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Inquiry-based Learning/Smarter Science Framework (Nov 23-Dec 2)

 * working with families of schools (7 families, one day for each family. 155 teachers in attendance - 25 Gr 9 & 10; 130 Gr 7 & 8)
 * this is our second day of a four-day network with Gr 7 & 8 science teachers
 * we invited Gr 9 & 10 teachers (2 per high school) to participate as we roll out the Smarter Science framework - part of our transitions piece
 * the day was organized and facilitated using a three-part lesson design
 * Minds On -->
 * We started with a brief review of the belief statements ("We believe science education should be...") written on our first network day in October. These belief statements were inputed into a wordle and they helped guide the topics of the remaining three days in our 4-day networks. Here's an example:
 * [[image:HPIM1009.JPG width="462" height="198"]]
 * We continued with an introduction activity: Snowballs
 * each participant wrote their name, school, grade, and first memory of grade 9 on a piece of paper
 * papers were crumpled into a snowball and thrown @ TOny (who's in his safety gear for protection! some snowballs were thrown towards his head!!!)
 * [[image:HPIM0928.JPG width="323" height="248"]]
 * each participant picked up one snowball and introduced that person to the group
 * We continued with a graffit activity (Is this inquiry?) to activate prior knowledge: participants observed 6 different examples of classroom activities and they had to decide whether it was inquiry or not. Here are some examples:
 * [[image:HPIM0898_crop.jpg width="320" height="211"]]
 * [[image:HPIM0894_crop.jpg width="429" height="676"]]
 * [[image:HPIM0907.JPG width="332" height="499"]]
 * [[image:HPIM0896.JPG width="400" height="431"]]
 * Some participants disagreed on some examples. Here is the graffiti written for the pic above (analogy of the cell):
 * [[image:HPIM1026.JPG width="560" height="259"]]
 * whereas other examples where unanimous (Sheldon example):
 * [[image:HPIM1021.JPG width="560" height="256"]]
 * Afterwards, in groups, they completed a frayer model on scientific inquiry. Here are some examples:
 * [[image:HPIM0948.JPG width="565" height="336"]]


 * [[image:HPIM0903.JPG width="444" height="312"]]


 * [[image:HPIM0909.JPG width="443" height="311"]]


 * [[image:HPIM0949.JPG width="398" height="250"]]
 * Participants had an opportunity to share their frayer models to the group and they were posted around the room to refer to throughout the day. We had a chance to revisit them at the end of the day as part of our consolidation.
 * We completed the Minds On by
 * discussing the inquiry continuum in science (c/o Douglas Llewellyn's //Inquire Within// and //Teaching High School Science Through Inquiry//);
 * making connections to the curriculum documents (i.e. what does it say about inquiry in science? is inquiry in other curriculum documents, e.g., language/English); and
 * sharing the learning goals:
 * By the end of this session you will
 * be able to demonstrate an understanding of what inquiry-based learning looks like in a science class
 * become familiar with the Smarter Science framework
 * plan for inquiry in your classroom

>>
 * Action --> Examples of Inquiry-based learning / Smarter Science Framework
 * we started by exploring different ways to change a traditional lab: using procedure cards
 * teachers were given an envelope with the cards
 * each card had one step from a procedure to prepare a wet mount
 * teachers were asked to determine a procedure to prepare a wet mount by arranging the cards in a sequential order
 * pictures/illustrations were added for visual students, ESL/ELL students
 * the next step was to introduce the Smarter Science framework
 * on the first day we started with an egg in vinegar experiment (see below for details) but it seemed to cause some confusion; with some insight from Mike Newnham, Program Director at Smarter Science, we decided to follow up with another experiment: how many drops fit on a penny? this worked really well and aleviated the confusion
 * the next day we did the penny experiment before the egg experiment and it worked much better! Thanks for the insight Mike! :)
 * experiment 1, using poster set #1:
 * each group was given a cup full of water, a cup full of pennies, and disposable pipets
 * groups were instructed to use the materials provided to answer the question "How may drops fit on a penny?"
 * [[image:HPIM0916.JPG width="368" height="228"]]
 * [[image:HPIM093.jpg width="434" height="258"]]
 * [[image:HPIM0931.JPG width="438" height="236"]]


 * groups recorded observations on yellow stickie notes and sorted their observations on the first of four "Steps to Inquiry - Planning Our Investigation (i.e. Initiate and Plan)" posters


