INTERACTIONS Issue 1 January 1992

The Newsletter of the SciencePlus Teachers network

Linking Teachers with Teachers

In this issue:

The First Word

THE FIRST WORD: we are talking with you and you are invited to talk to us we are the Teacher Advisory Committee to the SciencePlus Teachers Network (SPTN), working with members of the ASCP Board of Directors.

This first issue of the SPTN Newsletter, INTERACTIONS, introduces the SciencePlus Teachers Network. This Network will link junior high science teachers in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick through a newsletter, summer conferences and small group and regional meetings.

You might wonder why there should be a Network. Muriel Smyth, one of the SciencePlus authors recently spoke of her early years of teaching and her sense of isolation. Junior high science teachers face this same isolation, compounded by having few colleagues in their subject area or lacking a background in Science. Breaking down this isolation is the Network's challenge and its task.

The Atlantic Science Curriculum project, which produced SciencePIus, has existed for over fifteen years, beginning as a collaborative, grassroots activity to improve science teaching in the junior high grades. The project evolved into a writing team that produced a series of textbooks which have become the primary science resource in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick schools. But SciencePlus is not the final step. The members of the project are anxious that the ASCP return full circle to the grassroots. We hope that the SPTN will provide an opportunity for this to happen.

The Network, at this stage, is an Advisory Committee made up of about a dozen teachers using SciencePlus. Members of the ASCP Board of Directors will be working with us. However, the Network will work only if it is more than the people who established it. The Network cannot be just us -- it must be you, too.

And what is the newsletter, INTERACTIONS, going to do? We have many ideas and plans. Each issue will offer a place for comments on science teaching and current issues research, examples of what works and what doesn't in SciencePlus, suggestions for student assessment, useful resources and "letters." Other suggested topics for INTERACTIONS include student work, tear-out activities, "predict-observe-explain" problems and science, technology and Society applications.

This column, THE FIRST WORD will cover several aspects of science teaching. We will look at de-mystifying science teaching theory. [What is constructivism anyway?] We want to consider emerging issues in junior high science such as implications of the STS movement. We will welcome advocacy and points of view, providing a platform for authors and teachers. We are anxious to open up subjects for general discussion and we will invite guest editorials from other regions where SciencePlus is used.

Finally, the success of the Newsletter depends on you. If you have something to say about science in junior high science teaching, SciencePlus as a leading tool, or if you have problems and questions which need to be answered, get in touch. Join us in breaking down the isolation. We welcome and solicit your input for the next INTERACTIONS and encourage you to become a part of the SciencePlus Teachers Network.


Alternative Frameworks

Frances Wallace, a junior high science teacher in Dartmouth, recently wrote: "Few areas of study this year have grabbed and retained my interest more than the idea of students' alternative frameworks. I have experienced the frustration of trying to introduce new concepts, having them apparently grasped by the students, only to find on tests and exams, that they have radically different perceptions of these ideas from the ones I thought I had taught them. I have found evidence of the same misconceptions year after year:

The problem is of course that students bring to the classroom a variety of beliefs and ideas to explain their everyday experiences, and these will frequently be at variance from the scientific viewpoint that we as teachers are trying to have them accommodate. The discrepancy between what students "know" as a result of their observations and the models and explanations that the scientific community has developed to explain these observations, interfere with the learning process."

Does this sound familiar? Have you had similar experiences and frustrations? Frances goes on to write: "These prior beliefs (alternative frameworks, children's science, misconceptions, preconceptions) are extraordinarily resistant to change. Studies reveal that even older students who have had years of exposure to science teaching retain the views of the world and meanings of words held by much younger children. Science teaching will often change students' ideas but not always in the way that was intended."

How do we as science teaches deal with these alternative frameworks? Although the answers are not easy or clear, one approach is to use P-O-E' s What on earth is a P-O-E? It is the name given to a teaching strategy and stands for Predict-Observe-Explain.

Here's one example:

Predict: Hold a ping-pong ball between finger and thumb of one hand and a golf ball between finger and thumb of the other hand. Hold both balls at arm's length and ask the class "What do you (individually) think will happen when I let go?" Gently encourage individuals to give reasons for their answers. Some will say the golf ball will hit the floor first "because it is heavier". Some wet say both will hit at the same time "because the mass doesn't matter". Using the 'predict'' strategy enables the teacher to obtain some important insights into the students' alternative frameworks.

Observe: Let the balls fall. They seem to hit the floor at the same time.

Explain: This is the opportunity for those who thought the golf ball would hit first to adjust their ways of thinking, i.e. their alternative frameworks.

(By the way the golf bail actually hits the floor a fraction of a second before the ping-pong ball. How do you explain that? Look elsewhere in this issue for a suggestion!!)

