The document outlines a training session focused on student-centered approaches for teaching the scientific method in science education. It covers various activities such as using traffic light cards for voting, brainstorming sessions, categorization tasks, and designing experiments to engage students in learning scientific concepts. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of observation, inference, and the disprovability of scientific hypotheses in a structured yet creative educational environment.

1. Training on Student Centered Approaches for Science Education Teaching the Scientific Method RTTC Kandal, January 2010

2. Content What is the scientific method? Traffic Lights Activity Teaching the scientific method Brainstorming (Thought showers) Classification & Categorizing (card sorts) Observing & making inferences Designing experiments Using experiments as discrepant events

3. Starter activity: Traffic Light Cards Each student has set of 3 cards Agree = green Disagree = red Don’t know = orange Use in lesson Teacher presents statement Students vote with cards Students discuss in groups of 2 Students vote again Teacher explains or continues Courtesy Menno Abbink

4. Example traffic light cards What is the scientific method? Science can prove anything. True False No idea

5. Example traffic light cards False Science attempts to disprove hypotheses by testing them with data from carefully designed experiments. If the idea survives testing, then it is a stronger explanation. Science is a process which can only produce “possible” or “highly probable” explanations for natural phenomena; these are never certainties. With new information or approaches, earlier findings can be replaced by new findings .

6. Example traffic light cards What is the scientific method? Science can solve any problem or answer any question. True False No idea

7. Example traffic light cards False The scope of scientific knowledge is limited to the physical world, a world that we can observe with our senses. Science is not suitable to handle the supernatural, values and ethics. Scientific explanations must be disprovable. Explanations based on supernatural forces, values or ethics can never be disproved.

8. Example traffic light cards What is the scientific method? Scientific explanations must be based on careful observations and the testing of hypotheses. True False No idea

9. Example traffic light cards Science must follow certain rules; otherwise, it's not science (just as soccer is not soccer if its rules are not followed). The rules of science are intended to make the process as objective as is humanly possible, and thereby produce a degree of understanding that is as close to reality as possible. True

10. Example traffic light cards What is the scientific method? Different scientists may get different solutions to the same problem. True False No idea

11. Example traffic light cards Science can be influenced by the race, gender, nationality, religion, politics or economic interests of the scientist. Different backgrounds may lead, intentionally or unintentionally, to different research hypotheses. Unfortunately, science may also be misused. The peer review system aims at controlling the quality of scientific research and falsifying incorrect hypotheses. True

12. Variation Instant student feedback Red card: I didn’t understand this part of the lesson Yellow card: I still have a few questions Green card: I understand, go on with the next concept.

13. What is the scientific method? Sequence of steps

14. Tips There is no single correct path to follow when doing a scientific investigation. Science should be an exciting and creative pursuit, not a fixed series of steps

15. Exercise Design a research framework for: Laundry hanging out to dry Effect of soil characteristics on water run-off Affecting the dissolving rate of sugar in water Factors affecting the sense of taste

16. Brainstorming group work problem-solving technique creative contribution from all members collect prior knowledge to raise research questions to generate possible solutions

17. Brainstorming instructions Do not evaluate ideas yet Focus on quantity, not quality Build on ideas of others Stimulate to be creative, think “outside the box” Write down keywords

18. Brainstorming tips Use a simple demonstration, some pictures or a short lecture. Limit the time Determine a minimum number of ideas to ensure quantity. Afterwards allow time for prioritization or reflection

19. Example brainstorming Open ended and inquiry based approach on plasma (spheres) (physics)

20. Example brainstorming Introduce the topic “plasma” with short lecture & pictures “ Generate as many questions as possible about what you want to know about plasma.”

21. Example Earth Science Lunar mission Stranded on Moon some distance from research station. Which items to take from the wreckage for the trek?

22. Example Biology Environmental degradation (grade 11, chapter 6, lesson 2) Which factors cause environmental degradation in Cambodia? How can environmental degradation in Cambodia be reduced?

