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Launching Learners in Science, PreK-5 - Book Cover Look Inside

Launching Learners in Science, PreK-5

How to Design Standards-Based Experiences and Engage Students in Classroom Conversations

Design science instruction that helps develop enthusiastic young minds and meets national standards!

The authors describe principles consistent with National Science Education Standards for the active learning of science and identify key ingredients for developing primary students as thinking young scientists. Educators will find examples, questions, stories, and thought-provoking ideas to promote science achievement in students, plus:

  • Six key instructional elements: observing, representing, organizing, patterning and questioning, experimenting, and sharing
  • How-to's for incorporating inquiry, workshops, centers, and projects in primary and elementary classrooms
  • A four-step system—choice, planning, doing, reviewing—to promote learning in science and across all subjects

Full description


Launching Learners in Science, PreK-5 - Book Cover Look Inside
Product Details
  • Grade Level: PreK-12, Elementary
  • ISBN: 9781412937030
  • Published By: Corwin
  • Year: 2006
  • Page Count: 240
  • Publication date: December 07, 2006

Price: $42.95

Price: $42.95
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Description

Description

"Expertly describes how educators can plan a science curriculum that facilitates primary students' understanding, skills, and development in science, preparing them for careers requiring any level of scientific knowledge and giving them science literacy to make decisions that benefit society and the world."
—Robert D. Sweetland, Professor, Wayne State College

Design science instruction that helps develop enthusiastic young minds while meeting national standards!

Teaching science means doing science and involves three elements: knowing content, knowing children, and teachers knowing themselves as teachers and learners. Kerry C. Williams and George E. Veomett describe principles and requirements that reflect National Science Education Standards for the active learning of science. They identify key ingredients for primary students and their development as young scientists.

This resource is linked to research on cognitive and neural development and motivational theory from the work of Piaget and Vygotsky. Teachers inexperienced in science will discover new ways to think about science while they develop lessons that are rich, fun, and authentic for themselves and their students.

All educators will find examples, questions, stories, and thought-provoking ideas to give students a strong start in science achievement, plus:

  • Six key elements to build into science instruction: observing, representing, organizing, patterning and questioning, experimenting, and sharing
  • How-to's for incorporating inquiry, workshops, centers, and projects in primary and elementary classrooms
  • A four-step system—choice, planning, doing, reviewing—that helps promote learning in science and across all subjects

Launching Learners in Science, PreK–5 helps educators teach science in a way that will expand their own confidence and let them make a lasting difference in children's lives!


Key features

Marketing Features

Author(s)

Author(s)

Kerry Curtiss Williams photo

Kerry Curtiss Williams
George E. Veomett photo

George E. Veomett
Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgements

About the Authors

Part I. Welcome to 'Launching Learners in Science'

1. Origin of 'Launching Learners in Science'

Knowing Science

Knowing Children and How They Learn

Knowing Structures That Facilitate Learning and Teaching Science

Changing Emphases

Outline of the NSES Science Content Standards

I. Unifying Concepts and Processes

IIA. Science as Inquiry

IIIB. Physical Science Content Standards

IIIC. Life Science Standards

IVD. Earth and Space Science

VE. Science and Technology

VIF. Science in Personal and Social Perspective

Conversation Starters

2. The Nature of Science

What Is the Nature of Science?

Science as a Body of Knowledge

Sciences as Process

Elements of the Scientific Process

A Historical Example

Science as Process in Elementary School

Reviewing the Nature of Science in Elementary Education

Conversation Starters

3. Prior Beliefs, Efficacy, and Teaching Science

Influence of Experiences and Beliefs on Practice

Efficacy

Reflecting on the Walls of Teaching Science

Getting Around the Walls

Wall #1: I Do Not Know Enough Science Content

Wall #2: Students Need to Know the "Right Answers"

