In the article CSI for Trees there a quote that sums up the theme of this issue: “An ordinary activity can be transformed into a lesson that includes nature of science themes simply by adding a few key statements and questions throughout a lesson.” But the word simply is a little misleading. Asking the right questions (and encouraging students to ask questions) can be challenging. And the authors of the articles in this issue share many insights into how to accomplish this in elementary science.
The article How Do You Ask Effective Questions? has some suggestions. The author mentions “wait time” as a component of questioning and discussion. This strategy is often overlooked or dismissed in a quest to “cover” material, but the published research (and my own action research), indicates that it is a powerful way to increase participation and higher-level thinking. If you need a review of wait time, refer to Using Think-Time and Wait-Time Skillfully in the Classroom. (I love how the cover of this issue illustrates what happens during wait time!) More problem-finding prompts are featured in the article Problem Solving by Design
Dioramas often get a bad reputation as a project, but look at how the teacher in the article Deer Tracks in the City uses them to get young students to act out their predictions. This article also shows the value of asking questions but not necessarily following a lockstep investigation.
Check out the Connections for each issue. Even if the article does not quite fit with your lesson agenda, this resource has ideas for handouts, background information sheets, data sheets, rubrics, etc.
And remember that SciLinks can provide more ideas and background information on the topics in this issue. For example, the keyword “dendrochronology” as mentioned in CSI for Trees has several sites targeted for grades 9-12. These sites may be OK for more advanced or interested students – or for your own information.
Use the keyword “wind” for grades 5-8 for other lessons and information related to the topics in Wind Solvers. Even traditional classroom distractions such as paper airplanes can turn into opportunities for questioning, as noted in Use the keyword “wind” for grades 5-8 for other lessons and information related to the topics in Secrets of Flight.
Another aspect of problem solving is collecting and Making Sense of Data. Guiding students through this process is (to me) one of the most interesting parts of problem solving. One of my favorite websites is Create a Graph. There is also a tutorial to help you and your students match your data with an appropriate type of graph. The graphs can be saved and printed to attach into a science notebook, too.