The Unifying Science ConceptsThe Big Ideas of Science

What are unifying science concepts?

• The Vellom book, Chapter 3 reads,

“The work of scientists, and the knowledge that results from that work, is characterized by a number of concepts and processes that are universal”.

What are unifying science concepts?

• So basically…these ideas are universal.

• They are the “big ideas” of science

• The universal unifying concepts help students to understand the natural world

Five Unifying Processes

• There are 5 “big ideas” that are identified in the National Science Education Standards

- Systems, order, and organization.

- Evidence, models, and explanation. - Change, constancy, and measurement. - Evolution and equilibrium. - Form and function.

Systems, Order, and Organization• Nature is made up of many systems that are related and/or

connected in some ways. • A system is a whole that is composed of parts arranged in

an orderly manner according to some plan or function. • Our body makes up a system, the planets around the sun

make a (solar) system, and each classroom in our school makes up a system.

• Children can begin to understand systems by considering the parts that make up a system, the purpose of a system, and the changes that occur in a system.

•   Summary: Nature is composed of many interrelated systems.

Example

• Digestive System

• When teaching about the digestive system, I could just teach the parts and move on.

• This is not good science and does teach the “big idea”

• Students need to understand how the system works as whole• What happens if a part if missing or broken?• What happens if a part is damaged?• What could damage this system?

Evidence, Models, and Explanation• Nature behaves in predictable ways and searching

for explanations is one of the most important functions of science.

• We must teach children how to use evidence and models to develop explanations that help us to understand our world.

• Explanations – we collect evidence (data) in order to develop explanations

• Models are used in science to represent other things that might be difficult to see or measure.

• Models are a difficult concept for young children to grasp.

Summary: Nature is predictable and we can use evidence and models to develop explanations to understand our world.

Example

• Models – an very important concept of science education

• Examples of models – phases of the moon (to actually observe this in the classroom it would take a month), plate tectonics (hard impossible to observe), structure of the atom (too small to be seen).

• Full scale models are great to use of possible – human skeleton, organs, etc.

• Important to communicate to student how the model relates to the real objects. I have to explain to the students that the model of an atom is just a model…it really doesn’t represent what a real atom looks like.

Change, Constancy, and Measurement

• The natural world is continually changing and children should be made aware of these changes.

• Although change occurs, there are many patterns that are repeated constantly over time.

• Measurements can be used to document changes and consistency over time.

• Summary: Nature is constantly changing but there are many repeating patterns.

Examples

• Children can be asked to observe changes in the seasons and changes in the position and apparent shape of the moon.

• The earth rotates every 24 hours, ocean tides come twice a day, and caterpillars develop into butterflies.

Evolution and Equilibrium

• All organisms have their own distinctive characteristics and so there is a great deal of diversity in nature.

• These characteristics are inherited from one generation to another and nature selects the characteristics (adaptations) that provide advantages for survival.

• While both organisms and their environments change, natural systems tend to be balanced (in equilibrium) over time.

  • Summary: Organisms are diverse and nature

selects the characteristics (adaptations) of organisms that provide advantages for survival.

Examples

• Children can quickly come to appreciate the wonderful diversity found in nature and can gradually consider how organisms adapt and change over time.

• Human origin should not be studied with elementary students.

Form and Function

• A relationship usually exists between the form or an object or organism (how it looks, sounds, feels, smells) and the function of the object or organism (what is does).

• Summary: There is a relationship between the form of an object and it’s function.

Example

• Children can learn to infer the functions of things by closely observing their forms.

• For example, they can infer what a mammal eats by observing their teeth, or what a bird eats by examining the structure of their beaks.

How does this relate to teaching?

• When planning your lessons, you should always keep the “big ideas” in mind.

• Start with the GLCE and figure out the “big ideas” that go with your GLCE • You can discover this during the digging in process

• Then write your learning statements and create lessons and activities always keeping the big idea in mind.

How does this relate to teaching?

• You should be able to tie a “big idea” to each lesson or unit you teach.

References

• The Northwest Georgia Science Education Partnership located at http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/tbrown/curiosity/bigideas.htm

• Vellom, R. P. (2008). Teaching elementary science: Designs for inquiry and interaction.