The document is about early childhood natural science and technology notes., Study notes of Natural Science

Download The document is about early childhood natural science and technology notes. and more Study notes Natural Science in PDF only on Docsity! 1 JST 320 Semester Test The role of the teacher and types of questions (Cross & Bowden pg. 1-15): Definitions: Science: A way of thinking and gaining knowledge that includes: becoming aware of a problem, wondering why, proposing ideas and explanations, finding out through experimentation and observation, and sharing results. Scientific literacy: An approach to identify and solve problems based on logic, rather on the memorization of facts. Discovery approach: A teaching strategy that encourages children to find answers and information related to their interests and questions. Divergent questions: An approach to questioning that is open-ended and used to generate several ideas to solve a problem Inquiry: A process of studying and developing knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas and natural world. We do this by observing, questioning, investigating, analysing and predicting Logico-mathematical knowledge: Knowledge that is gained when the learner creates relationships among materials Scientific attitudes: Curiosity Critical reflection Open-mindedness Respect for evidence Perseverance Sensitivity to the living and non-living Willingness to tolerate uncertainty Creativity and inventiveness Co-operation with others and the environment 2 Pedagogical knowledge:  Act and discourse of teaching View of science: The purpose of science:  Natural Sciences envisages a teaching and learning milieu which recognizes that the people of South Africa operate with a variety of learning styles as well as with culturally-influenced perspectives. In science meaningful education has to be learning centred and help learners to:  understand scientific knowledge  how it is produced,  the contextual environmental  global issues that are intertwined Metacognitive learning:  Knowing about knowing  Self-aware  Reflective  Pro-active About what they know and understand in science and how they learn 5 Examples of common errors and misconceptions: The importance of practical work:  Several research studies of secondary education are quite negative about the quality of practical work undertaken  Research into secondary teachers’ understanding of practical work has identified teacher knowledge as a limiting factor  We understand practical work to include engagement in which pupils manipulate materials and experience phenomena in science lessons  4 sub-categories of practical science activity: o Learning a practical skill o Exploring o Observation of a demonstration o Investigation  Wellington (1998) questioned student teachers about the purpose of practical science in primary classrooms and summarised their responses into three categories: o Cognitive arguments – helping them to learn 6 o Affective arguments – motivating and exciting o Skills arguments – developing scientific and other transferable skills  Harlen usefully concludes that practical work is a ‘means to various ends and not an end in itself’ Assessment, self-assessment and feedback: Why should school teachers assess learners:  They must be able to inform themselves, the pupil, the school, and others of pupils’ achievements  The teacher needs to know about pupils’ achievements to plan future lessons and inform others  Pupils should be engaged with their own learning so that they want feedback on what they have learned and how they can learn more  Perhaps the single most powerful tool in lessons is the clear expression of sharp learning objectives Example of a learning objective and success criteria: Establishing and maintaining interest:  To encourage pupils’ interest in science lessons: o Identify aspects of science or contexts that link to pupils’ lives or interests  Your own apparent interest in the world and science will be highly influential  Make science lessons interesting with a new material, a new angle or new teaching methods 7 4 knowledge areas and the four methods (PowerPoint & Learning Guide): Different methods and approaches for presenting natural science and technology:  Teachers should be on lookout for opportunities to integrate science and technology with literature, mathematical thoughts, and classroom projects of themes and interests of the children. When is science & technology experienced by learners?:  Incidental learning: o These situations are not planned, but an incidental incident may happen that provides the opportunity to expose the children to science and technology  Informal learning: o Discovery area, through free play activities like water play, sand play and block play o Discovery approach: 10 o Provide the children with a variety of ideas and skills which they may use to solve the problem in hand Facilitate a problem-solving climate:  Children need opportunities to be: o Curious o Motivated o And the option to work in collaboration with others  Teachers who teach Technology can: o Facilitate a climate in which learners want to solve problems by valuing children’s problems  Learners need to feel psychologically safe, meaning they must know that it is okay to be wrong  Learner’s interest in problem-solving will increase teachers to pay attention to their answers and encourage them to try new ideas The key to facilitating a problem-solving climate:  Learn how to listen  Understand other perspectives  Recognise problems  Look for alternative solutions Creating time to solve problems:  It enables learners to deepen their understanding and construct more complex knowledge about the problem  If teachers strictly control how learners spend time and use space, they may limit their chances to make decisions and experience with materials  When children can choose and direct their own play, they invite them to use their mind and social skills to work out everyday problems Creating space to solve problems:  If several children are trying to solve a problem co-operatively it is especially important to set aside space that allows for social interaction between them 11 Using materials to encourage problem-solving:  The development of problem-solving skills