Sourcebook for Teaching Science, Grades 6-12

THE AUTHOR NORMAN HERR, Ph.D., is a professor of science and computer education at California State University, Northridge. He earned his doctorate from the University of California, Los Angeles, and has worked as a scientist, high school science teacher, college science instructor, science education consultant, and director of graduate programs in science education. Dr. Herr is co-author of Hands-On Physics Activities with Real-Life Applications and Hands-On Chemistry Activities with Real-Life Applications from Jossey-Bass.

• About the Author viiAcknowledgments xiPART ONE Developing Scientific Literacy 11 Building a Scientific Vocabulary 3For the Teacher 31.1 Biology Vocabulary 41.2 Chemistry Vocabulary 151.3 Physics Vocabulary 241.4 Earth and Space Science Vocabulary 28Answers to Chapter Activities 332 Developing Science Reading Skills 35For the Teacher 352.1 Science Reading Comprehension: Cloze 382.2 Science Reading Comprehension: Jigsaw 392.3 Science Vocabulary in Spanish and English 392.4 Scientific Terminology: Linking Languages 41Answers to Chapter Activities 423 Developing Science Writing Skills 45For the Teacher 453.1 Science Note Taking 463.2 Science Journaling 473.3 Science Essay Questions 493.4 Types of Science Writing 513.5 Science Writing Style 53Answers to Chapter Activities 574 Science, Technology, and Society 58For the Teacher 584.1 Science and Society 594.2 Science and Other Subjects 614.3 Careers in Science 674.4 Science and Technological Innovation 70Answers to Chapter Activities 74PART TWO Developing Scientific Reasoning 775 Employing Scientific Methods 79For the Teacher 795.1 Discrepant Events: Establishing a “Need to Know” 805.2 Developing Scientifically Oriented Questions 835.3 Observation Versus Inference 865.4 Brainstorming and Hypothesizing 875.5 Experimental Design 905.6 Independent Variables 925.7 Writing Clear Procedures 945.8 Using History to Teach Scientific Methods 955.9 Indirect Evidence: “Black Box” Experiments 995.10 Evaluating Hypotheses 101Answers to Chapter Activities 1026 Developing Scientific Reasoning Skills 106For the Teacher 1066.1 Levels of Reasoning 1086.2 Inductive Reasoning 1116.3 Deductive Reasoning 1166.4 Lateral Thinking 121Answers to Chapter Activities 1227 Thinking Critically and Resolving Misconceptions 125For the Teacher 1257.1 Critical Thinking 1267.2 Evaluating Claims 1297.3 Using a Decision-Making Matrix 1317.4 Misconceptions in Physics 1327.5 Misconceptions in Chemistry 1357.6 Misconceptions in Biology 1377.7 Misconceptions in Earth and Space Science 139Answers to Chapter Activities 142PART THREE Developing Scientific Understanding 1498 Organizing Science Information and Concepts 151For the Teacher 1518.1 Advance Organizers 1538.2 Orders of Magnitude: The Universe in Powers of Ten 1548.3 Organizational Hierarchy in Biology 1578.4 Organization of the Chemistry Curriculum 1618.5 Organization of the Physics Curriculum 1618.6 Earth Systems Interactions 162Answers to Chapter Activities 1659 Graphic Organizers for Science 168For the Teacher 1689.1 Conceptual Grids 1699.2 Venn Diagrams 1729.3 Flowcharts 1749.4 Mind Maps 1769.5 Concept Maps 178Answers to Chapter Activities 18210 Learning Science Concepts with Analogies 184For the Teacher 18410.1 Extended Science Analogies 18710.2 Analogies for Learning Physics 19510.3 Analogies for Learning Chemistry 19710.4 Analogies for Learning Biology 19810.5 Analogies for Learning Earth and Space Science 199Answers to Chapter Activities 20011 Tools for Improving Memory in Science 203For the Teacher 20311.1 The Primacy and Recency Effect 21111.2 Expanding Short-Term Memory by Chunking 21111.3 Science Acronyms and Abbreviations 21511.4 Acrostics for Memorizing Lists 216Answers to Chapter Activities 21912 Structure and Function in Science 225For the Teacher 22512.1 Form and Function in Machines 22612.2 Structure and Function in Anatomyand Physiology 22912.3 Structure and Function in Plants 23312.4 Structure and Function at a Molecular Level 23512.5 Model Building 238Answers to Chapter Activities 23913 Games for Learning Science 243For the Teacher 24313.1 Science Jeopardy 24413.2 Science Taboo 24713.3 Science Bingo 24813.4 Science Pictionary 24813.5 Science Bowl 25013.6 Science Baseball 25213.7 What in the World? 