Session 5: Strategies for teaching science

Chapter 6 of The art of teaching primary science (Dawson, V. & Venville, G. (2007)) describes the 5E model for teaching science. “The 5E model consists of five distinct but interconnected phases” (Dawson & Venville, p 116). These phases are

1. Engage the interest of students through a stimulus activity or question
2. Explore problems of phenomena through experimentation
3. Explain the results of experimentation using scientific terms
4. Elaborate by applying scientific ideas to new scenarios
5. Evaluate what has been learned

The engage phase starts with students having an opportunity to share what they already know about the unit topic. This creates a connection which means students are not merely thinking about new things, but linking it to what they already know. This will pique their interest as well as helping them to challenge where their current needs to adapt. This will help raise questions for them to investigate.

The explore phase using experimentation and exploration to give students a new and common experience through which they can learn. Hands on learning activities, combined with discussing ideas in their own language contributes to an effective inquiry based learning environment.

The explain phase helps students to reflect on what they have experienced in the explore phase. Explanation and scientific terms are given, to assist students develop their ideas.

The elaborate phase is where students can take the new things they have learnt and apply them in new situations. They can know discuss what they have learnt using the scientific language and consider how it might apply to other situations. Based on what they have learnt in the explore and explain phase, student now have an opportunity and the knowledge needed to construct a scientific argument based on sound reasoning.

The evaluate phase gives students an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learnt and is also where teachers can assess learning.

Session 4: Programming

When programming a unit of work, thoughtful planning and preparation is necessary to help ensure that the outcomes can be achieved for all students. As discussed in previous posts, teaching science is not a task of simply teaching facts. It is teaching ideas about science. It could be describe as teaching students how to learn.

This takes intentional planning and effort. In chapter 5 of The art of teaching primary science (Dawson, V. & Venville, G. (2007)), planning is describe in this way

When planning units of work you are planning a sequence of lessons that will develop logically children’s knowledge and understanding of content, skills, values and attitudes across a period of some weeks. This means you need to consider the order of activities carefully. Which ones should be at the beginning of the unit and which should be towards the end? You also need to plan for ongoing assessment throughout a unit of work so that evidence is collected to evaluate children’s progress.

Each unit of work needs to contain its own logic and flow that builds children’s knowledge of the unit topic. In addition, it should flow on logically from previous units, to allow students to build on and challenge existing knowledge, and to bring in their knowledge from other subject areas.

Careful and thoughtful planning will allow a teacher to choose activities that ‘consider the children’s existing knowledge’ (Dawson & Venville, p 48), give adequate time to inquiry based learning activities, and plan for differentiation throughout the unit.

Session 2: Scientific and technological skills

In reading 2.1 (Bartholomew, H., Osborne, J. F. & Ratcliffe, M. (2004). Teaching students “ideas-about-science”: Five dimensions of effective practice. Science Education, 88(6), 655-682) knowledge about science is defined as ‘the methods of science, the nature of scientific knowledge, the process and practices of the scientific community, and a consideration of its application and implications that should form an essential component of the school science curriculum’. The paper lays out the work undertaken by a group of teachers as they teach knowledge about science in the classroom over the period of a year. The thesis of the paper is that one of the critical skills for working scientifically is to have an understand not only of the outcomes of the scientific process, but the methods and process that lead to that outcome.

This is reflected in the NESA Science and technology K-6 stage statements and outcomes. Each of the stages includes understanding, using and demonstrating scientific investigation as part of student learning. An example of this is found in the stage 3 outcome for students to “plans and conducts scientific investigations to answer testable questions, and collects and summarises data to communicate conclusions”

Primary Connections is a resource designed to help teachers link literacy and science in the classroom. It identifies literacy as a critical skill to enable students to work scientifically. One teacher states “through the literacy products, in particular the speaking it’s given the children a chance to really say what they know, and what they think they know, and look back and reflect on what they’ve learnt through the unit.” (Representations in primary science (focus on literacy) – 2.56mins).

Literacy is an assumed skill in the NESA stage statements and outcomes. An example from the stage 2 statement

“They generate and develop ideas, using research to inform their design ideas, which are represented using sketches, brainstorms and where appropriate, digital technologies.”

