This document provides guidance on using student-centered approaches to develop science reasoning skills, including agreement circles, donuts, fishbowl discussions, moral continuums, odd one out activities, and thought experiments. It describes how to implement each technique, provides examples of discussion prompts, and explains that the goal is to help students use scientific terminology, justify ideas, listen to others, and learn from each other.

1. Training on Student Centered Approaches for Science EducationDeveloping Science Reasoning Skills RTTC Kandal, March 2010

2. Content Agreement circles Donuts In the Fishbowl Moral Continuum Odd One Out Thought Experiments

3. Objectives Why stimulate students’ reasoning skills? Students use scientific terminology Students justify their ideas Students listen and react to each other’s arguments Studentsrespect other opinions Students explain science in their own words Students learn from each other Students learn to clarify values Teachers identify misconceptions with students Teachers learn from students

4. Agreement Circles Challenging statement Start in one circle Agree or disagree Position in inner/ outer circle Convince each other Change between inner/ outer circle Find strong arguments Make synthesis Application Start or end of lesson 10 to 15 minutes Courtesy Ell Brown

5. Possible Statements for Agreement Circles Physics: Energy Energy is a material that is stored in an object The faster an object moves, the more energy it has Energy is a type of fuel, which we should use wisely in order to avoid an “energy crisis” Energy can never be created or destroyed When energy changes from one form to another, heat is usually given off

6. Possible Statements for Agreement Circles Chemistry: Atoms and molecules Atoms can be seen with a microscope. Atoms have electrons circling them like planets around a star. Molecules expand when heated. There is air between the atoms in a molecule

7. Possible Statements for Agreement Circles Earth Science: Planets The Earth is the center of the solar system. Jupiter is the largest object of the Solar system. Pluto is the most-distant and last object in the solar system. The Sun and the Earth have approx. the same age. Earth, Mars and Venus are comparable in size and density

8. Possible Statements for Agreement Circles Biology: Nutrition in Plants Leaves must be large in order to present a large surface area to sunlight. Water is important in photosynthesis because its hydrogen and oxygen atoms are used to make the carbohydrate. The rate of photosynthesis increases as light intensity increases

9. Possible Statements for Agreement Circles Statements about HIV/ AIDS HIV is the same as AIDS. HIV+ people with no symptoms cannot transmit the virus. HIV can be transmitted by insect bites. HIV survives for a long time outside of the body. HIV only affects humans.

10. Tips Explicitly discuss strong and wrong arguments Provide opportunities for students to come up with new statements

11. Donuts Why “donuts”? Two circles (or lines) of students facing each other Pairs dialogue for 1 minute about a scientific question Students in one circle move on New pairs start discussion again Repeat a few times How do discussions evolve? Application Start: review previous lesson Start: introduction to new topic Courtesy Nana Mikiko

12. Donuts What does the teacher do? Walk around during activity, make mental notes and use information for discussion Feed arguments where discussion stops Round up arguments: write pro and contra on board Courtesy Ricky Tes

13. Donuts: possible statements Biology Should we encourage people to have their DNA tested for inheritable diseases? Should we allow tests on living animals for scientific purposes? Courtesy Steven Schroeder

14. Donuts: possible statements Earth Science Should we invest in a manned space mission to Mars? Should we build dams on the Mekong to provide hydro-energy? Should we invest money now to fight global warming? Do local communities have the right to cut down trees for agriculture?

15. Donuts: possible statements Physics Are our observations influenced by our prior knowledge Can we solve our fossil energy problem with technology? Why does a big oil tanker float?

16. Donuts: possible statements Chemistry Explain each other which acids and bases you use in daily life Should we destroy all atomic bombs?

17. In the fishbowl Steps Introduce topic (open-ended statement) Group of students discusses statement in front of class Others observe and take notes Afterwards, ask questions and give comments Application Stage 2/3 (after instruction, no test) Possibly after reading assignment Time use: 10 minutes

18. In the fishbowl What does teacher do? Facilitate discussion Everyone gets involved Feed when discussion stops Synthesize arguments (do you mean that…,) Make mental notes Misconceptions Incorrect arguments Good formulations

19. In the fishbowl: possible statements Physics Is air necessary for gravity to act on an object? Does the wind have energy? Would you prefer to carry an amount of water with one bucket or two? Why?

20. In the fishbowl: possible statements Earth science Life would be impossible without the greenhouse effect Humans are capable of organizing a manned space mission to one of the outer planets. Convince an extraterrestrial visitor that the Earth orbits the Sun

21. In the fishbowl: possible statements Biology Should we allow vivisection (testing on living animals)? Should we pay local people to preserve the forests in their area? How can we stop deforestation?

22. In the fishbowl: possible statements Chemistry Why doesn’t oil mix with water? Do chemical reactions continue until all the reactants are exhausted? How is magnetism important in our daily lives?

23. “Continuum”: Opinions not black or white Listen to different viewpoints “Moral”: Very suitable for ethical questions (also policy issues) Application Stage 3 Time: 15-20 min No Yes Moral Continuum

24. Moral Continuum Read aloud a statement students can agree or disagree with Let students take position along U-shape line Let some students justify their position Let students reposition themselves Organize class discussion & synthesis

25. Moral Continuum Option: Sequence of related statements First, use a general statement on the topic Repeat with a second, more specific statement Students reposition themselves along the U based on their view Ask some students to defend their position Read another , personal statement and repeat steps

26. Moral Continuum Examples: Statement 1: Do you support that women carry a baby for someone else (surrogacy)? Statement 2: Would you accept that your sister carries a baby for someone else?

27. Moral Continuum: possible statements Earth Science Would you remove building houses on hills that are prone to landslides? Should developing countries pay to fight global warming? Should we pay now to fight future global warming?

28. Moral Continuum: possible statements Biology Should we use living animals for research on new medicines? Is relief of pain always a good thing? Is cloning of humans ethical and should it be done? Should we allow the harvesting of organs for organ transplant without explicit permission? Should newly developed but expensive medication be made accessible for everyone?

31. Odd One Out Step-by-step Students discuss list in small groups Try to reach consensus on odd one in the group Class discussion & synthesis Application Stage 3: deepening understanding Courtesy Thomas Pix

32. Odd One Out: Examples Chemistry Properties of matter Properties of matter

33. Odd One Out: Examples Physics/ Chemistry Radiation SI units

34. Odd One Out: Examples Biology Fertilization Transportation in plants

35. Odd One Out: Examples Earth science Planets of the Solar System

36. Odd One Out: Examples Biology Structure of the cell

37. Thought experiments Reason about what would happen in a particular situation (no real-life experiment) Apply science knowledge Deep thinking Connect with prior knowledge

38. Thought experiments Step-by-step Presentation of situation with pictures, stories, text… Students discuss and record answer Class discussion & synthesis Application Stage 3: deepen understanding 20minutes

39. Thought experiments: examples Earth Science “How would a ball fall if it were possible to drop a heat-resistant ball through a hole drilled all the way through the Earth, starting and ending on opposite sides of the Earth?” Physics “a. Imagine a ball gliding downward from a slope (without any friction). It starts with an original speed v(0). How will this speed change? b. Imagine a ball gliding upward on a slope (without any friction). It starts with an original speed v(0). How will the speed change? c. Imagine a ball gliding on a horizontal plane; It starts with an original speed v0. How will the speed change?

42. What would happen to the oceans if the atmosphere suddenly disappeared?