creativity and excitement in primary science helen wilson, jo thompson oxford brookes university...
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Creativity and Excitement in Primary Science
Helen Wilson, Jo Thompson
Oxford Brookes University
The tension in the current English education system?
My test results must
improve
Content driven
Creativity
Process driven
‘The stress on results means that there is a tendency towards extreme instrumentalism in learning: if it is not assessed then it is not important.’
Wilde et al (2006) Nuffield Review Higher Education Focus Groups Preliminary Report The Nuffield Review of 14 – 19 Education and Training http://www.nuffield14-19review.org.uk/cgi/documents/documents.cgi?a=106&t=template.htm
My test results must
improve
Content driven
Creativity
Process driven
My test results will
improve
Content driven
Creativity
Process driven
If you are willing to deal effectively with the needs of able pupils you will raise the achievement of all pupils.
Renzulli
A rising tide…
Evidence?
Structure of the Project
Originally funded by: the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust
OxfordshireAZ Project
16 Oxfordshire primary schools
Year 6 teacher Science co-ordinator
CPD: 8 days INSET
2002 - 2004
LondonYork
• More emphasis on pupils’ independent scientific thinking
• Increased time within lessons spent in discussion of scientific ideas
• More focused recording by the pupils, less time spent writing
• More time for hands on, practical investigations
Key Outcomes of Projects
• More practical activity
• Deeper thinking
• More discussion
• Less writing
• More questioning
Or, more simply:
Threads The Bright Ideas Time
Practical science
Focused recording
Talk
Do
Think
Infusion: Higher order thinking
Bright ideas time
Problem solving
InvestigationsPupils as researchers
Questions
ICT
Creativity
Coates, D. & Wilson, H. (2003). Challenges in Primary Science. London: Fulton
Dialogue
High:synthesis - hypothesising, showing originality by creating, inventing and composingevaluation - judging, rating and giving opinionsanalysis - categorising and comparing; distinguishing between fact and opinion or relevant and irrelevant information
Middle:application/use - transferring knowledge from one situation to another similar one
Low:comprehension - summarising and putting ideas orinformation into other words knowledge - remembering, reciting or listing facts
Bloom’s Taxonomy
‘Higher order thinking occurs when a person takes new information and information stored in memory and interrelates and/or rearranges and extends this information to achieve a purpose or find possible answers in perplexing situations.’
Another definition of Higher Order Thinking:
Information Relates, rearrangesPossible answers
Lewis and Smith (1993, p.136)
Too busy working to have time to think?
Content of the Curriculum
Use/Apply
Reflection
HOT Infusion
Bright Ideas Time
All the project schools developed this discussion slot
The Bright Ideas slot has taken off throughout the school. It
really encourages the pupils to think & it is rather like a science
mental starter
Think Pair Share
Thinking time
The Bright Ideas Time
• Game shows: Odd One Out
• PMI
• A big question
• Concept cartoonsDiscussing big ideas is
more important than finding the right
answer
The Odd One Out
• Chocolate, paper, waterWhich is the odd one out
& why?
Which is the Odd One Out and why?
Sand
Salt
Iron filings
Which is the odd one out & why?
Which is the odd one out
& why?
Video clip: Odd One Out
http://www.azteachscience.co.uk/resources/cpd/bright-ideas-in-primary-science.aspx
The Bright Ideas Time
http://www.azteachscience.co.uk/resources/cpd/bright-ideas-in-primary-science.aspx
Sheets of examples ofthe Bright Ideas Time
PMI
Chocolate door handles
PMI: A world without electricity
Positive Statements:
•You won`t waste so much energy
•Instead of electrical toys you would have wind up radios – that would be fun!!
•The world would be equal
Minus Statements:
•It would be very scary walking home at night.
•There wouldn't`t be a London underground.
•You wouldn't`t be able to watch T.V!
Interesting Statements:
•You would have to be inventive in your spare time.
•Torches might become really fashionable.
•People might be fitter – less T.V = more exercise.
The chocolate teapot
Living on the Moon
A world without friction
A flexible skeleton
An eye in the middle of your hand
There is more of a buzz and children are a lot more confident when sharing their ideas - risk-taking has increased/improved greatly and this has a positive knock-on effect
Incorporating Bright Ideas time into every session
The Bright Ideas have been an excellent way of stimulating discussion and questioning. They have also come up with
some far more interesting ideas than I have thought of. I have noticed that the more we do, the more scientific their ideas
have become.
