Unfortunately, the reading of science-related, historical nonfiction alone does not necessarily lead students to make personal connections to science or understand science as a human endeavor interdependent with culture, society, and history. Teachers must structure students’ reading to ensure that they consider specific aspects of science while reading and discussing books. One way for teachers to focus their students’ attention on components of the nature of science is through the use of literature circles.
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Classification promotes visual discrimination, observation, memory development, organizational skills, and problem-solving ability. The science curriculum depends on the skill of classification for concept building. The activities in this article offer students an opportunity to examine collections of data and determine the rule for the grouping (classification). To foster these skills, memory-enhancing strategies such as mnemonic devices, rhymes, acronyms, acrostics, and peg words are described.
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We should each examine our curriculum to make sure that we give ample time to the teaching of the history and nature of science. This issue of Science Scope contains a collection of activities and projects, both inquiry- and interdisciplinary-based, that can be used as models for designing activities that will give your middle level students a good start on the road to science literacy.
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Last spring, North America was gripped in the largest pet food recall in history. News outlets reported tens of thousands of dogs and cats becoming ill, and many dying, as a result of ingesting contaminated pet food. Several pet owners have filed lawsuits against the manufacturers and distributors of the pet food products. This real-life science story can be used with students to show science investigation in action, and to discuss the intersections between the role of regulatory agencies and the public.
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Explosions and fires—these are what many students are waiting for in science classes. And when they do occur, students pay attention. While we can’t entertain our students with continual mayhem, we can catch their attention and cater to their desires for excitement by saying, “Let’s make rockets.” In this activity, students make simple, reusable launchers and rockets for experiments while learning fundamental principles of physics.
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When students design and build their own versions of instruments, they appreciate them more—and are more likely to appreciate how experimentation plays a critical role in explaining the world around them (NRC 1999). In this activity, students learn how science is done by becoming active participants. They use free lenses to build simple (single-lens) microscopes using a problem-based learning approach that integrates inquiry, design, problem solving, and communication.
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This is an interdisciplinary activity—with art, science, and math classes involved—where students design their own pinwheels, and then attach their design to a DC generator (motor). Prior to testing their designs, students are introduced to basic circuitry, voltmeter usage, heat measurement, wind speeds, data collecting, recording, and analysis.
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We all recognize the power of inquiry-based instruction when implemented in our classrooms. It engages students and motivates them to actively participate in their learning. But do our students develop a deep understanding about the nature of science? Comprehending its tentative nature is the first step toward developing a meaningful understanding of science. Students can do sophisticated science in your classroom, and this article describes how simple it is to facilitate.
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The Pet Rock Project provides students with an in-depth understanding of the rock cycle that involves their artistic and creative abilities in the Earth science classroom. The idea of a pet rock was central to the project as a mechanism to make Earth science seem more inviting to reluctant learners. The focus on the development of a rock “animal” is supported by science education research, which reveals that middle school students report more interest in learning about animals versus plants—partly because animals have human-like faces and can interact with people, and their life cycles are easily observed (Wandersee 1986).
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This cooperative activity presents middle school students with the opportunity to explore and discover, as well as enjoy their own communications with one another. By employing reading, writing, and history as an integrated approach to teaching about the scientific process, students may not only construct viable images to explain intangible ideas, but may come to appreciate the nature of science as it occurs in real-world applications.
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Learning about great women in the sciences has the potential to impact mid-level students in a number of ways. These women and their work may serve as important role models, providing encouragement to younger female students. In addition, the stories of these scientists and their work enrich the overall curriculum, conveying an in-depth and connected view of science (NRC 1996). This article outlines several strategies that effectively weave women into the science curriculum.
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Kids love to cut up, tear apart, and smash things in order to study them. This is one reason they get so excited about the opportunity to study rocks and minerals in the lab or out in the field. Although this can certainly be fun and fuel their curiosity, it can also be dangerous. There are a number of mechanical and chemical hazards that need to be addressed and thought out before any hands-on activity is taken on by middle school students and science teachers.
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It wasn’t until 1781, when William Herschel aimed his six-inch reflecting telescope toward the skies, that our solar system quite literally doubled in size with his discovery of another planet—Uranus. In this month’s column, you’ll learn about the events that led Herschel to this important discovery, and interesting facts about Uranus. In addition, you will discover how you can view this spectacular planet by observing the October skies.
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Storytelling is an age-old and powerful means of communication that can be used as an effective teaching strategy in the science classroom. This article describes the authors’ experiences implementing the Storyline Approach, an inquiry-based teaching method first introduced by Kieran Egan (1986), in the context of teaching the concept of air pressure to seventh- and eighth-grade students. Also included are story-shaping strategies and history-of-science resources to assist in the creation of your own story.
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To facilitate discussions centered on the topic of chemistry, students can create a classroom periodic table. In order to accomplish this task, they research elements in the periodic table using various media (textbooks, Internet), and then create a neat, colorful, and creative poster. The final product—The Class Periodic Table—is prominently displayed in the classroom and utilized throughout the school year.
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Narrative informational book circles are the product of our efforts to combine current research in learning and cognition with integrated science and language-arts activities. They present instructional strategies that support students as they make connections, ask questions, and participate in discussions about science as a human endeavor. In addition, they provide a flexible structure that encourages students to engage in critical thinking and reflection as they read, discuss, and respond to carefully chosen nonfiction science trade books.
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Despite over 10 years of reform efforts, research still shows that students typically have inadequate conceptions of what science is and what scientists do (McComas 2004; Lederman 2007). Many science students, as well as some teachers, use a single “scientific method” that, “proves a hypothesis” by systematic data collection. This view does not acknowledge creativity, inference, or tentativeness as characteristics of science. It not only misrepresents the nature of science, but likely makes science inaccessible to many students. The techniques included here raise awareness of common terminology and the image of the nature of science in general.
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