None of this can be done without the necessary literacy skills, making literacy a critical skills for students to be able to work scientifically and technologically.

Session 1: Rationale

An evaluation of the NESA Science and Technology K-6 rationale raises a key ideas, which resonate with the findings of the research project outlined in session 1 reading Osborne, J.F., Ratcliffe, M., Collins, S., Millar, R. & Duschl, R. (2003). What “ideas-about-science” should be taught in school science? A Delphi study of the “expert” community. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(7), 692-720.

The rationale states “[s]tudents studying science and technology are encouraged to question and seek solutions to problems through collaboration, investigation, critical thinking and creative problem-solving.” This reflects the responses collected in the Delphi study of the need to teach that “scientific knowledge is in a state of continuous change” (Osborne et al. 2003).

The NESA rationale also has a underlying principle that includes a curiosity about the world that goes beyond simply teaching students fact about science and technology, but includes teaching the nature of these things, and developing their curiosity. This theme is also reflected in the Delphi study.

Using the Osborne reading and the NESA rationale I have developed my own rationale for science and technology.

Science and technology is an integrated discipline that fosters students’ natural sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them and how it work. Science and technology encourages students to learn through trial and testing and to building their understanding based on evidence and reason.

In a faith based community students will be encouraged to consider how knowledge of a creator God contributes to their understanding of the world, and how faith and science can both be held together.

Science and technology will develop student’s curiosity about both the natural world and the built world and build skills that will prepare them to succeed in a rapidly developing world.

Jesus & the Charlie Charlie Challenge

There’s a new game sweeping the internet; one that you’ve probably never heard of before. It’s called the Charlie Charlie Challenge. Search for it online and you’ll find countless videos of teens playing a game they probably believe is just harmless fun.

The Charlie Charlie Challenge, which works a lot like a ouija board, involves using a grid of yes/no answers on paper, and two pencils balanced on top as a dial. Then you say a special chant that is intended to summon a Mexican demon called Charlie to answer your questions, which he does by moving the pencils to indicate his answer.

Reactions to the challenge vary from terrified scream, to youtube parodies, to scientist trying to explain the movement of pencils.

There’s nothing new about the fascination with the supernatural. It’s a search for something beyond the tangible world in front of us. Last week as we started looking at the book of Ecclesiastes, we saw Solomon fail to find meaning in the life “under the sun”. If this world doesn’t satisfy, turning to the supernatural, spiritual world seems logical.

As we read the New Testament there’s no denying the supernatural world is real. Jesus came face to face with demons, and he himself did things that can only be explained by supernatural forces.

In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

“Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.

All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area. Luke 4:33-37.

There’s a lot to say about the supernatural world and how we should respond, but I think this part of Luke’s gospel shows us 3 important things.

The demon’s response

This evil spirit immediately recognises Jesus for who he is; the Holy One of God. His question – Have you come to destroy us? – shows that he knows he and Jesus are on 2 different sides of a spiritual battle, and that Jesus is the one with the power to win. The question for us is if we know we are on the winning side, why would we team up with the losers?

Jesus’ response

Jesus is stern in his reply. He is completely in control and yet there’s no mucking around, or stopping to chit chat. Jesus has no fear of this evil spirit and yet he is quick to send it away. When our trust is in Jesus we have no need to fear the spiritual world, yet, like him, we should treat it seriously. In the case of the Charlie Charlie Challenge, this means we should walk away.

The people’s response

Far from being fascinated by the evil spirit, it’s Jesus’ power that amazed those watching, so much so that the news of his power spread around the area. The Charlie Charlie Challenge gives us an opportunity to speak to our kids, friends and others about the amazing power of Jesus, whose death and resurrection conquered evil once and for all.

Preschoolers, the Bible & the True Survival Guide

Each Tuesday morning I have the joy of visiting our local preschool to do a Bible talk with the kids. It’s short and sometimes chaotic but it’s one of my favourite things to do.

I arrive as the kids are finishing morning tea and occasionally while I’m waiting a parent comes in to drop off a child and get to say hi and introduce myself. This week a woman I’ve meet a few times before came in with her preschool daughter and school aged son. As I was chatting to them both the son asked if he could stay for the ‘survival talk’. I must have looked confused because mum immediately told me that’s what her daughter calls the Bible talk when she tells them about it at home. I’m sure that’s because to a 4-year-old the word survival and Bible sounds so similar. But it’s actually a good way to think about the Bible.

