This week’s readings included pressing for evidence-based explanations and helping students talk about evidence. The practices include creating and evaluating claims as well as finalizing student models and explanations. Students can start by supporting their model by using evidence to make a claim for a relevant and credible source. A claim will have to explain a part of a larger explanation, which is different than providing descriptions of a phenomenon. Instead, students will have to explain how the unobservable can cause observable events. Students can ease into the practice of explanations by supporting a specific claim rather than supporting their entire model. Creating a dialogue with students that pushes them to evaluate their reasoning and thinking will have students delve into what counts as evidence and how they can better support and solidify their statements through the use of data (collected by the student or second-hand).
Students will bring together their ideas and create a final model and a gapless explanation. The model can be in words and drawings, which show how observations along with reasoning and information from sources resulted in their claims. In order to do all the practices above, I plan on using a guide on the language needed in the explanation, a model template that students can illustrate their thinking, using terms before, during, and after when explaining a phenomena, as well as checklists. By scaffolding for students, I can ensure that they will create a product that aligns with the rubric and their model provides an accurate explanation that aligns with science talk in the field. Over time I plan to reduce the amount of scaffolding once students are comfortable with creating models, in order for students to think and abide by a rubric that is driven by ownership of their work. Of course this will take practice, but eventually with the correct learning environment that includes student participation, norms that include science language, revision, and collaboration will eventually create a place where students create articulate explanations by using scientific practices and social skills to further their understanding of science.
One goal of mine is to make sure my students are adept at researching credible sources (and understand how data can be skewed). This is a concern of mine since social media can distort the truth and ensue worry and chaos among society (ex. parents who share anti-vaccine articles on Facebook and create doubt in medicine with other friends). My school has limited laptops for use with students, so how can I provide means for students to find credible data?
You talk about taking away the scaffolding for making models. I feel personally that I have had a late start in doing these things with my students and that next year knowing these things it will be beneficial. I am curious though if you feel that you will be able to accomplish all of this with your current group of students before the end of the year. With the credible data I appreciate you doing this for your students, it is something I am wanting to start next year out with. Going out to dinner on a double date I was appalled when a 20 year old female was telling me that her sources of reading for her not using sun screen or block, but instead getting burn on sunny days were Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. A thought with limited access of students to the internet is that you can print out a few articles, some good sources and others not so good. Then in groups students can go through and decide which ones are credible and come up with a checklist of how you know which ones are credible.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been able to make models with my class but like you I plan on implementing this next year with my students. We are covering climate change and I'm going to practice doing models with my current students just to do a trial run. And I completely agree, I have heard similar things from friends who are not studying science. I like your idea of printing articles and working in small groups. Thanks!
DeleteI wholeheartedly agree with your concern about credible evidence and faulty claims from social media. With the internet we have a plethora of sources, but often our students don't have the skills to discern and discriminate among the credible and faulty sources. While we all teach science, it can be helpful for this purpose to bring in some skills from ELA. For example, I would want my students to always start by pondering what the purpose was for the text. If they can begin to question why the author my have a bias then we are moving towards students who are equipped to question the basis of claims. For example, you could have students read an article by a climate scientists on the effects and causes of climate change along side an article against climate change that is most likely written by someone within the energy industry. I would challenge the students to think about the economic benefit this industry insider might get from creating doubt around this claim. This will allow the students to see potential bias.
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