Everyone assembles in the Main Hall for a Welcome message from Youth Science Canada then we describe the schedule for the next 2 days. This is an important session because you form groups that will periodically get together for fun and laughter.
How do you assess inquiry-based learning? The familiar benchmarks that we use, knowledge and understanding, only partly apply to assessing inquiry. Rick Pardo, using a very simple activity, will show you how to become familiar with strategies for assessing process skills used in problem solving.
In this introductory session, Colleen and Sue will cover the history and theory of the Smarter Science framework. Using discrepant events, they will be able to show how you can engage your students.
They also demonstrate how this approach to teaching science will address differentiation and help you cover literacy and numeracy expectations in the content areas.
What is the difference between Creativity and Innovation? Mike will set you to the task in the Marshmallow Challenge and draw insights from your participation. He will introduce you to other strategies that can be used to get your kids' creative juices flowing at any ability or grade level.
Cette introduction à Éducasciences inclut des activités qui encouragent le questionnement. On y traite des fondements de l'enseignement par enquête, des habiletés liées au processus et de l’utilisation des affiches « pas-à-pas vers l'enquête ». Cet atelier s'adresse à des enseignantes et enseignants qui n'ont jamais utilisé le cadre Éducasciences dans leur salle de classe.
You say you’re committed to increasing your Inquiry-based teaching activity. This will mean implementing Inquiry-based teaching strategies; building in assessment strategies; differentiated instruction; connections to literacy and numeracy; more hands-on labs and activities; classroom & laboratory safety; achieving consensus & “buy-in” (among teachers, students, parents, & administrators…); classroom facilitation and more. What resources and established content is available to help teachers? Attend our session and learn about a very successful program, SEPUP (The Science Education for Public Understanding Program). SEPUP uses “Issue Oriented Science” as a theme to help you deliver a successful Inquiry-based teaching model. Learn about the program (with written structure & content). We’ll explore examples, work through a lab activity, provide alignment to the Ontario Science Curriculum, and give you specific places in the program where the Smarter Science Process Skills are implemented. This session will focus on our programs for the middle grades (6, 7, 8, & 9).
Technological problem solving (TPS) is a key component of the grade 1-8 S&T curriculum, and this session will explore how inquiry and TPS are naturally linked. Several rich problem-based projects at various grades will be shared. Participant will be encouraged to share rich TPS projects that their students have tackled, or others that they are aware of.
Cette introduction à Éducasciences inclut des activités qui encouragent le questionnement. On y traite des fondements de l'enseignement par enquête, des habiletés liées au processus et de l’utilisation des affiches « pas-à-pas vers l'enquête ». Cet atelier s'adresse à des enseignantes et enseignants qui n'ont jamais utilisé le cadre Éducasciences dans leur salle de classe.
This session will begin with a Smarter Science diagnostic to use at the very start of the semester with Grade 10. Other inquiry based labs from the Gr.10 Applied course will be shared.
Primary teachers and those teaching students who need a simpler format will find this session useful. Using Level 1 of the Steps to Inquiry poster sets, Colleen and Sue will use hands-on demonstrations to illustrate how to get started.
This is a session geared around the ideas of discrepant events and how to use them to stimulate student thoughts and ideas. We will review some common and some not too common examples of these teachable moments. All materials will be supplied and all safety and disposal protocols followed. Each participant will receive a sample to keep at no charge, and the confidence to use these events in their science programs once back at school.
You say you’re committed to increasing your Inquiry-based teaching activity. This will mean implementing Inquiry-based teaching strategies; building in assessment strategies; differentiated instruction; connections to literacy and numeracy; more hands-on labs and activities; classroom & laboratory safety; achieving consensus & “buy-in” (among other teachers, students, parents, & administrators…); classroom facilitation and more. What resources and established content is available to help teachers? Attend our session and learn about a very successful program, SEPUP (The Science Education for Public Understanding Program). SEPUP uses “Issue Oriented Science” as a theme to help you deliver a successful Inquiry-based teaching model. Learn about the program (with written structure & content). We’ll explore examples, work through a lab activity, provide alignment to the Ontario Science Curriculum, and give you specific places in the program where the Smarter Science process skills are implemented. This session will focus on our High School programs.