In fact I hope all of us will think of the Bible as a survival tool. It’s essential for our faith

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. Romans 10:17

… and for wisdom in this life

My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding –
indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.  Proverbs 2:1-5

… and for eternal life

Simon Peter answered [Jesus] “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” John 6:68

I’m sure my preschool friend doesn’t yet grasp all of this. But she knows that what she hears about God is important and so, naturally, she goes home and tells others about it. I wonder what would happen if all of us read the Bible like it was our survival guide, then told others about it too?

Love and Injustice – Luke 23:39-42

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”.

You don’t have to look very hard to see the world we live in is one lacking justice. Pick up a paper and read about the royal commission, asylum seekers, political corruption, civil war, religious persecution … the list goes on and on. As we read the paper and watch the news, the natural and right response from us, the public and from the media is to demand justice. When we look at the evil acts perpetrated by those unknown to us, it’s easy to cry out for justice.

But what happens when that cry for justice turns on us? When we face the consequences of our actions would we still demand that justice be done?

This is a question faced by two men who hung on crosses beside Jesus. Both convicted criminals. Both being punished for their own actions. Both seemingly without hope. Yet they have two very different responses to their situation.

The first criminal doesn’t ask for justice. He does just the opposite. He joins in with the rulers and soldiers who have been mocking Jesus. He too hurls sarcasm at him – ‘if you’re really some kind of king, prove it. Save yourself!’ But he goes one step further. “Aren’t you God’s chosen king? Save yourself and us.” His cry isn’t for justice. His cry is for Jesus to save him from justice. He demands injustice.

The second criminal is different. He knows his crime and he knows he is getting exactly what he deserved. And he recognises Jesus’ innocence. He knows that on the cross next to him is no ordinary man. He is a man to be feared, because he is also God, and he is suffering innocently.

But then, he too cried for injustice. He turns to Jesus and says ‘remember me when you come into your kingdom’.

This request is outrageous. This man is a criminal. He’s been judged by human authorities and they’ve hung him on a cross to die. This man knows that he’ll be judged by God and that he doesn’t deserve any mercy. Yet he dares to ask Jesus to remember him.

When you stop and think about what he’s asking for it’s quite amazing. A criminal is talking to the king of God’s people, and asking him to keep a place for him in God’s kingdom.

Jesus’ response is even more amazing. “Today you will be with me in paradise”. Yes, I will remember you. Yes, you will have a place in my kingdom. How is it possible that in this 11th hour confession this criminal has found some kind of favour with Jesus?

The answer is found in the biggest injustice of all – the death of an innocent man. Jesus’ death was a huge injustice, but not an accidental one. It was intentional. It was willing. And it was motivated by love. God’s love for his people, his desire for them to be reconciled to him and his knowledge that reconciliation would be impossible without him stepping in to act. So he stepped into the world in the person of Jesus, and dies a death that he didn’t deserve, so that when someone cries out ‘Jesus, remember me’, he can answer ‘yes, you will be with me in paradise’.

This is a tremendous promise to the criminal on the cross. But it’s not just for him. All of us are in the same position as the criminal. We may not be judged by our peers, or be hung on a cross, but we will all stand before God and will all be found wanting. We will face the same choice the two criminals faced. Join in the mocking and demand temporary salvation, or recognise Jesus as the king who is able to provide eternal salvation.

The criminal’s words from the cross are more than a confession of his crimes. He has come to believe and declare that Jesus really is the King of the Jews. He confessed his need for forgiveness and turned to the only one who is able to meet that need.

Will you do the same?

Church: Don’t set up your “singles”

Here’s the problem with teh interwebz. For every great article/blog post/comment you read, there are a million not-great ones that you have to sift through to get there.

Sometimes you don’t even have to go looking for them. More often than not it appears in your Facebook feed. That’s what happened a few days ago. This article was shared by a fb friend, as despite knowing their good intentions in sharing it, this article is so wrong it’s not even funny.

