S1 M Afonso

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SCIENCE TEACHINGEUROPEAN SUMMER SCHOOL FOR PRIMARY SCIENCE TRAINERS ERICE, SICILY : 9 – 14 JULY 2005: 

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SCIENCE TEACHING EUROPEAN SUMMER SCHOOL FOR PRIMARY SCIENCE TRAINERS ERICE, SICILY : 9 – 14 JULY 2005

Slide2: 

Learning Science in Elementary School The development of scientific concepts and the influence of everyday knowledge when learning science Margarida Afonso margarida.afonso@ese.ipcb.pt Centre of Educational Research, University of Lisbon College of Education of Castelo Branco

Conceptual framework : 

Conceptual framework

The Problems: 

The Problems

Theoretical Basis: 

Theoretical Basis Several authors maintain that high levels of scientific literacy involve, amongst other aspects:

Theoretical Basis: 

Theoretical Basis Learning concepts involves: ● Generalising knowledge and the contexts in which that knowledge is applied; ● Establishing relations between the different scientific knowledge that is being broached, differentiating the essential/more relevant aspects from the less important/less relevant aspects. CONCEPTS SCIENTIFIC – NON SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE RELATIONS

Methodology – Instruments: 

Methodology – Instruments It is easy to develop concepts It is difficult to develop concepts The tasks/activities always relate several topics. Situations that relate the different topics are never predicted On the tasks or activities to be done The topics already dealt with are always the starting point for broaching new subjects. The subjects already dealt with are never mentioned in the study/discussion of new topics. The inter-relations between different topics are ignored On the analysis of the study topics Dependence/Relation between discourses Independence/Isolation between discourses Indicators Relation between discourses - Intra-disciplinary science relations – The Concepts…

Methodology – Instruments: 

Methodology – Instruments It is easy to develop concepts It is difficult to develop concepts The tasks/ activities always relate the two types of knowledge Situations that relate academic to non-academic knowledge are not foreseen On the tasks or activities to be done Non-academic knowledge is constantly inter-related to academic knowledge Exclusively scientific knowledge is broached. The relationship between the two types is ignored On the analysis of the study topics Dependence/Relation between discourses Independence/Isolation between discourses Indicators Relation between discourses – Scientific/Non-Scientific knowledge

Global Presentation: 

Global Presentation Curriculum Textbooks Pedagogical Practice Learning/Scientific Development of students IMPLICATIONS IN TEACHER TRAINING Inter-relations between knowledge (Scientific/Non scientific - Common sense) Concepts (Scientific)

Global Presentation – The Content: 

Global Presentation – The Content Curriculum Textbooks Pedagogical Practice 3. Make experiments with water 4. Make experiments with air 1. The living organisms of their environment 2. The physical aspects of the local environment 4th Year 2nd Year

The curriculum : 

The curriculum

The curriculum: 

The curriculum A Observe and identify some of the more common plants that exist in their immediate environment recognise different environments where plants grow know the parts that make up the more common plants (root, stem, leaves, flowers and fruit) record the variations in the appearance, during the year, of a bush or a tree observe and identify some of the more common animals that exist in the immediate environment collect information about the way of life of those animals (what they eat, how they reproduce, how they move about…) B What the weather is like (record the daily atmospheric conditions) 1. recognise some of the 2. relate the seasons of the year to the characteristic weather conditions 3. recognise the existence of air (make experiments) 4. recognise air in movement (wind, air currents …) 2nd year 1. The living organisms of their environment 4th Year

The curriculum: 

The curriculum 2. The physical aspects of the local environment 1. what the weather is like (record the daily atmospheric conditions) 2. recognise some of the weather conditions (rainy, hot, cold, windy…) 3. relate the seasons of the year to the characteristic weather conditions 4. recognise the existence of air (make experiments) 5. recognise air in movement (wind, air currents …) 2nd Year 1. Recognise and observe phenomena: - of condensation (clouds, fog, dew) - of solidification (snow, sleet, frost) - of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet) 2. make experiments that represent phenomena of: - evaporation - condensation - solidification - precipitation 3. understand that rain water infiltrates the soil giving origin to ground water 4. recognise springs and watercourses. 4th Year

The curriculum: 

The curriculum 3. Make experiments with water 2nd Year 4thYear 4. Make experiments with air 2nd Year 4thYear ● Recognise the existence of air (balloons, syringes…) ● Recognise that air has weight (use balloons and balls with air and empty) ● Experiment on the behaviour of objects in the presence of hot air and cold air (light objects over a heater, St. John balloons…). ● Trough experiments recognise the existence of oxygen in the air (combustion) ● Observe the effects of the temperature on water (ebullition, evaporation, solidification, fusion and condensation).

