Developing
the capabilities to interact with
science
Paul Ashman
Nature of Science Capabilities
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Gather and interpret data
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Use evidence
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Critique evidence
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Interpret representations
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Engage with science
When does a simple task become science?
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Investigating
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Questioning
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Evaluating
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Reasoning
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Thinking
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Curiosity
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Wondering
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Observations
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Making connections
Nature of
Science
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Observe scientists
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Science of self
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Science is constantly being re-evaluated in light of
new evidence
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How to carry out a scientific investigation
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Understanding how science works
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Make connections between science knowledge and
everyday decisions and actions
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This is a
compulsory strand – the other strands provide context for learning
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Assessment should be based on the nature of science
understanding (capabilities)
The difference between observations and inferences
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Weta
o That is an
inference
o What If
there was an insect that looked just like a weta?
o Prove it
o What can
you see about them
o Insect = 6
legs
o Link observations to what you think
- I see long
spindly legs coming out the front, I think they are antennae
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Bird
o I can see
claws with webbing that I think is its foot
o Feathers
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Grass, leaves, green vegetation
Things we can’t tell but that we infer:
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If the bird is dead
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If the weta are eating the bird
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That this is a bird
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Where the photo takes place
What can we see?
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Circles
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Spikes
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Perception varies – are the circles at the back in or
out
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Wonderings – If this is an eyeball then how do they blink?
Why does it have so many bits?
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As soon as
students know what it is, they will stop thinking
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Try and find images that don’t give away what ‘it’ is
Observations
Lit candle (What can you see, what do you notice)
Record = draw or write
Observation types – visual, tactile sense, what isn’t
happening, changes
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Noticing = engaged other senses
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Feel the heat
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The closer my hand got to the flame the hotter it got
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Yellow and orange at the top
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Blue flame at the base
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End of the wick glows with an orange ember
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There is an aura around the flame, it looks like a
lighter flame
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Some of the candle is melting
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The wick is charred black where the flame is touching
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Wick has woven pattern
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The wick has a hook shape
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The flame has different tones
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The flame changes height – why?
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Hotter above the flame than the sides
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Wax doesn’t catch burn
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Rapid air movement causes the candle to smoke
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Air movement – concave/convex shape flame
Progress:
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What do students notice?
o Things
o Attribute
o Change
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What senses do they use?
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What language do they use?
o Descriptive
language
o Topic
specific words
o Scientific
words
Do students make inferences without attempting to explain why
they think something?
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“I think it’s hot”
Do they make an inference and attempt to explain their
thinking?
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“I think it might get a little air in it so it
lightens up a little bit”
What links do they make?
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To previous experience?
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To scientific ideas?
Notice > Think > Wonder > Predict > Observe > Explain
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I see/I notice
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I think
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I wonder
I notice = engaging more of the senses
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I notice with my hand
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I notice with my nose
Get
students to justify what they are seeing and justify what they think
Informed Questions
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Is there evidence backing up this claim?
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Is the argument logical?
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Was the testing robust?
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Are the findings represented in a fair way?
What information can we get from this?
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By doing this we are starting to critique it
o Lot of rats
o Both graphs
have rats and birds
o How many
cats were interviewed?
o What was the
time frame for the data collection?
o What time
of day is the data collected?
o Is this in
a rural or town setting?
Critiquing Evidence
Design an experiment to test which tissue is stronger.
Representing Ideas
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Farming and global warming
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Comparing pictures
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Reading graphs, tables etc…
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Using scientific language
Resources
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Making better sense books
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Building science concept books
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The arbs
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Connected journals
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TKI
TKI Website
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Introducing science capabilities
o Information
about each
o Resources
that link directly into the capabilities
- Resources
broken up into levels
Resources:
