STEMED 160 Unit 1 Reading Assignment PDF
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This document is an assignment focusing on physical science concepts specifically for elementary education students. The document emphasizes the practical use and application of physical science principles and the engineering design process for future educators.
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STEMED 160: Integrative Physical Science for Elementary ======================================================= Unit 1 Reading Assignment: Physical Science, the Engineering Design Process, and Scientific Inquiry =======================================================================================...
STEMED 160: Integrative Physical Science for Elementary ======================================================= Unit 1 Reading Assignment: Physical Science, the Engineering Design Process, and Scientific Inquiry =================================================================================================== Introduction: "For most people who come into contact with physics \[or physical science\], textbooks that land with 1,200-page *whumps* on desks are their only exposure to this amazingly rich and rewarding field. And what follows are weary struggles as the readers try to scale the awesome bulwarks of the massive tomes" (Holzner, 2011). The following is an explanation that Holzner has provided to engage interest in studying and teaching physical science and physics (e.g. his areas of expertise): "Physics is what it's all about. What what's all about? Everything. Physics is present in every action around you. And because physics is everywhere, it gets into some tricky places, which means it can be hard to follow. Studying physics \[or physical science\] can be even worse when you're reading some dense textbook that's hard to follow" (Holzner, 2011). So, what do we mean by "everywhere?" The following excerpt from [www.dummies.com](http://www.dummies.com) may help to make it clearer: "You can observe plenty going on around you all the time in the middle of your complex world. Leaves are waving, the sun is shining, the stars are twinkling, light bulbs are glowing, cars are moving, computer printers are printing, people are walking and riding bikes, streams are flowing, and so on. When you stop to examine these actions, your natural curiosity gives rise to endless questions." "How can I see?" "Why am I hot?" "Why do I slip when I try to climb that snow bank?" "What are those stars all about? Or are they planets? Why do they seem to move?" "Are there hidden worlds I can't see?" "What's light?" "Why do blankets make me warm?" (dummies.com, n.d.) The study of physical science and physics provides "inquiry into the world and the way it works, from the most basic (like coming to terms with the inertia of a dead car that you're trying to push) to the most exotic (like peering into the very tiniest of worlds inside the smallest of particles to try to make sense of the fundamental building blocks of matter)" (dummies.com, n.d.). At the most basic level, studying physical science is about becoming aware of how the world works. This physical science course is intended to provide background in basic physics and physical science concepts using freely-available Open Educational Resources (OERs), VCSU faculty-authored supplemental reading briefs, additional resources provided as.pdf documents/resources, and various Internet resources (e.g. interactive simulations, video demonstrations, etc.). You may find that portions of one of the OER textbooks appears to be a typical college-level dense tome, as described above by Holzner (2011). Think of it as reference material, within which you may dig deeper into physical science and physics as you wish -- although there are certain excerpts that you will be asked to read. Generally, a physics or physical science course at the college level involves a lot of math and memorizing of mathematical formulas for calculating all kinds of things going on in the world around you. However, the intention of this course is to be a conceptual course, which helps you understand how the world works, forces and movement at work in the world and beyond, and which, we hope, better prepares you to teach physical science concepts at the elementary level. The intent is that you will leave this course feeling comfortable with the future prospect of engaging elementary students and hooking their interest in learning about how the world works around them. As much as possible, this course will include hands-on experiences that will reinforce the physical concepts found in the *Next Generation Science Standards* (*NGSS*) for K-6^th^ grades (NGSS Lead States, 2013). The *NGSS* for physical science for grades K-6 include four important categories: PS1 Matter and Its Interactions, PS2 Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions, PS3 Energy, and PS4 Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer (e.g. sound and light). There is also an additional section of the *NGSS*, which we will address in this course: ETS1 Engineering Design -- which becomes extremely important when implementing Project-Based Learning (PBL) in the elementary classroom. Generally, this involves using the engineering design process to solve a real-world problem that requires inquiry and application of understanding of specific physical science properties. Generally, the PBL activities included