Theoretical Basis: 

Theoretical Basis Learning concepts involves: ● Generalising knowledge and the contexts in which that knowledge is applied; ● Establishing relations between the different scientific knowledge that is being broached, differentiating the essential/more relevant aspects from the less important/less relevant aspects. CONCEPTS SCIENTIFIC – NON SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE RELATIONS

Synthesis - Curriculum: 

Synthesis - Curriculum CONCEPTS SCIENTIFIC – NON SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE RELATIONS

The Textbooks: 

The Textbooks

Textbooks (Bambi, 2) – Living things in the environment (plants): 

Textbooks (Bambi, 2) – Living things in the environment (plants) ● I talk about the figures (parts that make up the plant – root and stem) ● I carefully pull up a small plant. I look at the root and the stem. ● I read and write yes or no. I complete the sentences with root or stem. ● I write the names of roots and stems that we use for food (coloured bars). ● Does the plant pulled up have a root? □ ● Was the root outside the soil? □ ● Do all stems have the same height? □ ● Is the stem of the pulled up plant thick? □ FACTS

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● I talk about the figures (parts that make up the plant – leaves and flowers) ● I look at different leaves and flowers. ● I read and write yes or no. I complete the sentences with leaves or flower. ● I write the names of roots and stems that we use for food (coloured bars). FACTS

Slide20: 

● I read. I write the name of an animal with the characteristics described. ● I draw that animal. ? SOME CONCEPTS

Textbooks (Bambi, 2) - The weather that makes: 

Textbooks (Bambi, 2) - The weather that makes FACTS

Textbooks (Bambi, 2) – About Weather: 

Textbooks (Bambi, 2) – About Weather ● I talk about the figures (different atmospheric conditions). ● I read. According to what the sentences say, I draw what the weather is like. It’s spring! There are flowers in the fields and on the trees. The birds are constantly chirping. The temperature is mild. The sky is blue and the sun shines and warms the earth. Summer has arrived. It’s hot! Warmed by the sun, the sand on the beach burns. All along the beach, coloured sunshades look like an oasis in the middle of the desert!... The weather starts to get colder. It’s autumn! The yellowed leaves fall and whirl about blown by the wind. There are clouds hiding the sun. The swallows leave for hotter countries. It’s cold. Winter is here. There is snow on the mountain. The wind blows and it doesn’t stop raining. The trees are bare. The animals take shelter in the burrows. FACTS

Textbooks (Bambi, 2) – About the weather and seasons of the year: 

Textbooks (Bambi, 2) – About the weather and seasons of the year ● I talk about the figures (the characteristic weather for each season of the year). ● I caption the figures with the respective sentences (coloured bars) ● In Spring, the days start to get warmer. There are more sunny days. ● The days are hotter in summer. There is little rain. ● It’s cold in Winter. It rains, there is wind and sometimes it snows. ● In Autumn, the weather starts to get colder. There are still many sunny days. ●___________________________________ ●___________________________________ ●___________________________________ ●___________________________________ Concepts of Seasons/Weather?

Textbooks (Bambi, 4) – About Water: 

Textbooks (Bambi, 4) – About Water I observe and investigate Water is an abundant liquid in Nature. It does not always have the same appearance. The heat from the sun warms the waters of the sea, the river, the lake… Because of the heat, the water evaporates, that is, it is transformed into vapour. The water vapour rises, cools and is transformed into little drops of water that make up the clouds. When the clouds become heavier the little drops fall as rain. The water fell from the clouds and returned to the earth. Part of that water infiltrated the soil. When it finds impermeable rock, it forms ground water. When the air gets very cold, the water in the clouds solidifies, becoming solid water and falls as snow or sleet. The heat of the sun melted the snow and the water became liquid again. The water flows under the earth. When it finds a way out, it forms a spring which may sustain different courses of water - rivers, streams …

Textbooks (Bambi, 4) - Experiments (fusion, solidification, dilation): 

Textbooks (Bambi, 4) - Experiments (fusion, solidification, dilation) I read and learn When the temperature varies, some substances change state. When heated, the wax changed from solid to liquid. This change of state is called fusion. When the wax cooled, it changed from liquid to solid. This change of state is called solidification. When the jar lid was heated, it increased in volume, it dilated. The increase in volume of a body is called, dilation. ● Why did the wax become liquid? ● The drops of wax that fell from the candle became solid again. Why? ● What is the girl doing? What advice did her friend give her? After being heated, the lid came out easily. Why? I observe and experiment Concept of Changes of matter? Scientific Non-Scientific relations?