Let a paper airplane demonstrate the inquiry process. Get short activities and make models that focus on the investigative skills needed to be successful. Participants will work through a unit outline and an inquiry to start their Gr.9 programs.
In the second half of the session, she introduces some tried and true inquiry labs. Using these activities she introduces 'the control' as a starting point.
Presenters will share specific examples of Assessment For, As, and Of Learning tasks, designed to help students learn how to use skills of experimental inquiry in association with the Smarter Science framework, while also developing understanding of key concepts from strands of the Grade 7 and 8 curricula.
This workshop will focus on the Smarter Science model by using a standard text book lab (e.g. diffusion lab) and having the participants discover what it is they would like to learn from their observations. Classroom ready ideas will be provided.
Cet atelier permettra aux participantes et aux participants de se familiariser avec la façon de mettre en oeuvre le cadre Éducasciences et les affiches « Pas à pas vers l'enquête » en participants à une enquête scientifique comme s'ils étaient des élèves.
“The ability to solve problems is more than just accumulating knowledge and rules; it is the development of flexible, cognitive strategies that help analyze unanticipated, ill-structured situations to produce meaningful solutions. Even though many of today's complex issues are within the realm of student understanding, the skills needed to tackle these problems are often missing from instruction.”
During this one-hour session, Mike will introduce you to the basic elements of Problem Based learning. There will be references to various resources on the web e.g. IMSA and participants will leave with a template for designing rich problem-based learning tasks.
Let a paper airplane demonstrate the inquiry process. Get short activities and make models that focus on the investigative skills needed to be successful. Participants will work through a unit outline and an inquiry to start their Gr.9 programs.
In the second half of the session, she introduces some tried and true inquiry labs. Using these activities she introduces 'the control' as a starting point.
Bring science to life in the Primary Classroom with the Smarter Science framework. In this bilingual session, teachers will come away with ready made resources in both French and English ready to use in their primary classroom.
Using the SCAMPER technique, Mike will lead you through 2 exercises that will get kids thinking outside the box, literally. This strategy blends well with brainstorming and you will take part in a lively session that has 'no holds barred'!
Cet atelier met l’accent sur les habiletés liées au processus : observer, prédire, formuler une hypothèse, etc. Vous découvrirez des activités qui permettront à vos élèves de les maîtriser afin de pouvoir ensuite les utiliser lors d’enquêtes.
Rick and Susan will share the use of Success Criteria as a way to assess and evaluate inquriy skills and products through sample activities for various grade levels. The emphasis will be on assessment for, as and of learning in the context of the Smarter Science framework - (eg. observe, predict ..... etc.) using the Smarter Science Posters. Particants should be familiar with the use of the posters and/or have attended an introductory session earler in the day.
The heart of Problem Based Learning is authentic tasks relevant to the learner. Last semester Kay Stephen based an entire grade 11 biology course on wonder. Students kept Wonder Journals to critically reflect on their learning and what it led them to wonder about. These Wonder Journals became the basis for both their assessment and evaluation. At the end of each unit students were assigned a research project based on their own “I wonders…” resulting in them being fully engaged and owning their own learning process. Case studies were designed from events happening in the school community or reported in the local media. Not just student engagement and marks soared so did the real, authentic learning that endured beyond the scope of the course. Come and find out how to make these techniques work for you!
The goal of the inquiry camp was to develop students' ability to conduct independent research. Participants will not only learn about the process of starting a camp, but will also get meaningful activities that can be used in the classroom.
No need to dress up in your finest but we are going to be awarding 3 teachers with the Smarter Science Teacher of the Year Award for 2012. If you're going to be making an acceptance speech, be sure to keep it under 45 seconds!
