Dr. Ken Schoon

IUN Bulletin description: Focus on curriculum decisions teachers make every day.  Specifically, students in this course will examine current learning theories and apply those theories to instructional practices at the middle grades and high school.  Prerequisites: For M437: M314; for S508: admission to either UTEP’s Option II or IUN’s Transition to Teaching Program; for M550 an Indiana teacher's license.

This course is the first of two science methods courses designed for students who plan to teach science in the middle / junior high and high school.  These two courses emphasize the importance of active- and inquiry-based learning.  Students will have ample opportunities for using these models as they teach secondary children as part of the accompanying field experience program.  Field experiences for this course will be at the middle school level.  Students who already have teaching licenses and who are adding a middle school endorsement through M550 will take only this course.
 
 

Formal written materials must be typed on a word processor.  Word processing features such as enlarged type size [for the title page], bold face [for headings] and justification should be used as appropriate.  Papers should be double-spaced with a 1 inch margin.  Font size should be about the size used here.  (This is “Times 12.”)  Do not use cute or hard-to-read fonts.  Papers must have a professional appearance and be grammatically, historically, mathematically, and scientifically correct.  Citations must be properly listed.  Papers and reports do not need cover sheets or folders.  For several assignments a single-spaced file copy is also required.   (Objective 3)

Assignments are due at the beginning of class periods.  Due dates may be altered on account of illness or if arranged in advance.  If a student is unable to attend class when an assignment is due, the student must ensure that the assignment is quickly submitted (via another student or US mail), within 24 hrs.  A written assignment submitted late will have points deducted (usually 5% / school day or 25% / week).  Students who have an unexcused absence on the day of a demonstration may not reschedule the demonstration.

P-1.  Email account.  If you don't already have one, get an email account that uses your name as an indicator and use it for communication in this course.  As soon as possible (but certainly before the due date) send an email to Dr. Schoon.  (Objective 3)

P-1.  Pseudoscience report  Select a form of pseudoscience.  Find and read resource materials about it and lead a discussion about it in class  (Objective 17)

P-2.  Conference attendance.  Attend two half days at a conference sponsored or organized by a state or national organization of science teachers or workshops designed for professional development of science teachers.  Provide written documentation of your attendance and report (orally) about the experience to the class.  It is recommended that this assignment be met by attending HASTI's convention in February. (Objective 12)

P-3. Web-site.  Demonstrate to the class a useful web site that could be used in middle school science teaching.   (Objective 4 and 5)

P-4. Discrepant event.   Demonstrate to the class two discrepant events suitable for use in middle school science.  (Objective 8 and 9)

P-5. Student learning report.  Create assessment instruments (e.g. pretest and quiz) for two of three lessons that you taught in the field.  (See field exeprience requirements for lesson-type requirements.)  These instruments must measure whether students met each of your objectives.  This must include a means to measure students knowledge before you taught the lesson and afterwards.  Then write a summary of your effect on student learning.  Specific data is needed for this report:  The report, due towards the end of the semester, must include:
            •    an introduction that describes where, when, to whom, and what you taught
            •    materials for the first lesson
                        lesson plan, warm-up sheet (pre-test), post-test, examples of student work, data on student mastery of each objective, discussion
            •    materials for the second lesson
                        lesson plan, warm-up sheet (pre-test), post-test, examples of student work, data on student mastery of each objective, discussion
            •    a reflection on your overall effectiveness and suggestions as to how you might be more effective
Be certain that each objective in the two lessons is assessed.  Turn in 2 copies of the report; one will be graded and returned.  Please mark the other one "file copy."  (Objective 11)

P-6  Micro-teaching assignment.  Plan a 25-30 minute inquiry science lesson appropriate to middle schools.  Write an appropriate lesson plan.  Get all equipment necessary and teach it to the class.   (Objective 9)

P-7  Snowflakes.  Create 3 "anotomically-correct" snowflakes.  Laminate them or mount them on black or blue paper.  (Objective 10)

P-8. Leaf collection.  Fifteen leaves (including silver maple) from local trees, all dried, pressed, and neatly mounted.  Arrange your leaves by some classification system (simple/ compound/ needes or color or . . . ). Correctly identify the leaves and note which characteristics of the leaf led to its identification.  (Primarily an in-class activity.  If leaves do not come out before the end of the semester, the activity will be done next semester.) (Objective 10)

P-9.  Advising receipt.  When advising begins (after the Summer / Fall Schedules are distributed), sign up and participate in an advising session, procure an advising evaluation, complete it and turn it in to the office, and show the receipt to me.

See also Field Experience requirements.

