EDUC 2097 (ECE)

Science and Mathematics

Education 1

Engaging
Scientifically

Image: https://www.decd.sa.gov.au/sites/g/files/net691/f/reimagining-childhood.pdf Workshop 1

Acknowledgement of Country
 Overview
Welcome and introductions
Review course structure/expectations
Group discussion
Engage with documentation
Investigate further …
Connect and identify future directions for learning
Next week …

http://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/illustration/children-silhouette-royalty-free-illustration/509587653
 Begin with a provocation to identify and respond to children’s existing understandings

Belonging being and becoming a Scientist

Connect with children’s emerging, everyday scientific concepts

1 Engaging scientifically: 3. Biological 5. Earth and 7. Chemical 9 Physical science

sciences space science science
Scientists engage with rich process ‘Living Places’ Exploring movement
to sort, classify and make sense of Daily and Observing
their observations and force
seasonal changes in
http://files.acecqa.gov.au/files/National-Quality-Framework- Living things and
Resources-Kit/
Australian Curriculum: Science changes properties of
educators_guide_to_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_austral their
ia.pdf -Science understandings materials and
-Science as a Human Endeavour
environment
Earth’s objects
-Science inquiry skills

EDUC 2097 Constructing scientific understandings through engaging with underlying

learning processes
resources

(ECE) Belonging being and becoming a Mathematician

Connecting with children’s emerging, everyday mathematical concepts

2. Engaging mathematically: 4. Spatial 6. Statistical 8. Geometric 10. Measurement

reasoning reasoning reasoning sense
Science and Mathematicians also sort, classify
and look for patterns; making
‘Navigating Places’
Engaging Exploring Big ideas underlying
connections to early number sense
Mathematics
Location and number sense properties of 3D all measurement
transformation through objects and 2D concepts
Australian Curriculum: Mathematics representing, shapes

Education 1 -Content strands

-Mathematical proficiencies
Constructing mathematical understandings through engaging with
comparing, and
interpreting data
sets
…and the
relationship
underlying learning processes between 3D/2D
Assessments Micro Teaching: (formative)
Collaborative group presentation of science
or mathematical focus in
Week 5.
Project 1:
Essay: Micro Teaching& Report: (summative)
Individual report to justify your rationale for
Written Reflection ascertaining children’s existing
1800 words equivalent understandings (refer structure)
Due: 10 Sept, 2023

Project 2: Planning: (summative)

Demonstrate understanding of designing
Report: Planning connected sequence of three learning
2700 words equivalent experiences in mathematics or science
education R-2 (Early Years of school)
Due: 15th Oct 2023, 2023

Assessments
Project 1 (40%)
Individual Essay based on Micro
Teaching presentation
Project 2 (60%)
Report: Planning: sequence of
three connected learning
experiences in Appendix.
Justification and discussion in body
text.
Week Focus Assessment dates
1 Engaging scientifically
2 Engaging mathematically
3 Biological science
4 Spatial reasoning
5 Earth/Space science MT Group Presentations
6 Statistical reasoning
(engaging number sense)
7 Chemical science Assign 1: Essay due 10 Sept 2023
8 Geometric reasoning
MS
MS
9 Physical science Assign 2: Report due 15 Oct 2023
10 Measurement sense
You will need access to the text
book for weekly reading reflections
and workshop discussion.

MacDonald A & Rafferty J

2015, Investigating Maths, Science
and Technology in Early
Childhood, Oxford University
Press, Australia.
 Ongoing expectations
Prepare for each workshop through engaging with weekly readings and
documenting/uploading your ongoing reflections

Active participation in our learning community (internal/external)

• Be prepared to discuss readings in light of workshop experiences to
develop your understanding further
• Explore all investigations hands on, consider how would children engage
… what could that look like … what would children say? (consider
language verbal/non-verbal)
• Represent your thinking in a variety of ways
• Share/document ideas explored through investigations
• Listen/respond to different ideas and strategies others share
Academic Integrity and Referencing

• “Academic integrity means a commitment to act with honesty,

trustworthiness, fairness, respect and responsibility in all academic
work, and in professional practice.” (
UniSA Academic Integrity Policy, p.3).
• Please take the time to read through the information online and why
it's important for your Uni work to be your own, like your fingerprint.
 Watch this short video about education
resources available through UniSA Library

https://unisa.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Embed.aspx?id=d32ab08c-f653-
4df8-9ae8-
ae47001c6ff0&autoplay=false&offerviewer=true&showtitle=true&showbrand=fals
e&captions=false&start=0&interactivity=all
 Group discussion: 3, 2, 1
Readings:

MacDonald & Rafferty, 2015, Investigating maths, science and technology in early childhood;
Ch 2: Powerful processes, pp. 14-30

Milne, I, 2010, A sense of wonder, arising from aesthetic experiences, should be the starting point
for inquiry in primary science, Science Education International, v21 (2), pp. 102-115

What were three significant/key ideas for you as a learner/teacher in

mathematics/science education?

Consider two practical implications for you as a future educator

in the early years of school
Prepare one question you would like to share with the group
 Reflect …

How do the authors describe

learning dispositions and
learning processes?

What is the difference between

learning dispositions and
learning processes?

What is the relationship between

them?
 Engaging scientifically
Watch the YouTube clip.

Consider how this text be used to connect

with young children’s sense of curiosity
and wonder about the world

What are the big questions young children

ask?

In what ways do children reveal their

scientific thinking and understandings?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L60876LQlYw
 Documentation
I am a Scientist how do children reveal this? … what do they say … what
do they do … what practices foster this identity?

In groups review the

transcript to identify
evidence of
• children’s learning
dispositions
• use of processes, and
• educators’ practice

• Develop a mind map with your

group showing how the two points
are connected

Refer e-readings
Britt & McLachlan 2015, pp. 73-83 http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/shop/product/unearthing-why-stories-of-thinking-and-learning-with-children/
 Engaging scientifically
“Understanding begins with a theory, an idea, a
wondering.

Through observation, hypothesis and experimentation,

science offers us a means to formalise our curiosity as we
study and question our world”

Britt & McLachlan 2015, p. 73

 Engaging scientifically
“In seven-year-old Jack’s words, a theory equates to,
‘I think this’ and, it is ‘not what you know is
absolutely true’.
This understanding creates the possibility for children to
hypothesise about possibilities, listen to each other’s theories,
shift and adapt their thinking, question their own ideas and the
ideas of others”
Britt & McLachlan 2015, p. 74
 Engaging scientifically
”Children develop mini-theories about their environment based on their
own cultural experiences (often called ‘everyday explanations’,
‘alternate views’ or ‘misconceptions’) …

[and] children make sense of science ideas … in relation to the existing

views they hold ...

… some children’s ideas may not change as a result of science

education” (Fleer 2015, pp. 30-31)

…so what helps shift/challenge some children’s ideas?

Engaging
thinking

What sound is
this?
Investigation: Engage

Create a sound map

View: https://www.sharingnature.com/sound-map.html

Then go outside and create your own sound map … come back
in and share your maps and sounds you heard

Discuss your reasoning for identifying and representing

sounds

Important: Keep one or two sounds hidden … capture this

mystery sound on your phone
What is sound …
what creates
sound?
 Investigation: Engage
Mystery sound

You have used your phone/iPad to capture interesting

sounds in the environment

Challenge another pair: What are the sounds? Why do

they think that…what is their reasoning?
What creates
sound?
 Investigation: Explore
Let’s look closer at what
creates sound…

Play and experiment with a

range of materials … what
sounds can you make with the
https://www.questacon.edu.
materials? https://handsonaswegrow.co
au/discover/box-guitar
m/make-music-water-experi
ment/
Record and represent your
thinking … what are your ideas http://www.co
mmunityplaythi
and theories? ngs.com/resour
ces/articles/201
5/loose-parts
 What do
What do we want to
find out?
we
know?
Back map to Australian Curriculum Science:
make connections…

ACARA 2018
 https://primaryconnections.org.au/about/teaching

Australian Academy of Science [AAS] 2018

 Inquiry process
Australian Curriculum Science: Inquiry skills F-2 (ACARA 2018)
How were we engaging
mathematically to make
sense of the sounds we
were creating/hearing?
 Moving forward this week …

1. Familiarise yourself with the the learn online site

2. Access the following documents:
• Australian Curriculum Science
https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/science/

• Primary Connections: 5E’s teaching and learning model (AAS 2018)

https://primaryconnections.org.au/about/teaching
 Observe the growth and change
Choose something to grow … in a plant over these next weeks
…
What do you notice?

Observe and document the changes …

Keep a diary to note your observations,

you may choose to draw, photograph,
measure and record changes

Bring your documentation to our week

3 workshop: Biological science

https://www.gardenbetty.com/growing-harvesting-and-shelling-fava-beans/
 How to sprout anything …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mbR5xcO8aI

Mung beans … only takes 3-4 days

https://sv-se.facebook.com/TasteLifeOfficial/videos/480183136020423/
 Next week …

Engaging mathematically
Readings:
MacDonald & Rafferty, 2015,
Ch 5: Patterns, pp. 66-77
Ch 8: Number, pp. 128-145

Prepare 3, 2, 1, reflective summary

 Questions and feedback …

https://krmd.co/latest-news/ama-ask-me-anything/