From: Fred Stein (fred@exploratorium.edu)
Date: Sat Sep 09 2000 - 09:16:45 PDT
Message-Id: <v01540b01b5e00b51fc14@[192.174.2.95]> Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2000 08:16:45 -0800 From: fred@exploratorium.edu (Fred Stein) Subject: Re: "short" Foam
Hi Denise,
Because you have such limited time and this would be your introductory
activity with the group, you might consider having everyone read Chapter 6
in the IFI inquiry book (the one on 3 kinds of hands-on science with Foam)
and spending the bulk of the time having a discussion about it.
You could assure people that you are going to do a lot of active stuff soon
enough (between ice balloons, pinhole inquiry and parachutes).
Reading about an activity is sure not the same experience as doing it, but
it may promote a good thinking and a good discussion anyway (and that's
really what's important).
If you and the other facilitators have your main points for your discussion
well in mind, you can read the text for places where those points are
really highlit so you can refer to them specifically, and come up with
prompts that encourage the discussion to bring up these points. Here's an
example of a couple main points that might be reasonable expectations for a
discussion.
* hands-on science is not neccessarily inquiry science
* the three activities vary in their amount of open-endedness (or
opportunities for inquiry). All are appropriate depending on your purpose.
For instance, Very guided activities can be the best way to teach a
specific idea or skill in a short period of time, but are not so good at
teaching general science skills or promoting deep understanding.
One of the main things that encourages active participation in discussions
in having small groups -- less than 12. Hopefully, between you and Jill
(and anyone else?), you can get this kind of ratio.
If you need copies, Chapter 6 from the Inquiry book is on-line at:
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2000/nsf99148/ch_6.htm
You can print it out from there or go to the bottom of that page and link
to a spiffy PDF version of the document.
Good Luck. Looking forward to hearing about how it goes,
Fred
>Hello IFIers!
>
>I'm wondering if anyone has successfully done a "short" Foam (1 to 1-1/2
>hours) or other Three-kinds of hands-on activity with teachers.
>
>We are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with ALL of the staff of a
>newly opened 6th grade school (principal, teachers, specialists). Our
>original plan was to do a complete series of Inquiry workshops: Three kinds
>of hands-on, the role of questioning (ice balloons), personal inquiry with
>pinhole phenomena, and evaluating and adapting activities (parachutes).
>After these workshops the teachers will work together, and with us, to
>modify/create their own inquiry based kits and curriculum.
>
>Unfortunately professional development time is much more limited than we had
>anticipated and we must eliminate one of the workshop sessions. Based on
>prior experiences we are considering modifying the Foam activity (time &/or
>materials).
>
>Several options we've considered are:
>1) Brief 3 kinds of hands-on experiences (materials?) and discussion during
>one of the teacher staff meetings (about 1 hour).
>2) Assigning something for the teachers to do on their own time that would
>prepare them for a group discussion on distinguishing inquiry-based learning
>from other kinds of hands-on learning (before we begin the Ice balloons
>workshop). These could be:
>--reading articles, or watching video on learning in classrooms
>--reflections on their personal experiences: What is their hobby? Why? How
>do they go about it?
>--reflections on their classroom/students learning experiences: When have
>their students been most motivated? most eager to learn more? When have
>their students continued experimenting, gathering information and materials
>on a subject on their own initiative (outside of the classroom and/or after
>the subject is no longer being taught).
>--clever, creative teacher homework incorporating three different kinds of
>instructions (paper folding, art, bag of material, ????)
>I'm really going out on a limb here!!!!! One idea--
>Guided: make a straw reed following directions
>Challenge: find a way to make high and low sounds using only one straw
>Inquiry: explore different ways to make sounds with straws, tubes, etc.
>
>Please give any feedback, or additional suggestions!
>
>Thank you,
>Denise LeBlanc
>IFI'97 Explore & Discover, Uxbridge,MA
>
>Education Director
>Science Discovery Museum
>177 Main Street
>Acton, MA 01742
>978-264-4201
>www.ultranet.com/~discover/
>
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