Science Project-Based Learning

In order to fully develop critical thinking skills necessary to function in the world of science, and the world in general, science teachers must incorporate more robust authentic inquiry activities, as part of their overall science curriculum. However, in my experience as a science teacher (18 years) and a science program director (3 years) in inner-city high schools in Boston, students do not have the opportunity to engage in robust authentic inquiry activities. Using my years’ experience in the public education system, it is clear to me that factors, such as teachers’ inadequate content knowledge, lack of motivation to implement inquiry, pressure to teach to high stake standardized tests, lack of experience

2. My actual score had me ranging from high to low - Initiator (thirteen), Encourager (eight), Gatekeeper and Summarizer (seven), and Harmonizer (six).

Science Olympiad also provides an excellent opportunity to get students interested in science. Hawley noted that he was drawn into SciOly by “the thrill of learning and building” and that “the teachers that were involved with my first year of Science Olympiad were also amazing and had a vast level of skill and wanted us to

I have always been interested in science, but the hands on experiments have helped me understand and grasp concepts much easier. I recall my first experiment in first grade when the class was given the lima bean sprout experiment, which required students to plant a bean in a paper cup. The purpose of this experiment was to teach us about photosynthesis and practice our observation skills. I recall how others were fascinated about why their sprout grew. I, on the other hand, was more captivated by why the other sprouts did not grow and the factors, which contributed to that outcome. This basic experiment taught me to look at things through different lenses and not always to the most obvious path.

From collaborative learning inside of the student’s clusters of desk to hands-on lessons in STEM discovery, Galaviz is continually working to push the STEM envelope at Garfield Elementary. She hosts a Saturday STEM club for 4th - 6th graders, and recently, through a two-year grant funded by NASA and a partnership with Boise State University, she has trail-blazed even more at home learning opportunities. For K-6, each classroom now has the ability to take STEM backpacks home over the weekend. With three different lesson plans, students can now bring STEM home, experimenting and creating with the help of their

This research article analysis is over the article Undergraduate student researchers, preferred learning styles, and basic science research: A winning combination which is published in the Clearing House Journal and written by Lori Woeste and Beverly Barham. This article can also be found in Week One Electronic Reserve Readings. In this analysis a summary of the article will be provided, the type of information discussed in the article will be given, as well as if the information in this article should be considered reliable and valid.

The WebQuery, the 5E lesson plan, and the field trip guide, are examples of through which students engage in investigations that enhance learning and that helps them meet the NGSS. These artifacts also indicate my ability to develop lesson plans that promote the learning of science; that align content to the NGSS; that demonstrate the use of assessment to ensure that the students are meeting the standards; and that showcase the use of literature to support grouping strategies and lesson rationale

Science is such a unique and highly captivating subject that so many young students find interesting and yet it is also a subject that the vast majority of students get discouraged by as well as lose interest in as they get older. There are so many different areas of science it is easy to be overwhelmed and get discouraged if you easily do not understand something. For this reason, I had decided I need to research a Citizens Science Project that I could bring not only bring into my future classroom but share with my students and their families as well.

With many schools experiencing budget issues or simply don’t have the room nor the ability to justify the extra expense of a science lab, many schools are looking online for virtual resources. The need to increase science literacy is almost a mandate from our dear president. This is a good thing, but the problem is people don’t want to spend money. NGSS demands more cognitive understanding of all sciences and engineering practices. Schools are looking to increase the level of science achievement of their students. Students generally found lab experiences valuable, and viewed lab experiences as beneficial to their learning. (Pyatt, 2012, p. 145)

Roanoke Valley Governor’s School is known for its Project Forum. Students can work independently on creating a research study project that has a great potential for changing the world. Two subjects I am passionate about are improving the environment and finding the most efficient way to learn. My two ideas for Project Forum involve making a more friendly car for the environment and finding what type of note taking students learn the best from.

30. Does your company have any treasury stock? How many shares and what dollar amount? – No.

The Course Project enables students to integrate and build onto course materials and discussions by doing a Diagnostic Paper (Option 1) of a significant change initiative or by writing a Research Paper (Option 2) that goes beyond what has been covered in the course.

and is always about lessons and notes, that you don't get to explore your own mind and explore what you enjoy. I think as a society we always talk about things that we would like to know more about or things that people think needs to change, but not alot of people seem to take the time to do the research and take action to find more about it. I like this project because for once you get to do a project on something you want to do.

One possible solution to low academic achievement in certain content areas is the use of the hands-on learning approach. These activities can be used to promote higher order thinking and an increased understanding of the curriculum. When a teacher emphasizes hands-on learning activities, students significantly outperform their peers (Wenglinsky, 2000). Research on hands- on learning has been conducted and advocated since the late 1950's. The resulting research indicated that hands-on instruction was very successful in teaching science and mathematics because this kind of instruction created a more active environment. (Frederick, 1999). By using hands- on instruction in the classroom students attitudes toward science and math will become positive, students will then be motivated to learn, teachers and students will

Science is, by its nature, inquiry based and science knowledge is built through processes in which discoveries of the natural world are made (Abruscato, 2000). It utilizes discovery and scientific thinking process to explore and learn knowledge and skills. Learning by doing is the new efficient method in teaching science. For kindergarten, this method leads to better understanding of science concepts and builds skills that children will use in future life .What a child can do with assistance now, they can later do on their own (Vygotsky, 1978). John Dewey (1916) stated that children must be engaged in an active quest for learning and new ideas. Inquiry is important in educating kindergarteners because it not only keeps them interested in lessons but also helps them retain more information when performing exploration and investigation. Children are naturally motivated to learn and actively seek out information to help their understanding (Piaget, 1950).The success of students who participate in hands- on inquiry activities suggests that if students have first hands experience with science, concepts are easier to understand and apply and students are generally more favorable to science and have better understanding of the nature of science .Within a conceptual framework, inquiry learning and active learner involvement can lead to important outcomes in the classroom. In kindergarten, students who are actively making observations, collecting results and drawing