Learning from Cases Unraveling the Complexities of Elementary Science Teaching

by Tippins, Deborah J.; Koballa, Thomas R.; Payne, Beverly D.

• ISBN13: 9780205305889
• ISBN10: 0205305881
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-11-20
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

B> A helpful resource for pre-service and in-service teachers to use as a problem-solving vehicle for science teaching and learning at the elementary school level. This book contextualizes the dilemmas and challenges of elementary science teaching through the narrative cases of prospective and practicing teachers, science teacher educators, informal science educators, and scientists. Eachchapter contains three or four cases that are organized around such topics as: assessment, language, inquiry-based instruction, diversity, conceptual understanding, and professional development. These case abstracts summarize the challenges that are featured in each scenario, and give the readers appropriate responses, as well as differing perspectives on the dilemma central to each case. Questions for reflection immediately follow each case, and provide questions to facilitate and engage groups of teachers in case discussions. Resources to consider at the end of each chapter lists and briefly describe helpful resources related to the chapter topic. The book is an excellent resource for pre-service and in-service teachers interested in improving their understanding of science teaching and learning.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Using Cases in Elementary Science Education	p. 1
References	p. 10
Children as Scientists in the Elementary Classroom	p. 13
Inquiry: To Do or Not to Do?	p. 14
Commentary: Inquiry Is Not for the Faint of Heart	p. 17
Insects and Scientific Problem Solving Go Together	p. 18
Commentary: When It Is New to You Both	p. 23
How Full Is Full?	p. 25
Commentary: Say What?	p. 29
References	p. 31
Resources to Consider	p. 31
Organizing Meaningful Science Learning Environments	p. 32
Who's Teaching Whom?	p. 34
Commentary: Rare and Well Done: Teaching in the Other World	p. 37
To Group or Not to Group	p. 39
Commentary: Building on a Cooperative Learning Foundation	p. 41
A Dilemma in Which Time Matters	p. 43
Commentary: The Time Bind	p. 45
References	p. 47
Resources to Consider	p. 48
Creating a Culture for Learning Science in the Elementary Classroom	p. 49
Who Said Child's Play Isn't Important?	p. 51
Commentary: Both Play and Work Can Lead to Learning	p. 54
The Tension of Being on the Cutting Edge	p. 55
Commentary: Helping Students Realize Their Potential	p. 59
Truss Troubles	p. 61
Commentary: Here's What Maria Did	p. 64
Do I Listen to My Students? Or Do I Cover the Mandated Curriculum?	p. 65
Commentary
Real-World Learning Can Lead to Student Empowerment	p. 69
Decisions, Teachable Moments, and the Curriculum	p. 71
References	p. 72
Resources to Consider	p. 72
Diverse Science Learners in the Elementary Classroom	p. 73
Who Eats the Mango?	p. 75
Commentary: Plugging Cultural Holes	p. 77
How Do You Grow Rice?	p. 78
Commentary: Growing New Science Connections	p. 83
I Do Not Understand	p. 85
Commentary
Creating Learning Environments for Bilingual Students	p. 88
Weir-Sen Speaks: Caught between Two Worlds	p. 89
Constructivism: Time for a Reality Check?	p. 90
Commentary: Constructing Constructivism and Checking Reality Checks	p. 97
References	p. 99
Resources to Consider	p. 100
Elementary Science Teaching for Understanding	p. 101
Seasons Change and Conceptions Shift--But Not Always as Expected	p. 103
Commentary: A Letter to John	p. 110
What Is the Shape of a Star?	p. 113
Commentary: Of Stars and Black Holes in the First Grade Classroom	p. 115
No Bones about It!	p. 116
Commentary: Theme-Based Instruction Does Not Guarantee Science Learning	p. 119
And God Made the Little Birdies, Too	p. 120
Commentary: Enhancing Instructional Success in Teaching Evolution	p. 123
References	p. 127
Resources to Consider	p. 127
Assessing Student Learning in Science	p. 129
Talking Together about the Moon	p. 131
Commentary
Reflecting with Teachers about the Student's Response	p. 132
From Reflections of the Moon to Reflections on Science Teaching	p. 134
Daring to Be Different in Assessment	p. 135
Commentary: Creating Community in the Elementary Classroom: A Question of Peer Assessment in Science	p. 138
The Light at the End of the Hands-On Tunnel	p. 139
Commentary: Science Teaching in a Climate of Accountability	p. 142
References	p. 144
Resources to Consider	p. 145
Changing Contexts for Science Teaching and Learning	p. 146
El Secreto de las Ninas	p. 147
Commentary: Homeless Children in Our Classrooms	p. 150
Challenging the High-Tech Tapestry by Adding Diverse Threads from the Lives of Children	p. 151
Commentary: The Computer as Formalizer of Inquiry: Valuable Tool, Oppressive Limitation, or All in the Hands of the Teacher?	p. 155
How Formal Should Informal Education Be?	p. 156
Commentary: You Never Know Who Might Be the Next Leading Skeleton Expert	p. 159
References	p. 160
Resources to Consider	p. 160
Controversial Issues in the Science Classroom	p. 162
The Day the Lobster Died	p. 164
Commentary: The Lobster's Bad Day?	p. 166
The Egyptian Exhibit	p. 167
Commentary: Extracting a Teachable Moment for Emily's Story	p. 170
What Happened to Bunny?	p. 171
Commentary: Bunny's Dead: Thinking about the Value of Life	p. 175
Integrating Technology into Science Research Projects: Cutting and Pasting Made Difficult	p. 178
Commentary: Strategies for Helping Students Develop High-Quality Science Projects Using the Internet	p. 180
References	p. 182
Resources to Consider	p. 182
Professional Development of Elementary Teachers in Science	p. 184
Of Love and Other Demons in Science Teaching	p. 186
Commentary: "I Love This Rock": Passionate Science and the Myth of Objectivity	p. 190
Teaching Science the Right Way	p. 191
Commentary
Is One "Right" Way the Wrong Way to Think about Teaching Elementary Science?	p. 194
Teacher and Students as Fellow Investigators in Science	p. 195
Partnering for Progress in Elementary Science	p. 197
Commentary: Reflections on the Messy Work of School-University Partnerships	p. 202
References	p. 204
Resources to Consider	p. 205
Writing and Living the Case	p. 206
References	p. 211
Case-Based Teaching Resources	p. 212
Index	p. 215
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