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Teaching Primary Science and Technology to Home
Schoolers
2007 National Home Education Conference
25th – 27th May 2007
Mt Gravatt High School
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WelcomeAs a parent, you owe it to your children,
that when you teach them, you try to foster and encourage their innate curiosity and sense of wonder, awe and interest about the amazing mysteries of our natural and built environments.
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Outline of workshop
Briefly:
• Rationale for teaching primary Sc / Tech
• What is primary Sc / Tech?
• Assumptions underlying effective primary Sc / Tech teaching and learning.
Main focus:
• Strategies for teaching primary Sc / Tech
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Rationale for teaching primary Science and Technology
• Science and technology is a way of knowing - helps us to better understand ourselves and our [natural & built] environment of our world.
• Allows us to explore and explain our experiences / phenomena.
• Need for scientific and technologically literate citizens.
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Rationale for teaching primary Science and Technology
• Should form part of balanced primary curriculum for our children.[In UK Science one of 3 core curricula]
• In the past primary science focused only on Nature Study.
• At the primary age level, curriculum areas need not be confined to separate boxes – therefore you are able to integrate across all curriculum areas.
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Rationale for teaching primary Science and Technology
As parents we need to work together with our children to help them construct new understandings and compare their current ideas with those of the scientific community. Such collaboration challenges our children and contributes to their sense of personal success as lifelong learners, and can generate a passion for learning and seeking new insights.[Source: Adapted from Queensland SCIENCE Years 1 to 10 Syllabus]
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What is Primary Science and Technology?
Science Process Skills – measuring, hypothesizing - Working scientifically etc
Science Content – 4 main strands:
1. Living world – biology / botany / zoology
2. Material world – chemistry
3. Physical world – physics
4. Planet earth and beyond – geology / astronomy.
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What is Primary Science and Technology?
Technology basically helps solve practical problems.
There are 4 strands:
1. IT[And the other 3 which are often overlooked]
2. Systems
3. Materials
4. Design, Make & Appraise
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Assumptions underlying effective primary Science and Technology
teaching and learning.Key themes to implement:• Questioning – needs to be fostered and
modeled.• Offering explanations and valuing
children’s own ideas as valid ways that they can use to help them to understand.
• Capitalize on children’s own interests when and where ever possible
• Encourage free exploration
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Assumptions underlying effective primary Science and Technology
teaching and learning.• When engaging in investigations, always
encourage children to make predictions.• Science and technology is everywhere –
in our built and natural environments – constantly in the media – TV / newspapers
• There are strong links between S / T• Theory of Constructivist Learning and
Teaching – try to link to the child’s prior knowledge.
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Assumptions underlying effective primary Science and Technology
teaching and learning.
• Science is dynamic
Example of Pluto last year
In1968 taught burning candle in jar……
• Be prepared to learn together with your child [ren]. Do not set yourself up as expert who knows it all! Admit when do not know answer to question. Together search out answer…………how?
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
• Natural Learning
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
• Make use of everyday household materials
• Use recycle items
• Basic materials - may need to purchase include batteries, globes [holders for both], wires, magnets, mirrors, balloons, string, straws, empty plastic drink bottles, magnifying glasses [$2 type shops good source for these basic materials]
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
• Kitchen chemistry:
eg. Vinegar, bicarb [baking powder], salt, sugar, flour, food colouring, milk, lemon juice, red cabbage [to make PH indicator], ice cubes and so on……..
“Science on a shoestring”!
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
• Be conscious of Health and Safety at all the times:
• Matches• Candles• Hot water• Iron filings• Looking at sun etc
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
• Make use of digital camera - printer
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
• Can make books – charts – lettering etc
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
Science / Technology around the local community:
• Local library• Tandy’s / Dick Smiths / Bunnings• Local parks / bushland – mulberries –
nature walks observe changing seasons• Amazing creek eco-systems around
Brisbane• Science / tech all around – bats on wires!
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
• Science / Technology around Brisbane:• Planetarium• Museum / Science Centre - Interstate –
O/S – web sites – www.exploratorium.com• Botanical Gardens• CSIRO Ed Centre• Environment Centres – Walkabout Creek /
Downfall Creek / Bunyaville Environment Centre.
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
Science / Technology around Brisbane:
• Boondall Wetlands
• Sea World
• Aus Zoo + others
• Train Museum
• Forest Museum
• Air Show - Amberley
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
Curriculum Guidelines:
- Qld
- Other states
- Overseas – UK / NZ / USA etc
• All have extensive support materials
• Primary Connections(2006) – Australian Academy of Science. Integrates Science and Literacy.
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
INTERNET:
• Broadband
• Email – other home schoolers / blogs!
• Post on sites / home pages / chat rooms
• Elementary science lesson plans
• Use Google [or other search engines] to find answers eg PH of skin / why hot water freezes quicker than cold water! ……..etc
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
INTERNET:• Allow your child[ren] to teach you – rapid
change of IT means very challenging to keep on top of it!
• Many sites now include video clips to show – eg “How do rockets work?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igNH2OK8TcA (accessed 10/04/07)
• Ask Scientist / Ask Jeeves / howstuffworks
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
Science and Technology in the media:
• Newspapers
• TV – Time Team / Shak / Backyard Science / Totally Wild / Cataylst / BTN / ABC for Schools / New Inventors / Living Planet etc etc
• Pay TV – Discovery Channel
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
Magazines:• The HELIX and SCIENTRIFIC [CSIRO]• Education ChoicesBooks:• Lifeline Bookfest• Council Libraries• Be wary of S/T workbooks for sale in
bookshops – why?
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
Technology ideas:• Tinkering table• Hot Glue guns – Spotlight• Paddle pops• Recycle shops – kerbside collections• $2 shops• Screwdrivers, pliers …..• Need to stress Health and Safety at all times!
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Strategies for teaching primary Science and Technology
Research Projects:
• Example - Emperor Penguins – School of Air at Port Augusta
• Follow child’s interest to explore topics which arise incidentally all the time – from a TV program / walk in bushland / down at the local shopping centre – eg Reptiles etc
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Science through TOYS
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Science through TOYS
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Science through TOYS
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Science through TOYS
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Science through TOYS
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Science through TOYS
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To sum up
• I believe that we as home school educators, need to rediscover the sense of awe and wonder about the world around us which we all had in our early childhood.
• We need to begin to look and see the magic and mystery of science and technology which surrounds us all.
• To do this we need to question constantly and offer explanations [and listen first to our children’s explanations and value these too].
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To sum up
• We all need to develop a passion for learning which will rub off on our children – So many of our schools today are so preoccupied with outcomes based education that they seem to have lost sight of the intrinsic love of learning which should be at the heart of all we do with our children.
• Learning should never stop.
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Closing thought:
A friend asked Isidor I. Rabi, [a Nobel prize winner in Physics] “Why did you become a
scientist, rather than a doctor or a lawyer or a business man, like other immigrant kids in
your neighbourhood?”
Rabi responded:
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Closing thought:
My mother made me a scientist without ever intending it. Every other mother would ask her child after school: “Did you learn anything today?” But not my mother. She always asked me a different question.
“Izzy” she would say, “did you ask a good question today?”
That difference – asking good questions – made me become a scientist!
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Thank You