INTASC Standard #4

 

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The teacher intern understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
Reflection for INTASC #4 Go to INTASC #5
NSTA Components Evidence
4a. The candidate uses diverse and effective actions, strategies, and methodologies effectively to teach science.
  • Lesson planning - I used the 5E model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate) in all lesson plans, thereby prompting inquiry-based learning (see example).
  • Games - This is a fun and effective way to review material with students (see Jeopardy).
  • Online resources - All students in the school were issued laptops for the school year. Therefore, I included many online activities into my lessons. Some examples include: Virtual Pond Dip; Food Chain Gizmo; USGS Water Science; Virtual Fungus Museum; Plant Classification; Virus Gizmos
  • Hands-on labs - Instead of just talking/reading about it, we set up a Transmission of Disease classroom simulation in which students contaminated each other's "body fluid" samples and then traced the virus back to its original host. We also completed Hay Infusion, Vertebrate Skeletons, Animal Phyla, and Owl Pellets labs so that students could experience what they were studying first-hand.
  • Educational resources - ProjectWET, Project WILD, and Project AquaticWILD Activities - Students got to role play and interact with one another while grasping important scientific concepts.
  • Integrating art and science - Students enjoy engaging in the creative side of science, as they did in the Camo Critters (camouflaged critter into the classroom) and Origami activities (made origami animals). 
4b. The candidate engages students effectively in scientific inquiry and investigations.
  • Vertebrate Skeletons lab - Students examined various vertebrate skeleton specimens and completed a corresponding activity sheet. Students were expected to be observant and to think critically about potential answers. They were then asked to elaborate on their learning in a final bonus challenge.  
  • Migration Headache Project AquaticWILD activity - Students were exposed to the scientific and societal issues regarding bird migration. Students became flocks of birds that competed for habitat (bases) and witnessed first-hand the consequences of adding/removing habitat.
  • Oh Deer! ProjectWILD activity - Students became deer populations and explored the effects caused by  limiting factors and carrying capacities.
  • Mendel's Pea Plant Experiments activity - Students first hypothesized what varieties would result from certain pea plant crosses and then explored basic concepts of heredity which explained actual results.
4c. The candidate facilitates student learning of the nature of science and conventions of scientific explanation.
  • Shark Dichotomous Key activity - Students became "shark experts" and identified an unknown shark species photographed by "locals" and then made scientific recommendations based on observations and available scientific literature.
  • Create Your Own Dichotomous Key - Students became part of a scientific team that recently discovered new species in the Roanoke Valley and had to name (using binomial nomenclature) and classify each (by first creating their own key that functioned like scientifically-established keys).
  • Mendel's Pea Plant Experiment activity - Students first hypothesized what varieties would result from certain pea plant crosses and then explored basic concepts of heredity which explained actual results.
4d. The candidate engages students effectively in studies of the relationships of science to technology, society, and other human values and endeavors.
  • Transmission of Disease lab - Students examined the effects of technology on science and society by first spreading a "disease" among the classroom and then getting tested for contraction of the disease.
  • Migration Headache Project AquaticWILD activity - Students examined how technology allows society to make changes in its environment, for the betterment or detriment of wildlife populations. They witnessed first-hand the frequent conflict that occurs between science conservation and technological advances in society.
  • Wetlands WebQuest - This activity makes the student a landowner who must decide the benefits and downsides to maintaining a wetland on his/her property, thus exploring the relationship between science, technology, and society.