Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An introduction to science inquiry, the processes of doing science, and the science around us. This studio format course engages future teachers in key biology, chemistry, physics and Earth sciences topics through the core competencies outlined in the BC K-8 curriculum. Connections between the sciences are highlighted through themes such as climate change and energy. Breadth-Science.

COURSE DETAILS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION: An introduction to science inquiry, processes of doing science, and the science around us. This ‘studio’ format course engages future teachers in key Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences topics through the core competencies outlined in the BC Science Curriculum K-8. Connections between the sciences, through themes such as climate change and energy, are highlighted.  

This course is designed to fulfill the Lab Science requirement for entry into the Faculty of Education PDP (Professional Development Program).  

COURSE DETAILS: 2 x 3 hour Studio teaching blocks /week

COURSE TOPICS:
Introduction: What science is? How science affects us all, scientific inquiry and the scientific method; differences between the science disciplines, big ideas and themes in science.  

Physics: Overview of the universe (systems and scales), motion, Newton’s Laws, energy, transformation of energy.

Chemistry: Matter and the properties of matter, mixtures, physical and chemical changes.

Biology: Living things characteristics and needs for survival, life cycles, biodiversity, adaptations, evolution, taxonomy, multicellular organisms, human organ systems, immunity/vaccinations/antibiotics.

Earth Sciences: Time and Earth history, Earth systems, Earth materials, resources and energy, surface processes (solar energy, wind, water and ice), internal processes, plate tectonics, climate, earthquakes and volcanoes, natural hazards. Interdisciplinary Themes: Climate change, energy

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Describe fundamental science concepts that explain the behaviour of the world around us.
2. Explain how the scientific method is used to learn about natural systems by creating hypotheses based on observations, performing and evaluating experiments, iterating and organising and communicating findings.
3. Design and carry out an experiment, record, analyse and interpret the results.
4. Model and analyse a science problem with methods typically used at the K-8 level.
5. Create meaningful assignments, activities and assessments for K-8 students about science problems, using everyday materials where possible, and address typical misconceptions.
6. Communicate science appropriately in various forms such as words, graphs, equations and diagrams, and to various audiences.
7. Explain the relevance of science to society using examples, including technical applications. See science around us, and be its advocate.
8. Find reliable sources of information on topics relevant to the BC K-8 science curriculum, and distinguish them from dubious ones.
9. Distinguish the scientific method from other approaches to describing and understanding the world. Know the limitations and strengths (and history) of science, and distinguish it from bogus or fake science.
10. Analyse their own understanding of science and be willing to be life-long learners.

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