Textbooks (Bambi, 4) – Temperature effects in water: 

Textbooks (Bambi, 4) – Temperature effects in water ● What is the girl in figure A doing? In which state is the water in the container she is going to put in the freezer? ● What is the same girl doing in figure B? What happened to the liquid water of figure A? Why? ● In figure C, the ice has almost melted. Has the temperature increased or decreased? ● In figure D, the water is boiling. What makes the water boil? ● What do you see in figure E? What is the vapour coming from the pyrex dish made up of? ● What happened to the water vapour when it found the lid? Why? I observe and experiment Some Conceptualization of Changes of matter Scientific Non-Scientific relations?

Textbooks (Bambi, 4) – Experiments – about physical water changes: 

●The clothes were wet. Now they are dry. ● What happened? ● What is the boy doing? ● What happened? ♦ I make experiments similar to those presented ● What is the boy doing? ● What happened to the water? ● The extractor is off. ● Why are drops of water falling from the extractor fan? ♦ I complete with the words from the coloured bar. Figure A – The water disappeared. The water evaporated. A ______________ phenomenon occurred. Figure B – The water vapour became liquid water. It found a cold surface and condensed. A ______________ phenomenon occurred. Figure C – The water changed into ice cubes. The water solidified. A ______________ phenomenon occurred. Figure D –Drops of water fall from the extractor. It seems to be raining. A lot of water vapour gathered in the extractor. The heavy drops start to fall. A _______________phenomenon occurred. evaporation precipitation solidification condensation Textbooks (Bambi, 4) – Experiments – about physical water changes Scientific Non-Scientific relations? Concept of Changes of matter?

Textbooks (Bambi, 4) – Experiments – (solid, liquid and gaseous matter): 

Textbooks (Bambi, 4) – Experiments – (solid, liquid and gaseous matter) Experiments – Gaseous matters ● Gas bodies do not have the same ____ . Their form is variable. In the syringe it had the form of the ____ , in the balloon it took the form of the ____ . ● The air in the syringe occupied less space than in the ___ . ● Gas matters also do not maintain the same volume. ♦ I indicate in the table as in the example. ♦ I conclude and complete. ♦ I indicate the correct answers. ● Does the air inside the balloon maintain the same form as inside the syringe? Yes □ No □ ● Does the air inside the balloon occupy the same space as inside the syringe? Yes □ No □ Concepts of State of matter Solid, Liquid, Gas?

Textbooks (Bambi, 4) – Experiments with the air (the oxygen): 

Textbooks (Bambi, 4) – Experiments with the air (the oxygen) I observe and experiment ● I observe what happened to the candle. ♦ I conclude and complete. ● In figures A, B and C the candle burns, forming a flame that releases heat. A combustion is happening. ● In figure C the candle continues to burn, even inside the glass. In figure D the candle went out. ● What was inside the glass in figure C that ceased to exist inside the glass in figure D? For the candle to burn, the presence of oxygen, which is a gas that is in the air, is necessary. The candle went out because, while it burned, it used up all the ___________that was inside the glass. ● I place the candle on the drops of wax and leave it lit up. ● I light up a candle. ● I let some drops of wax fall onto a plate. ● I put a glass over the candle. ● Does the candle continue to burn? Concept of Combustion?

Textbooks (Retintim, 2) – About Plants: 

Textbooks (Retintim, 2) – About Plants A whole plant consists of: root, stem, leaves, flowers and fruit. The FRUIT keeps and protects the seeds that will give origin to a new plant. The FLOWERS will transform into fruit The LEAVES allow the plant to breathe The STEM supports the plant and takes the food (sap) to all its parts The ROOT fixes the plant to the soil and feeds it by absorbing water and mineral salts from the soil.