This teaching strategy is tailor-made for use with SciencePlus. Do you have some P-O-E' s you use and would like to share? Tell us about them -- we'd like to include examples on a regular basis as well as address the issue of coping with alternative frameworks in upcoming issues of INTERACTIONS.


Computers in SciencePlus

Do you have some favorite computer programs that you use with SciencePlus? Graham Menzies would like to hear from you. He'd appreciate the name of the program, the publisher, where it applies in SciencePlus, and the hardware needed. You can write to Graham, a teacher at Baddeck Rural High, at P.O. Box 438, Baddeck, N.S. BOE 1B0. Phone(902) 295-292. The information he collects will be shared through SPTN.


What Works.....What Doesn't

Had a breakthrough? maybe a breakDOWN? Let's celebrate your successes & share your sorrows!

What Doesn't work......(or isn't worth the effort)

FORCES SP1 (p 168)

Force meters made from luggage cords could be a hazard.

FLOATING AND SINKING

Don't make your own overflow cans - life is too short!

ELECTRIC CURRENT SP3

Generator (p 150) needs a major demo - why not take apart as bicycle generator? Constructing a motor (p 163) -- got five periods to spare!

PARTICLES SP3

Sublimation with iodine is dangerous (p 352)

And What Does....

ELECTRIC & MAGNETIC FORCES SP2

Need plastic rods? Someone we know uses ½" plexiglass, cut into 3 cm strips.

CHEMICAL CHANGE SP2

Brainteaser # 17 (p 133) works well as an actual activity.

SOLUTIONS SP1

Kids love chromatography. To tie in with the forgery story, have them test 2 black inks of different makes. Surprising how colorful "black" can be.

Chemical Change SciencePlus (SP2)

This demo had one of my students so intrigued he came back 3 years later, still looking for an explanation! You can decide whether to explain it or not but either way it is an attention-grabber. You'll want to practice a couple of times to "get your act together". You will need 6 test tubes, dilute hydrochloric acid, dilute sodium hydroxide, phenolphthalein indicator, medicine dropper, drinking straw, and an opaque cup. Number the test tubes. Place 3 drops of phenolphthalein in tubes # 2 and # 4; 3 drops of NaOH in tube # 6 and in the cup; 3 drops of HCl in tube # 5.

Fill the cup with drinking water and ask a student to assist you to fill the test-tubes halfway with water. When the water is poured into # 2, it will turn pink; you can look bewildered, but continue till # 4 has been filled (it will also turn pink). At this stage, you can stop the student and decide you will continue by yourself, as something is obviously going wrong. The student sits down and you pour the contents of all 4 tubes back into the cup.

Now fill test tubes 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 (all are pink except # 5). Completely exasperated, you pour all 5 tubes back and fill all six tubes. #6 stays pink, while the rest are clear. If you wish, remove the pink colour in # 6 by blowing into the test tube through a straw.

If this doesn't peak their curiosity, check their pulses!

Life Processes/Particles SP3

The Mysterious Liquids

This demonstration is excellent for developing the concept of diffusion but cart also be used at any time to improve students skills in making observations and inference s. An added bonus is the sheer magic quality, which guarantees :s their attention!

See the diagram for the set-up. (You may use "liquid ammonia" from your local grocery, instead of ammonium hydroxide.) The phenolphthalein turns red in the presence of a base so the students observe a bright pink liquid below and a colorless liquid in the upper flask. As the ammonia gas begins to diffuse into the upper flask, the same pink colour is observed starting to form on top of the filter paper and rising slowly through the liquid into the upper flask. They are asked to write down their observations and to make inferences. These initial ideas can tell you a lot about how students think; i.e. "the top liquid must be thicker because it doesn't come through the paper"; "there must be a vacuum which is sucking the red liquid up"; the bottom liquid must be hot because heat rises .

After discussion of their inferences and the evidence which led them to these conclusions, you may give them some additional information; i.e. show them how phenolphthalein behaves with a base and then allow them to revise their earlier inferences, thus reinforcing the notion that the more information we have, the better the inferences we can make.

Particles SP3

At the end of this unit, you could have students design a story or coloring book for Grade 3 or 4 students. This gives them a chance to be creative and to demonstrate their understanding of the concept of the particular model in a fun way. Their readers can be invited to comment as part of the evaluation process too.

Solutions SPl

Rather than investigate the effect of solute on the freezing of water, try investigating the effect of solute on the melting temperature of snow or ice. Students add salt to ice, one teaspoon at a time. With each addition, record temperature. See who can reach the lowest temperature! Graph the results! Students get excited over this one. Often a winter activity, it ties in nicely with road conditions outside, and there's no shortage of snow.


Student Assessment

This column will feature helpful assessment methods which have proved workable in the classroom. Among the tools presented will be:

Examples of test questions

In each issue of INTERACTIONS, one or more samples of these tools will be provided, sometimes with a Blackline Master for convenient reproduction.

