The processes of science was one of the main topics in chapter 2. After reading on the processes I am reminded of my elementary school days. I remember learning the Scientific Method, where it is very similar to the processes of science. The one component in the scientific method I can recall is the hypothesis. When I think back, the one thing the teacher always encouraged was creating a hypothesis. The students were always reminded that the main point was to create a proper hypothesis, so the experiment may be exciting. There are many steps to the processes of science, and it is easy to get lost or caught up in one process. It is necessary that the teacher stays on point and incorporates the processes, by utilizing inquiry science.
There are three types of investigations students are to learn to conduct; descriptive, classificatory, and experimental. I really liked that the author of the book, presented different experiments to further explain the three types of investigations. In my teaching career, I would propably use the approach the author of this book used to define the three investigations. I would not only verbally define each investigation, but allow them to put to practice what information is collected through each investigation.
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You found the two major components of this chapter. Indeed, the first half of the chapter refers to the science process skills we want children to develop. Please note that the textbook authors have purposefully steered away from presenting a "Scientific Method"--something which was commonly taught when we were in school. Why do you think that is?
ReplyDeleteThe second half of the chapter deals with the three types of inquiries. The distinctions made among these three types is important. Yes, every inquiry attempts to answer a question, but all questions are not alike. As we think about teaching children, we also know that not every question is developmentally appropriate. A question calling for an experimental design, for example, would not be appropriate for first graders. In the early elementary grades, it is far more appropriate for children to engage in descriptive inquiries (learning about the properties of water, for example) or classificatory inquiries (which objects sink or float).