Task 1. Reflection based on topics in Week 1 (approximately 400 words)

Assessment Task 1:

Task 1. Reflection based on topics in Week 1 (approximately 400 words)

Reflect on your own science learning experiences. Respond to the following questions:

How did your experience as a science learner help you to understand what science is, and how science should be taught (in primary schools or early childhood centres)?

I was oblivious of the broad scope of what science entails for the duration of my primary school career. It was frequently incorporated within a larger topic with a strong focus on mathematics or a more general subject, or the activity I had to do didn't seem particularly scientific at the time.

For instance, I recall participating in a class activity called "watch the water rise," which involved filling a dish with water so that it covered the bottom, putting food colouring in the water, lighting a candle in the middle of the dish, quickly covering the flame with an empty glass, and then watching as the water rose into the glass. I did not realise at the time this was science due to it relating to weather.

In secondary school, chemistry, biology, physics, and environmental science were taught separately. As I developed, my vocabulary grew to include experiments, evaluations, theories, and hypotheses. I also learned all the terminology, how to utilise the materials properly, and how to wear the proper personal protection equipment (PPE). I started to understand how mathematics was incorporated into science as it became more difficult and challenging. In primary schools, science can be taught in a variety of methods because it goes beyond simple experiments. Students will be able to grasp how to learn science throughout their education if science is taught in accordance with other courses.

What is your current attitude toward science teaching and how your attitude may influence the possible way of your science teaching in the future.

My future Science lessons will contain some practical experiments but more importantly, activities which nourish wonder, encourage questioning and enable children to understand more about the world they live in.

Task 2. Investigate a science concept and design a learning activity to teach the

concept biology focused (approximately 400 words)

Why does grass generally not grow very well under trees (identify at least two possible reasons)?

Youtube video discussing grass?

Light

Water

Research and describe a Level 5-6 activity that could be used to explore and understand the different environmental conditions that affect the growth of plants.

Level 5 The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment (VCSSU075)

Task 3. Investigate a science concept and design a learning activity to teach the concept physics focused (approximately 400 words)

Watch the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wAjpMP5eyo

What background scientific concepts (about force and movement) might you, as a teacher, need to be familiar with before using this video in your class? Briefly explain the concepts involved. Explain whether you feel this is a genuine video, and why.

There could be multiple concepts involved in explaining this phenomenon. Choose one concept involved and describe a teaching activity that could help the students better understand the chosen concept.

Tides

Learning intention

Success criteria

Warm up activity Watch What Causes Tides https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcGEjzt_4is

Main idea activity

Task 4. Investigate a science concept and design a learning activity to teach the concept Astronomy focused (approximately 400 words)

Why do we feel warm in Summer and cold in Winter?

0168071200At some point, the temperature will vary in every region of the world. In Victoria, especially in the south, there are all four seasons, which includes a scorching summer, an autumn with chilly mornings, a wet and freezing winter, and a green, rainy, and sunny spring. This is a result of the earth's tilted axis, where it rests, and some locations where the sun's beams are more direct. For instance, summer occurs when the northern hemisphere is farther from the sun than it is when the north pole is inclined towards it. It's a frequent misconception that summer only lasts until the summer solstice, when the sun is closest to the earth and consequently hotter. The earth revolves on an axis that runs from top to bottom, and because this axis does not pass directly through the earth, it causes the seasons that we observe.

Figure 1.3 - Earth Axis (Retrieved from: https://www.quora.com/Why-it-is-cold-in-winter-and-hot-in-summer )

Research and describe an activity that could be used to explore and understand the cause of seasons.

Learning intention

Success criteria

Warm up activity

Main idea activity

https://www.teachstarter.com/au/blog/seasons-activities-for-the-classroom/Youtube Video The reason for seasons

Experiment Tree Activity

Task 5. Reflection based on topics in the first 5 weeks (approximately 400 words)

Reflect on the first five weeks of study in this course. what new pedagogical understandings have you developed and how are you going to bring them into your own science lesson planning? Your reflection should cover at least one concept from the list:

Alternative conceptions (misconception) Fair testingInquiry-based learning (e.g.,the 5E Model ) Concept cartoons

Refernces:

France, A. (2008). What is Science? In J. Loughran & A. Berry (Eds.), Looking in practice cases of science teaching and learning (vol. 3) (pp. 44-46).

Why it is cold in winter and hot in summer?(n.d.). Quora. Retrieved August 17, 2022, from https://www.quora.com/Why-it-is-cold-in-winter-and-hot-in-summer

SCIENCE EXPERIENCE WEEK ONE

REFLECTION

Throughout my primary school education, I was unaware of the vast range that science entails. It was often integrated into a bigger topic that had more of a focus on maths or a more common subject, or the task that I had to do did not seem like science at the time. For example, I remember making a dream catcher style object with a stick and had to choose a season and display it on the stick with drawings and string to then hang up. I did not realise at the time that this was related to science due it relating to the seasons the world goes through.

This teaching method was very creative with the use of a combination of materials used to develop an interesting the topic. (Albion, 2018) I also remember playing games to remember the days of the week without realising that it is determined by science.

I do not think it was the teachers inability to teach science more the fact that it was not explicitly said that it was science and my view when I was young was that science was more blowing things up and creating a reaction between things such as coke and Mentos.

Whereas during high school I never enjoyed science as I never understood what the teacher was trying to say and was never offered a different way to learn the content. Upon reflection of how science is taught in high school I would like to make it more inclusive and interesting for most students to be able to engage in the work. I also believe my experience with my lack of interest in science was due to realising that there was more to science than just blowing stuff up and I did not enjoy the textbook side of it.

