Telling the Energy Story: Design and Results of a New Curriculum for Energy in Upper Elementary School

Autor/inn/en	Lacy, Sara J.; Tobin, Roger G.; Crissman, Sally; DeWater, Lezlie; Gray, Kara E.; Haddad, Nick; Hammerman, James K. L.; Seeley, Lane
Titel	Telling the Energy Story: Design and Results of a New Curriculum for Energy in Upper Elementary School
Quelle	In: Science Education, 106 (2022) 1, S.27-56 (30 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Lacy, Sara J.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0036-8326
DOI	10.1002/sce.21684
Schlagwörter	Science Instruction; Elementary School Science; Grade 4; Grade 5; Energy; Curriculum Development; Science Process Skills; Program Effectiveness; Scientific Concepts; Concept Formation; Hands on Science; Active Learning + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; School year 04; 4. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 04; School year 05; 5. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 05; Energie; Curriculum; Development; Curriculumentwicklung; Lehrplan; Entwicklung; Concept learning; Begriffsbildung; Aktives Lernen
Abstract	We describe the development, design, implementation, and preliminary classroom results of an innovative curriculum, "Focus on Energy," that supports learning about energy in Grades 4-5. The curriculum is grounded in the concepts of science as practice, model-based reasoning, and learning progressions, and builds on students' pre-existing ideas and resources. We illustrate how students gradually develop the ability to track energy forms, transfers, and transformations in increasingly complex scenarios. We present evidence, using a quasi-experimental design, that students who completed the curriculum were significantly more adept at these skills than students in comparable classrooms who experienced their districts' existing energy-related physical science curricula. Important features of the curriculum include: the careful selection of a limited set of concepts chosen to provide a sound foundation for future learning; a consistent conceptual framework (the Energy Tracking Lens) within which the students have agency to build and refine a model of energy; engaging hands-on activities that steadily build in complexity; accessible and versatile semi-quantitative representations that support reasoning and communication; individual, small-group and large-group meaning-making; and training and support for the teachers. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01