Transcript Science at John Ball
Science 2014… and beyond
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Agenda
9:30 Introduction 9:45 Principles for teaching science 10:30 Break 10:45 Curriculum 2014 12:00 Lunch 1:00 Assessment for learning in science 1:45 Skills, differentiation and recording 2:15 Break 2:45 Planning and Reflection time
The Principles of science teaching and learning…
Science is going well when…
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As a table can you group your cards into types/ saying the same thing?
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Can you give a heading/area for each group?
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Can you as a group arrive at a list of 5 7 principles for teaching science?
John Ball’s Seven Principles of Science
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When we do science:
We need to learn through practical ‘hands on’ investigations as much as we can. We need questions to investigate, make us think, understand and progress.
We need to learn together collaboratively and learn from each other.
We need the teacher to be enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the topic.
We need great resources to help us learn. We need to learn within familiar contexts we recognise and can relate to.
Whenever we can, we also need to learn outside the classroom and by having science visitors in school.
Stick to your principles!
Children should be learning science through active investigations and enquiry based learning. Children should be encouraged to argue about and debate science concepts ...a lot!
Children should be encouraged to be scientific and ask questions about the world around them!
Floating Questions
Encouraging children to formulate questions and assessing what they know.
A bowl of water Plastic weights A sandwich box A box
Scaffold if you need to
• • • Can you use it to …?
Does it…?
Does it look…?
Encouraging questioning
Do you use any of these techniques?
Do you have some good ideas?
Maintaining Curiosity
“Physicians take an oath that commits them to ‘first do no harm.’ The best science teachers set out to ‘first maintain curiosity’ in their pupils.” Ofsted 2013
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Key Findings
(in a nutshell): Best schools – teachers and pupils understood the ‘big ideas’ of science.
Achievement highest when pupils involved in fully planning, carrying out and evaluating investigations suggested themselves. Schools often lacked sufficient differentiation.
The quality of feedback to pupils to enhance learning often poor.
Literacy teaching with interesting and imaginative science contexts worked well.
Failure to ensure full coverage of the science NC. Outstanding when teachers and subject leaders had received science-specific training.
A survey of 91 primary schools… The best teaching was:
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driven by determined subject leadership that put scientific enquiry at the heart of science teaching and coupled it with substantial expertise in how pupils learn science.
set out to sustain pupils’ natural curiosity, so that they were eager to learn the subject content as well as develop the necessary investigative skills.
was informed by accurate and timely assessment of how well pupils were developing their understanding of science concepts, and their skills in analysis and interpretation so that teaching could respond to and extend pupils’ learning.
How do pupils learn science?
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Understanding their own ideas – confront own predispositions.
Exploring/noticing/observing.
Identifying/classifying/pattern seeking.
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Questioning theirs and others ideas.
Testing/experimentation/research.
Discussion/dialogue/argument They don’t learn much by being told!
Charles Darwin
“ I love fools' experiments. I am always making them.” …I think that I am superior to the common run of men in noticing things which easily escape attention, and in observing them carefully.”
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Common weaknesses found:
activities did not match each pupil’s prior learning, so that some pupils wasted time or did not complete work.
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pupils became disengaged from learning and more able pupils in particular were not given work that was challenging enough.
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teachers failed to provide pupils with feedback that really helped them to improve their work.
How do you teach science well?
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Understand pupil’s prior learning – what they know and can do already.
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Meet the accessibility and challenge needs.
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Give feedback causing thinking and that affects learning.
How are these three areas in your school?
Break before…..
The new curriculum!
Aims of the new science curriculum To ensure that pupils:
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develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through biology/chemistry/physics.
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develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of enquiry that help answer questions about the world around them.
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Are equipped with the scientific knowledge to understand the uses and implications of science today and in the future. Scientifically literate members of society if nothing else!
Let’s take a look then discuss!
New Curriculum integration!
Things to consider:
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Is introduction of the new curriculum in your school development/improvement plan? (SIP) Do you have an action plan for science?
Have you talked to staff yet? Topic changes ahead.
Are there training/ CPD areas needed?
Do the resources you have meet the needs of the new NC? (E.g. data loggers) How will you track pupil’s progress in science?
Don’t forget schools must publish the curriculum on their website!
Discuss – note down areas of need!
NC 2013
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Origins of new National Curriculum ASE Late 1990 research into primary science enquiry.
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2000s ASE Primary Science Committee initiate writing on primary science enquiry.
2011 – Is it fair or not?
2012 – Redraft primary science NC builds on ASE work from 15 years ago. Anne Goldsworthy and Brenda Keogh work on draft.
Stuart Naylor
What’s the same
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Most of the subject knowledge and understanding.
A balance of science and content skills.
Most topics come up more than once, so there is progression.
(Don’t throw away your schemes of work – they might be useful!)
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Content that’s gone…
Understanding of common life processes gone from KS1 – moved to more detailed in KS2 (e.g. digestive system).
The role of drugs as medicines.
