This week you read about the importance of educators developing 21st-century sci

This week you read about the importance of educators developing 21st-century scientifically literate citizens and about the significance of connecting inquiry and technology to create authentic science classrooms that prepare students for the future. You also learned effective teaching strategies that embrace the unifying themes, build connections with students’ own perceptions, and develop critical thinking skills so that students take charge of their learning.
As you reflect on your learning, think about your teaching practices. Choose a science lesson you are planning to teach in the near future that you want to enhance. Identify the unifying theme to which it aligns from Chapter 11 in Benchmarks for Science Literacy from this week’s Resources. Consider how this unifying theme impacts other areas of content and/or issues more globally connected, e.g., environmental or political.
Think about how you could build the lesson around one of these levels of inquiry. Finally, brainstorm technology that could be integrated into the lesson. Based on these potential improvements, how will your lesson look different than before? What changes do you expect to see in your students’ motivation and engagement and in their drive to be more in charge of their learning?
*Important Note
3rd grade science lesson
References
Buxton, C. A., & Provenzo, E. F., Jr. (2011). Teaching science in
elementary & middle school: A cognitive and cultural approach.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
o Chapter 2, “Science education in social context,” pp. 37–
46
o Chapter 3, “Towards a philosophy of hands-on inquirybased science education”
Hammerman, E. L. (2006). Becoming a better science teacher: 8
steps to high quality instruction and student achievement.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.