Before I tell you why, let me be up front and say as soon as I saw the title of this article (Church: set up your singles) I knew I was going to hate it for 2 reasons – 1) a ‘single’ is an individually wrapped piece of cheese. I am a person. The whole Christian world should STOP. CALLING. ME. A. SINGLE. 2) The article wasn’t called “Church: encourage all people to follow Jesus, regardless of their marital status”.

There’s too many things wrong with the theology of this article to possibly mention all of them, but let me tell the 3 most discouraging and dangerous errors.

1. Is singleness good?

A friend asked me recently, “If God said it is not good for man to be alone, but all he does is good, is my singleness actually good?” Sometimes the best answer to difficult questions is to just say, “I don’t know but he is good,” and so I did.

If someone asks you if their singleness is good the correct answer is yes! I know this because God has told us it is good.

1 Corinthians 7:7 says

I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

The 2 gifts Paul is talking about are marriage and singleness. (see the comments on this post for more detail on the Greek of this verse). Singleness is a gift. The Greek word used is charisma (literally ‘grace gift’) and is the same word used in chapter 12 about spiritual gifts. Singleness is a good gift from a good God. Of course, sometimes it feels like the kind of gift you get and give a fake smile in response, while inwardly thinking ‘what do I want this for? Can I exchange it for what she has, please?”

That’s exactly the reason I need to be reminded it’s good. When I’m finding it hard, and sad, and bitter I need my Christian family to remind me that God is good and he wants good things for me, and that even when I hate it, yes, my singleness is good.

(For those who are single, this what I want you to know about your gift.)

2. Is marriage a glimpse of the eternal marriage?

Help your unmarried brothers and sisters taste a glimpse of the eternal marriage by helping them get married.

Yes, it is. But in the same way singleness is itself a glimpse into eternity.

Andrew Cameron says it best

Jesus’ new teaching arises from the new future. It turns out that human marriages are not reinstated in the new future, because they point to the ultimate ‘marriage’ – a final union between Christ and his people (Eph 5:29-32; Rev 19:6-8; 21:2, 9-11; cf 22:17). But we need a little more theological detective work to determine how chaste singleness points to the new future.

…

In the new future, John looks and sees ‘a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the lamb’ (Rev 7:9). The significance of normal social identity markers (nation, tribe, people and language) has melted away. The markers remain visible – but people now gather on a new basis other than ties of culture genes or kinship. These structure social life now, but not then. As theologian Oliver O’Donovan puts it ‘Humanity in the presence of God will know a community in which the fidelity of love which marriage makes possibly will be extended beyond the limits of marriage.’

Single people offer a glimpse of this kind of society. They’re harbingers of an aspect of heavenly community, because they’re not constrained by family boundaries of genetics and kinship. They know how care and intimacy can go beyond family boundaries. They nudge members of families out of the introverted obsession with family life that becomes its dark side. They remind families that God calls everyone into the ‘great multitude’, and they call couples and families to attend to the wider community, and t0 point to heaven. (Joined-up Life, 234-235)

If I was to rewrite this sentence in the article it would say ‘Help your unmarried brothers and sisters taste a glimpse of the eternal marriage by sharing your life with them. Likewise, you too can taste a glimpse of eternal community by sharing in their life.’

3. What’s missing from a single person’s life?

It is not good for a man to be alone and he who finds a wife finds goodness, but it takes the beauty of a family to see the goodness far below the surface and in the crevices of these clay jars. Church, be that family, be the mothers and father, the sisters and brothers. Guide them, protect them, show them what is true and good and honorable in marriage, and then, please, help them get there.

It is true, it’s not good for anyone to be alone but as Christians we must recognise that our loneliness is only fully met in Jesus. Earthly marriage is but a shadow of this, and it’s a shadow that, no matter how good, will never completely satisfy our need. Jesus is the one who does that. The answer to the lonely single person is not simple ‘get married’ (though of course they may) but to enjoy Jesus and his people.

This paragraph should say “It is not good for anyone to be lonely. Church, to those who are lonely, be their family. Be their mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers. Guide them, protect them, show them what is true and good and honourable in following Jesus and run the race beside them.”

(Here’s more stuff I’ve written about singleness)

A promise that all wrongs will be righted

So on Monday this happened in Sydney.