is associated with the opportunity to play in a wide variety of materials  The flexibility of open-ended materials creates more opportunities for learners to do problem-solving  An environment rich in materials can foster cause-and-effect or trial-and-error explorations to help them promote cognitive development Showing familiarity of how to do problem-solving:  Teachers can help children learn this process of thinking by talking aloud as they themselves solve problems  Questions that will help stimulate creative problem-solving are open-ended, for example: o How could this be made to work again? o What else could you do? o What might happen if? Choosing appropriate problems to solve:  Good, age-appropriate problems  Use everyday life experiences Making use of questions:  Convergent (close-ended) questions: o Can limit problem-solving in technology o Only answers “yes” or “no”  Divergent (open-ended) questions: o Have no right or wrong answers o Allow children to take risks and experiment with their ideas How do you ask good questions:  Pay attention to the ways you begin your questions  Ask children the kinds of open-ended questions they often ask adults  Ask divergent questions in various situations  Accept everyone’s answers equally 12 Developing children’s self-questioning skills: They advise teachers to be aware of:  Asking too much questions  Asking a questions and answering it yourself  Asking a difficult question too early  Asking irrelevant questions  Asking the same type of questions  Failing to build on answers How can a teacher encourage problem solving:  Rich/supportive environment in which the learner can solve problems using objects and ideas  Provide interesting books and pictures that invite them to think creatively The following useful list of alternative descriptive and more formal words can be used with learners to encourage inquiry-based learning: 15 Developing and applying specific skills to solve problems in creative ways:  The ability to solve a problem is an overarching skill that affects all learning  Problem-solving is the glue that binds other skills together To practice technology effectively and solve problems in creative ways, learners need to acquire the following specific skills:  Problem-solving skills  Information-processing skills Structures 6 simple machines: Textbook pg 61- 68 Simple machines:  Simple machines are the basic designs for lifting and moving things.  We use simple machines to make jobs easier.  All the complex machines used around us are made up of one or more simple machine concept. Machines help us do work in several different ways:  Transferring force from one place to another  Increasing the amount of force applied  Changing the direction of the force  Increasing the speed of the force 16 Different simple machines:  The wedge: o A wedge is a simple machine that helps to cut, split or push something through o Example: The head of an axe  The inclined plane: o Helps us lift things against gravity’s pull o Example: Slide  The screw: o Curved ramp o It can hold things together or raise and lower things o Example: Light bulb  The lever: o Makes it easier to lift things o Rod balanced on a fixed point that can help lift a heavy weight with less effort o Example: Crowbar  The pulley: o Made from grooved wheel with a rope of chain around it o Turns around a stationary axle o Example: Tow truck  The wheel and axle: o Spinning lever o A large wheel is connected to a smaller device, called the axle or shaft o Example: Bicycle What do we need for effective technology?:  Different types of materials  Various effective tools  A facilitator  A challenge 17 Inventions: The technology process: (Pg 93 – 102; 134-136) 20 Discovery area: PowerPoint & Learning Guide (Pg 9 – 14) PowerPoint: Discovery/Investigation area:  A discovery/investigation area is an area specifically set up by the teacher to tie in with the weekly theme  It is usually set up on a low table on which objects, pictures, etc., are displayed  The area must be positioned where it will draw the interest and attention of the children  The aim is to expand the children's level of understanding and experiences concerning nature and the world around them Use the theme: What is inside? Natural items:  Indicate which items the learners are going to explore in this theme  Indicate how you are going to use the discovery area to expose the learners to this theme during a week. Explain briefly what you want the children to do with the objects READ THROUGH LEARNING GUIDE PG 9-14 Parent posters: PowerPoint Using posters to promote parent- teacher communication: What and why:  Display the poster in an obvious place (door/notice board)  Another way to communicate important messages to parents, guardians and children  The message is conveyed incidentally (usually when parents/guardians come to school)  It should be a friendly reminder  One poster per class  Change the poster every week 21 3 Types of messages:  Notice (or reminder)  Request (be polite and say please)  Educational message (to share some beautiful thoughts or wisdom with the parents) Types of posters:  To provide parents with information about the preschool  To solve a problem  Make life easier for children  Involve parents in the curriculum  Share some beautiful thoughts or wisdom with the parents Scientific attitudes: PowerPoint Scientific attitudes:  Curiosity  Respect for evidence  Willingness to tolerate uncertainty  Critical reflection  Perseverance  Creativity and inventiveness  Open-mindedness  Sensitivity to living and non-living  Co-operation with others and the environment Multiple intelligences: (Textbook pg 32 – 37) Multiple intelligences:  Human cognitive competence is better described in terms of sets of abilities, talents or mental skills, which we call ‘intelligences’  Intelligence is the essential capacity to solve problems  Gardner sees intelligence as problem-solving, problem-creating and problem- finding over a range of situations 22  Gardner defines intelligence as the capacity to solve problems or make things that are valued by one’s culture According to Gardner humans have at least 8 distinct intelligences:  Visual-Spatial intelligence: o The ability to perceive the visual world accurately  Bodily-Kinaesthetic intelligence: o The ability to use and control one’s hand or body to express meaning  Musical-Rhythmic intelligence: o The ability to enjoy and replicate music  Verbal-Linguistic intelligence: o About sensitivity to word order and meaning, sounds, rhythms, and inflections  Logical-Mathematical intelligence: o The ability to work with numbers  Intrapersonal intelligence: o The ability to understand and work with oneself, to access one’s feelings  Interpersonal intelligence: o The ability to understand and work with others  Naturalistic intelligence: o The ability to discriminate among living things and exhibit sensitivity to one’s natural surroundings Concepts: PowerPoint: Skills vs concepts:  A skill is an activity that can be learned and that can improve with practice; for example, cutting with scissors, riding a bicycle, or identifying birds.  