in this course will translate well into use as either a demonstration of concepts to your future students or as learning activities that you can use in an elementary classroom. According to Goldstein (2016), PBL is important to providing long-term learning and engagement with physical science concepts. When this approach is used in physics or physical science courses intended for elementary education pre-service teachers, it promotes "meaningful learning (mainly in the scope of projects), higher motivation, and active involvement of students in learning...." It also improves "students' attitudes towards learning physics, reducing fear, and increasing their self-efficacy and enjoyment of learning." This approach can also help students develop "essential learning and collaborative skills," and strengthen "interpersonal and intercultural interactions among all" (Goldstein, 2016). In an online environment (such as for this course), it is less obvious how to include the development of collaborative skills; and interpersonal and intercultural interactions are also limited. However, we will strive to include these where possible through interaction in Discussion Board forums, and sharing some student assignments and resources. Engineering Design Process: "The engineering design process demands critical thinking, the application of technical knowledge, creativity and an appreciation of the effects of a design on society and the environment" (ITEA, 2002, p. 99). There are many versions of the Engineering Design Process (EDP). Conduct a search on the Internet and you will find simple versions intended for use with elementary students -- generally five steps (which can be counted on one hand) as well as 8-step versions for middle school or older students and others with 14-16 steps. What you will find is that the versions with more steps break down the few basic steps into more specifically-detailed steps. However, they are all pretty much descriptive of the same process. This graphic, an example of a useful EDP appropriate for use with elementary students, is the one developed by the Museum of Science (MOS), Boston, for their *Engineering is Elementary* curriculum series. You can see that it is a 5-step circular process. Generally, you will not see the EDP laid out as a linear process; because in working through it, one might need to revisit an earlier step to complete the process successfully. Here is how MOS describes the steps of their five-step EDP (MOS, 2017): "Ask: What is the problem? How have others approached it? What are your constraints?" "Imagine: What are some solutions? Brainstorm ideas. Choose the best one." ![](media/image2.jpeg)"Plan: Draw a diagram. Make lists of materials you need." "Create: Follow your plan and create something. Test it out!" "Improve: What works? What doesn't? What could work better? Modify your design to make it better. Test it out!" You can see that the "create" step combines both creation and testing, which is an example of a step that could be split into two in an EDP with more steps. The 8-step example provided, here, was also developed by MOS for their original *Building Math* curriculum series (Wong & Brizuela, 2006). You can see that there are more steps, but that they are also closely related to the steps in the previous five-step example. In future, in your own classroom, you may choose to use one of these examples, another one that better meets your needs, or one that is included in curricula that you choose to implement. Comparing the Engineering Design Process and Scientific Method/Inquiry: As you look at this illustration (Cowen, 2013) comparing the "Scientific Method" with the "Engineering Method" (or Engineering Design Process), you will see that at first glance the two methods look similar. You might even feel that to compare the two methods is a bit like splitting hairs. But, take another look and remember what the purpose of the scientific method has always been, since you first learned about it in elementary school. The scientific method is intended for learning about how the world works. Forming a hypothesis results from wondering about something that has been observed or discovered; and having a question that needs answering. Then, the scientific method of inquiry involves testing the hypothesis through observation and/or experimentation. The information or data collected, as a result of conducting the observations and/or experiment, will support the hypothesis, partially support the hypothesis, or not support it at all. The use of the scientific method usually leads to additional questions and the forming of new or additional hypotheses, which lead to additional observations and/or experiments. And, so on; which is how our current body of scientific knowledge, about how the world works, has been developed and added to over centuries and millennia. In other words, you can think of the Scientific Method as a means to gaining new knowledge and answering a question. Now, take a look at the Engineering Design Process (e.g. "Engineering Method"). The EDP is intended to solve a problem, which often involves meeting a human need or want. To begin with, what is "engineering?" According to the *Standards for Technological Literacy* (*STL*), engineering is: "The profession of or work performed by an engineer. Engineering involves the knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences (biological and physical) gained by study, experience