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Everyday Science Mysteries: Stories for Inquiry-Based Science Teaching


By: Richard Konicek-Moran
$18.36 - Member Price  
$22.95 - Nonmember Price

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$23.87 - Member Price  
$29.84 - Nonmember Price
Details

Type of Product:NSTA Press Book (also see downloadable PDF version of this book)
Average Rating:
 based on 6 reviews
Publication Date:4/1/2008
Pages:188
Stock Number:PB220X
ISBN:978-1-93353-121-2
Grade Level:Elementary School, Middle School
Read Inside:Read a sample chapter: Conclusion
NSTA Recommends
Our reviewers—top-flight teachers and other outstanding science educators—have determined that this resource is among the best available supplements for science teaching.
[Read the full review]


Description

What causes condensation? Does temperature affect how well a balloon will fly? How do tiny bugs get into oatmeal? Through 15 mystery stories, this book memorably illustrates science concepts for students and reinforces the value of learning science through inquiry. Each mystery presents opportunities for students to create questions, form hypotheses, test their ideas, and come up with explanations. Focused on concepts such as periodic motion, thermodynamics, temperature and energy, and sound, these mysteries draw students into the stories by grounding them in experiences students are familiar with, providing them with a foundation for classroom discussion and inquiry.

The story format is used because it is one of the most effective ways to engage students’ attention right from the start. Each chapter includes a list of science concepts explored, targeted strategies for using the stories with children in grades K–4 and with older students in grades 5–8, and a key matching story concepts with corresponding standards in the NSES.

Ideas For Use

Educators will find this a useful reference on conceptual change teaching and a valuable resource for building content knowledge.
The benefit of pedagogical strategies designed to improve students’ conceptual understanding is one more reason to add this to your teaching library.

Additional Info

Science Discipline: (mouse over for full classification)
Thermodynamics
Temperature
Analyzing data
Asking questions
Communicating
Hypothesizing
Interpreting data
Intended User Role:Curriculum Supervisor, Elementary-Level Educator, Middle-Level Educator, Teacher
Educational Issues:Classroom management, Curriculum, Inquiry learning, Instructional materials, Learning theory, Professional development, Teacher content knowledge, Teacher preparation, Teaching strategies

Contents

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Preface

Introduction: Case Studies on How to Use the Stories in the Classroom

Chapter 1: Theory Behind the Book

Chapter 2: Using the Book and the Stories

Chapter 3: The Link Between Science, Inquiry, and Language Literacy

The Stories and Background Material for Teachers

Matrix for Earth and Space Sciences

Chapter 4: Moon Tricks

Chapter 5: Where Are the Acorns?

Chapter 6: Master Gardener

Chapter 7: Frosty Morning

Chapter 8: The Little Tent That Cried

Matrix for Biological Sciences

Chapter 9: About Me

Chapter 10: Oatmeal Bugs

Chapter 11: Dried Apples

Chapter 12: Seed Bargains

Chapter 13: Trees from Helicopters

Matrix for Physical Sciences

Chapter 14: The Magic Balloon

Chapter 15: Downhill Ride

Chapter 16: Grandfather’s Clock

Chapter 17: The Neighborhood Telephone System

Chapter 18: How Cold is Cold?

Chapter 19: Conclusion

Appendix

Index


This Title Also Available as Part of a Set:
Set: Everyday Science Mysteries and More Everyday Science Mysteries
This set includes Everyday Science Mysteries: Stories for Inquiry-Based Science Teaching and More Everyday Science Mysteries: Stories for Inquiry-Based Science Teaching.
Member Price: $35.92 Nonmember Price: $44.91

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National Standards Correlation

This resource has 12 correlations with the National Standards.  
[VIEW CORRELATIONS]

This resource has 12 correlations with the National Standards.  
[HIDE CORRELATIONS]

  • Physical Science
    • Transfer of Energy
      • Energy is a property of many substances and is associated with heat, light, electricity, mechanical motion, sound, nuclei, and the nature of a chemical.
  • Science as Inquiry
    • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
      • Ask a question about objects, organisms, and events in the environment.
      • Use data to construct a reasonable explanation.
      • Communicate investigations and explanations.
      • Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.
  • Process Standards for Professional Development
    • Design
      • Introduce teachers to scientific literature, media, and technological resources that expand their science knowledge and their ability to access further knowledge. (NSES)
      • Uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal. (NSDC)
  • Content Standards
    • Quality Teaching
      • Deepens educators’ content knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately. (NSDC)
  • Teaching Standards
    • Teachers of science plan an inquiry-based science program for their students.
      • Select science content and adapt and design curricula to meet the interests, knowledge, understanding, abilities, and experiences of students.
    • Teachers of science guide and facilitate learning. In doing this, teachers
      • Encourage and model the skills of scientific inquiry, as well as the curiosity, openness to new ideas and data, and skepticism that characterize science.
      • Focus and support inquiries while interacting with students.
      • Orchestrate discourse among students about scientific ideas.


Customer Reviews
Good book but too juvenile
  Reviewed by: Kimberly (Decherd, TN) on July 17, 2008
  I really like the idea for the book but I teach middle school science and the stories were more for younger students. I know it talks about adapting them for older students, but I was hoping for something else. I do think elementary students would love the stories and mysteries.

Science-Reading Connections
  Reviewed by: Rhonda (Sioux Falls, SD) on July 17, 2008
  This book had lots of connections for reading/science. Our accelerated science teachers will be using it to enhance our new curriculum.

Everyday Science Mysyteries
  Reviewed by: Heather (Howell, MI) on July 16, 2008
  My students love these stories! They have proven to be an exciting and interesting method of introducing new ideas.

A very useful tool!
  Reviewed by: David M (Sioux Center, IA) on July 15, 2008
  I found Everyday Science Mysteries to be an enjoyable read. I'll be very likely to use several of the "mysteries" included in the book this coming school year with my 7th grade students. Great tips for using the mysteries are included, and clear explanations of the science behind the story will help novices or teachers who don't see themselves as science experts to use the book effectively. I'd definitely recommend reading!

Everyday Science Mysteries: Stories for Inquiry
  Reviewed by: Katherine B (, ) on July 15, 2008
  This book provides stories that can be used as hooks into lesson. For instance if you are teaching about matter expansion and contraction there is a story about how the gas in a balloon will contract making the balloon appear as if it has a leak, only to expand again once it has warmed up. This is a good tool for teaching. The contents are set up well in that the different areas of science are identified. If you are looking for physical science it has them listed in such a format.

Storytelling - - A great concept
  Reviewed by: Robert Gilmore (Milford, MA) on July 15, 2008
  Tapping into the innately human interest in storytelling is pure genius. This book is very well organized and relates well with other useful resources (such as the Uncovering Student Ideas in Science series) that are frequently mentioned throughout the text.

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