Then on Wednesday this happened in Pakistan.

A friend posted this on Facebook yesterday

I wish I could draw a line under the events of this week and quickly and clearly express all my feelings and opinions about what is happening in the world. I am a confused mess of anger and blame and indifference.

It summed up exactly how I feel. So I’ve found it hard to respond to what’s been happening. But David nails it –

“One of the jarring aspects of this whole tragedy is that it all happened just 10 days before Christmas. Sydney has, in the last week, gone into Christmas mode. There’s always that discernible change in vibe from just the season where all the big stores have their decorations up and start plugging gifts for purchase to that moment when the shoppers are in the mood too. I think we got there last week. The Lindt Café would have been decked out in Christmas finery as Man Haron Monis burst through the doors.

Of course, the most jarring difference is that between the actions of Monis and those of the One who those decorations are celebrating. It’s the same jarring difference between all man-made religion and the only true religion; trust in the Lord Jesus Christ of whom the angel says,

Matt. 1:21 “[Mary] will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Here is real redemption. Not that I save myself by my actions and am rewarded by a merciful God (again, note the contradiction in terms) but that another comes and saves me. Here is redemption already won for me, as Zechariah prophesies,

Luke 1:68    “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people”

There is no Jihad in following Jesus. All the struggle is done for us. In fact the opposite is true, we are urged in a sense not to struggle.

Rom. 4:4-8 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.  And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,  just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Much could be said about this and some contrasts are obvious, if not already much-stated. Both struggles for redemption are costly. For Monis there was not only the cost of his own life but that of others. He no doubt understood that their death was part of his jihad and justified, as do many others who have acted and will go on to act in similar ways. Jesus, on the other hand, offers up His own life not for His own benefit but for those who have sinned against Him.

That is not to say that Jesus does not look forward to paradise. The Scriptures are clear, pointing us to

Heb. 12:2… Jesus, … who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

But this is where the similarity ends. Monis, and others like him, look to the death of others who they view as being sinful as their own pathway to paradise.

Jesus offers up His own life so that those who are sinful may be carried to paradise.

Therefore the only answer to the sin and destruction of yesterday is Jesus. He brings redemption to all, no matter what they have done, if only they will trust Him, place their confidence in Him and His death on their behalf.

And He also shows us how to respond, to love our enemies and to seek their redemption. He brings comfort to the grieving and (not to be forgotten) a promise that all wrongs will be righted.

The events in Sydney over the last 24 hours have not ruined Christmas. Nothing can ruin Christmas – for the coming of Jesus into the World is greater than any other event. If anything, the deaths of 3 people in the Lindt Café only serves to demonstrate just how wonderful and necessary Christmas is.”

Read the whole thing here.

Exodus: One God and many kings

Last night I saw Exodus: Gods and Kings. I’ll never understand why anyone would make a movie based on a bible story and change the story so much. If they told the story as it is in the bible it would be a much more cohesive story. Despite this it was enjoyable and here are 3 things I loved about it.

1. God is in charge

Throughout the movie there are plenty of characters who think they’re in charge, Pharaoh & Moses being the 2 big ones. Obviously Moses is the focus of the movie and from the beginning it’s clear there’s big things ahead for him, but the harder he tries to control things – his life, his future, his gang of rebellious Hebrews – the clearer it becomes that he is useless without God. During one conversation between God and Moses, God points out Moses’ failure and tells Moses to stop and watch. This is just before the plagues start and when they come it is crystal clear who is in control of them. It ain’t Moses.

2. God is powerful

Speaking of plagues, they are impressive. Big, powerful, devastating. The only thing more impressive is the one in control of them. His power is held in stark contrast to the gods of the Egyptians who are silent and powerless. The only god or king that holds real power in this story is the God of the Hebrews.

3. God has a plan

It’s clear that God has not forgotten his people. He always had a plan to save them from slavery. He always planned to keep his promise to lead them into the land of Canaan.

The story may have deviated from the biblical narrative in parts, but these are tremendous biblical truths about the God of the Hebrews. The one true God who had a plan not only for the Hebrews, but for the whole word. This plan was fulfilled in the person of Jesus, who came to rescue us from our own slavery, to sin and death.

Find out more about Jesus and God’s plan for freedom here.