Teaching Science for Conceptual Understanding.pptx

TEACHING SCIENCE FOR
CONCEPTUAL
UNDERSTANDING
Shifting from "What" to
"How" and "Why"

Quote: "Science is not a body of facts, but a way of thinking." — Carl
Sagan
Core Message: If we only teach the "facts," we are teaching history. If
we teach the "concepts," we are teaching Science.
Discussion Question: Think of a science fact you memorized in school
but didn't understand until years later. Why the delay?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1.Distinguish between rote memorization and deep conceptual
understanding.
2.Identify common student misconceptions and how to pivot from them.
3.Implement the 5E Instructional Model in daily lesson planning.
4.Utilize inquiry-based strategies to foster scientific thinking.

ROTE MEMORIZATION VS. CONCEPTUAL
UNDERSTANDING
Feature Rote Memorization Conceptual Understanding
Focus
Facts, formulas, and
definitions.
Relationships, patterns, and
logic.
Longevity Forgotten after the exam. Retained for years.
Application
Can only solve "textbook"
problems.
Can apply knowledge to new,
"messy" real-world scenarios.
Role of Student Passive recipient.
Active constructor of
knowledge.

THE GOAL: TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE
What is Transfer? The ability to take a concept learned in one context
(e.g., thermal expansion in a lab) and apply it to another (e.g., why
bridges have expansion joints).
The "Deep Structure": Students must see past the "surface features" of
a problem to find the underlying scientific principle.

THE ARCHITECTURE OF A CONCEPT
Level 1: Facts: Isolated pieces of data (e.g., water boils at 100°C).
Level 2: Patterns: Observations of facts repeating (e.g., heat
consistently changes the state of matter).
Level 3: Concepts: The "Big Idea" (e.g., Energy Transfer and Molecular
Kinetic Theory).
Teaching Tip: We often spend 90% of our time at Level 1. We must flip
this.

WHY THE TRADITIONAL LECTURE FAILS
Cognitive Overload: The human brain can only hold 5–7 pieces of new
information in working memory.
The "Expert Blindness": Teachers often forget how hard it was to learn
the concept and skip the "logic steps."
Passive Learning: Information goes from the teacher's notes to the
student's notes without passing through the minds of either.

THE CONSTRUCTIVIST ROOT
Jean Piaget: Knowledge is constructed through "Assimilation" (adding to
what we know) and "Accommodation" (changing what we know).
Lev Vygotsky: The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)—learning
happens best when students are challenged just beyond their current
ability with the right support.
Key Takeaway: You cannot "give" a student a concept; they must build it
themselves.

SCIENTIFIC LITERACY IN THE 21ST
CENTURY
Information Abundance: Facts are now available via a 2-second Google
search.
What is needed now?
 Evaluating the credibility of evidence.
 Understanding the process of science.
 System thinking: How one change affects a whole ecosystem or machine.

SUMMARY: FROM "COVERAGE" TO
"UNCOVERAGE"
Coverage: Racing through a 500-page textbook to ensure every chapter
is "touched."
Uncoverage: Slowing down to uncover the depth, beauty, and logic of a
few core ideas.
The Motto: "Less is More."
Transition: Up next, how do we handle the "wrong" ideas students bring
into the classroom?

MODULE 2
Identifying and Addressing Misconceptions

THE "EMPTY VESSEL" MYTH
The Reality: Students arrive with "Prior Knowledge"—a mix of lived
experience, intuition, and media influence.
Preconceptions: These are often logical but scientifically "incomplete."
Teacher’s Job: We aren't filling a bucket; we are reshaping a landscape.

COMMON SCIENCE MISCONCEPTIONS
Astronomy: "The Earth is closer to the sun in summer." (Distance vs. Tilt)
Biology: "Plants get their food from the soil." (Soil as vitamins vs. Air as
food)
Physics: "Heavier objects fall faster than light ones."
Chemistry: "Bubbles in boiling water are air." (Water vapor vs. Air)

THE PERSISTENCE OF INTUITIVE PHYSICS
Why Misconceptions Stay: They work in daily life.
Common Sense vs. Science: Science is often counter-intuitive (e.g., a
table pushing back up on your hand).
The Challenge: To change a concept, the student must find their current
idea "unsatisfactory."

DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS: THE SCIENCE
PROBE
Page Keeley Probes: Using "Four Friends" scenarios where students
must pick who they agree with.
KWL Charts: What I Know, Want to know, and Learned.
Drawings: "Draw what you think the inside of a seed looks like."
Benefit: It makes the "invisible" thought process "visible."

CREATING COGNITIVE CONFLICT
The Discrepant Event: A demonstration that defies expectation (e.g.,
the Egg in a Bottle or a double-cone rolling "uphill").
The Result: Mental discomfort (Disequilibrium).
The Opportunity: The brain is now "primed" to find a new, better
explanation.

THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE & SEMANTICS
Dual Meanings: Words that mean one thing to a layman and another to
a scientist.
Examples:
 Work: Chilling on a couch isn't work; pushing a wall isn't work.
 Theory: "Just a hunch" vs. a well-substantiated explanation.
 Evolution: "Changing to survive" vs. natural selection.

CONCEPTUAL CHANGE THEORY (POSNER
ET AL.)
For a student to adopt a new concept, it must be:
1.Dissatisfying: The old idea doesn't explain the new evidence.
2.Intelligible: The new idea must make sense.
3.Plausible: It must seem like it could be true.
4.Fruitful: It must help solve other problems.

VISUALIZING THOUGHT: CONCEPT
MAPPING
Structure: Concepts in boxes, connected by "linking words" (e.g., "is
made of," "requires").
Benefit: Reveals "gaps" or "wrong turns" in student logic that a standard
test might miss.

CASE STUDY: "WHERE DOES THE MASS OF
A TREE COME FROM?"
The Common Guess: Water or Soil.
The Scientific Truth: Carbon Dioxide (the air).
The Conceptual Leap: Understanding that "gas" has "mass."

MODULE 2 SUMMARY
Focus: Respect the student's initial ideas.
Action: Use pre-assessments to find the "roots" of the misconception
before you start "pruning."
Transition: Now that we know where they are, how do we lead them to
the truth? (The 5E Model).

Module 3: The 5E Instructional Model

INTRODUCTION TO THE 5E MODEL
Origin: Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS).
Nature: A non-linear cycle that mirrors the way scientists actually work.
Core Philosophy: Experience first, names later.

PHASE 1: ENGAGE
Goal: Create interest and identify prior knowledge.
Teacher Role: Show a video, tell a story, or perform a "discrepant event."
Student Role: Ask questions; "Why did that happen?"
Constraint: No lecturing or definitions yet!

PHASE 2: EXPLORE
Goal: Hands-on experience with the phenomenon.
Teacher Role: Facilitator/Coach. Provide materials and a "focus
question."
Student Role: Messing about, collecting data, making observations, and
debating with peers.
Key: Every student should have a common base of experience before
the "lecture."

PHASE 3: EXPLAIN
Goal: Connect the experience to the scientific concept.
The Shift: This is where the teacher introduces formal terms and
definitions.
Key Strategy: Students use their "Explore" data to justify the teacher's
"Explanation."

PHASE 4: ELABORATE
Goal: Deepen understanding by applying the concept to a new situation.
Example: If they learned about "Inertia" with a coin and a cup, now have
them apply it to "Seatbelts in a car."
Purpose: Ensures the concept isn't tied to just one specific lab
experiment.

PHASE 5: EVALUATE
Goal: Formative and summative assessment.
Approach: Can they explain the concept in their own words? Can they
solve a novel problem?
Continuous: Evaluation should happen at every "E," not just the end.

WHY "EXPLORE" MUST COME BEFORE
"EXPLAIN"
The "Velcro" Analogy: Hands-on experience (Explore) creates the
"hooks" (Velcro). Formal vocabulary (Explain) is the "felt" that sticks to it.
Without Explore: The vocabulary has nothing to stick to and falls away
(is forgotten).

SAMPLE LESSON (PHYSICS): MAGNETISM
Engage: Magnet moving a paperclip through a desk.
Explore: Give students magnets and 20 different items to sort (Metal vs.
Non-metal).
Explain: Introduce "Ferromagnetic" and "Magnetic Fields."
Elaborate: How do we make a "temporary" magnet (Electromagnet)?

SAMPLE LESSON (BIOLOGY): ADAPTATION
Engage: Video of a bird using a tool.
Explore: Use tweezers, spoons, and pliers to "eat" different seeds/beads.
Explain: Introduce "Natural Selection" and "Form follows Function."
Elaborate: Predict the beak shape of a bird in a new, fictional
environment.

