InvestigationsWhy Use Investigations?
Do students need to do investigations? Developmentally, elementary students are still in an area of “concrete” thinking. As teachers it is our task to help them translate some of their ideas from concrete to more abstract thinking - developing some conceptual understanding of the world around them. It is very difficult to engage students with more abstract concepts if they don’t have concrete, hands-on experiences to which they can “hook” the new ideas. By starting with concrete experiences, we meet them where they are currently thinking and reasoning and can take them further in their thinking. From the concrete experiences we are building from a solid foundation of experience. We also know that students benefit from multiple modalities of learning. Investigations and hands-on activities allow for students to learn in all 4 modalities at once: visually, auditorily, kinesthetically, and socially. This allows for a whole lot of neurons firing in the brain - building pathways and connections and strengthening them all at once. Finally, investigations mirror the way science works in the real world. This allows students to build a deep understanding of the Science and Engineering Practices and to become masters at learning through engaging in them. It also allows them to “see” themselves as scientists or at the very least, scientific learners. It also makes real the process of collecting first hand evidence and using it to develop understanding and make shared meaning. There is no other better process than beginning with an investigation to develop that understanding. This first hand evidence is also the best (only?) way to really get students to shift their thinking from stubborn naive conceptions. When confronting this evidence in light of misconceptions, cognitive disequilibrium ensues, and students are forced to reconcile the two ideas and build meaning. How Do We Use Investigations With Students? Taking on investigations with your students can be very daunting. However, it doesn’t have to be! The first thing to know is that there isn’t a set right way to “do” investigations. The main goal is to have students gather data (evidence) that will allow them to build understanding of a phenomenon. When first starting investigations with your students you may want to follow a more “gradual release” sort of model. So, to start with you might do several investigations together as a whole class. In later cycles, you might do parts of the investigation whole-class and allow groups to conduct parts together. Eventually, student groups and possibly even individuals will be empowered to conduct their own investigations from start to finish. Of course, this will also vary by grade-level and will need to be adjusted according to the amounts of materials you have available. Ideally, we work to have students engaging with the Science and Engineering Practices to conduct their own investigations as often as possible. Here is a general process to follow in guiding your students to do investigations:
Withing Phenomenal Science Units you will find at least one hands-on investigation included in every instructional cycle. The Phenomenal Science project strives to keep materials simple for busy teachers. As a result, in planning materials we followed the GEICO Rule: “15 minutes or less” from items in a typical classroom or perhaps household with only the occasional trip to local store.
1 Comment
Suzanne Penn
9/10/2018 01:32:32 pm
I am anxious to hear how other teachers are doing with the Phenomenal Science curriculum.
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AuthorPhenomenal Science Leadership Team Archives
February 2022
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