Kn-1. Misconceptions report (Objective 6):  Skim a few articles from the list below and choose a common science misconception reported in one of the articles to be the topic of your paper.  Include the following in your paper:
       a. List the common misconception.  Compare it with the scientifically accepted conception.
       b. How common is the misconception?  How did the researchers discover that?
       c. Explain how the misconception develops.
       d. Explain what, as a teacher, you can do to prevent or overcome that misconception.
       e. List your references in APA style (the same as in the misconceptions bibliography).
       f. Prepare your report on 1 sheet of paper   (You may single space or use both sides if needed.)
       g. Make copies to give one to each member of the class.
       h. Discuss the misconception in class.

Kn-2. Concept map with about 18-22 concepts.  Follow the format in the Guide.  Attach to the map a list of Indiana K-12 Academic Standards that your map addresses.  (Please write out the standards, don't just list their numbers.)   For an A in this assignment, it must be done on a computer.  However one may earn a B with a hand-drawn map. (Objective 7)

Kn-3.  Field trip plan for a science field trip to a local museum or other location to which you might someday take students.  (Local < 3 hr. drive)  Visit the site and bring a brochure or description of services for each class member.  (You may assume that you teach at a particular school.)   Prepare a report including:
    1. A letter containing a description of the trip and activities (and the grade level for which it is planned) with a rationale as though addressed to a principal.  This letter must include the K-12 Academic Standards that will be addressed by the trip and it must show how what will be learned on the trip relates with what is being taught in the class.  It should attempt to show that the trip is worth the time and money (if any) involved.
    2. Instructional objectives for students written in behavioral terms.
    3. Trip information:
        a. Name and school district of “assumed” school.  Grade level of “assumed” students.
        b. Name and address of site to be visited with [real] contact persons and phone numbers.
        c. Time frame for the day / How far in advance reservations should be made.
        d. Type of transportation needed.  (If busses, how many?:  Name/ phone number of bus company or school transportation coordinator.)
        e. Cost analysis.  (admission + transportation)  Show exactly how costs were determined.  (Detail is important here.)  Where will the needed money come from?  Should students bring extra money?  [Is there a gift/souvenir shop?  Vending machine?]
        f. Food requirements.  (What about students on a reduced/free lunch program?)
        g. Chaperon requirements.  (Report on both the site's requirements and the school's)
        h. Special clothing requirements, if any.
        i. What arrangements must be made for students with special needs?  (Remember that there are many different types of special needs so be sure to address more than just one.  What services does your site provide?  If none or very few, note that.)
        j. Who will conduct the tour or visitation.
    4. Permission slip.  Create a one-page permission slip as would be needed for such a trip containing appropriate information for parents.  (Such information should not be on a section of the form designed to be returned.)  The form must be “Student-Ready”  (look professional).
General requirements:  Do not assume any school or district policies and do not omit any requirements.  If, for instance, no food is required, please note that.  You do not need to include any forms required by any particular school or school district.  Turn in 2 copies, one following the above requirements and a file copy, marked “copy.” (Objective 12)

Kn-4. School/context assignment.  Prepare a 3-5 page interdisciplinary report about your field (or other)
school and the neighborhood around it.  Include the following:
    1)  Geology:  Are the school and its neighborhood situated on a landscape made by glaciers, running water, wind, or waves?   How long ago was this landscape made?
    2)  Geography:  Are there any lakes, rivers, floodplaines, wetlands, prairies near the school?  Are they natural or man-made?  If near a floodplain, is the school ever threatened by floods?  Where does the school (and community) gets its water?
    3)  Environmental:  Are there any environmental resources (e.g. forest, prairie) nearby.  Are there any environmental hazzards (e.g. superfund site, dump) nearby?
    4)  History:  Who or what is the school named after?  How old is the town in which your school is located?  When and by whom was it founded?  Is there a relationship between the location of the town center and a geological or geographical feature?
    5)  Social:  How is the building used by the community (if at all) either during or after school?  Do any community groups meet there?  Does the local park department use any classrooms or the gymnasium?
    6)  Standards:  Can the material in this report be used to support science standard 7.3.7?  If so, how?
    7)  Bibliography / list of sources (Most students would do this without being reminded, but sometimes a reminder is nice). (Objective 14)

Kn-5.  Corrections.  One point extra credit will be given to the first student who reports grammatical or spelling errors contained in this syllabus or on any "official" papers distributed in class.