Join Jenny and Kay for some star gazing. Jenny will have a celestron telescope set up (May be pointed at the moon or planet) and will show 2 Galileo student telescopes, which can be obtained for very low cost. Jenny will use a laser pointer to identify stars and the space station or any Iridium flares that are going by at the time. Participants will be shown how to make their own star maps and use them. Kay will show you how to use a Canadian Space Agency star-counting activity.
Each team will be performing a three-minute presentation on their theme. Be prepared for fun and laughter. Prizes, prizes, prizes!
Compelling research shows that literacy is best taught through the content areas. The Smarter Science framework and inquiry tools help develop deeper conceptual understanding and improved literacy skills. Lots of classroom examples & assessment ideas will be shared.
Rick will be showing participants how to use the Level 3 Steps to Inquiry posters to develop an inquiry-based question. As part of his presentation, he will be using the famous candle and jar experiment.
An inquiry plan is an outline for developing a level III Inquiry Challenge. Inquiry Plans typically start with an engagement piece (discrepant event, science news, video etc.) and outline Background Information for the teacher.They also include how to identify the Process Skills used in the inquiry and where this inquiry fits in your curriculum.
Mike will guide you through the process of creating an Inquiry Plan. Templates will be available in paper copies, a MS Word template and as an online form.
You will leave this session with the beginnings of your very own Inquiry Plan.
Cet atelier met l’accent sur les stratégies à utiliser pour évaluer le rendement des élèves qui font des enquêtes scientifiques. Les participants utiliseront des outils d’évaluation permettant de cibler des habiletés liées au processus.
Since launching a year ago in July 2011, the Spongelab science platform has reached some incredible milestones. We're rapidly growing into a global community full of science multimedia, complete with online teaching and data-tracking tools.
See all of the details in our cool infographic that shows how Spongelab is the new go-to place for science education.
This session will provide hands-on experiences to use probeware in conjunction with the Smarter Science Framework. The result is authentic research opportunities and a powerful platform for data collection and analysis. Participants will have fun using probeware in their guided and open inquiries and see why students love these devices.
Compelling research shows that literacy is best taught through the content areas. The Smarter Science framework and inquiry tools help develop deeper conceptual understanding and improved literacy skills. Lots of classroom examples & assessment ideas will be shared.
Successful open-ended inquiry requires properly explicated reasoning. Attendees will use various inquiry techniques (e.g., PEOE) and practice at how to get students to develop smarter inquiry skills. Some classroom research will be mentioned.
Cet atelier met l’accent sur la différence entre les enquêtes scientifiques ouvertes et les enquêtes scientifiques fermées. Les enseignantes et enseignants vivront une enquête scientifique à trois degrés d'ouverture et apprendront à modifier des enquêtes scientifiques pour les rendre plus ouvertes.
Rick will show how the Experimental Design & Performance (Steps to Inquiry Posters) have been used to design and conduct experiments to confirm an inference rather than a prediction. This approach addresses situations where observations are made without the direct manipulation of variables. The experiences of Thames Valley DSB's grade 9 water quality science project will be shared. Participants will have the opportunity to start an "infer" project of their own.
Since launching a year ago in July 2011, the Spongelab science platform has reached some incredible milestones. We're rapidly growing into a global community full of science multimedia, complete with online teaching and data-tracking tools.
See all of the details in our cool infographic that shows how Spongelab is the new go-to place for science education.
Doug will lead participants through the Smarter Science PEOE poster as they are faced with a design and build challenge. These challenges allow students to be creative with their design regardless of their level or grade.
Make sure you wear your biggest smile to this lunch! At 1:15 PM we are all going to meet in front of the CTMC building for a group photograph. Please arrange to meet with your group so that you can be together in this photograph.
This session shares some of the ways to approach to teaching Senior Biology using the Smarter Science framework. The presentation will include examples of previous cookbook labs that have been transformed, PEOE's, and assessment tools for this framework.
