EDCI 329. Elementary Science Education
Semester – Day – Time 3 Credits Class Meeting Place:
Instructor: Office Location: Phone: Email: Office Hours: By appointment
Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have documented temporary or permanent disabilities. All accommodations must be approved through Disability Support Services located in the Idaho Commons Building, Room 306 in order to notify your instructor(s) as soon as possible regarding accommodation(s) needed for the course.
885-6307 email at
College Vision
Idaho's Leader in Lifelong Learning and Healthy Lifestyles.
We seek teaching, learning, and living that transforms, invigorates, and nurtures. We expand lasting knowledge centered in local and global communities.
College Mission
The University of Idaho’s College of Education is the state’s flagship and land-grant research college focused on the preparation of professionals for schools, the movement sciences, and workforce counselors and educators. From our commitment to develop leaders in these fields emerges our responsibility to enhance the scientific, social, economic, and cultural assets of the state and develop solutions for complex problems.
We deliver on our commitment through focused, interdisciplinary excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and engagement in a collaborative environment at our residential main campus and our regional centers. Consistent with the land-grant ideal, our outreach activities serve the state and at the same time strengthen our teaching, scholarly, and creative capacities.
Our teaching and learning include undergraduate, graduate and professional education offered through both resident instruction and extended delivery. Our scholarly and creative activities promote K-12 academic achievement, human development and wellness, global awareness, and progress in professional practice.
Conceptual Framework
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University of Idaho educators CARE. Together we develop as scholar practitioners who value and professionally apply and advance:
Cultural Proficiency; Assessment, Teaching, and Learning; Reflective Scholarship & Practice; and, Engagement in Community Building & Partnerships.
Course Description
This course is part of planned program of studies in the College of Education at the University of Idaho. In this course you will learn specific methods, research, curricula, and technology for teaching elementary science for diverse populations. Additional strategies for facilitation of understanding content, curriculum, methods and assessment in an integrated setting will be introduced. Prerequisite(s): ED 302 or Permission. Coreq: EDCI 327, 328, 408, 410 and PEP 350; or Permission
Course Objectives
1. Identify aspects of the nature of science, scientific inquiry, and scientific processes. 2. Begin to develop a philosophy of teaching elementary science to diverse learners - including the student's role, the teacher's role, and the learning environment. 3. Become more familiar with technology tools and curriculum materials that support inquiry- based science teaching. 4. Evaluate the usefulness, appropriateness, and value of materials, methods, and strategies for elementary science education. 5. Develop curriculum plans that include methods and strategies to maximize student learning. 6. Become more knowledgeable of science resources to enhance classroom teaching. 7. Become more knowledgeable of assessing student conceptual development and performance in elementary science.
Course Topics:
Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry Inquiry-based Instruction Student Conceptions Science Education Standards for the Elementary Grades Teaching Strategies Curriculum Assessment Managing Science Classrooms Integrating Science with other Subjects
Teacher Preparation Standards
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1. Knowledge of Subject Matter: The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.
2. Knowledge of Human Development and Learning: The teacher understands how children learn and develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social and personal development.
3. Adapting Instruction for Individual Needs: The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
4. Multiple Instructional Strategies: The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
5. Classroom Motivation and Management: The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
6. Communication Skills: The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.
7. Instructional Planning Skills: The teacher plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, and curriculum goals.
8. Assessment of Student Learning: The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner.
9. Professional Commitment and Responsibility: The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.
10. Partnerships: The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students’ learning and well-being.
Teacher Education Dispositions
Attends regularly.
Meets timeline commitments.
Dress/Appearance is appropriate and professional.
Maintains appropriate relationships with peers.
Scholar-practitioner demonstrates adequate content knowledge that is current.
Engaged, full participation and takes initiative.
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Maintains confidentiality and is ethical.
Maintains appropriate relationships with students.
Committed to and facilitates student's learning in a safe climate.
Maintains appropriate relationships with teachers, administration, parents, and community members
Respects and advocates for diversity.
Responds appropriately to feedback and is flexible.
Written work communicates clearly and accurately, and is in Standard English.
Verbal communication is clear, accurate, appropriate to the situation, and conventions used are standard for speaking situations.
Required Readings and Learning Resources
Koch, J. (2013). Science stories: Science methods for elementary and middle school teachers (5th ed.). New York: Houghton Mifflin. (ISBN 978-1-111-83343-5)
Optional Readings and Learning Resources
All additional readings texts will be available on course website or be handed out in class.
Learning Activities and Assignments The following provides an overview of the assignments. Specific instructions and required components for each assignment will be provided.
