Stanford
University
School of Education
Fall Quarter, 2000
ED 267B: Curriculum and Instruction in Science II
CERAS STEP Library, Thursdays 4:15 – 6:05
Instructor: Susan E. Schultz Office: CERAS Room 309
Phone: 723-4892 E-mail: ses@stanford.edu
This is the second part of a 3-quarter sequence
designed to explore science teaching and learning. The essential question for this quarter is: How can teachers create effective science
learning environments? First, you will
examine the practical issues of planning a curriculum unit that incorporates
explicitly stated goals, methods for assessing students’ prior knowledge and
current understanding of the topic, a variety of learning experiences, and a
repertoire of teaching techniques.
Second, you will explore different theories of learning and methods for
assessing student learning and in doing so, construct a “model” of the
learner. Third, you will consider the
complexities of teaching students in multiple ability classes while expanding
your repertoire of teaching strategies. And fourth, you will evaluate the effectiveness
of technology in science laboratory settings.
Reading
assignments are noted in the weekly schedule at the end of this course
description. It is essential that each of you come to class prepared to discuss
the readings.
Participation
You are expected to participation in class
discussion of readings, small group work, and other tasks. Participation means listening as well as
talking, helping others develop their ideas, and expressing your own thoughts
both in whole-group discussions and in small group activities.
Journal
Writing
Each participant is required to keep a journal in
which observations that bear on your course-related activities are recorded and
reflected upon. It should contain two
sections, described below, but the aim of both sections is for you to consider
the implications of what you are reading, seeing, and doing for your own
practices as a teacher. As you progress through the course, you likely will
change your mind about earlier comments. If this happens, say so and try to
account for the change.
Part A: Choose one of the readings for the
week and write a critical reflection
on a key idea or issue that it raised for you.
It should not be a summary of the reading. Try to make links with other articles, class activities, or
discussions.
Part B: This section is a personal
reflection on your experiences observing or teaching in your school
placement. The aim here is to try to
connect your observations with the topics we are discussing in the course. For example, during the first week, we will
be exploring the first day of school.
In your observations you might recall how your Cooperating Teacher(s)
structured the first day of school, what messages the teacher seemed to be
sending the students about their learning experiences in this class, and which
techniques you think you would use on the first day of school.
The journals are
to be submitted by e-mail on October 5, October 19, November 2, November16, and
November 30 before noon (12:00pm).
Reflection Paper -Due December 7, 2000
Revisit the paper you wrote
during the summer on "Why my subject matters to students." Develop a critique
of that statement, examining such questions as: (1)How, if at all, have your
views changed?; (2)If your opinions have shifted, why?; and (3) Regardless of
whether or not your opinions have changed, what moves you to the stance you now
hold? In other words, what combination of personal beliefs, values, taste,
style, knowledge, and reasoned arguments leads you to your present position?
Curriculum
Unit - Final DRAFT Due March 15, 2001
Although your DRAFT curriculum unit will not be due
until the end of Winter quarter, you will begin to design a unit that is at
least three weeks in length. Try to
select a topic that you will be teaching in late March or early April. Each week you will be asked to complete
shorter assignments that focus on a specific aspect of your unit. As you work on the assignments, write them
as if you were presenting it to your colleagues and you need to explain the key
parts in sufficient detail so they could use them in their class. This not only forces you to refine your
thinking but it also gives your colleagues your best ideas in the most helpful
way. Just as you will need to make the
unit clear to other teachers, you will also have to make each assignment clear
to your students. You will have several opportunities in this unit to practice
the skill of writing clear instructions for a lesson.
Curriculum and Instruction in Science II
and III
Curriculum Unit Requirements
Unit title and a short
paragraph describing the school, the class, and any other relevant information.
The cover page should also include a relevant and interesting visual for the unit.
On one page or less, state
the essential question (s) for the unit and what you want students to know and
be able to do at the completion of the unit.
Objectives should include content as well as thinking, analytical, and
performance skills. For each objective,
state concisely WHY you have chosen to include them in your unit. Part of the assessment of your unit will
examine how well you incorporate these objectives into your activities,
culminating project, and unit evaluations.
The goal is to create a coherent, cohesive unit that illustrates how
well the various elements of the unit fit together.
Write a brief summary of the key activities of your unit.
Explicitly state the essential question. Indicate how the segments of the unit
provide different facets of the content and link to the essential
question.
Calendar
Create a detailed calendar for your unit. The calendar should list the main activity,
mode of instruction, and assignments for each day.
Instructional Activities
Provide at least 10
detailed lesson plans to be used during the unit. The unit should include a variety of instructional activities and
you are required to include at least:
TWO laboratory or investigation lessons,
ONE lesson that incorporates the use of
technology,
ONE
lesson structured for second language learners, and
ONE
lesson that incorporates groupwork strategies.
Culminating Project or
Activity
Construct either a culminating project that students work
on throughout the unit and turn in a final product, OR, design a culminating
activity that will help students reflect on what they have learned in the unit.
