“Science is more than a body of knowledge. It is a way of thinking; a way of skeptically interrogating the universe with a fine understanding of human fallibility."-Carl Sagan
How many remember getting into college or high school, picking up your textbook, and thinking "wow that is one thick book!" I know I did. Before we receive our syllabus for the semester we think "there is no way that we are going to cover all of this material! Right?" Wrong. So many teachers choose a textbook and power straight through it. They use preprepared slideshows and activities to espouse this body of knowledge to their students. But fundamentally, science is not a body of knowledge. No! It is a way of thinking as Carl Sagan stated. While there is a body of knowledge that is out there represented in data, research papers, and other outlets, we forget just how this knowledge came to be; through science!
As science teachers it is paramount that we recognize
we are not only teaching data, research, and theories, but that we are also teaching science. That we are also teaching and inspiring curiosity and inquisitiveness. Teaching them to question.
I don't know about most teachers, but I believe that this is something many teachers in other subjects are able to more readily do. They don't have to worry as much about constant change in subject matter and material. I mean, in English classes a noun is always a noun. But in science the knowledge of a cell and its constituents is constantly changing! This is why we must turn our classrooms into a laboratory of sorts. Maybe a think tank is a better term. One way to accomplish this is through using the flipped classroom approach.
This approach is literally a flip of what is typically done in class and what is done at home. The typical classroom consists of in class lecture and then home work is performed after the school day concludes. Instead the opposite is done for a flipped classroom. The students will watch a video lecture or look at new material PRIOR to class and then class time will be devoted to review, activities, and discussions. I believe that this approach is most sound for scientific classrooms. This way, class time with the teacher is not wasted! Instead, there is interaction, communication, and most importantly reinforcement! The students have time to ask questions. They are able to have more undivided attention from the teacher!
If you want to read up some more on a flipped classroom, clink on this link below. It will lead you to a document that goes into further detail regarding flipped classrooms.
-Document Link
Here are a few examples of how to take advantage a flipped classroom approach in teaching science!
- At home preparation ideas for students
- Video lectures or youtube videos
- Handouts, worksheets, textbook readings
- Research new ideas on the topic of study
- Challenge them to find something that the teacher may not even know!
- Ideas for in class activities
- Group discussion-pretend they are in a think tank!
- Have them put their preparation into action in a surprise game or activity
- Avoid pop quizzes, or other time consuming homework
- Develop strategies that engage their mind
- A mystery, puzzle, or treasure hunt.
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