MODULE 3 SUMMARY
The 5E Model provides a roadmap for inquiry.
Teacher Shift: From "Source of Knowledge" to "Designer of
Experiences."
Transition: How do we move beyond the 5Es into "Scientific Modeling"
and "Argumentation"?

MODULE 4:
Inquiry-Based Learning & Modeling

WHAT IS SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY?
The Spectrum of Inquiry:
 Structured Inquiry: Teacher provides the question and the procedure.
 Guided Inquiry: Teacher provides the question; students design the procedure.
 Open Inquiry: Students define the question and the method.
Goal: Moving students from "following a recipe" to "designing a meal."

THE POWER OF "PHENOMENA"
The Anchor: Start with an observable event that is puzzling (e.g., "Why
does this tanker truck collapse inward when it's cooled?").
Criteria: It must be relevant, observable, and require the target science
concept to explain.
Effect: It shifts the student's goal from "getting the right answer" to
"explaining the world."

MODELING IN SCIENCE
What is a Model? A representation of a system (physical, mathematical,
or conceptual).
Modeling as a Practice: Students should draw, build, and revise models
as they learn more.
Revision: The most important part of modeling is updating the model
when new evidence arrives.

FROM "DOING" SCIENCE TO
"THINKING" SCIENCE
Hands-on is not enough: You can have "hands-on" activities where the
mind is "off."
Minds-on Inquiry: Engaging with data, arguing over evidence, and
reflecting on why a result occurred.
The Lab Report: Shifting from a "fill-in-the-blank" form to a "Scientific
Journal" format.

SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENTATION: THE CER
FRAMEWORK
Claim: A statement that answers the question.
Evidence: Scientific data (observations/measurements) that support the
claim.
Reasoning: A justification that connects the evidence to the claim using
scientific principles.

CER IN ACTION (EXAMPLE)
Question: Does air have mass?
Claim: Yes, air has mass.
Evidence: An empty balloon weighed 2g; the same balloon filled with air
weighed 2.5g.
Reasoning: Mass is the amount of matter in an object. Since the weight
increased when air was added, the air must contain matter that adds
mass.

PRODUCTIVE TALK: SOCRATIC SEMINARS
The Circle: Students sit in a circle to discuss a scientific prompt.
The Rule: The teacher is a "silent observer" or "guide," not the leader.
Sentence Starters: "I agree with [Name] because...", "What evidence do
you have for...", "I'd like to build on that idea..."

DEVELOPING QUESTIONING SKILLS
Lower-Order Questions: "What is the boiling point of water?" (Checks
memory).
Higher-Order Questions: "How would the boiling point change if we
went to the top of Mt. Everest?" (Checks concept).
Wait Time: Give 5–10 seconds after a question for students to process
the "logic" before they answer.

DATA LITERACY: GRAPHS AS
CONCEPTUAL TOOLS
More than X and Y: Students should tell the "story" of the graph.
Trend Analysis: "As X increases, Y decreases because..."
Error Analysis: Discussing why a data point is an "outlier."

MODULE 4 SUMMARY
Inquiry is a mindset, not just a lab day.
Modeling and Argumentation are the "language" of scientists.
Transition: How do we make these abstract concepts "stick"?

MODULE 5:
Strategies for Deep Understanding

ANALOGIES: THE BRIDGE TO THE
UNKNOWN
Purpose: Comparing a new concept to something familiar (e.g., "The cell
is like a factory").
The Danger: Analogies always "break down" (e.g., a cell is living, a
factory is not).
Strategy: Always ask students: "In what way is this analogy unlike the
real thing?"

VISUALIZING THE INVISIBLE:
SIMULATIONS
Tool: PhET Interactive Simulations (University of Colorado).
Benefit: Allows students to "see" atoms, photons, and magnetic fields.
Inquiry: "What happens to the pressure if you decrease the volume of
the container?" (Real-time feedback).

CROSS-CUTTING CONCEPTS (CCCS)
The Connectors: Concepts that apply to all sciences.
Examples:
 Scale and Proportion: (Atomic vs. Galactic).
 Cause and Effect: (Why things happen).
 Systems and System Models: (How parts interact).

SCAFFOLDING COMPLEX CONCEPTS
The Ladder: Start with concrete examples → move to pictorial
representations → end with abstract formulas (F=ma).
Chunking: Breaking a large concept (like "Evolution") into smaller,
digestible "mini-concepts" (Variation, Selection, Time).

