These are the things I think are most important in science education:
A sense of wonder and curiosity – the WOW factor.
Multi-dimensional, multisensory hands-on discovery;
Opportunities for deep thinking;
Communicating and testing ideas in a safe and supportive scientific community;
Creative, organized and thoughtful problem solving.
Having a sense of self as a scientific thinker, creative problem solver, and mover and shaker in the world.
Socially engaged science – real world problem solving
Place-based learning – we care for the things we love, and we love what we know deeply.
The role of the teacher in science education:
Teachers are guides on the process of discovery.
Teachers can facilitate the creation of a learning community that is supportive and safe so children can expand their thinking.
I am more interested in learning how the children are thinking, how they communicate their answers, how they work together and how they support other members of the community, than their ability to spout the “right” answers.
Science Units for 2010- 2011
What is Science
Ecology
Oceans (Oceanography and Biome)
Forces and Energy
Simple Machines
Electricity and Magnetism
Health Topics
Major Projects – * are possibilities, but not absolutes yet
Ecology Unit:
Ecological Study of Tecolote Canyon
Schoolyard Habitat
Public Presentation of Work at Tecolote Nature Center
Creation of Native Plant Garden
Creation of School Garden – raised bed boxes
Forces and Energy:
* Balloon Cars – grades 3 – 5
* Roller Coaster (possibility) grades 6 – 8
Simple Machines
*Medieval catapults and other levers
*Rube Goldberg Machines
Yearly Projects Mid January – Mid March
6th Grade Consumer project
7th Grade Inventions project
8th Grade Original Research Project
Electricity
*Study of Alternative Energy
Opportunities for Parent Involvement – let me know how you can help!
Driving on field trips – particularly taking younger students to the canyon this fall for an hour a week. It is a little far to walk in an hour-long class, and I’d like to go often.
Share an area of expertise that falls within one of the areas we will be studying this year, I would love your help. Come teach a class or share your knowledge on a specific topic. Share what you do as a scientist and why you love your work.
I would love some help creating some of the larger unit projects:
Helping Victory Gardens San Diego build our garden boxes at a work day;
Help the middle school classes build a large catapult, trebuchet, and other medieval “lever” tools.
Help middle schoolers build 3 or 4 different alternative energy projects.
Help in the possible creation of a Fish and Wildlife Department-sponsored Schoolyard Habitat.
