Course Contents

Course Outline Unit 1: Course Overview • Science in personal and social perspective • The nature of science and scientific investigation (observations, inferences) Teaching of science: reflect upon the way prospective teachers learned science and how they want to teach science when they graduates. Unit 2: Populations and Ecosystems • Basic needs of living things • Interdependencies of living things (symbiotic relationships) • Ecosystems and Habitats • Population Growth – Survival and Extinction • Teaching “Populations and Ecosystems” in elementary grades Unit 3: Diversity and Adaptations • Diversity of living things • Systems of classification • Adaptations for survival • Evolution and Diversity • Teaching “Diversity and Adaptations” in elementary grades Unit 4: Earth – The Blue Planet • Earth - an inhabitable planet • Weather and Seasons • Categorizing the world by continents, biomes, vegetation zones, climate zones, etc. Introduction to maps; reading and creating simple data charts • Constant changes on Earth – rock cycle Rivers (erosion/sedimentation) Earthquakes and Volcanoes • Teaching “Earth – The Blue Planet” in elementary grades Unit 5: Force and Motion • Relationship among force, mass, and motion of an object. • Interaction of objects as it relates to force and linear, constant motion. Graphing of motion and basic calculations of speed and average speed. • Non-linear motion and accelerated motion. (Laws of motion) Graphing of non-linear and accelerated motion. • Teaching “Force and Motion” in elementary grades • Unit 6: Properties and Matter • Physical properties of matter, including melting point, boiling point, hardness, density, and conductivity • Atoms, molecules, mixtures, elements, and compounds • Introduction to the periodic table • States of matter: solid, liquid, gas (examples of water) Introduction to models and their limitations in science teaching • Teaching “Properties of Matter” in elementary grades

Course Synopsis

It lays a foundation for the pedagogical content knowledge also required to effectively teach general science in elementary school. The course covers core concepts in physical science, life science, and earth science. Also covered are the teaching strategies and instructional approaches that best support the development of conceptual understanding of science. Science I in Semester 1 is followed by Science II in Semester 3. Both courses integrate science content with science pedagogy and skill building instead of teaching them separately. Both content outcomes and process outcomes have been listed. This division in the objectives between content and process is primarily one of convenience. It allows outcomes to be adequately represented in a written document. In the classroom, content and process should always be addressed simultaneously. After completing Science I and Science II, the prospective student teachers will be well prepared to implement the National Curriculum in elementary grades 1-5. The Science I and Science II course materials are designed to prepare prospective elementary teachers to teach inquiry science in grades 1-5. The (pedagogical) content knowledge is chosen accordingly. Prospective science teachers who want to teach science in higher elementary grades (6-8) should deepen their science knowledge further by attending additional science classes offered in Year 3 and Year 4 of the B.Ed. (Hons) program.

Course Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, student teachers will be able to: 1. Describe the interdependence of ecosystems and the organisms within and how changes affect populations and the equilibrium of a system. Relate evolutionary forces to the diversity of ecosystems and of the species within them. 2. Identify the effects of human activities and naturally occurring changes on ecosystems and the consequences of those changes. 3. Begin to see the Earth as a system consisting of major interacting components that consistently undergo change. Physical, chemical, and biological processes act within and among them on a wide range of timescales. 4. Describe physical and chemical properties and physical/chemical processes with a special focus on the change of state of matter and how this change relates to energy. 5. Develop an understanding of common misconceptions about matter and particle theory. 6. Be able to describe a chemical reaction in the context of a rearrangement of atoms and also in the context of the formation of a new substance with new properties. 7. Investigate the relationships among force, mass, and motion of an object or system. 8. Be able to apply various models to science teaching while recognizing their limitations. Prevent potential misconceptions that could result from the use of some widely used models.