METACOGNITION: THINKING ABOUT
THINKING
Self-Reflection: "How did my understanding of 'Energy' change during
this lab?"
The Muddiest Point: Asking students at the end of class, "What part of
today's lesson is still confusing?"
Reflection Journals: Weekly entries on "What I used to think vs. What I
think now."

INTEGRATING MATH AND SCIENCE
CONCEPTUALLY
Math as a Tool: Avoid "Plug and Chug" (putting numbers in a formula
without knowing why).
Conceptual Math: If we double the force, what should happen to the
acceleration? (Predicting before calculating).

REAL-WORLD CONNECTIONS: PBL
Project-Based Learning (PBL): Solving a local problem (e.g., "How can
we reduce the plastic waste in our school cafeteria?").
Impact: When science solves a "real" problem, the conceptual
understanding becomes "sticky" and meaningful.

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY: DATA
LOGGERS
Real-Time Data: Using probes to graph temperature changes instantly.
Benefit: Students spend less time drawing the graph and more
time interpreting what the curve means.

INCLUSIVE SCIENCE: UNIVERSAL DESIGN
(UDL)
Multiple Means of Representation: Use videos, text, and hands-on
models.
Multiple Means of Expression: Let students show understanding
through a report, a video, a poster, or a speech.
Equity: Ensuring all students see themselves as "capable of science."

MODULE 5 SUMMARY
Variety: Use analogies, sims, and real-world problems.
Support: Scaffold the journey from concrete to abstract.
Transition: Finally, how do we measure if they really get it?
(Assessment).

MODULE 6:
Assessment & Future Steps

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: THE "EXIT
TICKET" 2.0
Beyond "What did you learn?": Ask questions that require application.
Example: "Draw a quick diagram of how the molecules are moving in
this steam."
The "Traffic Light" Method: Red (I'm lost), Yellow (I partially
understand), Green (I could teach this).
Goal: Informing tomorrow's instruction based on today's confusion.

BEYOND MULTIPLE CHOICE: ASSESSING
FOR DEPTH
The Problem: Traditional tests often measure memorization, not
understanding.
The Solution: Use "Two-Tier" Questions.
 Tier 1: A multiple-choice question.
 Tier 2: "Provide the reasoning for your choice."
Benefit: Identifies students who got the "right answer" for the "wrong
reason."

PERFORMANCE-BASED TASKS
The Challenge: Give students a goal and a set of constraints.
Example: "Design a container that keeps an ice cube from melting for
30 minutes using only these 4 materials."
Assessment: Grade them on their application of Insulation and Heat
Transfer concepts, not just the result.

SELF-ASSESSMENT AND PEER FEEDBACK
The Power of Critique: Having students review each other's CER (Claim-
Evidence-Reasoning) arguments.
Checklists: "Did my peer use data from the lab?" "Is the reasoning
connected to a scientific law?"
Internalization: By grading others, students learn the standards for
their own work.

BARRIERS TO CONCEPTUAL TEACHING
Time: Inquiry takes longer than lecturing.
Testing: High-stakes exams often prioritize "breadth" over "depth."
Resources: Equipment and materials can be expensive or hard to
manage.
Teacher Comfort: It’s scary to let students "explore" when you don't
know what they will find!

STRATEGIES FOR OVERCOMING
BARRIERS
Prioritize "Power Standards": Identify the 5-6 concepts that are
foundational and spend the most time there.
Flipped Classroom: Have students watch the "Explain" (lecture) video at
home so they can "Explore" in class.
Low-Cost Inquiry: Use kitchen science (vinegar, baking soda, string,
paper clips).

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: LESSON
STUDY
Collaborative Growth: Teachers observe each other teaching the same
concept.
Focus: Don't watch the teacher; watch the students. Are they confused?
Are they engaged?
Iterative Design: Refine the lesson plan together based on what was
observed.

CONCLUSION: THE TEACHER AS A
FACILITATOR
The Shift: From "Sage on the Stage" to "Guide on the Side."
The Reward: Watching students transition from "I don't know" to "I can
figure this out."
The Goal: We aren't just teaching science; we are building scientifically-
minded citizens.

Q&A SESSION
"What is one concept you find hardest to teach conceptually?"
"How can we support each other in this transition?"

FINAL INSPIRATION
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled." — Plutarch

Teaching Science for Conceptual Understanding.pptx

Teaching Science for Conceptual Understanding.pptx

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