Get them to think!!! Who has control......

You give students more control of their own learning by encouraging exploration. Give your students your expectations and give them the responsibility.  

Learning goals (or competencies): By laying out the required expectations for a course the teacher no longer must “cover” everything; instead the students are responsible for ensuring that they can meet the expected goals.

 

Rubrics: Clear expectations regarding the grading criteria for any type of project (term paper, presentation, group work) allows students to decide how best to meet the expectations. Guide student learning through well-crafted Web activities. The support is therefore available 24/7, and while the teacher is important in the design, the teacher can be home sleeping while students are learning. I think that’s cool … and efficient!

It important for students to learn about the history of science, as Ms. Murray's students do so the students gain 
insights into the nature of science and the role of historical, philosophical and technological contexts in the development of scientific knowledge. To be able to truly understand and evaluate in science, it is beneficial to gain a deeper knowledge and background for better understanding and interpretation of data.

I had a science lesson in which I had to try to identify or describe something I couldn’t see.  This kind of lesson build students’ scientific skills because it makes them think outside the box. It makes them pay closer attention to detail. For instance if there was something in the box and the student had to describe it, he or she would pay attention to how heavy it is, if makes noise, if it moves, etc. When you are not told all of the information, it opens a world of possibilities, this develops students process skills for critical thinking. 
                 


In Ms. Murray’s use of design technology, students not only research, discuss, and draw the structure of atoms, but also build their own atomic models with materials like Popsicle sticks, beads, and tape. The point of the building stage is crucial for development. In early childhood it is equally important that science activities be hands-on, child-driven, authentic, and active. Developmentally, young children learn and understand best from what they can see, touch, feel, and manipulate. Providing safe, readily available materials that children can experiment with is one of the most important steps towards effective hands-on science investigations.