Introduction to Supporting Science What Does Science Involve

Introduction to Supporting Science

What Does Science Involve? • • Identifying a question to investigate Forming hypotheses Collecting data Interpreting data to determine significant patterns • Making conclusions

What Role Does Math Play in Supporting Science? • Students must be able to apply mathematical content and practices to: – Select appropriate tools to gather and analyze data – Use tools to model the data by describing it mathematically – Reason quantitatively to understand the data – Reason abstractly to draw conclusions

How Does Math Instruction Support Students in Science? • • Gives students ways to organize data. Helps students make sense of data. Helps students see patterns in data. Helps students make accurate calculations.

Discussion Questions 1 1. Do your students already know the necessary math skills for a science lesson, or is it taught during the lesson? 2. What strategies (e. g. , thinking aloud, organizing, modeling, visual representations, precise language, peer interaction, and/or solving problems) help students use math in science? 3. In what ways do your students struggle to apply math when doing science?

How Can I Support Student Use of Math in Science?

Use of Evidence-Based Instructional Practices • Provide Clear Explanations • Give Students Strategies and Models • Provide Ongoing Formative Assessment

Differentiated Instruction • Plan instruction that considers students' readiness, learning needs, and interests. • Use a range of technology tools to: – engage learners at varying levels – engage learners in multiple ways. – offer students options for demonstrating understanding and mastery

Teacher-Dependent Ways to Differentiate • By Content – Different levels of reading or resource materials, reading buddies, small group instruction, curriculum compacting, multilevel computer programs and Web Quests, audio materials, etc. • By Product – Activity choice boards, tiered activities, multi-level learning center tasks, similar readiness groups, choice in group work, varied journal prompts, mixed readiness groups with targeted roles for students, etc. • By Process – Tiered products, students choose mode of presentation to demonstrate learning, independent study, varied rubrics, mentorships, interest-based investigations

Student-Dependent Ways to Differentiate • By Content – Different levels of reading or resource materials, reading buddies, small group instruction, curriculum compacting, multilevel computer programs and Web Quests, audio materials, etc. • By Product – Activity choice boards, tiered activities, multi-level learning center tasks, similar readiness groups, choice in group work, varied journal prompts, mixed readiness groups with targeted roles for students, etc. • By Process – Tiered products, students choose mode of presentation to demonstrate learning, independent study, varied rubrics, mentorships, interest-based investigations

Discussion Questions 2 1. How can you use CCSS Mathematical Practices and the UDL principles to enhance students’ application of math to science? 2. How do you build differentiation into teaching students to use math when doing science? 3. How have you used technology to differentiate instruction?

Provide Clear Explanations: Possible Strategies • Help students understand what constitutes a good scientific question. • Emphasize big ideas that are relevant across disciplines. • Tap students’ prior knowledge of mathematics to describe the problem.

Give Students Strategies and Models: Possible Strategies • Guide students’ selection and use of appropriate representations. • Help students account for sources of error, including the limitations of mathematical models. • Give students time to reflect on the application of math and its role in accumulating scientific knowledge.

Provide Ongoing Formative Assessment: Possible Strategies • Give feedback that emphasizes the underlying mathematics. • Explicitly ask questions that encourage students to make connections between data and concepts. • Differentiate the questions you ask and the actions you take to move students closer to math and science goals.

Use Technology Tools • Virtual manipulates • Multimedia resources • Spreadsheets • Graphing tools • Regression models • Statistical packages

Use these Research-Based Strategies and Tools • To launch the lesson • During the learning task • As you bring closure to the lesson

Discussion Questions 3 1. What are some methods you have used to effectively expand students’ understanding of why and how to use mathematics in science? 2. How do you teach students to analyze and interpret data? 3. What technology tools have you used to support gathering and analyzing data?

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