Wall #3: I Don't Have Time to Teach Science

all #4: Active Science Lessons Disrupt My Classroom Management

Reflecting on Your Own Science Walls

Conversations Starters

Part II. Construction Ahead! Influences on Learning

4. Maturation and Learning

Constructing Knowledge

Piaget: The Interaction of Maturation and Experience

Assimilation and Accommodation

Equilibrium / Disequilibrium

Stages of Cogitive Development

Conversation Starters

5. Social Interaction and Learning

Vygotsky and Social Interaction

Language

Culture

The Teacher's Role: Personal Educator

Optimum Learning: The Zone of Proximal Development

Identifying Students' Zones of Proximal Development

Scaffolding: Stretching Without Pulling

The Right Amount of Interaction

The Controlling Guide

The Dispassionate Guide

The Effective Guide

Social Interaction With Peers

Conversation Starters

6. Active Learning

Active Learning: Hands-On, Minds-On

The Emotional Side of Active Learning

The Ingredients for Active Learning

Materials

Manipulation

Choice

Language

Adult Support

Conversation Starters

Part III. Classroom Experiences

7. Key Science Experiences

The Key Science Experiences

A Wheel of Key Science Experiences

Observing

Representing

Organizing

Detecting Patterns and Questioning

Experimenting

Sharing

Putting It All together

The Key Science Experiences and Maturation

Scaffolding for the Teacher

Conversation Starters

8. Thinking Routines

Getting "In To" the Learning in the Classroom

Staying Active in the Learning

Going Deeper Within the Learning

Why Use Thinking Routines?

Maturation and Thinking Routines

Scaffolding Within Thinking Routines

Scaffolding With Language

Scaffolding With Tools

Scaffolding With the Environment

Gathering Your Balloons

Conversation Starters

9. Planning Science Workshops

What Is a Science Workshop?

Whole-Group Instruction

Thinking About Creating Workshops

A Sample Workshop Unit

Scaffolding Within Workshops

Scaffolding Content

Scaffolding for Student Needs: Differentiation

Scaffolding the Key Science Experiences

Tips for Getting Started With Workshops

Why Workshops?

Creating Your Own Workshops -- A Checklist

Before a Unit

Before a Workshop

Conversation Starters

Part IV. Science Is a Community Affair

10. Assessment

Formative Assessment

Features of Formative Assessment

Formative Assessment and Motivation

Task Orientation and Ego Involment

Tools of Formative Assessment

Helping Students Self-Assess

Questioning as a Type of Formative Assessment

Anecdotal Note Taking

Student Journals

Rubrics

Portfolios

Summative Assessments

The Why of Assessing

Conversation Starters

11. Access to Science in a Classroom

Science Studios

Access to Science

Access to Materials

Types of Materials

Collecting and Organizing Materials

Why Is Access to Materials Important?

Supporting Students' Work With Materials

Access to Science Spaces

Physical Space

Emotional Safety

Adequate Time for Investigation

Celebrations of Accomplishments

Access to People

Support From Teachers

Collaboration With Peers

Family Involvement

Community Resources

Access to the World

Technology

Field Trips

The Great Outdoors

The Best of Both Worlds: Laboratories and Studios for Children

Conversation Starters

12. Connections to Curriculum

Your Foundation: The Science Curriculum

Study Your District Objectives

Plan Units Around the Objectives

The Next Layer: Integration

Making the Curriculum Your Own

Conversation Starters

Part V. Resources

Resource A: Safety

Safety in the Classroom

Safety and Active Learning

Some "Absolute Musts"

Resource B: Literature

Children's Literature

References

Index

Reviews

Reviews

Quote by Robert D. Sweetland, Professor, Wayne State College: "Expertly describes how educators can plan a science curriculum that facilitates primary students’ understandings, skills, and affective development of science, preparing them for careers requiring any level of scientific knowledge and giving them science literacy to make decisions that benefit society and the world."
"Expertly describes how educators can plan a science curriculum that facilitates primary students’ understandings, skills, and affective development of science, preparing them for careers requiring any level of scientific knowledge and giving them science literacy to make decisions that benefit society and the world."
Robert D. Sweetland, Professor
Wayne State College
Quote by Rae Johnson Brown, Learning Community Facilitator, Secondary Education, Wayne State College: "Has a brilliantly effective, yet conversational style that engages the reader, offers content that is easy to grasp, and makes sense to all beginning and veteran teachers seeking to understand constructive pedagogy. Not a how to do book, rather a how to think book that provides solid information about thought processes and approaches to learning."
"Has a brilliantly effective, yet conversational style that engages the reader, offers content that is easy to grasp, and makes sense to all beginning and veteran teachers seeking to understand constructive pedagogy. Not a how to do book, rather a how to think book that provides solid information about thought processes and approaches to learning."
Rae Johnson Brown, Learning Community Facilitator, Secondary Education
Wayne State College

    Other Titles in: Science | Teaching Methods & Learning Styles

    Price: $42.95
    Volume Discounts applied in Shopping Cart

    For Instructors

    Request Review Copy

    When you select 'request review copy', you will be redirected to Sage Publishing (our parent site) to process your request.

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