K-12 Science Curriculum

Inquiry in School Science

Christine Wortman-Engren, Ed.D.

5/1/2008

When you inspire students to imagine beyond their expectations, to seek more questions than they will ever answer, and to persist when others concede, you are becoming an inquiry-based teacher.

-Douglas Llewellyn

-Douglas Llewellyn

-Douglas Llewellyn

GREAT FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

VISION:

All kids are engaged in learning today … for life tomorrow.

MISSION:

We successfully educate students to navigate the future.

WE BELIEVE:

§ All students deserve teachers and staff who thrive on student success.

§ Each student will have fair and equitable opportunity for quality instruction and academic success.

§ All students learn when their individual needs are met.

§ All students and staff learn and work best in a safe, secure, and nurturing environment.

§ Highly skilled and committed personnel are our greatest asset.

§ Quality education is a partnership of student, staff, family, and community engagement.

§ Dedication to acknowledging, affirming, and including diversity enriches the educational experience for all.

§ District resources, programs and staff are flexible and adaptable to meet the changing needs of all students.

§ A well-educated community is the foundation of our democracy.

GREAT FALLS - GREAT SCHOOLS - GREATER TOMORROWS

Introduction

Great Falls Public Schools presents the 2008 K-12 science curriculum which is designed to be implemented using the essential features of classroom inquiry. Scientific classrooms in Great Falls Public Schools strive to engage learners in scientifically oriented questions which require investigation, gathering of data and development of explanations for scientific phenomena.

As endorsed by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council, the Essential Features of Classroom Inquiry include the following:

· Learners are engaged by scientifically oriented questions.

· Learners give priority to evidence which address those questions.

· Learners formulate explanations from evidence.

· Learners evaluate their explanations in light of alternative explanations.

· Learners communicate and justify their proposed explanations.

The K-12 science instruction program is framed around three enduring understandings which align to state and national standards:

· Scientific inquiry affords all learners opportunities to make observations, pose questions, develop hypotheses, design and conduct investigations, and analyze data to draw conclusions.

· Exploring systems, order, and organizations in our natural and designed world are integral to understanding the scientific disciplines and their interdependence.

· Both contemporary and historical scientific understandings inform technological, ethical, cultural and life decisions.

As students develop their abilities and understanding of scientific concepts and procedures, they become more adept at designing and conducting scientific investigations for the purpose of understanding their world in a scientifically literate way.

Essential Features of Classroom Inquiry

Essential Feature	Level 4	Level 3	Level 2	Level 1
1. Learner engages in scientifically oriented questions	Learner poses questions	Learner selects among questions, poses new questions	Learner sharpens or clarifies question provided by teacher, materials or other sources	Learner engages in questions provided by teacher, materials, or other sources
2. Learner gives priority to evidence in responding to questions	Learner determines what constitutes evidence and collects it	Learner directed to collect certain data	Learner given data and asked to analyze	Learner given data and told how to analyze
3. Learner formulate explanations from evidence	Learner formulates explanation after summarizing evidence	Learner guided in process of formulating explanations from evidence	Learner given possible ways to use evidence to formulate explanation	Learner provided with evidence and how to use evidence to formulate explanation
4. Learner connects explanations to scientific knowledge	Learner independently examines other resources and forms the links to explanations	Learner directed toward areas and sources of scientific knowledge	Learner given possible connections
5. Learner communicates and justifies explanations	Learner forms reasonable and logical arguments to communicate explanations	Learner coached in development of communication	Learner provided broad guidelines to sharpen communication	Learner is given steps and procedures for communication

More Amount of Learner Self-Direction Less

Less Amount of Direction from Teacher or Material More

Adapted from National Science Education Standards

Committee Membership-elementary Committee Membership-secondary

Verna Copeland Longfellow Kindergarten Nathan Gregier Charles M. Russell Grade 9/10

Judy Shattuck Sac Kindergarten/1st Tom Cubbage Charles M. Russell Grade 10/11

Pat Stratton Sunnyside Third Grade Mike Lathrop Charles M. Russell Grade 9/11/11/12

Kirsten Dige Lincoln Fourth Grade Shelli Lavinder Charles M. Russell Grade 9/10/11/12

Lori Vinson Valley View Third Grade Karen Spencer Charles M. Russell Department Leader

Heather Beck Loy Fifth Grade Gary Copeland Great Falls High Department Leader

Tara Rosipal Sac/North 6, 7, 8 Grade Jan Mader Great Falls High Grade 9/10/11

Megan May Roosevelt Sixth Grade Mike Hodges Great Falls High Grade 9/10

Beth Thomas District Environmental Joe Barlow Great Falls High Grade 11/12

Kathy McLean Sunnyside Principal Chris Crocker Great Falls High Grade 9/Higher Ed.

Kim Kellogg District TSA Elaine Blythe Paris Gibson Education Center All

Luke Diekhans District Environmental Kerry Parsons Charles M. Russell Assistant Principal

Jean Jones East MS 7/8 Grades Christine Lencioni District Reading Coach

Cynthia Jacobsen East MS 7/8 Grades Kathy Wanner Great Falls High Special Education

Sharon Fox North MS 7/8 Grades Dulce Whitford District IEFA Coach

Mary Somerfeld North MS 7/8 Grades Christopher Lohse State & National Relations Specialist

Mary Rearden District Extended Services Heather Hoyer East/GFHS 7-12

Debby Kelly WH 1^st Grade

Diane Seder L&C 1^st Grade

Additional Writing Participants-elementary Additional Writing Participants-secondary

Lynn Ryerson SS Kindergarten Josy McLean Charles M. Russell Foundations

Jolene DeRosa Loy 1^st Grade Matthew Krahe Great Falls High Geology

Teresa Sprague SC 2^nd Grade Christine Sundly Charles M. Russell Biology

Jean Smith ML 2^nd Grade Christopher Hibbert Charles M. Russell Geology

Everett Hall SC 3^rd Grade

Laurie Matteson LN 3^rd Grade

Noelle Johnson CJ 3^rd Grade

Ryan Edwards SS 4^th Grade

Jon Konen MS 5^th Grade

Char Bunker WT 6^th Grade

Todd Ondick MS 6^th Grade

Advisory Team

Diana Leonard Parent Alli Stacy Student CMR

Marni Napierala Parent Kevin Kundis Student CMR

Martha Judice Parent Kyle Wanner Student Sunnyside

Karen Ryan Parent Levi Mael Student Sunnyside

Dr. Cherie McKeever Parent Zachary Lavinder Student NMS