5. Science Fair
scientific method
competition
rigid guidelines
showing of work through
display boards
Kids’ Inquiry Conference
scientific method, engineering
design process, writing process
STEM/STEAM/STREAM
non-competitive
choice
showing of work through
variety of mediums to
audiences
authentic experiences
fosters collaboration
become experts on topic
digital literacy
beyond processing
6. Get others excited about
science
Authentic, non-competitive
environment
Students sharing science
experiences
Greater awareness of their own
science knowledge
Strengthened presentation,
communication and
technology skills
7.
8.
9. Determine scope of KIC for
your campus
Establish support from
colleagues
Foster science inquiry in
classrooms
Introduce KIC to students
Student Developed Question
Establish a student timeline
Establish parent roles
Gather materials
11. Decide on the level of involvement: 1 class, 1
grade, whole department
Decide what type of KIC: single school or
multi-school
Determine location: rooms for presentations
and demonstrations, welcome area, keynote
address
12. Determine date: time of year and day of
week
Determine time: begin with KIC Pep Rally,
how many sessions, length of sessions,
morning group and afternoon group.
Determine needs for implementation:
technology, materials, volunteers, mentors
13. Establish rubrics
Student/Teacher
conferencing
Assist students in
evaluating their plan
Mini-Lessons
Monitor progress
16. Increase of student
conceptual understanding
Increase in district and
state data
Student ownership of own
learning
Connects all processing
skills in a cohesive
experience
“Being a scientist”
Improves student cognition
21st century skills: digital
literacy
Business and community
partnerships
17. Dieckman, Dona, Charles R. Pearce, and Wendy Saul. Beyond the
Science Fair: Creating a Kids' Inquiry Conference. Chicago:
Heinemann, 2005. Print.
"The Kids' Inquiry Conference Homepage." The Elementary
Science Integration Projects. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.esiponline.org/kic/
"Melissa Ridge Elementary - KIC: Kids' Inquiry Conference."
Melissa Ridge Elementary - Index. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2010.
<http://melissaridge.groupfusion.net/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=3036
&sessionid=fea16593c11b978dda2befd292dcf250
Meier, L. (2008). Questions, claims, and evidence: the important
place of argument in children's science writing. Portsmouth,
NH: Heinemann.
Editor's Notes
Alissa
AlissaHow technology has changed, how our TEKS have changed, so does our vision of science fair.Evolution of the cell phone in comparison to the evolution of science standards of the nation, state, instruction, technology, science fairWith each generation on the cell phone, the technology gets smart and more efficient!
AlissaWhich words stand out the most to you?Explain research and wordleA Kids’ Inquiry Conference provides students with opportunities to share their excitement about discoveries with other students, to critically evaluate the credibility of their own research and testing, and to draw on the discoveries of other students to further their interest in science, math, engineering and technology. Beyond the Science Fair. Creating a Kids’ Inquiry Conference by Dieckman, Neutze, Pearce & SaulEvolution of KIC for Melissa ISD
AlissaNew Expectations in TEKS: K-4 descriptive investigations, 5 descriptive and experimental (but we need to include comparative), 6-12 all 3What similarities and differences do you see?We know that students really develop the conceptual understanding of the concept if they can teach it to others. This also allows for the concept to go into the long term memory bank. Depth and complexity. They’ve experienced it, they’ve learned it, they can talk about it and can TEACH it TO OTHERSDigital literacy skills are the vehicle for preparation and presentations
Alissathink, act, speak like scientists. Grow scientific thinkers and habits of mindWant kids to be inspired and to inspire others.
AlissaPictures Say a 1,000 process skills! These are picture of students preparing for and presenting at a KIC conference…What process skills do you see in these pictures?What you will see preparing for and on the day of the conference: Measuring Observing collecting identifying analyzing interpreting modeling demonstrating evaluating organizing creating synthesizing presenting designing testing controlling variables controlling testing standards researching communicating concluding inferring classifying predicting formulating hypotheses
Leslie
AlissaStructured:Student – focuses on one aspectTeacher – models and guides supporting aspectsGuided:Student - focuses on more than one aspectTeacher – model and guides supporting aspectsFull Inquiry/Student initiated:Student – focuses on all aspects Teacher – defines learning goalsDifference between deductive inquiry (cook book labs where student do very little thinking) and inductive inquiry (where students develop conceptual understanding through questioning and hypothesizing.)Rote memorization does not promote conceptual understanding.So how do we do this?This happens by scaffolding an investigation
Leslie
LeslieLength of sessions: 20 minutes2” introduction of presenters10” presentation3” Q&A5” passing, clean up, set up
LeslieConferencing about question development, evaluating their planMonitor progress with experimentation, presentation preparationTeacher conference:1. What materials do you need?2. How are you going to test this?3. How are you going to collect your data?4. Discuss timeline with studentsMini-lessons:rolesData collectionPresentation optionsJournal articlesBlurbsSiting sources
Leslie
AlissaWhat we have triedGoogle sitesEducation.Weebly.comMoodleGlogsterTeacher webPreziFlip vids8 mm video cameraDigital cameraLive streaming: ustream.tv, camera quality, band width, micsNetbooksComputer lab
AlissaOur 1st year of doing KIC our student’s TAKS scores went from 73% - 100% passingEmbedded process skills