25213.8 Twenty Questions 25513.9 Logic Games 256PART FOUR Developing Scientific Problem-Solving Skills 25914 Science Word Problems 261For the Teacher 26114.1 Translating Common Words into Mathematical Symbols 26314.2 Translating Natural Language into Algebraic Expressions 26414.3 Translating Algebraic Expressions into Natural Language 266Answers to Chapter Activities 26815 Geometric Principles in Science 270For the Teacher 27015.1 Developing Measurement Scales 27115.2 Indirect Measurement in Science 27315.3 Ratios for Solving Problems in Science 27515.4 Surface Area to Volume Ratios 27715.5 Surface Area to Volume Ratios in Living Systems 27915.6 The Inverse Square Law in the Physical Sciences 28315.7 Scientific Applications of Conic Sections 287Answers to Chapter Activities 29016 Diagramming and Visualizing Problems in Science 293For the Teacher 29316.1 Vector Diagrams 29516.2 Interpreting Scientific Diagrams 29816.3 Pictorial Riddles 30116.4 Analyzing Photographs  0416.5 Digital Movies and Animations 31016.6 Extrapolation 31616.7 Interactive Scientific Simulations 318Answers to Chapter Activities 31917 Dimensional Analysis 322For the Teacher 32217.1 Unit Measures 32617.2 Fundamental Quantities 32917.3 SI and Non-SI Units 33217.4 CGS and MKS Units 33417.5 Discovering Physical Laws Using Fundamental Units 33517.6 Simplifying Calculations with the Line Method 33717.7 Solving Problems with Dimensional Analysis 339Answers to Chapter Activities 34618 Stoichiometry: Interactions of Matter 351For the Teacher 35118.1 Predicting Oxidation States and Ions 35418.2 Predicting Polyatomic Ions, Reactants,and Products 36018.3 Techniques for Balancing Equations 363Answers to Chapter Activities 366PART FIVE Developing Scientific Research Skills 37119 Scientific Databases 373For the Teacher 37319.1 Databases in Chemistry 37419.2 Databases in Biology 37819.3 Databases in Health 38219.4 Databases in Earth and Space Science 38519.5 Databases in Physics 387Answers to Chapter Activities 38920 Spreadsheets, Graphs, and Scientific Data Analysis 392For the Teacher 39220.1 Calculations and Computer Modeling 39420.2 Relating Graphs to Real-World Experiences 39820.3 Graphing Stories 40020.4 Scatter and Line Graphs 40220.5 Column and Bar Graphs 40620.6 Pie and Area Graphs 41020.7 High-Low, Combination, and Log Plots 41320.8 Statistics 418Answers to Chapter Activities 42021 Mapping and Visualizing Scientific Data 426For the Teacher 42621.1 Map Construction 42721.2 Topographic Maps 42821.3 Mapping Data Electronically 43421.4 Weather Maps 43821.5 Environmental Maps 44421.6 Astronomy Maps 44621.7 Interpreting Aerial and Satellite Photographs 452Answers to Chapter Activities 45422 Science Inquiry and Research 458For the Teacher 45822.1 Inquiry 45922.2 Sensors and Probeware 46122.3 Problem-Based Learning 46522.4 Forums and Debates 46622.5 Rotating Laboratories 46822.6 Citing Research 470Answers to Chapter Activities 47123 Science Projects and Fairs 473For the Teacher 47323.1 Writing Research Questions 47423.2 Developing a Research Proposal 48623.3 Conducting Research 48723.4 Sharing Your Findings 488Answers to Chapter Activities 490PART SIX Resources for Teaching Science 49124 Science Curriculum and Instruction 49324.1 The Nature of Science 49324.2 Theories and Perspectives in Science Education 49624.3 Developments in Science Curriculum and Instruction 49824.4 The Science Curriculum 50224.5 Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Curricula 50424.6 Teaching Science Inquiry 50624.7 Teaching Science to English Language Learners 50824.8 Teaching Science with Humor  51124.9 Professional Development in Science Education 51324.10 Science Field Trips and Guest Speakers 51525 Planning and Managing Science Instruction 51725.1 Establishing Science Learning Objectives 51725.2 Developing a Science Lesson Plan 51725.3 Developing a Science Semester Plan 51925.4 Getting to Know Your Students 51925.5 Managing the Classroom Effectively 52225.6 Assessing Student Performance 52525.7 Evaluating Teaching Performance 52826 The Science Laboratory 52926.1 Equipping the Science Laboratory 52926.2 Writing Successful Grant Proposals 53326.3 Common and Inexpensive Sources of Chemicals 53426.4 Preparing Solutions 53826.5 Laboratory Safety 54026.6 Safety Equipment Checklist 54026.7 Chemical Hazards and Storage 54226.8 Disposal of Chemicals 54626.9 Accidents 54727 Science Reference Information 54927.1 Writing Style Guidelines 54927.2 Units, Constants, and Conversions 55127.3 Chemical Properties 55427.4 Graph Paper, Protractors, and Rulers 559Notes 567Index 577