Care for the environment and sensitivity to other people animals.
The effect of rest and exercise of pulse rate.
Role of micro-organisms Germination.
Care of teeth.
Forces – (opposing forces, measurement and identification of direction. (Too abstract – Piaget and abstract thought).
Does this mean we can’t teach it?
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No!
The curriculum is a ‘minimum entitlement’ for pupils. We have a duty to expand on it!
It’s a mastery curriculum –simplified to ensure as many complete and achieve.
The expectation is that the teacher ensures all ‘get it’ while allowing others to go deeper/ follow own enquires. “Not moving on, but moving out” Jane Maloney, SLC
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Greater emphasis on scientific language (e.g. deciduous and evergreen) Seasonal changes (Yr1) Microhabitats (Yr2) Sources of food (Yr2) Fossils (Yr3)
New Content
Soil formation (Yr3) Changing environments (Yr4) Digestive system (Yr4) Temperature at which changes occur (Yr4) Knowledge of different lifecycles (Yr5) Lever, pulleys and gears (Yr5) Identifying animals groups , e.g. amphibians (Yr5) Transpiration of nutrients and water within animals (Yr6) Evolution and inheritance (Yr6) More explicit understanding of light and the formation of shadows (Yr6)
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What else is new?
‘Working scientifically’ and emphasis on different types of enquiry.
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More naming and identifying things (especially in KS1).
More on using outdoor environment.
Some reference to how scientific ideas have changed over time.
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Some content moved to different year groups.
More…
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Working scientifically is more than fair testing – it includes different types of enquiry e.g. observation.
The purpose of working scientifically is to answer scientific questions – enquiry based learning.
The non-statutory guidance illustrates how working scientifically might apply in each topic.
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Opportunities
Fair testing and other types of enquiry provide far more opportunities for children.
Working scientifically underpins all of the subject knowledge topics.
Working scientifically in three phases – more progressive/ depth to progression over time.
Strong emphasis in guidance on effective teaching and learning – read it!
Planning issues
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In KS2 there are five areas in each year not six and there are four in KS1.
The PoS study can be studied over two years not just year group.
Phase group skills progression.
The topic of seasonal change will stretch across a year.
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Our extra half terms! Ideas?
Take longer over each topic?
Make one double length topic?
Use the final half term for revision, consolidation and extension?
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Independent (pairs or groups) study some of the question that came up during the year?
Create your own topic?
Do something adventurous – class science newspaper/documentary/show
The Local Environment!
‘Pupils should use the local
environment throughout the year to explore and answer questions about …” “They should raise and answer questions about the local environment…’ ….”including those in the local environment”
Every year group should be out and about!
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Local habitats near you?
Class photo diary of a habitat.
Yearly science diary – half term survey of an area.
Every year group should be outside poking around at least three times a year!!
Mastery more than spiralling
“While it is important pupils make
progress, it is also vitally important that they develop secure understanding of each key block of knowledge and concepts in order to progress to the next stage. Insecure, superficial understanding will not
allow genuine progression…” p3
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Assessment!
Nuffield and ASE developing a framework for assessment:
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Use ordinary classroom work to assess against learning objective – achieved/not achieved/exceeded
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Summary judgements at the end of each topic using this information.
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Overall you’ll have a yearly summary of progress.
Internal and external moderation.
DfE exemplars
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Assessment continued…
No levels! Schools ‘free to use their own approach.’ Schools still required to identify what children have learnt and what progress they are making, report to parents and provide end of key stage judgements.
Ofsted will use whatever assessment information school provide.
DfE will provide examples of good practice.
Almost certainly National sampling.
What we already know about assessment…
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More evidence isn’t always better evidence.
All assessment involve professional judgements.
Professional judgement need to be justified in terms of process used, not amount of evidence accumulated.
Evidence suggest AFL improves learning too!
Caution!
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Some teachers may approach mastery type curriculum as a tick list exercise rather than using it as a basis for enquiry. We must teach children to be scientific!
Caution
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Pupils with gaps will never catch up unless teachers assess well and ensure attainment targets have been learnt.
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Assessing under the new curriculum Plan in assessment opportunities as you teach.
Focus on scientific enquiry. Use an on-going assessment system and record keeping.
Use quizzes and mini tests for specific knowledge occasionally.
Go back over points that need securing.
Moderation will be important Assessment
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Take each point in the Pos.
Is the child working towards/achieving or exceeding?
Example: Compare and group together different kinds of rocks on the basis of their appearance and simple physical properties.
What could this look like at these 3 stages?
Assessment for learning in science
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Assessment should be part of the learning process.
Assessing is done best while pupils are ‘doing science’ and not when science is over!
Plan for it, look for it, ask for it and record it as you go.
Make assessment part of teaching
Plan in your assessment opportunities
Make assessment part of teaching Make discovery and enquiry the basis of science lessons – then you're assessing authentic science skills and knowledge as you teach! Questions!
Your concept cartoon. Discuss….
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What do you think!
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How, when, where might you use concept cartoons?