D-1  Attendance and participation:  Students are expected to attend and participate in all class activities and discussions. Students who cannot attend a class, for whatever reason, should call 980-7766 before class begins and arrange for an alternative assignment.  Students who will be late, should also call.  No student with an unexcused absence will receive an A.  No student with three or more unexcused absences will revieve a grade of B- or higher.  (Objective 1)

D-2. Self-assessment of IPSB Standards for Teachers of Science.   Download the IPSB (Indiana Professional Standards Board) Standards and rate yourself by each.  This will be done again at the end of the second semester course.  Read each standard and its indicators for performances, knowledge, and dispositions.  For this report, print each standard in full (about a sentence or two) and describe your feelings about your own abilities and dispositions at this stage in your preparation.  Refer to the assessment rubric at the end of the syllabus. (Objective 16)

Notes for D-2:  There are 10 IPSB standards for Teachers of Science.  Under each standard are dozens of "indicators."  These indicators are grouped under performaces, knowledge, and disposition (the same as the assignments in this syllabus).  The indicators are various ways in which teachers can meet the standards.  Not every teacher will meet every indicator, but each must meet the 10 standards. For the report:  Read each standard and all of its indicators, then copy just the standard into your report and write a paragraph or two about how you feel that you "measure up" at this stage of your professional development.  These paragraphs usually reflect several of the various indicators.  See the rubric for this assignment in the appendix of this syllabus.

D-4.  Proof of membership for two science teacher organizations  (State, national, or subject-area) or two 2-page reviews of articles from The Science Teacher or other approved science teacher journalsor one of each.  If memberships are applied for, do it early so that you have documentation before the end of the semester.  If reviews are written, turn in a copy of the reviewed article with pertinent sentences highlighted.  (Objectives 4 and 13)

D-5  Service learning activity and documentation. After discussing this activity with your instructor, volunteer your services to assist with some sort of science instruction or educational activity at a Science Olympiad event, a local nature center, a County, State, or National Park, or other appropriate place.  Submit a thank you letter or certificate documenting participation.  (Objective 15)

D-6. Graduate-student essay (for students earning graduate credit):
       • Urban experience essay. (S508-UTEP)  Write a five-page essay in which you reflect upon the teaching of middle school science in urban areas.   References to Purkey and Novak's Inviting School Success and reflections of other teachers at your field-experience site must be included as part of the essay.   References must be listed in APA format.   (Objective 18)
       • Transition to Teaching essay. (S508-TtT)  Write a five-page essay in which you reflect upon the teaching of middle school science.  The essay must reflect upon learning to teach science through the TtT program.  (As part of this essay is to be about the TtT “program.”  Students should be forthright in their stated opinions.  The purpose here is to assure graduate credit for students and at the same time to improve the program.)  (Objective 18)
       •  Middle School endorsement (M550)  No essay is necessary as these students are getting just 3-credits for the course and field.

•  Observe at least 10 different middle school science lessons taught by at least 3 different teachers.  S508and M550 students who are full-time teachers should talk to Dr. Schoon about ways to meet this assignment.   Graduate students must document these observations.  (Objective 9)

•  Demonstrate a discrepant event to a middle school science class.

•  Plan and teach 3 science lessons in middle school science classes.  Video tape one of them.
       •  One lesson shall be expository following a direct instruction model (lecture, discussion, direct instruction, etc.)
       •  One lesson shall be based on the learning cycle.   (On your plan be sure to indicate its steps.  See example in the appendix.)
       •  The third lesson may be any type of guided discovery (lab) instruction but must involve the teaching or integration of two disciplines.

Students should prepare plans early enough, so that after discussing them with the cooperating teacher, they can be revised as necessary.  Lesson plans must include applicable K-12 Indiana Academic Standards, measurable instructional objectives (See the Guide) and teaching plans including sample questions that you plan to ask the children. (Objective 9)

 •  Student Learning Report:  See requirements in the section above.    (Objective 12).
 
 

Notes:  Assignments marked with a check or an asterisk are not graded for points, but are required for a grade of C, S, or higher.  Semester grades will be lowered for unexcused absences (see above); no student with an unexcused absence will receive an A.  Lack of participation (including excessive tardies or lack of attendance, even if excused) may also result in grades being lowered.  Superior ratings (A+) will be given only to assignments which need no improvement and are produced independently with little input from the instructor.  Semester letter grades will be determined using the above and by the following scale:
 
 

       Amer. Assoc. for the Adv. of Science  (1993) Benchmarks for Science Literacy.  NY: Oxford University.Press.
       Freedman, R.L.H.  (1994).  Open-ended Questioning:  A Handbook for Educators.  Addison-Wesley
       Funk, J. J., et. al.  (1985).  Learning Science Process Skills, 2nd edition.  Kendall-Hunt, Dubuque, IA
       Hart, C.  (1994). Authentic Assessment:  A Handbook for Educators.  Addison-Wesley
       Indiana Department of Education.  (2000). Indiana's Academic Standards:  Science
       Mintzes, J., Wandersee, J., & Novak, J.  (1998). Teaching Science for Understanding.  Academic Press
       National Research Council.  (1996).  National Science Education Standards.  National Academy Press,
       National Science Teachers Association.  (1992).  The Content Core:  A Guide for Curriculum Designers.
       Novak, J.  (1991). Clarifying with Concept Maps.  The Science Teacher  58 (7), 45-49.

