Scientific Modeling
9/26/2020
Humans are scientists. We seek to explore, question, and understand the world around us. We see situations or problems, hypothesize about why things occur or how problems can be solved, test out our ideas, refine our thinking, and continue the cycle of inquiry. Young learners love science class because it is a natural extension of the way they see and interact with their world every day. They are filled with questions they wonder about and are fascinated when they can discover answers to the questions spinning in their heads. PNA aligns science instruction with the Next Generation Science Standards, a set of learning expectations that were developed and released in 2013 by state policy leaders, educators, and various partner groups such as the National Research Council (NRC), the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The standards are designed to prioritize coherence across all grades levels, and they include three key components: disciplinary core ideas; science and engineering practices, and cross-cutting concepts. Science instruction should integrate content knowledge and scientific practices in meaningful ways. As students learn key information about the life, physical, and earth sciences, they also learn about and practice engineering and design concepts such as developing and using models, and constructing explanations and engaging in argument. They also connect discreet facts with big ideas like patterns, structures and function, and stability and change. These concepts cross over into all the science disciplines and help learners see the “big picture.” Our first scientific explorations this year have been in Life Science, as students seek to be able to: 4-LS1-1. Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction. and 4-LS1-2. Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different ways. We’ve begun by learning through models. Students have created some models of the human finger and eye and compared those to similar structures in animals. Students have made a “robot finger” that moves when the “tendons” are pulled. They also crafted a working model of an eye that projects an image on a “retina.” Next we will be connecting these experiences to an understanding of how the individual parts of an organism’s body work together as a system. We’ll also explore how animals in different habitats have different structures to support survival by integrating our science learning through a social studies project about the regions of the United States. Fourth grade scientists are forging ahead! |
Martina HenkeMartina Henke has been a K-8 educator for 30+ years. A life-long learner, she loves working with kids of all ages, new technology, great books, fiber arts, and her wonderful family! Archives
April 2021
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