Carol Rees Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, School of Education, Room AE 379
Faculty of Human, Social and Educational Development,
Thompson Rivers University Phone: 250-828-5004.
Introduction
The purpose of this webquest is to introduce TCs to the BC science curriculum. In the webquest TCs will work in a group to address questions posed to them and using the link that they will be given they will work in their group to answer the questions. This is an in-class activity that will be completed in the computer lab. After the completion of the activity TCs will share their responses with other groups who may have different questions. In this way the knowledge of all groups will be shared. Groups will also submit their response to a reflection on the activity as a ticket out at the end of class.
Task
Go to https://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/pdfs/sciences/2005scik7.pdf
Complete the activities assigned to your group. These activities are modified from Activity 6.1 from Pedretti, Bellomo & Jagger, 2015, p.101)
Activity 1. Scroll down to Introduction to Science K-7 and scan pages 11-19.
What key ideas are described in the document with respect to the following (note: all these key ideas may not be mentioned):
- the goals of science programs;
- the nature of science;
- fundamental concepts, big ideas, enduring undrstandings;
- curriculum outcomes, expectations, or objectives;
- skills of scientific investigation;
- literacy and numeracy;
- cross-curricular integration;
- Aboriginal content;
- environmental education;
- the role of information and commnications technology in science;
- involvement of parents and guardians.
Please be prepared to share your findings with the class.
Activity 2. What are the curriculum organizers of the science IRP, such as physical science or Earth and space science. How many curriculum orgnizers are there? Choose one curriculum organizer - identify the topics for each grade level? See page 14 for a chart. Please be prepared to explain the organization to the rest of the class.
Activity 3. The diagram on page 15 shows how curriculum organizers are interrelated and connected to the overall goals of the curriculum - using the material in the introduction how would you describe these interrelationships? Please be prepared to explain this to the rest of the class.
Activity 4. Scoll through the Prescribed Learning Outcomes by curriculum organizer and by grade. - What are the PLOs for the grade 3 and 7 units? After examining the PLOs for grade 3 and grade 7 units - indicate which each person in your group is most comfortable with and least comfortable with teaching. Did you find that you all agreed? Please be prepared to share with the class.
Activity 5. Scoll to the section of the IRP on the Classroom Assessment Model - how are PLOs achievement indicators, assessment activities and assessment instruments related? Please be prepared to explain this to the rest of the class.
Process
There are 5 activities presented in the Task Section. You will be assigned to a group and your group will be given one of the 5 activities to accomplish in a 20 minute time period. The class will go to the computer lab for this time period. At least one other group will have the same activity to complete as you do. After the 20 minute time period is over we will return to the classroom and each group will present their findings to the class.
Evaluation
This is an in-class activity. Groups will submit a brief response to a reflection on the activity as a ticket out at the end of class. Completion of all such activities is an expectation of the course and will contribute to the participation grade.
Conclusion
Through this activity TCs have had a chance to learn about the BC IRP for science K-7. The BC curriculum is changing and the new BC education plan has produced draft curriculum documents. Folowing your work on getting to know the current IRP we will spend time in class examining some of the changes. The new draft curriculum for science will be presented throug ha short lecture and follwing this we will work on identifying some of the similarities and differences with the current BC IRP for science K-7.
Credits
Pedretti, E; Bellomo, K; Jagger, S. (2015). Explorations in Elementary School Science: Practice and Theory K-8. Toronto: Pearson.