MSTA Explanations Slides

8/14/2019 MSTA Explanations Slides

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Say What You Mean!Strategies to Help Students BetterCommunicate Science

MSTA 56th Annual Conference

Detroit, Michigan

Nancy Williams and Stephen Best

University of Michigan School of Education


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Objectives

Recognize some of the common communication

issues we present to students through written

tasks and questioning Discuss what constitutes an explanation, a

scientific explanation, a description, and a

definition of a scientific term

Examine possible ways in which the tasks wepresent students do not align with the

understanding we are looking to assess or build

Provide strategies to support student written work

in science


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Say What You Mean...

Then you should say what you mean. (March Hare)

I do; at least - at least I mean what I say -- thats the

same thing, you know (Alice)

Not the same thing a bit! Why,

you might just as well say that, I

see what I eat is the same as I eat

what I see! (Mad Hatter)

You might just as well say, that I

like what I get is the same thing

as I get what I like! (March Hare)


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A Task for You

Your handout packet has a task under

the cover page

Take 2-3 minutes to review the

question and to reply in writing as you

would want your students to do for this

question Dont worry if you arent as familiar

with the content - do what you can...

Lets see what you all came up with...


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A Little Experiment

You all had different questions with similar

content, but the verb changed.

Do we know the difference between the

following sets of verbs:

Explain

DescribeDefineList

Do our students understand these

differences?

Classify

OrganizeCompareContrast


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Descriptions

description |diskrip sh n|

noun

1

a spoken or written representation or account of aperson, object, or event : people who had seen him were

able to give a description.

Generally use adjectives to present observable

characteristics of the object or phenomena being

described.

Provide imagery or other sense-specific

concepts to convey a reasonable representation

of the topic


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Common Problems With

Descriptions Students use examples of a particular

object or concept, but dont actually

describe its characteristics Descriptions are too vague to discern

understanding of the concept

Students may use analogies that are notappropriate to the topic or concept

Description is appropriate, but does not

then apply this to a more challenging task

or problem context to present understanding


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Definitions

definition |defni sh n|

noun

1 a statement of the exact meaning of a word, esp. in adictionary.

an exact statement or description of the nature, scope,

or meaning of something : our definition of what constitutes

poetry.

A description that is so accurate as to uniquely

describe that word or concept

A description where the converse statement is true


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The Definition Test

The Inverse test:

If A then B is true

If B then A is also true(not so for descriptions or examples)

If it is an ATOM, then it

is A SMALL PARTICLE

Atoms Small Particles

If it is A SMALL

PARTICLE, then it is an

ATOM


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Common Problems with

Definitions Students use examples of a particular

object or concept, but dont actually define it

Definitions are too vague to pass theInverse test (but may show the limits of the

students actual understanding)

Students might be able torecite a definition

for an object or concept, but do not

understand what it means and cannot

apply it or restate it in their own language


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Explanations

explanation ekspln sh n

nouna statement or account that makes something clear :the birth rate is central to any explanation of population trends.

a reason or justification given for an action or belief :Freud tried to make sex the explanation for everything| : myapplication was rejected without explanation.


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Common Problems with

Explanations (in Science Class) Scientific explanations are different than typical

explanations, especially when used to explain a

conclusion from investigation

Students dontrecognize the difference

between regular and scientific explanation

Students explain a theory or conclusion by

restating the observation Students dont know how to reason through a

conclusion (in written form)

Students dont understandthe concept, but

know how to take a test


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A Structure to Scientific

Explanation

Claim

Evidence Reasoning


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The REAL Problem with Descriptions,

Definitions, and Explanations We often dont teach these things, and

assume students know them

We dont understand them ourselves We dont provide structures for kids to

better understand these ideas

We often accept oral versions duringinstruction, but then assess student written

explanation

Im not a Language Arts teacher


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For More Information

Handouts and slides available at:

http://mmstlc.net

Slide shows, commentary, podcast,

and other resources at:

http://catalyst.mmstlc.net

Contact information at the MMSTLC

Site listed above

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