Instructional
goals and student skills will be assessed
in the areas of science
process skills,
communication of ideas and understanding of science
content presented.
Process
Skills for learning in the Lab
all
students will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their thinking
abilities by:
-
applying
techniques of observation to investigate real-world puzzles
and
phenomena
-
looking
for patterns
-
discovering
connections between structures and function
-
comparing
categorizing classifying
-
identifying
cause and effect relationships
-
predicting
and testing reasonable outcomes
older
students will also be assessed when
-
applying
decision-making skills within a collaborative team
-
sequencing
ideas and activities
-
gathering
organizing recording and interpreting data
Communication
All
students will be given the opportunity to practice communication
skills by:
-
participating
orally in discussions of ideas
-
making
conjectures
-
formulating
convincing arguments and negotiating toward some agreements within a
group
-
Teaching
others new skills
-
Constructing diagrams and illustrations that document their experiences and lead others to understand the significance of their observation.
Process Skills for Learning in a Lab Setting
-
Attending to the point of instruction. Sometimes this is the lead-in to the investigation and sometimes it is the hands-on portion of the session...the actual lab work anticipated in the lesson. The point of instruction can include students who are speaking to the group as well as small group activity at the lab tables. Attending to the science content includes conversations that students engage in with their lab partner as they investigate.
-
Working
cooperatively to complete tasks by participating positively within
the group process. Sharing materials and tools as needed or simply assisting one another with the sequence of activity presented is an example of cooperative work habits that are assessed.
-
Fluency in a variety of modes includes skills when working on individual tasks, in partnership and within whole group discussions.