In year nine my school ran activities on a Friday that included land care and water watch. Land care included doing things such as planting trees and learning about the land and the impact that the removal and addition of trees has on the land. Water watch included testing different water ways and the Ph levels and the impact on the natural animals in the surrounding area. I really enjoyed this science as it was hands on, and we got to test different things. This type of class enabled us to explore elements of the world and engage with ideas about the how and whys. (Harlen & Qulater, 2009) We were also never in the classroom and regularly had specialist people in the area teaching us about it. They were often more passionate about what they were telling us due to them seeing the value in what they were teaching us as most of the time it was their life and hobbies. (Skamp, Preston, 2017) This was much more engaging than what a teacher did in the classroom. Therefore, I believe that my experiences were very up and down throughout my schooling. The effectiveness of my learning of science throughout school was very dependent on how the teach taught the topics and their ability to enhance my learning. (Skamp & Preston, 2017)

REFERENCES:

Albion, P. (2018) Creativity, innovation and the design process, in Technologies education for the primary years (pp. 120-153) South Melbourne, Victoria. Cengage Learning Australia ISBN: 9780170367684

Harlen, W & Qulater A. (2009) The role and organisation of practical activities. In The teaching of science in primary school (5th ed., 229-242). London: Routledge. ISBN: 041565263

Skamp, K & Preston C. (2017) Primary Science: Every Teacher, Every Child. In Teaching Primary Science Constructively (6th ed., 1-27) Cengage Learning Australia

SCIENCE QUESTION - WEEK 4

Why is it hot in summer and cold in winter in some places on the Earth?

215900084645500All the areas of earth will at some stage have a temperature change. In Victoria, especially south Victoria, they experience all four seasons meaning summer is generally hot, followed by autumn with frosty mornings then a wet and cold winter followed by a green wet and sunny springtime. The earth experiences this due to the tilted axis it is dependent on and the rays of the sun being more direct in some places. For example, during the time that the north pole is tilted towards the sun the northern hemisphere is in fact further away from the sun resulting in summertime. A common misconception is that when the sun is closest to the earth it results in it being hotter and therefore summer. The axis that goes from the top to the bottom of the earth is what the earth spins around and as it does not go straight through the earth it results in the seasons we see.

Figure 1.3 Earth Axis (Retrieved from: https://www.quora.com/Why-it-is-cold-in-winter-and-hot-in-summer )

EXPERIMENT/ACTIVITY

INTRODUCTION

Begin the lesson with watching a you tube video: CLICK HERE

Pause the video at 2 minutes

Dim the lights in the class and collect a torch

Begin by holding the torch straight down towards the table and observe the light

Have a class discussion and ask the following questions:

what shape does the light make

does it spread all over the table or only one spot

Continue the video

INVESTIGATION

Students should now create a 3D model in pairs or groups of three

They need to include the earths tilt and the sun

Students should also create the earth rotation by putting a skewer through the centre of their earth to spin

Students can then share their work with the class to ignite more of a discussion

EXTENSION: Students could add in a moon if they feel their understanding is greater than just how the sun controls the temperature to explain day and night

NOTE:

The students can make an earth and a sun and hold their diagrams and role play top the class while explaining

Students can use books, internet and the video to help them with their investigations

Students can also use a torch to demonstrate the shine of the sun

EXAMPLES:

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CURRICULUM DESCRIPTORS

LEVEL THREE TO FOUR

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE

Earths rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including night and day(VCSSU061)REFERENCES:

Erikson, K., 2020 What Causes the Seasons? Nasa Science https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/seasons/en/SCIENCE EXPERIENCE - WEEK 5

REFLECTION

Throughout the first five weeks of this course the major element of science education that I have learnt is that it is often embedded into other subjects as there is not enough time in the school year to complete everything on the curriculum. This course in particular has really highlighted for me the necessity of teaching multiple subjects at once. It has also highlighted the fact that science is a part of everyday life. I never thought of science as cooking a cake even the weather but as discussed in tutorials by both peers and the lecturer I have since discovered the vast range of science. Science is much more than just explosions it is a way to engage students into thinking and observing the natural world and why things happen. (Koch, 2013) When referring to the Victorian Curriculum it is displayed clearly the number of different elements that go into science with the use of strands and sub strands. The curriculum has both formal science outcomes as well as progressively developing to a more creative and problem-solving style of teaching. (Koch, 2013) For example, the Victorian Curriculum has strands related to Science Understanding, including Biological, Chemical and physical sciences as well as a strand related to Science Inquiry Skills, including Questioning, analysing and communicating. (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2015)

When I am teaching science, I hope to make the students enjoy and want to participate through getting the students to question themselves and the things around them. I would like my students to think about their natural surrounding and why things happen. I would also encourage them to ask questions but also to answer each others questions if the student has background knowledge on the issue. I would also like students to develop their own answers to some questions with research. I think it is important that students learn ways to problem solve and answer questions for themselves at an early age. In saying this I would always want to be there for the students if they are really struggling to grasp concepts and ideas. If I want to approach teaching in this style a concern would be that students may misunderstand some issues causing misconceptions in their science learning. To limit misconceptions, it could be as easy as checking over students work and explaining some areas or when questions are asked outline some common misconceptions they may come across.

REFERENCES:

Koch, J. (2013) Talking Science Outside the classroom: Scientific explorations in the local environment in Science Stories: Science Methods for Elementary and Middle School Teachers. (pp. 103-133) Belmont, USA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. ISBN: 9781133489528

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (2015). Victorian Curriculum foundation-10 [website] Retrieved from: https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/science/curriculum/f-10