Each issue will contain examples of test questions. variety is important. Short essays, multiple choice, word usage, completions, corrections, graphing, answering by illustration will all be featured. We have chosen a few examples of questions from units usually studied at this time of year in grades 7 to 9. The questions can be adapted as well, if you wish. Answers are provided where appropriate.

Observational Checklist for Class or Small Group Discussion

Group work is always difficult to monitor and assess, especially at the junior high level. The use of forms can be a helpful device to save time and effort later on when making more formal assessments of student progress. Forms should be used selectively, either as a detailed check on individual students in a given lab or monitoring several of the characteristics of good group work as outlines on the form.

Next, you will find a model (Blackline Master in the printed version) giving a checklist for observing group discussions. It has been adapted from Making the Grade (Prentice-Hall). Modify it for your own needs. Do you have forms you find especially helpful? Share them with other teachers through INTERACTIONS.

Short Essay

Briefly explain, from your knowledge of what you have studied about the concept of inertia, why seat belts are installed in automobiles

Answer: Inertia is the tendency of a body at rest to remain at rest and for a body in motion to remain in motion. When a car is moving, the bodies of the passengers in the car are in motion. If the car comes to an abrupt stop, the passengers have a tendency to keep moving and may even be thrown from the car. Seatbelts overcome inertia by restraining passengers, thus preventing serious injuries in an accident. This is why seatbelts have been required in cars

Word Usage

Peter used the necessary equipment that was available in the cIassroom/laboratory to measure the mass and weight of the book Rewrite this situation using the following words: Spring scale, equal arm balance, platform balance, weight, mass.

Answer: Peter used a spring scale to measure the weight of the book and the equal arm balance or platform balance to measure the mass of the book.

Multiple Choice

As shown in the illustration below, Joe is riding his swiftly moving skateboard. Seeing an apple dangling from a limb, he jumps straight up in the air to grab it. Where does he land after missing the apple?

a) in front of his skateboard
b) behind his skateboard
c) on his skateboard again
d) to the left of his skateboard e) to the right of his skateboard

Answer: (c)

Electric and Magnetic Forces SP2

Illustrations for Interpretation

A Grade 8 student drew an illustration of what she thought would happen if she rubbed a copper nail with wool cloth and brought it near to a suspended wheat puff. Is her prediction correct? Explain.

Answer: The copper nail, which is a conductor, cannot be electrically charged when it is rubbed with a wool cloth. Therefore the uncharged pith bail will be unaffected by the copper nail and the diagram should reflect this.

Is it Magic?

You have been hired to set up an exploration room at Upper Clements Park called "IS IT MAGIC?" In this room you will have 10 activity centers - 5 static electricity and 5 magnetic forces.

a) design a symbol to represent the two types of centres.
b) Make a card of instructions for each station with clear directions. You may use your imagination and name the activity. The attached sheet contains blank cards and space for the floor plan. Each card is already numbered so just add the symbol for the type of activity in the upper right-hand comer.

Note to Teachers: attach a sheet containing the 10 blank cards needed and space for the floor plan to be drawn.

Particles or Floating & Sinking SP3

Graphing Data

George and John have constructed the following data table from an experiment they conducted. They initially heated two different gases and then calculated the density of each gas at that given temperature, based on data which they gathered. Examine their data table. Construct a line graph of their data for each gas. Construct the two graphs on the same set of axes. Then use the graph to answer the following questions

a) Use the graph to explain what happens to the density of Gas A as it is heated.
b) What happens to the density of Gas B as it is heated?
c) Methane gas has a density of 0.372 grams per litre at 40 C. Which graph represents the gas Methane?

Temp ( C) Density (g/L)
Gas A Gas B
0 3.214 0.717
10 2.839 0.630
20 2.464 0.544
30 2.089 0.458
40 1.714 0.372
50 1.339 0.285
60 0.964 0.199
70 0.589 0.112
80 0.214 0.026

Answer:

(a) As Gas A is heated, its density decreases.
(b) As Gas B is heated, its density decreases.
(c) The Graph of Gas B


Research: What Does It Say to Teachers?

Ultimately, the aim of research in science education is to improve science teaching. However, research will not supply the quick fix for tomorrow's lesson. So why should teachers be interested? Research hits its biggest and most direct impact on policy and curriculum development. Issues such as optimum class size, time allotments, student/teacher ratios, effective teaching strategies, and evaluation approaches are all influenced by the results of research. Research projects are more than trial-and-error approaches to problem solving. It takes time to identify the problem, conceive and design the research task, record observations and collect data where appropriate, and then to analyze the results. And that's not the end of the process - or at least it shouldn't be! Every research activity leads to more questions, more research. The results of research are then used by curriculum developers and Departments of Education as they design and implement policies and curriculum that eventually are used in the classroom. These decisions can have great implications for teachers and teaching.