1. Read and Participate - 30 Points
I expect you to come to class prepared to discuss the reading assignment for the week. You will find the text for this course is good reading. Each week we will spend time discussing the chapter(s). Come to class with at least one question you have after having processed the reading assignment. Participate. We will have a routine of table group discussions leading to full class sharing.
2. Daily class activities and artifacts - 20 Points
Throughout the semester there will be activities done in class that will produce various artifacts. These artifacts could be drawings or data tables or something uploaded to the web. The points allotted here are a general catch all for things done in class. I figure we will have about 10 items give or take for 2 points a piece.
3. Your Science Autobiography, Part I and II - 30 Points
I think it is important to reflect on your experiences with science. For this assignment reference the text beginning on page 46. The length doesn’t matter. It just needs to be long enough for you to be satisfied
Page 4 of 9 EDCI 329 - Elementary Science Methods with the story told. Part I (15 points) will be done at the beginning of the semester and part II (15 points) will be due at the end of the semester. This will allow for ample reflection and potential additions.
4. Research Experience - 20 Points
Alone or with a partner, you will explore a question of your choice and collect data to find an answer. Essentially, you will be in the role of scientist by either a) testing a hypothesis or b) naturalistic observation to reach data based conclusions. The topic is open and of interest to you from the fields of Earth, Space, Physical, and Life Sciences. I expect you to produce two things: a research report and a presentation of your results. The research report (10 points) will include background information, research question, methods, results, and conclusions. Remember I don’t care about how long it is. It just needs to be long enough to adequately report your experience. The second product is to be a PowerPoint presentation articulating your experience to your peers (10 points). Feel free to get creative. Remember bad PowerPoints presentations are the ones where slides are read verbatim with a lot of text. Also, I want these short, around 5 minutes.
5. FOSS Kit Review. Planning, Presentation, and Teaching - 20 Points
In this assignment, you and a partner will choose one FOSS module to write a lesson plan (10 points) using our block template and teach it (10 points) to your peers (30 minutes for teaching). The purpose of this assignment is to familiarize you with a resource that can be found in many elementary schools, and to customize a scripted curriculum to your teaching style and lesson planning constraints.
6. MOSS experience and reflection/Alternative - 20 Points
After the MOSS experience I would like for you to write a reflection on the following questions: 1. How do you plan to use what you learned at MOSS in your future classroom? 2. What experiences were the most valuable at MOSS in your estimation? Least valuable? 3. How is place-based education important? Why? 4. Think about the MOSS experience, discuss how this experience affects your thinking on how to design learning experiences that are place-based and integrate STEM?
For students completing the MOSS alternative assignment, please refer to the assignment sheet that can be provided upon request.
7. Lapwai Teaching, Observation, Reflection, and Presentation - 40 points
You may note that this assignment can also be found in Dr. Saul’s class. This is because we want to emphasize the integrated nature of the lessons you prepare. Thus, the lessons, observation of teaching, reflection on the experience, and actual teaching will be worth 10 points a piece in my class along with the expectation for Dr. Saul’s class. I will focus on the science and Dr. Saul will focus on the social studies for evaluation. Within groups, students will prepare an integrated unit plan that includes lessons that focus on social studies and science. The goal of this integrated unit is to provide students with
Page 5 of 9 EDCI 329 - Elementary Science Methods opportunities to make connections among their various methods courses. Details about the integrated lesson plan will be distributed in class.
8. Science Education Research Review - 20 Points
For this assignment, you will find a peer-reviewed research study addressing elementary science education. You may choose your study from one of these three journals: Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Electronic Journal of Science Education, or Science Education. You must review a research study (begins with an abstract and is heavily referenced) that is not more than five years old unless approved by the instructor. Book reviews, editorials and popular articles will not be accepted. Avoid plagiarism: give proper credit to text cited from the study.
Your review will address these three areas:
1) Provide an overview of the study and findings including what the author found to be important in his/her research.
2) Address the relevancy and implication of the research to your anticipated work as a teacher.
3) Provide an accurate reference for the article using APA 6
How long should this be? How long do you think it should be?
Assignment Overview:
Assignment Points Percent Due Date (subject to change) 1. Read and Participate 30 15 Weekly 2. Daily class activities and 20 10 Weekly artifacts 3. MOSS Reflection/Alternative 20 10 4. Your Science Autobiography 30 15 Part I and II 5. FOSS Kit Teaching and Lesson 20 10 Plan 6. Research Experience 20 10 7. Lapwai Teaching 40 20 8. Science Education Research 20 10 Review Total 200 100
Attendance Policy:
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Attend. If you are sick stay home. If life happens, let me know, and then take care of it. You will get out of this course what you put into it. Attending regularly will allow you to maximize the impact of this class on your future teaching.
Late Work Policy:
I like to receive work on the predetermined due date. Sometime that day is fine, during class preferably. Sometimes assignments will be hardcopy and sometimes electronic. Stay tuned. If work is going to be late let me know and have a good reason.
