Teaching Primary Science and Technology to Home Schoolers 2007 National Home Education Conference 25...

transcript

Teaching Primary Science and Technology to Home

Schoolers

2007 National Home Education Conference

25th – 27th May 2007

Mt Gravatt High School

WelcomeAs a parent, you owe it to your children,

that when you teach them, you try to foster and encourage their innate curiosity and sense of wonder, awe and interest about the amazing mysteries of our natural and built environments.

Outline of workshop

Briefly:

• Rationale for teaching primary Sc / Tech

• What is primary Sc / Tech?

• Assumptions underlying effective primary Sc / Tech teaching and learning.

Main focus:

• Strategies for teaching primary Sc / Tech

Rationale for teaching primary Science and Technology

• Science and technology is a way of knowing - helps us to better understand ourselves and our [natural & built] environment of our world.

• Allows us to explore and explain our experiences / phenomena.

• Need for scientific and technologically literate citizens.

• Should form part of balanced primary curriculum for our children.[In UK Science one of 3 core curricula]

• In the past primary science focused only on Nature Study.

• At the primary age level, curriculum areas need not be confined to separate boxes – therefore you are able to integrate across all curriculum areas.

As parents we need to work together with our children to help them construct new understandings and compare their current ideas with those of the scientific community. Such collaboration challenges our children and contributes to their sense of personal success as lifelong learners, and can generate a passion for learning and seeking new insights.[Source: Adapted from Queensland SCIENCE Years 1 to 10 Syllabus]

What is Primary Science and Technology?

Science Process Skills – measuring, hypothesizing - Working scientifically etc

Science Content – 4 main strands:

1. Living world – biology / botany / zoology

2. Material world – chemistry

3. Physical world – physics

4. Planet earth and beyond – geology / astronomy.

What is Primary Science and Technology?

Technology basically helps solve practical problems.

There are 4 strands:

1. IT[And the other 3 which are often overlooked]

2. Systems

3. Materials

4. Design, Make & Appraise

Assumptions underlying effective primary Science and Technology

teaching and learning.Key themes to implement:• Questioning – needs to be fostered and

modeled.• Offering explanations and valuing

children’s own ideas as valid ways that they can use to help them to understand.

• Capitalize on children’s own interests when and where ever possible

• Encourage free exploration

teaching and learning.• When engaging in investigations, always

encourage children to make predictions.• Science and technology is everywhere –

in our built and natural environments – constantly in the media – TV / newspapers

• There are strong links between S / T• Theory of Constructivist Learning and

Teaching – try to link to the child’s prior knowledge.

teaching and learning.

• Science is dynamic

Example of Pluto last year

In1968 taught burning candle in jar……

• Be prepared to learn together with your child [ren]. Do not set yourself up as expert who knows it all! Admit when do not know answer to question. Together search out answer…………how?

Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology

• Natural Learning

• Make use of everyday household materials

• Use recycle items

• Basic materials - may need to purchase include batteries, globes [holders for both], wires, magnets, mirrors, balloons, string, straws, empty plastic drink bottles, magnifying glasses [$2 type shops good source for these basic materials]

• Kitchen chemistry:

eg. Vinegar, bicarb [baking powder], salt, sugar, flour, food colouring, milk, lemon juice, red cabbage [to make PH indicator], ice cubes and so on……..

“Science on a shoestring”!

• Be conscious of Health and Safety at all the times:

• Matches• Candles• Hot water• Iron filings• Looking at sun etc

• Make use of digital camera - printer

• Can make books – charts – lettering etc

Science / Technology around the local community:

• Local library• Tandy’s / Dick Smiths / Bunnings• Local parks / bushland – mulberries –

nature walks observe changing seasons• Amazing creek eco-systems around

Brisbane• Science / tech all around – bats on wires!

• Science / Technology around Brisbane:• Planetarium• Museum / Science Centre - Interstate –

O/S – web sites – www.exploratorium.com• Botanical Gardens• CSIRO Ed Centre• Environment Centres – Walkabout Creek /

Downfall Creek / Bunyaville Environment Centre.

Science / Technology around Brisbane:

• Boondall Wetlands

• Sea World

• Aus Zoo + others

• Train Museum

• Forest Museum

• Air Show - Amberley

Curriculum Guidelines:

- Other states

- Overseas – UK / NZ / USA etc

• All have extensive support materials

• Primary Connections(2006) – Australian Academy of Science. Integrates Science and Literacy.

INTERNET:

• Broadband

• Email – other home schoolers / blogs!

• Post on sites / home pages / chat rooms

• Elementary science lesson plans

• Use Google [or other search engines] to find answers eg PH of skin / why hot water freezes quicker than cold water! ……..etc

INTERNET:• Allow your child[ren] to teach you – rapid

change of IT means very challenging to keep on top of it!

• Many sites now include video clips to show – eg “How do rockets work?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igNH2OK8TcA (accessed 10/04/07)

• Ask Scientist / Ask Jeeves / howstuffworks

Science and Technology in the media:

• Newspapers

• TV – Time Team / Shak / Backyard Science / Totally Wild / Cataylst / BTN / ABC for Schools / New Inventors / Living Planet etc etc

• Pay TV – Discovery Channel

Magazines:• The HELIX and SCIENTRIFIC [CSIRO]• Education ChoicesBooks:• Lifeline Bookfest• Council Libraries• Be wary of S/T workbooks for sale in

bookshops – why?

Technology ideas:• Tinkering table• Hot Glue guns – Spotlight• Paddle pops• Recycle shops – kerbside collections• $2 shops• Screwdrivers, pliers …..• Need to stress Health and Safety at all times!

Research Projects:

• Example - Emperor Penguins – School of Air at Port Augusta

• Follow child’s interest to explore topics which arise incidentally all the time – from a TV program / walk in bushland / down at the local shopping centre – eg Reptiles etc

Science through TOYS

To sum up

• I believe that we as home school educators, need to rediscover the sense of awe and wonder about the world around us which we all had in our early childhood.

• We need to begin to look and see the magic and mystery of science and technology which surrounds us all.

• To do this we need to question constantly and offer explanations [and listen first to our children’s explanations and value these too].

To sum up

• We all need to develop a passion for learning which will rub off on our children – So many of our schools today are so preoccupied with outcomes based education that they seem to have lost sight of the intrinsic love of learning which should be at the heart of all we do with our children.

• Learning should never stop.

Closing thought:

A friend asked Isidor I. Rabi, [a Nobel prize winner in Physics] “Why did you become a

scientist, rather than a doctor or a lawyer or a business man, like other immigrant kids in

your neighbourhood?”

Rabi responded:

Closing thought:

My mother made me a scientist without ever intending it. Every other mother would ask her child after school: “Did you learn anything today?” But not my mother. She always asked me a different question.

“Izzy” she would say, “did you ask a good question today?”

That difference – asking good questions – made me become a scientist!

Thank You

Teaching Primary Science and Technology to Home Schoolers 2007 National Home Education Conference 25...

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