Mr.

Fox’s Teaching Science Overview

Planning
1. UBD PlanningDesired Results -> Assessment Evidence -> Learning Plan
a. Desired Results
i.Big Ideas
1. Understandings
2. Essential Questions
ii.Concepts and Skills
1. Students will know…
2. Students will be able to…
b. Assessment Evidence
i.Performance Tasks (GRASPS)
ii.Other Evidence
1. Formative
2. Summative
3. Reflective

c. Learning Plan (WHERETO

i. W- Whereare we going? Why? What is Expected?
ii.H- Hook and Hold attention
iii.E- Equip students for expected performances
iv.R- Rethink and revise
v.E- Self-Evaluate and reflect on their learning
vi.T- Tailor (differentiate) learning to varied needs, interests, and
styles
vii.O- Organize and sequence learning

2. Driving Questions

3. Problem Based Learning

4. Authentic
a. Connections between Conceptual Science and Experiential Science
b. Students get a set of experiences that give meaning to the scientific
concepts.
c. Current Events: What is happening now in science?
d. How is classroom science similar and different than professional science
i.Venn Diagram

5. Bloom’s Taxonomy
a. Remembering – recalling info
b. Understanding – explaining concepts or ideas
c. Applying – Using information in another familiar situation
d. Analyzing – Breaking information into parts to explore understandings
and relationships
e. Evaluating-Justifying a decision or course of action
f. Creating –Generating new ideas, products, or ways of viewing things
Key Skills Students Must Develop (Student Tool Belt)
1. Cooperative Teamwork
a. Positive Interdependence
b. Individual Accountability
c. Talk about work
d. Quiz each other
e. Share ideas
f. Encourage each other
g. Think-Pair-Share

2. Reflective
a. Identify Objectives
b. Self-assess understanding
c. Formulate goals
d. Self-assess progress

3. Reading Comprehension
a. Read a Section
i.Preview, Objectives
ii.5 most important concepts
iii.3 things you didn’t understand
iv.3 questions
b. Identifying Main Ideas
c. Outlining
d. Comparing and Contrasting
e. Relating Cause and Effect Asking Questions
f. Asking Questions
g. Sequencing
h. Using Prior Knowledge
i. Previewing Visuals
j. Identifying supporting evidence
k. Building vocabulary

4. Process Skills
a. Observing
b. Inferring
c. Predicting
d. Classifying
e. Making Models
f. Communicating
g. Measuring Calculating

5. Designing Experiments
a. Posing Questions
 b. Developing a Hypothesis
i.Null hypothesis
c. Controlling Variables
d. Forming Operational Definitions
e. Designing Experiments
i.Treatment, control
ii.replication, randomization, investigator bias
f. Interpreting Data
g. Drawing Conclusions
h. Designing an Experiment

6. Data Tables and Graphs

a. Data Tables
b. Bar Graphs
c. Line Graphs
d. Circle Graphs
Assessment
1. Diagnostic
a. Prior knowledge, misconceptions, interests, learning style preferences
i.Pretest
ii.Survey,
iii.Skills check
iv.Misconception Test T/F
v.KWL

2. Formative
a. On going formal and informal assessments to guide instruction
i. Quizzes
1. HW Quiz on main ideas
2. Partner quizzes
ii.Oral questioning and observation
1. Observation Log
iii.Quick check: Thumbs up, sideways, down
iv.Analogy prompt ____ is like ____ because _____
v.Misconception Test T/F
vi.Create a concept map
vii.One minute essay
1. What is the main idea
2. What is something you understand well, don’t understand?
viii.Journaling
ix.Portfolio review

3. Summative
a. GRASPS
b. Performance Assessments
c. Exams
d. Culminating Projects
e. Work Portfolio
f. Lab Reports
g. Essay and Research Projects

4. Reflections
a. Metacognitive
i. Where are you trying to go? (Identify and communicate the
learning and performance goals.)
ii.Where are you now? (Assess, or help the student to self-assess,
current levels of understanding.)
iii.How can you get there? (Help the student with strategies and
skills to reach the goal.
b. Group Reflections
c. Self Reflections
5. Products
a. Journals
b. Podcasts
c. Videos
d. Debates
e. Interviews
f. Games
g. Music, Raps
h. Science Fiction Stories
i. Current Events
j. Timelines
k. Speeches
l. Ads
Learning Activities and Instruction
1. Instructional Methods
a. Hands-On Inquiry Based Investigations
b. Short Lectures
i.Concepts
ii.Demonstrations
c. Activities
i.Projects
ii.Assignments
d. Reflection exercises

2. Inquiry
a. What is Inquiry? (Uncovering, open-ended, student-centered,
hands-on)
i. Acquring scientific knowledge
ii.Applying scientific knowledge
iii.Developing and using higher-order thinking skills
iv.Communicating findings

b. Inquiry Cycle
i.Stating a question
ii.Brainstorming possible solutions
iii.a Testable Statement
iv.Designing Plan
v.Carrying out plan
vi.Collecting Evidence
vii.Drawing Conclusions
viii.Sharing results

2. Experimental Lab Report

a. Abtract
b. Intoduction
c. Materials and Methods
d. Results
e. Discussion
f. Acknowledgements
g. Literature Cited
h. Appendix
3. Record in Science Notebook
a. Binder
i.Notes
ii.Glossary
iii.Labs and Investigations
iv.Assessments
v.Assignments

4. Lectures
a. Brief
i.Blog, Wiki, Google Docs
b. Provide nonlinguistic representations (visual symbols, models, concept
notes)
c. Concept Notes
d. Demonstrations
e. POE’s

5. Activities
c. Similarities and differences
i.Venn Diagrams
d. Summarizing and note-taking
i. concept notes, concept maps
e. Cues, questions, and advance organizers

6. 5 E’s
f. Engage
i. Designed to engage the learner in the topic and allows the
instructor to assess the depth of knowledge of concepts.
g. Explore
i. Provide students opportunities to test, think, problem solve, collect
data and make discoveries
h. Explain
i.Allows students and teachers to work together to clarify the
concepts and vocabulary
i. Elaborate
i. Challenges students to demonstrate conceptual understanding by
applying concepts; fosters a deeper understanding of concepts
j. Evaluate
i.Evaluates student understanding of the concepts; Students apply
concepts learned in new situations to demonstrate conceptual
understanding
7. Differentiation
k. Content:
i.Pre-Assess prior knowledge and skills
ii.Open-ended questions, activities, assignments, and assessments
that allow different but equally valid responses
iii.Various modalities (orally, visually, in writing)
iv.Use a variety of resource materials at different levels
l. Process
i.Work alone or in groups
ii.Encourage students to develop their own research questions for in-
depth exploration of a key idea or questions
m.Product
i.Allow students choices of products (visual, oral, written) for
activities and assignments

8. Classroom Management
a. Preventative
i.Clearly defined objectives
ii.Clear procedures
iii.Focus questions
b. Reinforcing effort and giving recognition
i.Positive log
c. Discussions with students and parents
d. Behavior plan

9. Technology
a. Shared sites on Diigo
b. iMovie Projects
c. Slideshare-Keynote
d. Wikispaces
e. WordPress Blog
i.Post every 3 days
ii.20 mins or 10 lines, big font, interesting titles
f. Flickr storm
i.Creative commons
g. Voicethread