 * Poster 1:**
 * on the right side of poster #1, teachers posted "I Wonder" questions...any questions they had about their experiment while they were doing it, e.g., does it make a difference if I use heads or tails?
 * based on the "I wonder" questions, the group decided to focus on how many drops would fit on a penny if the height of the eye dropper changed
 * the group brainstormed what could be measured or observed...these were written on yellow sticky notes and placed in the green box of poster #2
 * this was followed by a brainstorm of what we could change or vary about the event...these were written on pink sticky notes and placed in the purple box of poster #2


 * Poster 2:**


 * we chose one variable (pink sticky from purple box) and one thing to measure/obseve (yellow sticky from green box) and placed them in their corresponding purple and green boxes on poster #3 --> these became our independent variable and dependent variable respectively
 * the remaining pink stickies were placed in "unchanged variables" box --> these became our controls


 * Poster 3:**


 * The independent (pink sticky) and dependent (yellow sticky) variables were moved to poster 4 to help us write a testable question and a prediction


 * Poster 4:**
 * This was the first set of "Steps to Inquiry" posters to help with observing, questionning, and hypothesizing
 * The terms "independent variable," "dependent variable," and "controls" are not on the posters...they were introduced in the second set of posters as the group explored answers to another question "What's in the bin?" --> an osmosis/diffusion experiment with eggs

>> Submerged in Vinegar (initially) >> >> Submerged in Vinegar (after 24 hours) >> >> 2 hours in water (left) and corn syrup (right) >> as you can see, the left is swelling up while the right is shrinking >> >> 24 hours in water (left) and corn syrup (right) >> same trend...the right can be easily stretched >>
 * **Pictures for egg osmosis:**
 * [[image:dpcdsb-ssc:HPIM0893.JPG width="284" height="217"]]
 * [[image:dpcdsb-ssc:HPIM0886.JPG width="274" height="209"]]
 * [[image:dpcdsb-ssc:HPIM0891.JPG width="365" height="279"]]
 * [[image:dpcdsb-ssc:HPIM0918.JPG width="372" height="284"]]
 * [[image:dpcdsb-ssc:HPIM0919.JPG width="360" height="275"]]

After 7 days - not much difference


 * [[image:HPIM0985.JPG width="313" height="240"]]
 * As a group, we made connections to the four broad areas of scientific investigation skills using the Smarter Science framework. We also made connections to science concepts that could be pulled from these experiments: osmosis in cells, properties of fluids (water's surface tension, density - comparing layer of water above the corn syrup when the egg was removed from the jar with corn syrup - see pic below), etc.
 * [[image:HPIM1031.JPG width="126" height="356"]] (lighter layer above = water removed from egg; bottom layer = corn syrup)
 * post-lunch activity: we created a human circuit using a "UFO Ball" --> this was a great way to introduce series and parallel circuits! Thanks Mike for helping out :)
 * [[image:HPIM0912.JPG width="541" height="222"]]
 * Consolidation --> connections to literacy & numeracy; planning for inquiry; next steps
 * participants completed a card sort to indicate which skills from the framework referred to Literacy, Numeracy and/or both
 * Sandra guided us in a predict, infer, hypothesize activity:
 * [[image:HPIM1015.JPG width="356" height="342"]]
 * participants were provided with some time to consider an upcoming lesson and to think about how to make it more inquiry-based
 * we comtinued with a demo and modeled the use of a PEOE:
 * week 1 --> vinegar, baking soda & a flame: blow out a flame with CO2 formed from the reaction of baking soda and vinegar
 * week 2 --> hot ice demo (with video - see www.dpcdsb-ssc.wikispaces.com/smarter+science for details)
 * this was followed by a consolidation of our definition for scientific inquiry:
 * participants reviewed their Frayer models and were given the opportunity to add and/or change anything if necessary
 * we presented a definition from the National Research Council and Douglas Llewellyn (c/o //Inquire Within// and //Teaching High School Science through Inquiry//)
 * we're looking forward to meeting with the Gr 7 & 8 teachers in January 2011 and the Gr 9 & 10 teachers in semester 2 to further explore inquiry, Smarter Science, and other areas of science education!
 * some feedback from teachers included:
 * [[image:Feedback_(Nov_&_Dec_2010).jpg width="800" height="1317"]]