EDCUR 322.3

Teaching Science in Elementary Schools

Syllabus

EDCUR 322 | Syllabus | Assignments | Teaching Methods | Sample Lesson Plans | Hot Links | Course Notes

ED CUR 322.3(08)

Teaching Science in Elementary Schools

Fall 2001

Instructor:

Janet McVittie	Office: Education 3033
e-mail: janet.mcvittie@usask.ca	Office Phone: 966-7582
Office Hours: by arrangement
Course Web Page: http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/mcvittiej/edcur322.html

Calendar Description:

Students will be introduced to teaching children science and to the Saskatchewan Science Curriculum for the Elementary Level. Various methods and resources needed to teach the Curriculum at this level will be demonstrated. Specific issues related to Science Education will be explored.

Specific Objectives

Science Education

The students will:

• learn the differences between science education and environmental education
• learn the differences between the outdoor classroom, out of school experiences, adventure education, and environmental education
• learn the difference in meaning between the terms “inquiry” and “discovery”
• learn why experiential, conceptual and co-operative groups are appropriate instructional strategies for the elementary science classroom
• learn what the dimensions and factors of scientific literacy are, and how to address these in their teaching
• compare the learning theories of behaviourism, Piaget, and Vygotsky, with specific focus on constructivism and how it relates to teaching and assessment in the science classroom
• learn how gender and race affect children’s ability to learn science
• learn how to read and use the Saskatchewan Elementary Science Curriculum Guide

Instructional Methods

The students will:

• discuss the philosophies behind different instructional strategies
• learn how to design lesson plans using the following instructional methods: guided inquiry, play-debrief-replay, concept attainment, concept formation, concept web, predict-explain-observe-explain, role play, simulation, field trip, synectics, small group work
• use the common essential learnings in their lesson plans
• include the dimensions of scientific literacy in their lesson plans

Assessment and Evaluation

The students will:

• distinguish the meanings between the terms “assessment” and “evaluation”; “fairness” and “equity”
• learn how to recognise and account for bias, and how to ensure their assessment is as objective as possible
  
• learn the differences between normative, criterion and self referenced evaluation, and between diagnostic, formative and summative evaluation
• learn that their students should be assessed with a variety of techniques, and will learn and apply a variety of assessment techniques in the science classroom, including: formal writing, informal writing, formal speaking, informal small group speaking, informal large group speaking, role playing, drawing, dancing, hands-on problem solving, written problem solving
• learn that they should and how to record data on their students’ learning using a variety of forms of records, including: collections of writing and/or drawings, check lists, anecdotal records, rating scales, portfolios, rubrics, evaluation frameworks

Unit Planning

The students will:

• research the topic of their unit plan
  
• prepare to use a variety of teaching methods
  
• describe the pedagogical basis for the choices of the teaching methods
  
• create a framework for collecting adequate data for evaluating their students

Application

The students will:

• experience outdoor classrooms
• experience teaching science (in integrated lessons) to K to 5 students in three different locations
• observe K to 5 students learning science (in integrated lessons)
• assess the science learning of K to 5 students
• participate in teaching lessons of different instructional methods with different assessment tools
  

Required texts

Saskatchewan Education: Science: A Curriculum Guide for the Elementary Level.
Saskatchewan Education: Evaluation: A Handbook for Teachers.
Saskatchewan Education: Instructional Approaches: A Framework for Professional Practice.
Saskatchewan Education: Understanding the Common Essential Learnings: A Handbook for Teachers.
McVittie, J. Course Readings for EdCur 322.3(04), January to April 2003.

All the above texts are available in hard copy through the book store, or are on-line.

Evaluation

1. Brightwater Paper 25% Due: Mar 5, Wednesday

2. Paper on constructivist teaching 10% Due: Feb 14, Friday

Midterm exam 10% Due: Feb 12, Wednesday

3. Unit Plan 25% Due: Mar 24, Monday

Final exam 30% TBA

University Policy on Evaluation, Attendance and Plagiarism

You have all attended university for a minimum of two years. Exceptional students will have already familiarised themselves with the calendar, and have read those aspects that apply to them. Excellent students will do so now.

Attendance: The University has an attendance policy, which translated to this course means that if you miss more than 10% of classes (four classes), your instructor may refuse you the right to write your final exam. The College of Education has an attendance policy because so much of what you learn in class is un-examinable. You learn how to carry out a lesson, you see professors modelling how to teach (or how not to teach ­ we can give you negative examples as well), you learn how to have conversations and how to learn from and work with your peers. Most of this will not show up in a written exam. University regulations do not allow for participation marks. Consequently, we require, in this college, that you attend classes.

If you are going to be away, please let me know before class begins. You can contact me by telephone (leave a message on the machine), by e-mail, by telling me in class, or by having a peer tell me the reason for your absence. If you contact me via phone message, e-mail message or in class, you do not need to explain the reason for your absence. If you are ill, or have some other problem which you think is excusable, document the reasons, just in case you need to present a case to the Committee on Academic Standing.

Evaluation: I will be evaluating you systematically, thoroughly, and as fairly as I can. I will sample different kinds of work ­ work that should give you the opportunity to display the objectives of the course. From the samples, I will attempt to assess what you have learned regarding the material covered in this course, and your potential to apply what you have learned in a classroom. Inevitably, what you have learned in the past also will appear in your evaluation. The evaluations I put on the samples will be the mark you will get. Adding up the weighted averages will reflect your final mark. By the time you write your final exam, you should have 70% of your marks. There should be no surprises.

Exceptional students will already have read the University calendar descriptions of what different marks mean. Excellent students will do so now.

You will have 45% of your marks by the latest date for dropping the course without academic penalty (March 14, Friday). If you find that you are not doing as well as you hoped, or are in danger of failing, meet with me to discuss your options ­ before the final drop date. Dropping the course will put you behind in your program, so the emphasis is on “options”.

EDCUR 322 | Syllabus | Assignments | Teaching Methods | Sample Lesson Plans | Hot Links | Course Notes