ASSIGNMENTS Fall 2003

Most elementary school teachers are uncomfortable with science and don't like science. By their own admission, many don't teach science as much as they should. Some people will argue that we shouldn't teach science, we should only teach reading and math. Despite mandates from some principals and the desires of some teachers, science is a core subject in elementary school curriculum and soon to become part of the state testing and API scores. By law you are required to teach it. This paper requires you to decide if science should be taught in elementary school.

I want you to come up with a rationale for why or why not  elementary teachers should teach science. This is an opinion piece. You may want to do the first week's assigned readings before you write but I don't want you to read much more than that. Address the following questions in your response: Should science be taught (why or why not)? what are the benefits to including science in the K-6 classroom (benefits for students & teachers)? What are the barriers or reasons not to teach science (again for both students and teachers)? This paper should not address "how" to teach science but whether to teach it.

suggested length 3-5 pages + references (optional)
GRADING CRITERIA

back to Table of Contents

CURRICULUM REVIEWS (15%)

Instructional Materials Review due: throughout the semester

The instructional materials review will be completed in class and out of class. For each curriculum review you will complete the following:

1.Title, author, date of publication.
2.What is this unit about?
3.Which standard(s) does it address?
4.How is it organized for students? for you as the teacher?
5.What is included that makes it accessible to all learners? What could be added to make it more applicable for diverse learners?
6.Describe the nature of the activities (cookbook, inquiry, discovery, exploration...).
7.Which of your goals does this material help you attain?
8.What management, safety, and material issues are related to this unit?
9.What's your overall reaction to this particular unit/curricula?
10. Various specified tasks to be assigned for each unit.

 back to Table of Contents

WEB QUEST -- assignment #8 from On-Line 475 assignments (5%)

You will be performing a webquest. This particular webquest was designed by a 3rd grade teacher for her students entitled "Migration - Journeys of Life:  A Webquest for Third Grade". You will "do " the webquest as designed for parts 1 and 2.  This will let you experience a student-centered online learning experience as your students would experience. You will not do part 3 (write a children's story). Instead, you will note the science, literacy and social studies standards that this webquest addresses (in all 3 parts).  You will also examine the assessment criteria in this webquest. Please see the specific assignment details.
 

due: 11/6

You will visit a field trip site that is related to your unit. While at the site, run through the list of 10  pointers from McComas related to successful field trip planning.

You will write up a summary that includes the following information:
Museum Logistics: address, phone number, hours of operation, parking, costs
Overview of what the museum offers (i.e. exhibit names, special courses or classes, discovery centers, movies, tours, etc.)
In depth description of an exhibit that fits into your unit
Note any concerns you would have taking a class of students to this site. In particular, would this site be accessible to ALL students? If not, what would you need to do to accommodate all students?

10 tips for a Successful Field Trip (W. F. McComas video seen in class)
1. Visit the site in advance to prepare for the trip.   Pay special attention to access for handicapped students.
2. Provide students with a map of the site and specific learning goals.
3. Involve students in planning the field trip.
4. Plan for students needs and emergencies.
5. Create a strong link between the classroom curriculum and the field trip.
6. Helps students generate personally relevant questions for the field trip.
7. Design the trip as part of a learning cycle instructional plan.
8. Guide students' discovery with higher order, thought-provoking questions (and help your chaperones to do the same).
9. Follow up the field trip with a debriefing.
10. Apply students' informal learning choice to the in-school environment.

Over the course of the semester you will develop several powerpoint presentations. I will teach you how to create them, and work with you as you learn to to master the program. At the end of the semester you will develop a power point presentation about a professional science teaching organization. Detailed guidelines for the assignment and the grading of the assignment can be found on the Science Education On-Line learning link.

You will visit their website to find the following information:

• Organization name, address and URL
• Mission statement
• Membership information - who is the target audience, how large is the organization, cost of membership, benefits of membership
• Publication and conference information
• Web resources available from their homepage

due: must be completed by December 2.
Details to be discussed in class. There are many options for fullfilling this part of the class!

Other observation suggestions

back to Table of Contents

Resource Pack (10%)

You are going to collect lots of science activities and resources which could be used for teaching a specific science unit. You will select the grade level and science concepts (big ideas) that you want to address. In a writing, tell me what science concepts and grade level you are collecting materials for. You must collect at least:

• 15 activities (no more than 3 from any single source, no more than 6 from the internet). Be sure to include references for the activities.

                 - complete an activity analysis sheet on 5 activities
• an internet site that students could use (include URL and brief description of what the site offers)
• an internet site that you could use (background information - include URL and brief description of what the site offers)
• 2 children's books - complete a story analysis sheet for each book
• list of types of speakers that might supplement the unit (i.e. fish & game warden, chemistry professor, someone from Southern California Edison) - must have 2 potential speakers
• 1 teaching related article pertinent to your topic (e.g., Science & Children, Science Scope, Instructor Magazine, American Biology Teacher)

Most of the work for this assignment has already been done. You collected more than enough resources for your unit and you've already visited the field trip site. The work will be in organizing the unit, defending that organization, and determining a way to see what students have learned from the unit.

You will have a written final exam during exam week.

To return to EDEL 475 homepage

Return to home page