Changing My Lesson for PBS

“Contextualizing instruction in project-based science involves utilizing students’ prior knowledge and everyday experiences as a catalyst for understanding challenging science concepts. (Rivet, A.)

PBS Unit Changes Based on Evidence

In the past, I created a PBS skeleton which served as an outline for my unit. I had already implemented a 4th grade unit on Energy which I had modified and used for a couple of years. Although there was enrichment and some engagement activities, I didn’t understand how much it was missing. Since, my Energy unit went from inquiry to PBS. It is now full of guiding questions, formative assessment, Claim Evidence & Reasoning in Science Notebooks (as well as foldables) Students are constructing their knowledge and I am facilitating. Students are creating a need for their own knowledge and have a say in how they will develop the understanding. Connections are being made and students are given an opportunity to dispute or communicate through other venues their perspective on what has been learned. I have fully adopted the 5E learning model due to its immediate impact on student achievement in my classroom. This achievement is evident in classroom discourse, student led questions, Science Notebook entries, and other methods of formative assessment.

PBS Method of Teaching

As students come into my classroom, I am often asking myself why I am going to deliver the lesson the way I am, why not a different way or what might be a better way? By focusing each lesson on the concepts of project based science and the 5E learning model, it is less of a question and more of a defined statement. In addition to these changes, the integration of technology is more seemless as well.

During my unit on Energy; lessons such as building a solar oven or making a circuit looked different. For example, I don’t especially like the solar oven lesson because there seems to be little change in temperature when I have done it in the past. This year, rather than telling them to build a solar over, I showed the materials and said they had to build a device to make S’mores. This actually took some of the pressure off me since the ovens don’t always work. Kids came up with stories of when they eat S’mores, designed how to build the device and tested it in different areas. The learning was an experience rather than an end result. They could still collect data and communicate results.

The circuits lesson was different because I laid the materials on the table and told them their goal was to light a bulb. Intentionally, I left out the battery to create a need; for something else but they didn’t know what it was yet. Then, when I gave them the battery it had meaning. This experience will be more memorable and solidify the need for a source of energy.

Another change worth noting is my use of science notebooks. This was something new for me this year. Every class has made them and there are several which now contain foldables! The students have learned how to reference previous findings in their notebooks and use them as a reference of what they did the week before. The use of Claim Evidence and Reasoning has become a staple use of language in the classroom. Although I don’t always ask the students to write each part, they understand the importance of writing and speaking with purpose and having evidence to back up what is said.  This is apparent in their written and spoken responses as well as the use of iPads to check for understanding using Socrative. Sometimes I ask for an exit ticket or a word as they leave. Students are more engaged in their learning and display more ownership, emotion is attached to their thoughts because they developed them. I have found this has led to more discussion where students don’t agree with one another and therefor make a claim and have evidence. This has really turned out to be the main reason why I am confident my change in teaching style has led to more fruitful learning which will last beyond the test.

#Education #lesson design #PBL #science #NGSS

Reference: Rivet, A. E. (No Date). Contextualizing instruction: connecting to urban students’ ideas and experiences. Teachers College, Columbia University. New York, NY.