Textbooks (Retintim, 2) – Styles of life of some animals: 

Textbooks (Retintim, 2) – Styles of life of some animals WHAT THEY EAT HOW THEY REPRODUCE HOW THEY MOVE ABOUT

Textbooks (Retintim, 2) – About the weather and seasons of the year: 

Textbooks (Retintim, 2) – About the weather and seasons of the year The weather changes throughout the seasons of the year

Textbooks (Retintim, 2) - The existence of air (experiments) : 

Textbooks (Retintim, 2) - The existence of air (experiments) The ball is full of air. Like that, it is hard and bounces. Dip a glass funnel in water while at the same time covering the opening at the end of the tube with a finger. The water will not go in the funnel because it is full of a substance that prevents the entry of water. 2. Remove the finger leaving the opening free. You will see bubbles of a gas bursting on the surface of the water as it enters the funnel 3. Finally, the funnel will be full of water as soon as all the gas has left it. That gas is the air that you breathe. There is air everywhere. But it cannot be seen. The birds fly in the air; the clouds float in the air. We breathe air. The plants breathe air. The balloons are full of air.

Textbooks (Retintim, 2) – Evaluation context: 

Does the water enter the glass? ________________________ Dip, bottom up, a glass that seems empty. Keep the glass straight. (Fig. A). Tilt the glass a little (Fig. B). What do you see coming out of the glass? ________________________ What are those bubbles made up of? ________________________ Textbooks (Retintim, 2) – Evaluation context

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Later… Therefore, it is full of air. The balloon rises because the hot air is lighter than the cold air. In figure A the syringe is full of air. Fill the ball with air and check if the needle tips to the left. That is because the air has weight. The girl is blowing up the balloon. Cover the opening of the syringe with a (figure B) and put pressure on the plunger. It will only go down a little. The air that is compressed inside the syringe (figure B) does not let the plunger go in. Balance the scales with the empty ball. I am going to throw a balloon. Inter-relations?

Slide36: 

When exposed to the heat of the Sun, the ice cube melted or became liquid. We call it fusion when water changes from the solid state to the liquid state. The heat from the flame causes the water to heat up and the formation of air bubbles. That is, the water starts to boil and vaporises quickly and noisily. The quick and noisy vaporisation of water is called ebullition. The heat of the sun causes the slow vaporisation of the water in the clothes hanging in the open air from the clotheslines. The slow and spontaneous vaporisation of water is called evaporation. Effects of temperature on water (evaporation, ebullition, condensation, solidification, fusion) Observe and carry out the experiments suggested. Upon contact with the ice cubes, the water in the jar froze and solidified. The cooling caused the solidification of the water. When the water vapour found the cold surface of the glass, it changed from the gas state to the liquid state. The cooling caused the condensation of the water vapour. Concept of Changes of matter?

Textbook (Retintim, 4) – Evaluation context: 

Textbook (Retintim, 4) – Evaluation context What happens to the water vapour when it comes in contact with the cold glass? ___________________________ b) What do you call this phenomenon? ___________________________ c) What do you understand by condensation? __________________________ a) What state has the water changed to? ___________________________ b) What phenomenon occurred here? ___________________________ c) What do you understand by freezing? ___________________________ Condensation is when water vapour changes to the liquid state. In the fridge, the water freezes, that is, it changes from the liquid state to the solid state. Facts

Textbook (Retintim, 4) – Experiments with air (existence of oxygen in the air – combustion): 

Textbook (Retintim, 4) – Experiments with air (existence of oxygen in the air – combustion) Light the wick of the alcohol lamp and leave it. The flame keeps burning. Dip a glass funnel in water, as shown in the picture. The water does not enter the funnel. Fill the ball up with air and place it again on the scales. The scales became unbalanced. Conclusion: Air exists and it occupies space. Conclusion: There is a gas in the air, called oxygen, that feeds the combustion. Conclusion: Air has weight. Place an empty football on a scale and balance it. Cover the lamp with a bell jar. After some time, the flame from the lamp will go out. As soon as the air bubbles leave the funnel, it fills up with water. Remove the finger from the funnel. What happened? The air bubbles burst on the surface of the water. The air The Earth is surrounded by a gas layer called atmosphere which consists of air. Air cannot be seen, but it exists. When you breathe, you introduce air into your organism. When you run, you feel the air on your face… Observe and carry out the experiments suggested. Some Concepts