Unit Assessment
Design a total of FOUR different types of assessments to
address the goals and essential question of your unit. One of the assessments
should be used to evaluate the students' prior knowledge of the content. Two of the assessments should help you check
for student understanding to be used during the unit. The final assessment should be considered the unit exam
(summative assessment).
On February 22, 2001 you will need to have a DRAFT unit for a peer to
review and a written self-assessment of your unit for me. Your peer will
provide both written and verbal feedback on your unit. Final DRAFT revisions to your unit must be
received by March 15, 2001. Please
turn in TWO paper copies and ONE disk copy of your unit. I will make comments on one paper copy and
place the second copy in the STEP library.
The disk copy will be placed on the web for other STEP students who
would like a copy of your unit. This
will allow each of you to start building a collection of excellent units.
Curriculum
& Instruction in Science II
Fall Quarter, 2000
Essential
Question: "How can teachers create an effective science learning
environment?"
Thursday
, September 29, 2000
Welcome Back!
First Day of School Activity
Introduce Activity
Discussion of Activity -
What worked?
How can you
extend the activity?
Reports on the First Day of School at Placements
Free Write: "How can teachers
create an effective science learning environment?"
Who Are Your Students?
Handout and Discussion
HW- Read Course Requirements
Read
Changing Views of Knowledge and Their Impact on Educational
Research and
Practice by Robbie Case
Journal
Thursday,
October 5, 2000 (Journal DUE)
Announcements and Check In
Review Course Requirements
Learning Theory - Jigsaw activity
Free Write: "In which learning theory camp do
you see yourself? Why?"
Analyze a Task:
What learning theory is
evident in the task?
Modify the task to fit a
different learning theory
Present the new task to
the group
HW-
Read Background Information for Inquiry
Science Lesson
Thursday,
October 12, 2000
Announcements and Check In
How do you create an inquiry learning environment?
What kind of tasks promote inquiry
science?
Discuss the level of
inquiry present in the activity.
What is the teacher's role during an inquiry
investigation?
Type of Questions
Video Analysis
Reflection
How does the teacher assess students' knowledge
during the lesson?
Types of Assessments
Video Analysis
Reflection
HW- Read Understanding by Design Introduction and Chapter 1, pp. 1-19.
Journal
Thursday,
October 19, 2000 (Journal DUE)
Announcements and Check In
Overview of Backwards Planning
Approach (Wiggins & McTighe)
Discuss advantages &
disadvantages of Backwards Planning Approach
Small Group Activity
Discuss evaluation
criteria for assessing curriculum unit
Use criteria to assess a
sample unit
Revise evaluation
criteria
HW- Read Understanding by
Design chapter 2, pp. 20-37.
Thursday,
October 26, 2000
Announcements and Check In
How do we create thoughtful
classrooms?
Introduce WHERE (p. 190)
Select unit topic
State educational goals for teaching
the unit
Identify the essential question(s)
for the unit
HW- Prepare a statement to your students explaining why they are
going to study this topic
including the relevance of the topic to them, the educational
goals, and the essential question.
Journal
Thursday,
November 2, 2000 (Journal DUE)
Announcements and Check In
In Pairs
Share your unit goal
statement
Offer suggestions to
clarify and improve goal statement
How will you know if your students
have achieved the goals?
What evidence will show
that the students understand?
Review “nutrition unit”
example
HW- Read Understanding by Design chapter 3, pp. 38-43.
Read Teaching for
Conceptual Change by Hewson, Beeth, & Thorley
Optional Reading - Children’s
Conceptions of the Changes of State of
Water by Osborne & Cosgrove
Thursday November 9, 2000
Announcements and Check In
How do you assess students’ prior
knowledge?
Types of assessments
Methods for Identifying
Misconceptions
Teaching Strategies
Modeling of a Chemistry lesson to
identify misconceptions
HW- Read Understanding by Design chapters 4 and 5, pp. 44-84.
Read A True Test: Toward
More Authentic and Equitable Assessment by Wiggins
Plan
a lesson for assessing students’ prior knowledge of the unit content.
Journal
Thursday,
November 16, 2000 (Journal DUE)
Announcements and Check In
How do you know what students’ know
and are able to do?
Types of Formative and Summative
Assessments
Multiple-Choice
Concept Mapping
Performance Assessments
Teach Concept Mapping (?)
HW- Select 15 key concepts to be taught in your
unit and provide a rational for
WHY you selected those
terms.
Read What We’ve
Learned About Assessing Hands-On Science by
Shavelson & Baxter
Thursday,
November 23, 2000 - Happy Thanksgiving
HW: Read Trends in Computer Applications in Science Assessment
by Kumar & Helgeson.
Journal
Thursday,
November 30, 2000 (Journal DUE)
Announcements and Check In
Science Technology Day
Class will meet in computer lab
HW- Reflect on the potential for using technology in science labs
Write Reflective Paper
Thursday, December 7, 2000 (Reflective Paper DUE)
Announcements and Check In
Science Technology Day
Class will meet in computer lab
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