    Arnaudin, M. W. & Mintzes, J. J.  (1986).  Students's alternative conceptions of the human circulartory system:  A Cross-Age Study, Science Education, 69:  721-733
    Ault, C. R., Jr.  (1984).  The everyday perspective and exceedingly unobvious meaning, Journal of Geological Education, 32: 89-91.
    Ault, C. R., Jr.  (1984).  Intelligently wrong:  Some comments on children's misconceptions, Science and Children, 21, 22-24.
    Berg, T. & Brouwer, W.  (1991).  Teacher awareness of student alternate conceptions about rotational motion and gravity, Journal of Research in Science Teaching,  28: 3-18.
    Bell, B. (1985).  Students' Ideas about plant nutrition, Journal of Biological Education, 19: 213-218.
    Ben-Zvi, R., Eylon, B. & Silberstein, J.  (1986).  Is an atom of copper malleable? Journal of Chemical Education, 63:64-66.
    Berg, T. and Brower, W. (1991).  Teacher awareness of student alternate conceptions about rotational motion and gravity, Journal of Research in Science Teaching  28:  3-18.
    Brumby, M. N. Misconceptions about the concept of natural selection by medical biology students, Science Education, 68: 493-503.
    Cohen, M. & Kagen, M.  (1979).  Where does the old moon go?  Science Education,  Nov:  22-23.
    de Berg, K.  (1995).  Student understanding of the volume, mass, and pressure of air within a sealed syringe in different states of compression, Journal of Research in Science Teaching,  32:  871-884.
    Eaton, J. F., et al. (1983).  When students don't know they don't know, Science and Children  20:  6-9.
    Enochs. L. G., & Gabel, D. L.  (1984).  Preservice elementary teachers' conceptions of volume, School Science and Mathematics, 84:  670-680.
    Feder, K.  (1986). The challenges of pseudoscience, Journal of College Science Teaching, Feb: 276-280.
    Fisher, K. M., et al. (1986).  Student misconceptions and teacher assumptions in college biology, Journal of College Science Teaching, February: 276-280.
    Harrison, A., et. al   (1999).  Investigating a grade 11 student's evolving conceptions of heat and temperature, Journal of Research in Science Teaching  36: 39-54.
    Hewson, P. W.  (1985).  Diagnosis and remediation of an alternate conception of velocity using a microcomputer program, American Journal of Physics,  53:  684-690.
    Johns, K. W. (1984).  Stamp out blue blood! Science and Children, May: 20-22.
    Meyer, W. B.  (1987).  Vernacular American theories of earth science, Journal of Geological Education, 35: 193-196.
    Mintzes, J. J. (1984).  Naive theories in biology:  Children's concepts of the human body, School Science and Mathematics 84: 548-555.
    Novick, S. & Nussbaum, J. (1981). Pupil's understanding of the particulate nature of matter: A cross-age study, Science Education 65: 187-196.
    Nussbaum, J.  (1979).  Children's conceptions of the earth as a cosmic body:  A cross-age study, Science Education  63: 83-93.
    Osborne, R. J., & Cosgrove, M. (1983).  Children's conceptions of the changes of state of water, Journal of Research in Science Teaching  20: 825-838.  Journal of Research in Science Teaching  32.  939-938.
    Quilez-Pardo J. & Solaz-Portolés.  (1995).  Students' and teachers' misapplication of LeChatelier's Principle: Implications for the teaching of chemical equilbrium.
    Schoon, K. J. (1992).  Students' Alternative Conceptions of Earth and Space.  Journal of Geological Education  40: 209-214.
    Stavy, R. (1991). Children’s ideas about matter, School Science and Mathematics, 91: 240-244.
    Stavy, R. (1990). Children’s conception of changes in the state of matter: From liquid (or solid) to gas, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 27: 247-266.
    Stephans, J. & Kuehn, C. (1985).  Children's conceptions of weather, Science and Children, 44-47.
    Tamir, P., Gal-Choppin, R. & Nussinovitz, R. (1981).  How do intermediate and junior high school students conceptualize living and nonliving?  Journal of Research in Science Teaching  18: 241-248.
    VanHise, Y.A. (1988). Student misconceptions in mechanics, The Physics Teacher, 26: 498-502.
 
 

These courses and the School of Education’s  conceptual framework are aligned with the ten principles of the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium  (INTASC) .  The following chart shows the ten INTASC principles and the course objectives which apply to them.

This course and the accompanying field experience course also help students meet the following Developmental Standards established by the Indiana Professional Standards Board.  Standards below that are followed by an asterisk are particularly emphasized by this course.
 
 

                                                  The standards that have an asterisk are those especially targeted by this course