Ways to use concept cartoons
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Providing a stimulus for an investigation Introduce a new topic – assess prior knowledge.
Challenge a group Work with a small group Revision Homework
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Why are concept cartoons so good?
Visual Minimal text – accessible to all.
Familiar contexts.
Making scientific argument/dialogue ok.
Unemotional – ideas are equalised. Identify children’s misconceptions. Collaborative/enquiry orientated.
Paper back £60 £100 second hand £150 approx.
CD-ROM and site license
Building in assessment for learning! Concept sentences – use the words, plus your own to make a sentence.
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Provide pupils with key words or picture on cards.
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They use these with words of their own to form sentences about a topic/concept.
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Minimise nouns (so they have to make connections and use vocabulary)
Amazon/Millgate House Publishers £38 with CD-ROM for activities.
Try them!
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Concept sentences – start with simple concepts first so they understand the process.
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Demonstrate the first one
True or false
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Sit back and listen to what the children are saying.
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Let them debate and argue (nicely).
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Send one person from each group to another group and report back.
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Make one child a debate chairman – discuss answers.
Pupils feelings about science Pupils like science being active and enquiry based.
Pupils want less written recording in science.
Problems with science
Subject knowledge!
Science investigations are sometimes over controlled/ over supported. Sometimes not differentiated to provide support for the least able or challenge for the more able.
What am I doing in order to find out?
Science skills goals are not always clear.
Science Skills: Sc1 or ‘Working Scientifically’ What are skills learning intentions?
Whatever the children need to do in order to understand, record or present science knowledge.
Learning intentions!
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Don’t give it all away!
Agree skills – how will we do this well What have we found out at the end!
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Let’s get away from ‘WALT: to identify magnetic and non-magnetic materials.
Millgate House approx £30
What do scientists do? Types of enquiry…
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Observing over time Identifying and classifying Pattern seeking Research Fair testing and…
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Reporting/presenting
Modelling matters – show what good looks like!
Using models to check for success
Can I draw a table to record results?
A f
A B C D 4 -5 reasons why one of these is better than the rest?
Success Criteria for drawing a table:
(What makes a good table?) • • • • •
I used a ruler I used title for the table I used column headings I used scientific language I recorded the data correctly
Take a skill intention/ create success criteria
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What are the steps to success?
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What are the features of a really good one?
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What does it look like when someone is doing that really well?
Old framework differentiation in science…
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Begin with a three way split – LA/A/MA - work with a group.
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Mixed ability – differentiation by outcome
Support and Stretch
Differentiation has changed: “..
the planned and spontaneous intervention or withdrawal of a teacher’s actions throughout the lesson…
” Spendlove
Challenging Activities to develop skills.
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Activities that make children think rather than recall. Applying knowledge/ gaining new… Comparing Categorising, grouping and recognising exceptions Predicting Drop in activities to trigger thinking
Comparing questions:
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Which might be the odd one out ?
frog bird fish
Similar or different
What is similar or different about a carnivore and a omnivore?
Making questions link thinking, learning and assessment:
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Why is a bear an example of a carnivore?
Is it always true that ice melts?
How do you know for sure that an animal is a predator/bird/ fish? Why might someone think a frog is a fish?
Why might someone think the moon is a source of light?
Using scenarios
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What might happen if predators and were prey swapped?
What might happen if lots of fats and sugars were good for you?
What might happen if wood was transparent?
What might happen if fish and humans swapped places?
Ways to differentiate
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Different start points/instructions
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Think bombs (drop in questions)
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Added thought experiments
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Self direction/choice What works for you – share!
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Different methods of recording
Recording – plan/record results/ present
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Is the writing necessary for the science?
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Is the recording a barrier for some to the science?
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Are you recording just for evidence of teaching/coverage?
Could you use English to expand on the writing?
Different ways to record
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Drama News reports Shared group sheets Video recording Voice recorders Drawing/cartoon strips Photos of investigations
Science Learning sequence
Explore!
Pose question(s)- I wonder if/why/how/when/what….
Decide on the type of enquiry Collect evidence/ Interpret results Draw conclusions/ Use evidence to answer Report/Present findings
Big Class Science Books
Use these to provide evidence of learning and teaching rather than relying on the children doing lots of written work for evidence. Use recording when the science calls for it.
Originally idea from Science Learning Centre
The role of the adult in class
‘I need to help the children get it right so the lesson is successful.’ ‘I need to help the children learn so the lesson is successful.’ Supporting learning rather than teaching Making mistakes is at the heart of science learning
Let them go!
But remember to:
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Find out what they already know and can do before hand.
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Share and agree clear skills and knowledge learning goals
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Share and agree success criteria (what good looks like). Use exemplars/critiques/models.
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Question, question, question!
Planning points
Planning and reflection time
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Can you make your science more enquiry based? Start with a problem and question?
Can you build in assessment opportunities?
Can you plan in support and stretch opportunities?
If you’re a science subject leader make a list of what you need to do!