Practical Investigations:
Do people with the strongest legs jump the furthest?
I think…because…
Example:
Do people with the strongest legs jump the furthest?
Responses from Year 2 pupils
a. Most of the time people jump further when they are stronger
b. Muscles has got nothing to do with how far because muscles are if you carry heavy things not how far you go
c. I think the people with the lightest legs will jump the highest because they don’t have to lift as much
d. There is no reason
e. The people with the stronger legs are strong so they can jump higher
f. I think the strongest legs will push the most and go the furthest.
g. The people with the strongest legs will jump the furthest because they have the strongest legs.
Rate these responses, according to the depth of thinking involved:
Year 2 Patterns in Data & Evaluations
• Lillie had the biggest bit round the thigh but she did not jump the furthest
• I think its about how high you go because it takes longer to land
How to focus the LO in Sc1
Concentrate on one particular aspect of an investigation, e.g.
• prediction
• planning
• results
• conclusion.
Focus Recording – on the learning objectives
‘But then when you do an investigation, you understand what you are actually writing about and you can write a lot clearer.’
‘If you’re just told to write something, but if you find out something first and then report it, then you learn.’
How do we know that the Earth is a sphere?
‘If it’s flat, when you make the foundations for a temple why doesn’t it go through?’
‘Why doesn’t water fall off the edge if the Earth is flat?’
‘Because gravity comes from the centre of the earth, because a sphere is the smallest shape you can make from the centre, it would most likely be pulled up into a sphere.’
Why don’t we sense the motion?
‘Because we’re not going around fast’
“But if everything is moving all the time, like all the trees and houses, then you don’t feel any
different from anything else.”
Label the parts of the flowerWhich is a stamen?Where is pollen found?
Cut up a flower & see if you can find the parts below.Do some research and find out what is the yellow stuff on the anthers.
What do you think the bee is covered in?What will happen when the bee visits another flower?Which came first, bees or flowers?
Questioning contd.
• In pairs:
• Look at the picture on the screen.• What does it make you think about?• What do you think it is?• What would you like to know about this picture?
Single pollen grain of chamomile
•Which frog has a bigger mouth?
•Are you sure? Measure to find out.
What do you see?
1. Man Playing Horn... Or Woman Silhouette?2. Rabbit or duck?3. A Face Of A Native American... Or An Eskimo?
In science, posing closed questions is a necessary skill too!
Guess who?
What’s my material?
Questions
When questions arise in the classroom that no-one can answer, put them in the poster of the light bulb
Challenge: who can find the answer?
I asked the best question this week
My question was …
Recurring themes from pupil interviews:
• Thinking about ideas
• Talking, discussing ideas with each other
• More doing for themselves (hands on) – investigations, experiments
• Less writing
• Fun, enjoyment, interesting
• Deciding for themselves what to do
• Understand and remember more by doing
‘I really like the Bright Ideas bit, especially the PMI, because it gets you thinking. … they are fun and get you thinking, which is what scientists have to do.’
‘We used to have to write more in science, but this year I have had to do a lot more thinking and talking’
Sports Model (Freeman)
Provide
Identify
Pell and Jarvis (2001) in UK and Piburn and Baker (1993) have found that children’s enthusiasm for science decreases with age in primary schools.
They love science! They are very enthusiastic &
feel that they are learning in a more
interesting way
They are far more interested in
science & always want to do more
That was good, you had to think a lot more…it makes science much
more fun
OxfordshireAZ Project
I have enjoyed science more &
think this has rubbed off on the class
London G&T Project
They have become more abstract in their
thinking and have found activities more
fun
It has been a great opportunity and the ideas learnt will definitely
continue to be used and developed..
I have give my children more opportunities to discuss their ideas about science topics and have found that they are more willing to share their ideas with me and others.
% of pupils in project attaining level 5 = 53%
% of pupils nationally attaining level 5 = 41%
Number of pupils in project = 412
A significantly higher proportion of children achieved the highest level in the project schools than was the case nationally.
The findings of this project suggest that the making of time for thinking through discussion and practical science is a
priority in the primary classroom which should not be squeezed out by a content driven approach.
Conclusion