Teaching Science in the

Elementary Grades (Biology &

Chemistry) Module 1

AGUILAR ERIKA M. BEED ll- A

Activity A.1. Defining Science

Activity A.2. Explain the Importance of Science Educatio

Activity B.1. The Facets of Science

 •Facets of Science •Insights and Reflection

1. Science as a broad body of knowledge -Science refers to a systematic and

organized body of knowledge in any area of inquiry that is acquired using “the scientific method” (the
scientific method is described further below). Science can be grouped into two broad categories: natural
science and social science

2. Reflect of your experience on science. -Reflect of your experience on science.

Think about what you did, thought, and felt at the time. Reflect on your learning. Analyze your
experience and compare to the models or principles that you want to follow. Apply to your practice.
Apply your learning to your practice. Science could be so helpful any time because this could be your
passion or career on the future.

3. Science as a intellectual activity -Science is the intellectual and

practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and
natural.

4. Science as a social activity -Moreover, in the societies in which

most scientific research is carried out, the coordinated work of science is embedded in a web of social
relations that links laboratories to government agencies, to educational institutions, and to groups of
citizens.

5. Science as problem solving -An innovative teacher preparation

course which integrates methods of teaching elementary mathematics and science was the context of
this study. The course was developed as a prototype for the Teachers As Reflective Problem Solvers
model for the preparation of elementary mathematics and science teachers

6. Science as a career -At some point in your career you may

come to a juncture where a need exists to reevaluate and reflect upon the current status of your career
choice, career path or other external factors

7. Science as a global human endeavor -Science is continually refining and

expanding our knowledge of the universe, and as it does, it leads to new questions for future
investigation.

8. Science as a process -Reflections on the Scientific Process For the

process to work, scientists must trust their colleagues have increasingly turned instead to the
perspective offered by Darwin's insight on .

APPLY
How can you merge the teaching of science content and the science process?

• The content of science for young children is a sophisticated interplay among concepts, scientific
reasoning, the nature of science, and doing science. ... And the thinking processes and skills of science
are also important.

What is the role of teacher in teaching science?

• Science teachers instruct students in subject-specific classrooms. They create lesson plans; evaluate
student performances; and teach using lectures, technology and hands-on learning experiences. They
also model expected behavior to establish and maintain an orderly, disciplined classroom.

EVALUATE

a. What is the ultimate goal of science education?

• Remember that the goal of science education is to teach students to: Use and interpret science to
explain the world around them. Evaluate and understand scientific theories and evidence. Investigate
and generate scientific explanations.

b. What are the characteristics of scientifically, environmentally, and technologically literate learners?
Explain briefly.

• Developing “literacy” is a focal point in problematizing science and mathematics education reforms.
In other words, it is imperative for science and mathematics educators and scholars to find more
innovative ways of helping students understand and employ languages and ideas of science and
mathematics in reasoning, communicating and solving problems. Scientific literacy stresses the
development of habits of mind to facilitate individual and group problem solving (American Association
for the Advancement of Science 1990). On the other hand, mathematical literacy means developing
students’ abilities to explore, conjecture, and reason logically as well as the use of a variety of
mathematical methods effectively to solve real life problems.

c. What are the three domains of learning science?

• cognitive, affective, and psychomotor.

d. What are the approaches in teaching science? Elaborate your answer.

•Enquiry approach, Problems solving approach, Laboratory method, Scientific method and Project
method are the examples of Child Centred Approaches. If a teacher is teaching the concept "Air has
weight" by Scientific method. It involves weighing by a spring balance, which is a skill.

______
e. What are the underlying principles and theories in teaching science?

• Educational psychologists have developed theories of learning based on three main paradigms –
behaviourism, cogni- tivism and constructivism. Teaching science has also been in fluenced by the
changing psychological ideas about teaching and learning.