...we work to combine inquiry and engineering when we can. Because we do not have a stove in our classroom, we bring out a hot plate to confirm that heating up the water is a possibility. Sometimes ...we use this as an opportunity to talk about NOS by asking, "Why do scientists make assumptions when doing their work?" Now that the class understands how we can collect data on temperature and color spread, we have small groups of students brainstorm how they could investigate how fast the food coloring will disperse using different temperatures. Alternative strategies for differentiation and cost * If your school does not have hot plates, consider using a percolator or coffee maker as a substitute. * If time or student ability is of concern, having the various temperatures of water set up in advance can lighten students' cognitive load. * Also, if time is a concern, the food coloring activity can be done as a demonstration.
Deconstructing Solids Holub, Jordan; Kruse, Jerrid; Menke, Lucas
Science and children,
03/2020, Letnik:
57, Številka:
7
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Engineering is increasingly expected in elementary classrooms now that the "Next Generation Science Standards" have explicitly identified engineering disciplinary core ideas as well as engineering ...practices. To incorporate engineering into their elementary classrooms, the authors used building blocks (i.e., LEGOS) to help students begin to understand engineered products and how engineers work while engaging them in learning about the structure of matter. By integrating the science content alongside engineering content, the authors hope the students will better understand and apply both sets of ideas. In the lessons described in this article, students are asked to make observations and construct scientifically accurate views that objects are made of smaller pieces and how those small pieces can be used to create a new object (NGSS Lead States 2013). The authors incorporate the K-2 engineering standard that states students will create drawings or make models to illustrate how the shape of an object helps its function (NGSS Lead States 2013). Students learn how to work with constraints when incorporating engineering practices. To further expand on student thinking, both the nature of engineering and the nature of technology are included in the lessons.
Just Roll with It Holub, Jordan; Kruse, Jerrid; Menke, Lucas
Science and children,
03/2019, Letnik:
56, Številka:
7
Journal Article
Recenzirano
In this article, the authors focus on students constructing observations of patterns to understand how surfaces affect the motion of an object. Students will use the patterns they observe to predict ...future motion of marbles (NGSS Lead States 2013). Students then apply their learning by engaging in an engineering task. By giving students a task to enhance their designs by controlling specific variables, we can incorporate engineering practices into the lesson (NGSS Lead States 2013). To extend learning, the students' attention is drawn to the nature of engineering (NOE) throughout the lesson.
Since the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards, we have been including more engineering activities in our third-grade curriculum. During these activities, our students have been ...embodying many science and engineering practices and even testing out new ideas without our prompting. Yet, when we asked students what they learned about the activity, they said, "We learned to make a bridge" or "We learned how to make a good parachute." Students had learned seemingly little about science or engineering from the activities -- and that bothered us. Sometimes classroom activities that appear to be effective on the surface do not help students deeply understand science concepts, which Moscovici and Nelson (1998) refer to as "activitymania." We wanted our students to go deeper. To move beyond "activitymania," we engaged our students with nature of technology and engineering.
