Marcie Griffith

[email protected]

Depth & Complexity

Language of the Discipline: Identification & usage of appropriate language relative to the discipline.

Details: Elaboration and description of an idea or event.

Patterns: Recurring elements or repeated factors of an idea or event. Order of events. Identify & predict.

Trends: Identification of changes throughout a period; factors, influences & forces. Note causality & predict.

Unanswered Questions: Unclear ideas & information; What is unknown, unexplored, unproved. Identify & guess.

Rules: Organizational elements relevant to curriculum. Note order, determine relevance, organize, & identify learnings.

Ethics: Possible rights & wrongs of an event, idea, or issue. Reflection on bias, prejudice, discrimination. Draw conclusions, argue, prove with evidence. Big Idea: Generalization, principle, or theory about the curriculum being studied. Identify theory, state principle.

Over Time: Change over time where changes are identified & causality examined. Predict, order, & sequence.

Points of View: Multiple perspectives. Examine ideas & events from different perspectives. Think like a . . . Interdisciplinary Connections: Connection between curriculum under study & other disciplines. Associate, integrate, & link.

Content Imperatives

Origin: Beginning, root, or source of the idea or event Contribution: Define the significant part of result of an idea or event Parallel: Defining ideas or events that are similar and can be compared to one another. Paradox: Defining the contradictory elements in an event or idea. Positive/Negative aspects of something.

Convergence: Defining the meeting point of the elements that describe an event or idea.

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Expert in a particular field of study

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Teach, conduct research & publish findings

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Experts in applying a discipline

-perform specialized tasks rather than conduct basic research 

Collaborate across disciplines

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Sub-disciplines or branches

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Engages students

-Science is more than memorizing facts 

Provides rationale for learning

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Allows students to gain familiarity with academic disciplines

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Demonstrates connections to concepts, thinking processes, & methodologies across multiple disciplines

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Frames

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Scientific Disciplinarian Learning Centers

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Concentric Circles

   Align content/standard with disciplinarian Disciplinarian: middle of frame Questions/Depth & Complexity/ Content Imperatives in outer compartments 6 th Grade Life Science: The number and types of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available and on abiotic factors. ..

What ethical issues might an ecologist investigate when studying ecosystems?

Key vocabulary important to understanding ecosystems.

Think like an Ecologist What patterns might an ecologist examine? Explain Details an ecologist might examine when studying an ecosystems ability to support life

 Introduce disciplinarian -Solicit prior knowledge -Provide definition -Discuss type of tools this disciplinarian might use  Introduce thinking tools used in frame -Practice with familiar topic (i.e. birthday parties)  Present questions on disciplinarian frame  Students work in groups, pairs, or as individuals  Share out/reflect as to how thinking like this disciplinarian enhanced their understanding of the content

 Introduce: Hook- identified disciplinarian from pictures, discussed prior knowledge  Asked- What types of tools might a geologist use to get a better understanding of what they study?

-Asked- Why might it be important for a geologist to practice using specialized tools?

-Explained that we would also be using special tools to help us better understand our study

 Introduced thinking tools ( )  Applied to frame/practiced using familiar topic What are the rules of birthday parties?

What are the specialized terms used about birthday parties? Birthday Parties Names: What are the contributing factors to birthday parties? What are the patterns of birthday parties?

   Align content/standard with disciplinarians Content: middle of frame Disciplinarians & thinking tools: outer compartments Meteorologist Pulmonologist (doctor specializing in issues involving respiration).

Wildfires Geographer

 Identify disciplinarians that align with content  Display/ include Big idea for learning Rules & procedures for learning Details to make the center aesthetically pleasing Pictures/images to support learning & hold interest  Provide information/resources on disciplines  Include open-ended task cards/task sheets to guide student inquiry

  Disciplinarian + Thinking Skill(s) + Product Independent learning/small group

Think Like a Glaciologist

Examine the global patterns of where glaciers are located, paying close attention to trends in where glaciers are found and how they have changed over time. Create a poster describing your findings. Include graphic aids (maps, charts, etc).

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Hybrid: Disciplinarian investigation combined with content focus

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Multiple tasks

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Reflection on future interest in discipline

 Introduce whole class to learning center  Review rules & procedures  Pre-teach any new concepts/material necessary for success  Direct students to where they can locate information/resources needed (computer, texts, etc)  Students self-select, rotate, or are assigned to center

 Teacher provides guidelines  Student submits work plan -disciplinarian, content, rough sketch, expected completion date  Teacher monitors progress  Student works independently  Student presents center to class for use

 Provides opportunity to introduce students to general disciplines and their sub-disciplines  Focus on standard/content  Move from general to specific view of how disciplinarians might approach topic - Utilize depth & complexity/ content imperatives to focus investigation  Identify patterns or parallels noticed between disciplines (afterward)

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Professional organizations

Jobs/careers Sections Ask the Expert Section

 Society of Nematologists

http://www.nematologists.org/

  Botanical Society of America

http://www.botany.org/

University Websites (Departments & Programs) Faculty Studies & Research (i.e. microbial ecologist)  USC Department of Biological Sciences

http://college.usc.edu/bisc/marine/faculty/

  USC / Sandra Kaplan Think Like a Disciplinarian

http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~skaplan/index.html

American Museum of Natural History: Ology

https://www.amnh.org/ology /

 Koshland Science Museum Nat. Academy of Sciences

http://www.koshland-science-museum.org/index.jsp

  MadSciNet: The 24 Hour Exploding Laboratory

http://www.madsci.org/

National Institute of Health, Office of Science Ed.

http://science.education.nih.gov/home2.nsf/feature/index.htm