Research can take a variety of forms. You are undoubtedly familiar with several. One model is shown here.

In this case, teachers have input at several stages in the research process and this enables them to play a role in influencing policy formation and curriculum development, a role for which they are often given little credit. This approach also produces a cadre of teachers with experience in education decision-making at many levels, not just in the classroom. Ultimately, this will mean a better education system!

Currently, a similar process specifically aimed at improving science education at the Junior High level is taking place in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The project is being conducted by the Atlantic Science Curriculum Project (ASCP), the developers of SciencePlus. It aims to generalize classroom teaching and learning experiences for the purpose of policy development, particularly in relation to the SciencePlus curriculum. It is both classroom-based and teacher-centred. Participants are science teachers in 25 randomly selected and voluntarily participating schools from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. As such, it is integral to the purpose of both ASCP and the SciencePlus Teachers Network, i.e. linking teaching, curriculum development and research in science education.

Some of !he questions being addressed by ASCP research are:

ASCP firmly believes that teachers have an important role to play in the research process. The SciencePlus Teachers Network will be a vehicle by which research activities can be shared, participants can be kept informed and experiences of individual teachers related to those of colleagues. Each issue of INTERACTIONS will contain a research column addressing these questions and reporting on recent research activities and outcomes. Are some of the above questions of particular interest to you? Would you like more information? Do you have ideas for research or curriculum development on which you might like to collaborate ?

You can write: INTERACTIONS with your ideas and requests or you can contact:

Chuck McFadden
Director ASCP Research & Development
Faculty of Education, University of New Brunswick
Fredericton, N.B. E3B 6E3.
Phone: 506-453-4695 If no answer: 506-455-2547
Fax: 506-453-3569
mcfad@unb.ca


Useful Resources

Clark, Judy, Wideman, Ron and Eadie, Susan. Together We Learn, Scarborough: Prentice-Hall Canada Inc., 1990

Liem, Tik L. Invitations to Science Inquiry. Lexington, Mass: Ginn Press, 1985 (191 Spring St. Lexington, Mass. USA. 02173.

Wamboldt, Roger. Evaluation Problems for Junior High Science 1. Halifax: Nimbus Publishing Ltd. $24.95

Making the Grade - Evaluating Student Progress, Board of Education for the City of Etobicoke, Scarborough: Prentice-Hall Canada Inc., 1987

After the Warming (video).

Botanical Gardens Sunburst. (computer software)

Osbourne, R., Freyberg, P. Learning in Science, Heinemann Press, 1985.


Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor:

We are writing regarding Exploration 3, Mini-Experiment #1 on p 434 of SciencePlus 3 (Pressure ). This experiment won't work! We followed your procedure exactly but the

results were not what was expected. The water always came up the tubing. The container was very well sealed so this was not the problem. We have tried this many times with the same results each time Help!

Sincerely,

Class 9A, Rockingham School

Alan Moore, the unit's author, replies:

Oops! You are right. One easily gets a mouthful of water in this activity. The pressure exerted by the air in the flask is greater than the pressure created by sucking on the tube.

Therefore, the water is forced into your mouth.

Can this activity be made to work? Here are 2 suggestions. Try filling the flask completely with water. Can you drink the water through the tube now? Or try using a piece of tubing that is longer than 125 cm. Why should a longer tube make it more difficult to drink from the flask?


Golfball / ping-pong ball explanation

If you drop the two balls from a meter, you scarcely notice the difference. Drop them from a tall building and the difference is great. If you drop them in a vacuum, they would hit the. ground at the same time. (Remember the old ball and feather demonstration?) So the answer must be connected with air resistance! But why does air resistance make a difference when their sizes are so similar? Doesn't air resistance depend on size? Yes, it does! But air resistance also depends on velocity -try putting your hand out of your car window at high and low speeds.

After a few seconds, each ball stops accelerating and settles down at its terminal velocity - the downward gravitational force, mg, is balanced by the upward force of air resistance. The terminal velocity for the golf ball is larger because its mass is greater therefore, it reaches the floor slightly before the ping-pong ball

Note: The question of "when" to introduce scientific explanations arises. One suggestion is to do so at the end of a teaching sequence after students have been given the opportunity to make their own frameworks explicit (predict) and to test these against experience (observe, explain).


An Invitation

We want to hear from you! Send us your letters, comments, suggestions and ideas for our columns (What Works...What Doesn't, Student Assessment), interesting research projects, samples of your students' work, materials for blackline masters. Send us anything you'd like to share with other teachers. It can be in draft form, we'll do the editing and add the finishing touches. Write to:

Nan Armour, Atlantic Co-ordinator
SciencePlus Teachers Network
1331 Brenton Street, Halifax, N.S. B3J 2K5
Phone: (902) 422-5953 FAX: (902) 422-1415
narmour@fox.nstn.ns.ca

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