Science Learning

The Nature of Scientific Thinking Lessons Designed to Develop Understanding of the Nature

From the background: Students in many science classrooms are presented with the scientific method as the fundamental plan scientists use to gain their understandings. Scientists throughout history have come to their conclusions in a variety of ways, not always following such a specific method. Interestingly, even when scientists do use the scientific method, they rarely use it in the stereotyped, step-by-step way that schools tend to teach it. This is a curricular unit that helps students understand why and how scientists think through their process.

Causal Patterns in Density: Lessons to Infuse into Density Units...

Causal Patterns in Density: Lessons to Infuse into Density Units to Enable Deeper Understanding Causal Patterns in Density is a curriculum module of fifteen lessons that can be used as a stand-alone unit or can be infused into a broader unit on density. The lessons are designed to address a set of persistent difficulties that students have when learning about density. These difficulties stem from how students reason about the nature of cause and effect. Each of the four module sections introduces a challenge in thinking about causality that impacts students ability to deeply understand density. The sections are sequenced to build understanding. In each lesson, a background information section describes the difficulties that students typically have in learning about density and shows how the various causal understandings, if not mastered, contribute to those difficulties. Each lesson includes subject matter goals and more general goals about the nature of causality. This module is designed for middle school but can be modified for use with older and younger students. This curriculum module was designed around best practices in science education. It was developed as part of a research project called the Understandings of Consequence Project, which is supported by the National Science Foundation.

Causal Patterns in Simple Circuits: Lessons to Infuse into Electricity Units...

Causal Patterns in Simple Circuits is a set of lessons that are to be infused into a broader unit on simple electrical circuits. The lessons are designed to address a set of persistent misunderstandings that students have when learning about simple circuits. These misunderstandings stem from how students reason about the nature of causality. Background information is given to help teachers understand typical misunderstandings and how each shows up in students reasoning about simple circuits. The module is designed to move students away from linear and sequential models towards more complex models that better explain the way circuits work. Each lesson includes subject matter goals and more general goals about the nature of cause and effect, as well as a set of steps to help students assess their understanding and to connect the knowledge beyond the original learning context. The curriculum incorporates best practices in science education, such as inquiry-based learning and modeling. It is designed for middle school but can be modified for use with older and younger students. Teaching about static electricity is recommended before teaching about electrical circuits. Understanding electrical charge helps prepare students for understanding electrical circuits. This curriculum module was developed as part of a research project called the Understandings of Consequence Project, which is supported by the National Science Foundation. 2004

Causal Patterns in Air Pressure Phenomena: Lessons to Infuse into Pressure Units...

Causal Patterns in Air Pressure is a curriculum module for teachers who want their students to develop a deep understanding of air pressure concepts. Research shows that students who are taught about the nature of the causal patterns while learning science achieve deeper understanding than students who learn the science concepts only. This curriculum module is designed to address persistent difficulties students have when learning about air pressure. These difficulties stem from how students reason about the nature of cause and effect. The module consists of nine lessons, organized into three sections. Each section introduces one of three ways of thinking about causality that students need to master in order to develop a deep understanding of air pressure. Each lesson contains understanding goals for the subject matter and causal patterns. Background information helps teachers recognize the misunderstanding and how it is typically revealed in students reasoning about air pressure. RECAST (REveal CAusal STructure) activities are designed to reveal the underlying causal structure of concepts and to help students restructure their understandings. The curriculum incorporates best practices in science education, such as inquiry-based learning and modeling. It is designed for middle school but can be modified for use with other ages. The module can be infused into broader units on pressure. It was developed as part of a research project called the Understandings of Consequence Project, which is supported by the National Science Foundation.