Grading Policy
90 – 100% = A: achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements. 80 – 89% = B: achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements. 70 – 79% = C: achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect. 60 - 69% = D: achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to fully meet the course requirements. <60% = F: Represents failure (or no credit) and signifies that the work was either (1) completed but at a level of achievement that is not worthy of credit or (2) was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an “I” (see Incompletes policy).
TENTATIVE Course Schedule/Calendar Date Topic Assignments Due Reading (To be read by this class session) Week 1 Introduction What’s Science and Who Does it? Week 2 Field trip to the McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS)
Week 3 Science Circus Part I MOSS Reflection Chapter 1
Week 4 Skills vs. Content Your Science Chapters 2 & 3 Autobiography Part I Introduce Research Experience Week 5 Project Learning Tree (PLT)
Week 6 An Introduction to FOSS kits Chapters 4 & 5
Week 7 FOSS Teaching FOSS Lesson Plan and Chapter 6 & 7 Peer Teaching Week 8 Field trip to the Palouse Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI) www.pcei.org
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Week 9 Assessment! Chapter 14 & 15
Week 10 Research Experience Chapter 8 Report and Presentation Week 11 AL@ Chapters 12 & 13
Introduce Science Education Research Review Week 12 Lapwai Teaching
Week 13 Rockets and Snow Snakes Chapter 9
Week 14 Science Circus Part II Science Education Chapter 11 Research Review Week 15 TBD Chapter 10
Week 16 Your Science (Finals Week) Autobiography Part II
MOSS Alternative
University of Idaho Classroom Learning Civility Clause
In any environment in which people gather to learn, it is essential that all members feel as free and safe as possible in their participation. To this end, it is expected that everyone in this course will be treated with mutual respect and civility, with an understanding that all of us (students, instructors, professors, guests, and teaching assistants) will be respectful and civil to one another in discussion, in action, in teaching, and in learning.
Should you feel our classroom interactions do not reflect an environment of civility and respect, you are encouraged to meet with your instructor during office hours to discuss your concern. Additional resources for expression of concern or requesting support include the Dean of Students office and staff (5-6757), the UI Counseling & Testing Center’s confidential services (5-6716), or the UI Office of Human Rights, Access, & Inclusion (5-4285).
University of Idaho (UI) Nondiscrimination Policy
It is UI policy to prohibit and eliminate discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran. This policy applies to all programs, services, and facilities, and includes, but is not limited to, applications, admissions, access to programs and services, and employment. Such discrimination is prohibited by titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act Amendments of 1978, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, other federal and state statutes and regulations, and university commitments (see Faculty Staff Handbook (FSH) 3060). Sexual harassment violates state and federal law and policies of the Board of Regents, and
Page 8 of 9 EDCI 329 - Elementary Science Methods is expressly prohibited, as stated in FSH 3220. The University of Idaho also prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, as stated in FSH 3215. The entire FSH can be accessed online at http://www.webs.uidaho.edu/fsh. Questions or concerns about the content and application of these laws, regulations or University policy may be directed to: the Office of Human Rights, Access & Inclusion (208-885-4285); Regional Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education in Seattle (206-220-7900); Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Seattle District Office (206-220-6883); or Pacific Regional Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, U.S. Department of Labor in San Francisco (415-848- 6969). Complaints about discrimination or harassment should be brought to the attention of the Office of Human Rights, Access & Inclusion (885-4285). Retaliation for bringing forward a complaint is prohibited by FSH 3810.
Library Resources (On Campus Classes)
As a UI student, you not only have access to valuable print and electronic resources from the university's library, but you also have the ability to set up a personalized reference appointment with one of the librarians. If you have assignments or research questions and aren’t sure how to make the most of library resources, feel free to contact the College of Education liaison librarian with questions: Rami Attebury, 885-2503, [email protected]. As always, you may also stop by the reference desk anytime Monday to Thursday 9 to 9, Friday 9 to 5, and Sunday 1-9, 208-885-6584, or visit http://www.lib.uidaho.edu for email or IM assistance.
Library Resources (Distance Education/Centers Classes)
As a UI student from outside of Moscow, you have access to valuable electronic and print resources from the university's library. To learn more about using library resources from a distance, visit the library’s Off-Campus Access webpage at http://www.lib.uidaho.edu/offcampus/index.html. Live reference/research assistance is available Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 1 to 9 p.m. Just call 208-885-6584, email [email protected], text 208-856-0814, or IM from http://www.lib.uidaho.edu. In addition, please feel free to contact the College of Education liaison librarian, Rami Attebury, directly at 208-885-2503 or [email protected].
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