The Process Skills Part IV: Choosing Tools
The last section that we have to discuss for this workshop is the section about tools. As you may have noticed, every section of the Texas Science Process Standards has contained standards that require the KIDS to be DOING the Safety and conservation of resources (section 1); the Scientific Method while doing three types of investigations: descriptive, comparative and experimental (section 2); and Critical Thinking with empirical data, models, advertising claims while at the same time linking it all to the history of science and careers (section 3.) So it only makes sense that section 4 would be about the students choosing and using tools.
To many teachers, especially those without a science background (like generalists or many elementary teachers), looking at the big paragraph under section 4 in the list of tools is rather daunting. Here is an example of the 5th grade standard for the list of science tools:
To many teachers, especially those without a science background (like generalists or many elementary teachers), looking at the big paragraph under section 4 in the list of tools is rather daunting. Here is an example of the 5th grade standard for the list of science tools:
5.4 A: The student is expected to collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including calculators, microscopes, cameras, computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, prisms, mirrors, pan balances, triple beam balances, spring scales, graduated cylinders, beakers, hot plates, meter sticks, magnets, collecting nets, and notebooks; timing devices, including clocks and stopwatches; and materials to support observations of habitats or organisms such as terrariums and aquariums;
How do I remember the tools?
Remember at the beginning of this workshop we talked about "Including" and "Such as..." statements within the standard. The tools standard has an including statement which means that by Texas law, your students have to be using this specific list of tools to collect, record and analyze information. Really, this is just a sample list, if you are really doing hands-on inquiry lessons, you should be using more than this list in order to teach the curriculum. But how do you remember the list? How can you make sure that you aren't forgetting any of the tools on this list and how can you get the students to understand where and when they would use the tools on this list?
You do it by grouping them. You see this list doesnt seem so bad if you put the list of equipment and tools under categories that make sense. In fact by doing that, you make it easier to teach. Now this is where an argument arises as to whether or not you should teach a process standard in isolation of a the content that you are trying to teach. It is best practice to teach process standards with content standards, but in the case of teaching students about tools, I am in full agreement that you need to give kids a tour of the lab and its equipment before you allow them to start working in the lab setting. In many Science curriculums, there is a beginning of the scope and sequence where you introduce the lab setting to the kids, explain science safety rules, perhaps even set up the science notebook. I would use this time to also make the students aware of the tools in the lab and how to use them and I use the following graphic organizer to have them jot down the tools that I introduce to them so that they can keep track of tools that are for measurement, observation, science equipment and safety equipment. Here is a sample of the organizer that I use, but the kids could even design their own way to organizer the tools on this list.
You do it by grouping them. You see this list doesnt seem so bad if you put the list of equipment and tools under categories that make sense. In fact by doing that, you make it easier to teach. Now this is where an argument arises as to whether or not you should teach a process standard in isolation of a the content that you are trying to teach. It is best practice to teach process standards with content standards, but in the case of teaching students about tools, I am in full agreement that you need to give kids a tour of the lab and its equipment before you allow them to start working in the lab setting. In many Science curriculums, there is a beginning of the scope and sequence where you introduce the lab setting to the kids, explain science safety rules, perhaps even set up the science notebook. I would use this time to also make the students aware of the tools in the lab and how to use them and I use the following graphic organizer to have them jot down the tools that I introduce to them so that they can keep track of tools that are for measurement, observation, science equipment and safety equipment. Here is a sample of the organizer that I use, but the kids could even design their own way to organizer the tools on this list.
Now that we know our tools...
Now here is the part that would seem very simple, but for a lot of teachers, the obvious never really happens. As teachers we have a tendency to choose the tools for the kids to use, never allowing the students to choose tools to use for themselves. It may be because of time constraints, or maybe a result of setting up those cookie cutter labs, but what we see in a lot of Texas classrooms is an effort to teach students the vocabulary of science tools through word walls, anchor charts and labeling, but never really allowing students to think about what it is that they might need to conduct an investigation. If we want our students to become scientists and not bystanders of science happening around them, we need to give them the keys to the car and allow them to drive. A chef needs to know what type of tools to use in the kitchen, no one really provides that for them, they just know to reach for the pots and pans, knives and cutting boards, however, you do have to train to get to the point. Remember as a teacher, you may want to introduce a tool during the Explore part of the 5E lesson. In other words, you introduce, model and guide students on how to use equipment properly at first. However, once you get to the Elaborate piece, where kids are showing what they know, its okay to have them choose their own tools as part of designing their own investigation. Here is an example: