWL chart to ascertain

her student’s prior knowledge. How could Sarah have incorporated
ideas presented in this session’s readings in her lesson? Using
knowledge from the readings, what suggestions would you offer to
help her structure a lesson that addresses students’ alternative
conceptions? Explain your reasoning for implementing these strategies
and discuss their consequences for teaching and learning. Then,
discuss alternative conceptions you have discovered in your students
and/or yourself. What issues did you face as you encountered these
strongly held conceptions?

Journal

In the “The Trouble with Textbooks” reading, the author states that
“The only thing the books utterly fail to do, according to scientific and
educational experts who have examined them closely, is teach
science.” What issues does she raise in support of this thesis? What is
your perspective on this subject, based on your professional
experience and knowledge? What might be your students’ and their
families’ perspectives?

Workbook

Authentic Case Analysis due by the end of this session.

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