3rd Grade Science meeting

Sept. 4, 2014

Bad news first:• Our 5th grade science scores are

below state average.• We’re not teaching enough science K-

4.• Why?• We’ve focused on Math and Reading.• Doesn’t the 5th grade EOG only cover

what’s taught in 5th grade?• NC science standards are carefully

crafted to build upon one another.

Magic trick• Little kids will want to know how that works.• Figuring out how things work is science.

• Little kids like science!

• Good lessons (math, ELA, Sci, SS) take advantage of this human instinct.

• Everyone starts life as a scientist/artist

Good news

Middle School

• Where we grind the interest out of most kids• “I can’t draw...I’m no good at science.”• Some of these kids become elementary

teachers

Science confidence• Guys have more of it than girls.• Fact: guys get worse grades in science,

but take more science classes—have more science careers

• Elementary school is where kids can get confidence to muddle through middle school.

How to destroy confidence:• Make ‘em memorize facts

Easy to get hung up with facts

• Base of Blooms pyramid• Easy to write tests for• In the world of Google it’s hard to get

kids to see the point of memorizing facts.

Focus on concepts

Fact

Concept

Fact

Fact

Fact

Fact

Fact

Fact

Fact

Example:

infi

ltratio

n

Water Cycle

tran

spora

tion

pre

citatio

n

run

off

eva

pora

tion

gro

un

d

wate

r

co

nd

en

satio

n

sub

limatio

n

Teach Concept 1st Teach Vocabulary 2nd

• A new word needs something to attach to.

• If at all possible, give students understanding of concept before using the vocabulary.

• e.g. A toddler learns the word “chair” only after becoming familiar with the concept of chairs.

Which one is easier to remember?

1. Twas bryllyg, and the slythy toves did gyre and gymble in the wabe. All mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe.

2. Sometime, between eight and ten in the morning, my daughter decided to play dress-up with our two dogs. Those poor, poor dogs.

This makes sense!

Memorizing is hard work• Need a reason to do this work – a

grade isn’t always enough

WCPS Science Resources

Each school received a set of these seven Page Keeley books. (In your Media Center)

DPI has produced a document that links NC Essential Standards to each probe within these books.

That PDF can be downloaded from your teacher resources page on the WCPS Science site

Cl-Ev-R and Formative probes

Smart Scopes

• USB microscope you can plug into your computer

• Also in your Media Center

Boardworks

• Simple/easy-to-use interactive PowerPoints

• The CD ROM is in you Media Center• Install on as many computers as you

want (as long as you are in Wayne County)

WCPS Science webpageshttp://www.waynecountyschools.org/Domain/71

my email: andrewforsleff@wcps.org