A concept is something that cannot be taught directly. It is something that each and every person comes to understand on his/her own. 25 Seven general concepts are used to organise information into sensible units to facilitate the learning and understanding processes: 1. Conservation: The careful preservation and protection of something. 2. Cause and Effect (consequence): Cause and effect involves examining our actions and attitudes. A cause is an event or action that triggers another event, while an effect is the outcome or result of that initial action or event. 3. Place: The study of society and residences, focusing on the location of things. It encourages reflecting about your role in the world and the influence you exert on your surroundings, encompassing your residence, workplace, and the global community at large. 4. Adaptation: The understanding how living organisms adjust to their environments. It's a transformative process that enables species to better fit their surroundings. Adaptation is crucial for survival, providing protection and enabling life in distinct habitats, often achieved through mechanisms like camouflage. 5. Relationships and interdependence: Discovering that all things depend on each other i.e. are interdependent and to foster the idea of relationships being rooted in depending on one another. 6. Diversity and Individuality: Investigating the variety of things in the world, thinking about how things are similar and how they differ. 7. Change: Learning about the cycles of change. Knowledge criteria for change: i. Recognizing that change is a continual process. ii. Acknowledging the various types of change. iii. Understanding that change can be deliberate or accidental. iv. Realizing that both planned and unplanned changes can yield similar outcomes. v. Appreciating that there are diverse methods to bring about change, such as assembling or disassembling objects. vi. Grasping that change can occur in cycles. vii. Understanding the role of tools in altering objects and materials. viii. Knowing that raw materials from the earth can be transformed into everyday items. 26 ix. Acknowledging that both people and technology undergo change over time. x. Recognizing that ideas, designs, and materials evolve over time. xi. Being aware that change is a constant presence in our surroundings. EXERCISE ON PAGE 40/41 Practical examples using the seven general concepts (from textbook): 1. CONSERVATION Filter water from a stream. See how much dirt is left behind. Design and make a poster or advertisement to encourage people to conserve water (or write a poem, song, story, or puppet show about it) 2. CAUSE AND EFFECT Take hard soil and pour water over it. What happens? Do it with soft flowing water and with force flowing water. Cut two identical flowers with long stems. Put one in a glass with water and the other in an empty glass. Check out the differences in an hour, two hours, and a whole day. 3. PLACE Walk all over the school area and locate the places where water can be found. Write them down or make drawings. Paint/paste/draw a picture of life under the sea (fish, sea plants, etc.). 4. ADAPTATION Look at the development of tadpoles and frogs to see how they are adapted to live in water. Cut a succulent open, do the same with any other ordinary plant. Compare the storage of water in the plants 5. RELATIONSHIPS AND INTERDEPENDENCY Take two identical plants but only water one of the two plants. Compare the two plants for two weeks and watch how long it takes before the plant that does not get water, dies. Bring a few seeds to school. Place them between wet cotton wool or on a cloth in two saucers. Wet the one saucer regularly and leave the other one dry. What happened? 27 6. DIVERSITY AND INDIVIDUALITY Auditory activity: Listen to different water sounds. Identify them according to the sounds: a running tap, a boiling kettle, a waterfall, the sea, rain, etc. Make a list of all the animals that live inside/next to/near or on fresh water or the sea. You can also draw them or cut and paste magazine pictures. 7. CHANGE Put two identical containers with the same amount of water outside, one in the sun and one in the shade. Compare the containers at the end of the day. Filter some dirty water and watch how it changes. The same concepts can be used to generate ideas for technology activities. Main knowledge areas in science and technology: In the field of Science and Technology, there are four key knowledge areas: 1. Life Sciences: This involves studying living organisms, encompassing life processes, health, and interactions between people, plants, and animals. 2. Physical Sciences: This pertains to the examination of non-living materials, including physics, chemistry, geology, and astronomy. 3. Energy and Change: This area delves into how energy is transferred within physical and biological systems, as well as the implications of human energy needs and consumption. 4. Planet Earth and Beyond: This concentrates on the Earth's structure, its dynamic changes over time, understanding weather patterns, and situating Earth within the broader context of the universe. It's crucial to grasp the organization of the primary content areas and to adeptly choose relevant knowledge from all four of these domains when crafting learning activities. The following page outlines these four main content knowledge areas for reference.