and practice that are applied with judgement and creativity to develop ways to utilize the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of mankind" (ITEA, 2002, p. 238). The *STL* additionally define an "engineer" as: "A person who is trained in and uses technological and scientific knowledge to solve practical problems." These two definitions are not terribly elementary-student-friendly. So, I offer you much more simplified definitions, but ones which are just as accurate. Engineering is problem-solving and engineers are problem-solvers. According to the BBC (2015), in earlier times, the terms were also used for anyone using or operating some kind of an "engine" (e.g. steam engines and early train engines, etc.). One more definition that you will find useful in the future is a definition of "technology." Generally, if you ask both children and adults what technology is, they will begin listing digital and computer-based technologies. However, "technology" is much broader than that. Going back to the *STL*, here are a couple of useful definitions: "1. Human innovation in action that involves the generation of knowledge and processes to develop systems that solve problems and extend human capabilities. 2. The innovation, change or modification of the natural environment to satisfy perceived human needs and wants" (ITEA, 2002, p. 242). Once again, here is a suggestion for paring those down to something that elementary students can more easily grasp: Technology is anything made or invented by humans to improve upon what is found in the natural world, in order to meet human needs and wants. A technology can also be an object, process, or system. So, what does that mean? Here are some examples, from over the eons, of human-developed technologies: Pencils, paper, fabric, clothing, computers, medicines, cans, bottles, houses, skyscrapers, roads, bridges, transportation vehicles, arrows, arrowheads, axes, knives, hammers, knitting, sewing, canning to preserve food, cooking, pots & pans, glass blowing, microscopes, telescopes, ships, sails, sailing, boat-building, domesticating animals for food sources and for work, domesticating wild plants for cultivation, hybridizing plant species to develop new and more useful or beautiful varieties. And, on and on. Hopefully, you get the idea. If you could snap your fingers and all technology would immediately disappear, what would you be left with? That can be a useful question when you are trying to help your students understand what "technology" is. Why will it be important to understand or to use an Engineering Design Process? Both the EDP and scientific inquiry are important pieces in providing PBL activities in the classroom. Inquiry and experimentation can serve two purposes, it can provide information and understanding that increases students' understanding of specific physical science concepts. The hands-on experience will deepen understanding and the retention of the knowledge gained from the experience. The information and understanding gained from inquiry and experimentation can also be used to solve a problem or create a solution to a design challenge, which also deepens understanding and retention of knowledge by providing an opportunity for students to apply what they have learned. An important intent of including the EDP in this class is to get you thinking about the importance of PBL activities in your classroom for enhancing student understanding of physical science concepts; and provide examples of how that might be accomplished. It is also intended that you will realize how other subject areas (e.g. technology, engineering, and mathematics) might be integrated into your physical science learning activities. Final Thoughts: Remember: "The intent is that you will leave this course feeling comfortable with the future prospect of engaging elementary students and hooking their interest in learning about how the world works around them." Useful Search Terms and Glossary Terms: Elementary Engineering Design Process Brainstorming Criteria and Constraints Project Based Learning Useful Links for Future Reference: [*Next Generation Science Standards*](https://www.nextgenscience.org/) -- Available online. [*Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology*](https://www.iteea.org/File.aspx?id=67767&v=b26b7852) -- PDF version online. Bibliography: Cowen, A. (September 16, 2013). Understanding the engineering design process: Teachers embracing engineering design. \[Scientific Method vs. Engineering Method, illustration). Retrieved from Dummies.com. (n.d.) Discovering what physics is all about. Retrieved from Goldstein, O. (2016). A project-based learning approach to teaching physics for pre-service elementary school teacher education students. *Cogent Education*, *3*(1), 1200833. Retrieved from U1? Holzner, S. (2011). *Physics 1 for Dummies, 2^nd^ Edition*. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley Publishing, Inc. International Technology Education Association. (2002). *Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology, Second Edition*. Reston, VA: Author. Museum of Science (MOS), Boston. (2017). The engineering design process. Retrieved from NGSS Lead States. (2013). *Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States*. Retrieved from Wong, P. Y., & Brizuela, B. M. (2006). *Building Math: Stranded*! Engineering design process poster included with the text. Portland, ME: J. Weston Walch, Publisher.