Using Models to Enhance How Students Learn Science Brooke Bourdélat-Parks and Betty Stennett NSTA San Antonio, TX April 12, 2013
BSCS Mission The mission of BSCS is to transform science teaching and learning through research and development that strengthens learning environments and inspires a global community of scientifically literate citizens.
BSCS Biological Sciences Curriculum Study Nonprofit organization 501(c)(3) Established in 1958 Work portfolio includes curriculum development, professional development, educational research and evaluation projects. Supported by public and private agencies
Getting to Know Each Other Introduce yourself: Where do you teach? What grades do you teach? What interested you about this session?
Modeling Examples Toward High School Biology unit Written in partnership with Project 2061, part of AAAS The unit is currently being field tested as part of a research project. We will use select examples to focus our ideas about using models in the classroom.
Try this Individually, answer the following question using words and pictures. How do living things grow bigger? Work with 2 other people to create a drawing (with labels) to show your ideas about the question.
Changes in Living and Nonliving Things As you watch these videos, record what you observe. Include observations that suggest change is occurring. Change in a Living Thing Change in a Nonliving Thing
Questions Do you think that new materials are being made during each change? If so, where do you think the stuff comes from to make these new materials?
Three Changes Baking Soda and Vinegar Steel Wool (Iron) and Air Hexamethylenediamene and Adipic Acid As you watch each reaction, write down any observations about the starting and ending substances.
Making Sense of Observations Materials Card Pack #1 Starting Substances Card Pack #2 Ending Substances Change charts Try to place the correct starting and ending substances on the change charts using your observations.
For each change Are the properties of the starting substances the same as or different from the ending substances? What is your evidence? Do you think that new substances were made in the reaction?
Now Use Card Pack #3 Look at the Water card and the model key. How does each model represent a water molecule? Summarize your ideas in the table. Two examples are provided for you. Discuss What is an atom? How is it different from a molecule?
Continue Using Card Pack #3 Find the iron card and pick two other cards. Study the different models on each of the three cards. Discuss Is the tiniest part of each substance an atom or a molecule (and still be the substance)? If it is a molecule, what type of atoms and how many of each make up the molecule?
Use the Completed Change Charts Discuss with your group Are the molecules in the ending substances the same as or different from the molecules that make up the starting substances? Are the types of atoms that make up the ending substances the same as or different from the types of atoms that make up the starting substances? What could happen to the atoms to make the ending substances from the starting substances?
Representing Chemical Reactions with Models Use the LEGO bricks to build the molecules of starting substances (green side). Put any unused bricks back in the kit and close the kit. Look at the ending substances (yellow side) and determine how to build them, moving as few bricks as possible. Build the models on the yellow side.
Share Your Ideas Share your reaction with a group who had the other change mat. Discuss Did you have any leftover bricks (atoms) after building the ending molecules? Did you need any additional bricks (atoms)? How would you describe what you did to the LEGO bricks (atoms) in order to make the ending molecules from the starting molecules?
Representing Nylon Formation with Models Start with the green side of the change mat. Add the 6 carbon atoms to the chain first. Add oxygen or nitrogen atoms to the carbon atoms at either end. Add hydrogen atoms to the carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen atoms. Put unused pieces back in the kit and close the kit.
Representing Nylon Formation with Models Look at the yellow side to see the ending molecules. Plan how you will make the ending molecules by drawing an X on any connection you are going to break. identifying where you are going to form new connections by circling atoms and drawing lines. Build the ending substances, breaking as few connections as possible.
Analogy Map Part of Model Sticks Part of Real World They are alike because. Red balls is/are like Carbon atoms Molecules
Questions How many total monomers did we make? How many of each kind of monomer? If we attached all the monomers from the whole group, we would have a big polymer of nylon. How many water molecules would we make? How can small molecules make very large molecules?
Return to Your Ideas About How do living things grow bigger? With your group, discuss any revisions you would like to make. Add to or change your poster to reflect your latest ideas.
What do you think happens to the mass of living things as they get bigger? What do you think happens to the mass of substances involved in chemical reactions?
Consider What Happens to Mass in These Reactions Baking Soda and Vinegar Steel Wool (Iron) and Air Draw a diagram of what is happening at each point where I stop the video.
Can We Model This Reaction? Modeling baking soda and vinegar with mass measurements Write a brief summary statement at each point where I stop the video.
Study the Following Data Animal Initial Weight (Age) Final Weight (Age) Change in Weight Increase or decrease? German shepherd dog 1 (male) Human 2 (female) Spiny lobster 3 20 pounds (at 2 months) 7.7 pounds (at birth) 3 pounds (at 11 months) 51 pounds (at 9 months) 64 pounds (at 10 years) 4 pounds (at 2 years) Skink 4 0.62 grams (at time of tail loss) 1.72 grams (when new tail was fully grown)
Return to Your Ideas About How do living things grow bigger? With your group, discuss any revisions you would like to make. Add to or change your poster to reflect your latest ideas.
Models as defined in the Next Generation Science Standards Practice 2 in the Next Generation Science Standards Models are external representations of mental concepts. Models provide a powerful tool of explaining phenomena. Models link scientific theory with specific observations or phenomena. Models can include diagrams, three-dimensional physical structures, computer simulations, mathematical formulations, and analogies.
Content Representations The physical aspect that students will use in their model. Analogies Metaphors Diagrams Charts Graphs Concepts Maps Simulations Role Playing Each of these is a way to help students make science ideas more concrete and real.
Models Help Students Reason About a Phenomenon In what situation would this not be a model? In what situation would this be a model?
Today s Experience What was the content representation for each of the models we used?
Analyze a Model Use the Analysis Guide: Selecting and Using Content Representations to analyze your assigned model.
Design a Future Lesson Think of something that you teach that represents a difficult-to-understand phenomenon. Design models/content representations that you can use to help students understand the phenomenon. Consider the types of models we used today and the other types of content representations. Use the Analysis Guide to determine the effectiveness of your model.
Share Your Ideas
Meta Moment What did you learn today that you would like to use in your class? Why did you choose the idea you did?
Thank you for your attention! Questions? The slides for this session will be available at http://www.bscs.org/sessions.