Clarion Module I

INTRODUCINGProject Clarion

Steve Coxon

Center for Gifted Education

The College of William and Mary

Think Like a Scientist: Inquiry-Based Science Units

for K-3 Learners

Joyce VanTassel-Baska, Ed.D.Co-Principal Investigator

Bruce A. Bracken, Ph.D.Co-Principal Investigator

Lori C. Bland, Ph.D.Project Director

2009 Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary

My goal is to involve you in:

1) Using the Frayer model of vocabulary to define a scientist;

2) Understanding the macro-concepts systems and change, how they can help students meta-cognitively, and their interdisciplinarity;

3) Using inquiry with the Wheel of Scientific Investigation and Reasoning to conduct an experiment;

4) Your unit’s content and concept-mapping; and5) Pre-, on-going, and post-assessments.

Project Clarion Objectives

• To use instrumentation sensitive to low socio-economic learners for identification and assessment of learning

• To implement, refine, and extend research-based concept curriculum in grades K-3 in three different school districts

• To develop and implement professional training models for teachers, administrators, and broader school communities

• To conduct research on short term and longitudinal student learning gains as well as the mechanisms that promote the institutionalization of innovation through scaling up

2009 Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary

Clarion Curriculum Goals

1. To develop selected basic concepts related to understanding the world of science

2. To develop selected macro-concepts that unify understanding basic concepts in science (i.e., systems and change)

3. To develop knowledge of selected content topics in science4. To develop interrelated science process skills5. To develop critical thinking skills6. To develop creative thinking7. To develop curiosity and interest in the world of science

2009 Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary

Project Clarion Alignment to Standards

• National Science Education Standards

• Benchmarks for Science Literacy

• Virginia Standards of Learning

• Unit-specific knowledge• National Association of

Early Childhood Education

Unit Titles by Grade Level

Grade Levels 

Life Science Earth Science Physical Science

K - 1st Survive and

ThriveHow the Sun Makes

Our DayWater Works*

1st - 2nd Budding Botanists

2nd The Weather Reporter

2nd – 3rd What's The Matter?*

3rd Dig It! Invitation to Invent

*Published by Prufrock Press 2009 Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary

PROJECT CLARION

Let’s stop for a moment and take a look at:

Table of contents in three sections:I: Unit overview (Concept map, Overarching concept, Scientific investigation, Curriculum Framework, Alignment to standards, etc.)II: Lesson plansIII: Appendices (Safety, Four teaching models: Concept development, Wheel of Scientific investigation, Concept mapping, Frayer vocabulary development), Concept paper, Assessment Package)

Research Design

• Quasi-Experimental• Random Assignment • Treatment Fidelity

– Classroom observations– Teacher self report of lesson logs and

feedback• Comparison Curriculum

– Teacher created– Purchased science curricula

(e.g., Harcourt Brace)

2009 Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary

Sample

• Three Districts – urban – exurban– rural

• More than 3400 students• 6 Title I Schools

– 38 experimental classrooms– 36 comparison classrooms

• Ethnicity– Caucasian: 29.9%– Hispanic: 26.8%– Asian: 18.6%– African American: 11.7%– Other: 2%– Native American: .6%

• Gender– Male: 49.2%– Female: 49.4%

2009 Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary

Instrumentation: Baseline Identification

• Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT); Reliability = between .81-.89

• Percent of Experimental and Comparison Students in Sample by Ability Category

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

>130 115-129

100-114

85-99

<85

Experimental

Comparison

2009 Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary

Instrumentation: Assessment of Learning

• Performance-Based Assessments– Concept, Scientific Investigation, Content– Content validity: relevance, clarity, appropriateness

• Rubric and Protocol Adapted from Fowler – Alternate Forms Reliability: .76– Inter-rater Reliability: .90-.95

• Test of Critical Thinking (TCT)– Administered to 3rd grade (post only)– Reliability: .89

2009 Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary

Project Clarion works:

• Across two years, the performance-based assessment results showed significant and educationally important gains for experimental students in:– Macro-concepts– Scientific investigation– Content mastery

• Across two years, the Test of Critical Thinking showed significant and educationally important effects for the third grade students in the experimental group.

2009 Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary