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Bringing Excitement to the Science Classroom

Structured around the goals presented in the National Science Education Standards, this course focuses on improving science education for all students. Participants will examine and debate science-oriented strategies, study current trends in science education, and learn to produce engaging and applicable science lessons while meeting the National Science Education Standards. While this course is primarily designed for science teachers, the strategies covered also aid in the teaching of math and technology.

Carlow University ED 679 • Mercy University EDUT 505

This class is cross listed with Mercy University as an elective in the STEM Advanced Certificate Program.

The required text for this course is Formative Assessment for 3D Science Learning: Supporting Ambitious and Equitable Instruction by, Erin Marie Furtak.

978-0-8077-6858-7 (paperback)

978-0-8077-8148-5 (ebook)

Graduate participants earn 3 semester hours of graduate credit and will receive a transcript from one of our partner institutions below. Professional development participants will receive a certificate of completion for 45 hours of professional developments credit for face-to-face classes and 60 hours of professional development credit for online classes.

Credit awarded by

Carlow
University

Professional
Development

Course Schedule

1/14/25 - 4/8/25
3/11/25 - 6/10/25
5/13/25 - 8/12/25
7/8/25 - 10/14/25
9/9/25 - 12/9/25
11/11/25 - 2/10/26

Course Schedule

Zoom

2/7-9 & 2/21-23

Mike Foley

Textbook List FAQs

Outline
Objectives
Partner Universities
Important Information
Student Academic Integrity

Print Online Course Outline Print Face To Face Course Outline

Outline

Session/Module 1: Science as a Process

An Introduction to the course
The 3 R's of TEI - Rules, Regulations, Registration
Instructor and group introductions
The scientific method and its elements as part of "the process of science"
Inquiry-base science
Assignment

Session/Module 2: Science Standards at Every Level

The National Standards for Elementary Science Education
The National Standards for Middle School Science Education
National Standards for High School Science Education
Tying it all together; the Next Generation Science Standards
Basic skills needed at each level
FACTS or Formative Assessment Classroom Techniques

Session/Module 3: Introducing FACTS

The multi intelligent science student
The "Essentials" of teaching (especially science!)
Classroom environments that support the use of Formative Assessment

Session/Module 4: Using Inquiry Based Laboratory Exercises to Enhance Science Retention

Labs - the best of all manipulatives
Inquiry based labs - increasing student involvement and problem solving abilities
"Canned" labs vs "inquiry-based" labs
Demonstrations - the "safe" form of lab exercises

Session/Module 5: Demos and Models and Science Fairs – another way to teach ideas

Modeling - making science more individual
Dioramas - not just for Social Studies
The positive and negatives of the Science Fair

Session/Module 6: Another type of fun in Science – Roleplays, Games, and Songs

The use of roleplays in the classroom
Examples of roleplays in the science classroom setting
Games and simulations - helping students learn science concepts
Science songs - singing all the way to an "A"

Session/Module 7: Reading and Writing in Science

Writing and science - mutually exclusive, right or wrong?
Distinguish between technical writing and literary writing
Professional science literature vs popular science literature
The use of science fiction in the science classroom
Science readings with a purpose
The science journal or notebook - catching two birds with one net

Session/Module 8: Multimedia and Science

An introduction to multi media in the science classroom
Videos and other audiovisual media
Bill Nye the Science Guy - help or hindrance? Looking at Bill from a Whole Brain Learning perspective
You Teach and other websites
Computer programs

Session/Module 9: Science and Technology

Thomas Edison - "To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk"
The relationship between science and technology
The "scientific citizen"
Creating technology projects for the science classroom

Session/Module 10: Final Presentations

Presentations of Group Projects
Evaluations
Final Exam

Objectives

Describe the nature of science
Identify the questions and concepts that guide scientific investigations
Describe the scientific method and its elements as part of "the process of science"
Compare traditional classroom settings to a constructivist setting
Apply the theory of multiple intelligences to a specific level of science curricula
Explain how the Essentials of Teaching affects overall classroom performance
Create a list of basic skills needed to effectively learn science at all grade levels
Chart the National Standards for Elementary, Middle, and High School Science
Explain the meaning of the phrase, "science as inquiry"
Distinguish between "canned" labs and "inquiry-based" labs

Create an inquiry based lab that is grade appropriate
Assess the value of inquiry based labs over "canned" labs
Model the use of formative assessments in the classroom
Summarize the "motivator" for students in education in general and science in particular
Incorporate two motivators into your final integration project
Examine the various types of professional, popular, fiction, and non-fiction literature available and determine how they may be used in science lessons
Evaluate the various types of audiovisual media available to science
Discuss the value of play in science class, including the impact of role plays, games, and songs on student learning
Evaluate age appropriate literature that is science themed
Design a lesson appropriate for your grade level

Partner Universities

Our Partners are well-established regionally and nationally accredited colleges and universities, recognized for academic excellence and their commitment to teachers.

Important Information

Online 3-graduate credit courses are 13 weeks in length.

On-site weekend courses are held Friday evening from 6:00pm-9:00pm and Saturday/Sunday, 8:30am-5:30pm.

Weekday courses are Monday-Friday from 8:00am- 6:00pm.

It is the responsibility of the student to check with their state, county, district, or school to ensure that all requirements are being met by the course you're taking.

Check the Partner Universities page for specific university information as well as course numbers which are specific to the university partner.

Students are required to purchase their own textbook, the information for which can be found here. If no book is required it will be specified on the list. We have copies of many of the textbooks should you wish to purchase directly from TEI.

Professional development (PD) participants receive a certificate of completion from TEI for 45 hours of PD credit for face to face classes and 60 hours of PD credit for online classes. These certificates are mailed within one week of the end of the class and reflect the course title, dates of attendance, and credit hour information.

Student Academic Integrity

Participants guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student academic behavior standards as outlined by our partnering colleges and universities and is subject to academic disciplinary action.