Teachers will discover how Smarter Science's, hands on learning, transformed my classroom from a group of excited Gr.1's and 2's to a hub of learning and curiosity. Learn how to teach 'Smarter' and teach inquiry in all areas of the curriculum.
Having trouble thinking outside the box? Let Kay Stephen lead you through a workshop inspired when she received a package in the mail. Even before opening the package questions were generated! Questioning is the heart of critical thinking! If you have questions you have science! Once the package was opened and the packing peanuts spilled out the experimental opportunities were limitless! Kay will show you how to inspire excitement in your classroom, model questioning techniques, and demonstrate how to facilitate a Smarter Science experiment. These processes transcend all age groups and learning strands! What was in the package? Come and find out!
Cet atelier met l’accent sur les changements subtils d’activités tirées de manuels scolaires afin de les transformer en tâches ouvertes. Les participants modifieront des activités traditionnelles et les intégreront au « pas-à-pas vers l’enquête ».
Rick will share how the Smarter Science posters have been used to guide Problem Based Learning (PBL) and Technological Problem Solving (TPS) activities. Additional student templates and forms developed to scaffold these distinct approaches will be shared.
Technological Problem Solving/ Design & Build (TPS)
Students develop the ability to design solutions to problems. They create models of new devices or processes to help address human needs and desires. Students are challenged to be creative in their thinking rather than arriving at predetermined answers. Critical aspects of technological problem solving are: careful planning; purposeful selection of tools and materials; testing, retesting, and modifications of a product or process; communicating about the solution; and recommending changes or improvements.
Problem Based Learning (PBL) is a complex and collaborative approach to inquiry learning. Students investigate multiple sides of a situation to reach a decision or conclusion. Typically they participate in a performance task, such as: debate, mock trial, structured discussion, or oral defense. In addition or alternatively, students may demonstrate understanding through written briefs, physical products, product comparisons or product evaluations.
Take an entire school's worth of science students and set them to the task of 'Greening' their school. Find out how the science department organized and carried out this incredibly complex inquiry-based task in the course of 2 weeks.
At the end of 2 weeks, the entire gym was filled with student exhibits that demonstrated their solutions.
The most unique aspect of this project was that the student teams comprised grades 9 through 12 students of all ability levels.
Participants will learn about the conversion of the mystery powder lab (SNC 1P) to an inquiry model by adapting Poster Set 2, working through the activity and assessment piece. Prior Knowledge of Smarter Science is recommended.
This session will focus on how to implement inquiry-based science through the Smarter Science approach in classes that have split grades. The examples used will be from the Junior and Intermediate levels.
So, you're all excited about the inquiry approach to science, and you return to school and try to convince the colleagues in your department to consider adopting Inquiry. And nothing happens…
Mike Newnham discusses the barriers to change and the elements necessary to convince teachers to change their attitude about this highly engaging and rewarding approach to teaching.
During this session you will collaborate with other attendees on methods for creating a culture of innovation in your department. You will leave this session with a step by step plan that you can implement.
Cet atelier met l'accent sur une stratégie très efficace à utiliser en classe pour cibler un concept particulier tout en invitant l’élève à se questionner et à utiliser les habiletés liées au processus : PEOE (Prédire-expliquer-observer-expliquer).
Lynn will share some Smarter Science activities and Case Studies she uses in her Senior Biology course. A few examples include: Osmosis, Enzyme Action, Protein Misfolding (Protein Synthesis Research) Homeostasis and yourself, and Case Studies (from the Buffalo Case Studies website) Agony and Ecstasy, Fleacide Dip, The Mystery of Seven deaths etc.
ExploreLearning Gizmos are excellent tools to use when getting started using the Smarter Science inquiry framework. In this session, you will observe and participate in modelled lessons specifically designed to scaffold student centred inquiry thinking strategies using web based simulations.