23. More brainstorming ideas What defines an animal (or life)? Design an experiment to measure the Archimedes effect. Recall everything you know about oxygen.

24. Variant: thought showers Courtesy Steven DePolo One question per group Collect as many ideas as possible Call “Change” Build on ideas previous groups World Café variant

25. Examples for though showers Can you describe any examples of genetic engineering you have heard on? List all the factors which we should consider in a policy on deforestation. Courtesy Steven DePolo

26. Tips A powerful question: Is simple and clear Is thought provoking Generates energy Focuses on inquiry Surfaces assumptions Opens new possibilities Invites deeper reflection Courtesy Steven DePolo

27. Classification & Categorizing (card sorts) Why do we make classifications in science? Which criteria do we use for classification? Card sorts as a learning activity

28. Nebulae and galaxies (grade 7, chapter 2, lesson 1) Example Earth Science http://hubblesite.org/

29. Example Earth Science Planets of the Solar System (grade 7, chapter 3, lesson 4)

30. Example Biology Classification of vertebrates (grade 7, chapter 6)

31. Example Chemistry Classification of matter (grade 8, chapter 2, lesson 3)

32. Example Chemistry Is It Matter? Classify the things that you consider to be matter. Describe the rule or reason you used to decide whether something is matter or not. Rocks Baby powder Milk Air Light Dust Lightning Cells Atoms Fire Smoke Salt Mars Stars Steam Rotten bananas Heat Sound waves Water Bacteria Oxygen Gravity Magnetic force Dissolved sugar Electricity

33. Example Physics Categorizing questions on plasma

34. Example Biology Card sorts with fixed categories Is it food (for plants)? (grade 7) Organisms, including plants, need food to survive. Which things do you think plants use as food? Sunlight Nitrogen Sugar Carbon dioxide Minerals Fertilizer Soil Water Leaves Oxygen Chlorophyll Vitamins Protein Starch Phosphorus

35. Observations & Inferences

36. Observation vs. inference Observe a burning candle No inferences! Use all your senses Qualitative & Quantitative

37. Inferences Inferences are an explanation for an observation you have made. based on past experiences and prior knowledge. can change with new observations.

38. Inferences Can you find some more examples? Record all observations about a phenomenon, a demonstration or image. Record individually all the observations or make a drawing. Students compare their lists in groups of 2 (optional). Collect and write observations on the board.

39. Example Biology Structure of the flower (grade 8, chapter 3, lesson 8)

40. Example Earth Science Planets (grade 7, chapter 3, lesson 4)

41. Example Chemistry Surface tension and hydrogen bonds in milk

42. Example Physics Free experimenting with the plasma sphere Make as many observations as possible Some observations will lead to new experiments At the end students present their results in groups. Only observations should be written down

43. Designing Experiments A systematic approach of a research question To test our assumptions about possible theories Dependent and independent variables

44. Designing Experiments Students freely imagine and invent possible experiments

45. Example physics Design an experiment to investigate these hypotheses: The bigger the air resistance, the faster the laundry will dry. Evaporation is a cooling process. Courtesy Varvara Lozenko

46. Example Biology Design an experiment to investigate these hypotheses: Plants always grow opposite to the field of gravity. Plants always grow to direction of the light

47. Discrepant Events Short experiment Counterintuitive Capture interest Introduce new subject Detect misconceptions

48. Examples Nails in equilibrium (physics) Burning balloon (physics) Growing plants on a sponge (biology) Cloud in a bottle (earth science) A Sugar fire (chemistry)

49. Example Earth Science Pictures can also be used as discrepant event Which star is closest?

50. Activity on discrepant events Can you find more examples for your lessons? Find a topic and suitable discrepant event What student reactions do you expect What activities will you do afterwards?

51. Exercise Select one or more activities from this module Develop a lesson plan Peer review on lesson plan Lesson try-out & feedback session