Transcript Focusing Science Teaching on Content using Big Ideas

Focusing Science Teaching on Content using Big Ideas
Elizabeth Cavanaugh-Broad
Department of Neuroscience
Arts and Sciences
Introduction
The University of Pittsburgh/Pittsburgh
Public School District GK-12 program
enables graduate and undergraduate
students in science to serve in K-8 schools
as a “scientist in the classroom”
knowledgeable about content, applications,
and effective methods of teaching science
and math. In 2005-2006, I worked at
Northview with an elementary science
specialist and in 2006-2007 I am working
with an 8th grade science teacher at ATA.
A Focus Lesson: Adaptations of Birds
This lesson was designed to supplement the FOSS guided
inquiry science curriculum by addressing the part of our Big
Idea that states that organisms have different adaptations to
fulfill their life needs in different habitats.
ACTIVITY
PLANNING
Big Ideas
I work with my
partner teacher to
more effectively
communicate
science content
through the
district’s FOSS
curriculum by
identifying “Big
Ideas" and
incorporating
them into lesson plans.
TEACHING
ASSESSMENT
Working in Schools
Allegheny Traditional
Academy Middle (ATA)
Reprinted, with permission, from: Tools for Change: Curriculum Enactment Through
Teacher-Scientist Partnerships, Wendy M. Sink, Jennifer L. Cartier, Joseph J. Grabowski;
paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Science Teacher Educators
Clearwater, Florida, January 5, 2007.
• Grades 6-8
• 303 students
• City of Pittsburgh
and Mt. Oliver
students may
apply
My team has developed lesson plans,
curriculum extensions, materials, and
assessments.
Big Ideas are
central science
concepts that
help put content
points into
context for
students and
unite material in
different topic
areas.
Enrollment Inf ormation
Socioeconomic Status of Students
Free Lunch
Reduced Lunch
Regular Lunch
Outcomes
As a result of my work in Pittsburgh Public Schools:
• Teachers have increased their understanding of science content
• Teachers have acquired novel methods of teaching the curriculum
• I have gained a new awareness of K-8 teaching practices and challenges
• I have a greater understanding of science within and beyond my own work as
a student.
White
African American
Hispanic
Multiracial
Acknowledgments
• Jennifer L. Cartier and Joseph J. Grabowski, co-principal
investigators
• Wendy M. Sink, graduate research assistant
• Tara Crousey, partner teacher at ATA
• Graduate Fellows of the GK-12 program
• National Science Foundation and the University of
Pittsburgh for financial support