ERIC Number: EJ1233798
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Nov
Pages: 4
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-8148
EISSN: N/A
Methods & Strategies: Encouraging Student-Generated Questioning
Cellitti, Jessica; Wright, Christopher
Science and Children, v57 n4 p76-79 Nov 2019
One of the guiding principles highlighted in "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" (NRC 2012) states that "children are born investigators," claiming that students construct their own understanding of the natural world even before they learn about it in formal learning settings. Even if students lack a thorough understanding, their curiosity encourages them to ask questions and to consider solutions to problems they encounter. This belief encourages teachers to to cultivate classroom cultures that position students' ideas, knowledge, and abilities first, and encourages them to contemplate scientific and engineering solutions for problems currently facing our society. Toward the goal of creating this classroom culture, teachers have turned to integrated science and engineering curricula that are free and readily available through various online outlets. However, in a recent content analysis study, the authors investigated 52 of these free and readily available lesson activities across four different integrated science and engineering units designed for grade 3-5 students and found a lack of support for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States 2013) science and engineering practice (SEP) of asking questions and defining a problem. Findings from this analysis suggest that this practice is often overlooked and lessons continue to rely on teacher driven questions or teacher-generated problems. The goal of this article is to consider ways teachers can highlight the practice of asking questions and defining problems within grades 3-5 by making minor adjustments to lessons that have a big impact on encouraging question development.
Descriptors: Science Instruction, Teaching Methods, Questioning Techniques, Inquiry, Engineering, Classroom Environment, Interdisciplinary Approach, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Elementary School Science, National Standards, Elementary School Teachers, Elementary School Students, Discussion (Teaching Technique)
National Science Teachers Association. 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000. Tel: 800-722-6782; Fax: 703-243-3924; e-mail: membership@nsta.org; Web site: http://www.nsta.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive; Information Analyses
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Grade 3; Primary Education; Grade 4; Intermediate Grades; Grade 5; Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A