Results - Concepts – syntheses at the end…: 

Results - Concepts – syntheses at the end… TEXTBOOK – 2nd year “DISCOVERING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT” In a few words: ● The weather conditions may be rainy, windy, hot, cold… ● The seasons of the year are four: spring, summer, autumn, winter. ● Each season has its own characteristics. In spring, the weather is pleasant; in summer, it is very hot; in autumn, the first rains fall; in winter it is very cold. ● We are surrounded by air, but cannot see it. Wind and air currents are air in movement. Temperature? Light? Without Wind? Without rain? Temperature Temperature Water

Synthesis - Texbooks: 

Synthesis - Texbooks CONCEPTS SCIENTIFIC – NON SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE RELATIONS

The Teacher: 

The Teacher

The teacher - Concepts: 

The teacher - Concepts There is talk about the consumption of oxygen during combustion. Gina mentions that in cars that are running there is also combustion... The students start to say “that it is essential for us to breathe”, “without oxygen there is no life”. The consumption of oxygen during combustion continues to be analysed without reference to the gaseous exchange in many living organisms involving oxygen and carbon dioxide [A subject already studied previously]. The students and teacher are analysing the result of the latest experiments involving the changes in the state of substances and following that they start to make their conclusion. During the dialogue, they recall the experiments they made, the results obtained, the concepts of the different changes of state are introduced, they recall the initial and final states of the substances and if changes occurred by heating or cooling. The teacher uses some of the comments made by the students to recall again the aspects already analysed “how did you explain that?”, “does the group want to explain better?”. In the end they draw up a summary-diagram and write the information in their exercise-book. Teacher /Miss Inácia Teacher/Miss Céu With inter-relations between different scientific knowledge It is easy to develop concepts Without inter-relations between different scientific knowledge It is difficult to develop concepts

The teacher – Scientific-Non-Scientific Knowledge: 

The teacher – Scientific-Non-Scientific Knowledge The students frequently use expressions like “melted”, “froze”, “disappeared”. The teacher does not clarify which changes of state these expressions contain. When he/she introduces the names of the changes of state, he/she starts using them without explaining the relationship with those expressions. The students are studying the changes of state of water. When they discuss the results in the group, they employ expressions like “cold”, “melted”, froze”, and the teacher explains what they mean in scientific terms. In one group: - What do you want to say with “cold”, “it was cold”. What do you mean?…and “froze”? - the teacher asks. In another group: - The sealing-was bar melted - the student informs - Melted?! What is that “melted”?-the teacher asks. - It is dissolving – says the student. - It is dissolving, what is that, André?...We spoke of the phases [of matter], so which one is that? - the teacher starts to explain. The discussion continues until it is clear that when the sealing-wax bar is heated it changes to the liquid state and when it cools it changes to the solid state again. Teacher/Miss Céu Teacher /Miss Inácia Without inter-relations between scientific-non-scientific knowledge It is difficult to develop concepts With inter-relations between scientific-non-scientific knowledge It is easy to develop concepts

Synthesis - Teachers: 

Synthesis - Teachers CONCEPTS Some teachers: ● make generalisations ● make differentiation between the essential/more relevant aspects from the less important/less relevant aspects. ● develop relations among concepts of high level of abstraction SCIENTIFIC – NON SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE RELATIONS

Global Conclusions and Reflection: 

Global Conclusions and Reflection

Global Conclusions and Reflection: 

The difficulties in establishing relationships between the different types of knowledge may be related to three aspects : Global Conclusions and Reflection ● the general principle of our society, that “things” should be kept separate. ● the lack of scientific skills and/or pedagogical skills necessary to establish relationships between different types of knowledge. ● the very concept of inter-relation. At times, teachers thought that it was enough “to talk about certain subjects” for concepts to be developed and relationships established between academic and non-academic knowledge.

General Implications – The Students’ Learning: 

General Implications – The Students’ Learning ● Scientific learning made by the students: Can we say that there is development of scientific literacy in the students?

General Implications in Teacher Training: 

General Implications in Teacher Training Teacher training should correct the difficulties in the teachers’ performance so as to permit broad scientific concepts to develop if we are to implement pedagogical practices with certain characteristics.