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Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding
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Page 1: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Clarion Module III

Developing Conceptual Understanding

Page 2: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

From the National Research Council:In contrast to the commonly held and outmoded

view that young children are concrete and simplistic thinkers, the research evidence now shows that their thinking is surprisingly sophisticated. Important building blocks for learning science are in place before they enter school.

Children entering school already have substantial knowledge of the natural world, which can be built on to develop their understanding of scientific concepts.

By the end of preschool, children can reason in ways that provide helpful starting points for developing scientific reasoning. However, their reasoning abilities are constrained by their conceptual knowledge, the nature of the task, and their awareness of their own thinking. (p. 53)

National Research Council. (2007). Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8. Committee on Science Learning, Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade. Richard A. Duschl, Heidi A. Schweingruber, and Andrew W. Shouse, (Eds.). Board on Science Education, Center for Education. Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

Page 3: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary

Research on concept learning

• Conceptual knowledge is constructed (Resnick, 1987).

• Conceptual knowledge is learned in domains (Hirschfeld & Gelman, 1994).

* Use of conceptual schemas enhance retention (NRC, 2002)

• Use of concept mapping promotes connected learning (Novak, 1998).

* Teaching higher level concepts promotes science learning (Rutherford and Ahlgren, 1989).

Page 4: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Levels and Definition of Concept Teaching

Macro-concepts that both define the discipline and provide connections to other disciplines

(e.g.: systems, change)↑

Subject Matter Concepts(Central ideas that define a discipline, e.g. in science:

Gravity, force and motion, magnetism)↑

Bracken Basic Concepts(Building blocks for understanding relationships in the world)

Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary

Page 5: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

BRACKEN BASIC CONCEPTS

• Colors• Comparisons• Shapes• Direction/Position• Social/Self-Awareness• Size

• Texture/Material• Quantity• Time/Sequence• Letter Identification• Numbers/Counting

Page 6: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

MACRO-CONCEPTSGrade Levels  Life Science Earth Science Physical Science

K - 1st Survive and ThriveCHANGE

How the Sun Makes Our Day

CHANGE

Water Works*CHANGE

1st - 2nd Budding BotanistsSYSTEMS

2nd The Weather ReporterCHANGE

2nd – 3rd What's The Matter?*

CHANGE

3rd Dig It!CHANGE

Invitation to InventSYSTEMS

Page 7: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary

What is a macro-concept?

• A concept that has deep meaning in understanding one discipline but also provides pathways to others.

• Science macro-concepts help illuminate both science content and the scientific process itself.

• Based on the Taba Model of Concept Development

Page 8: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary

Common Scientific Macro-Concepts

SystemsChangeModels

ConstancyEvolution

Scale

Rutherford, J., & Ahlgren, A. (1989). Science for all Americans. New York, Oxford University Press

Page 9: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

CHANGE

Page 10: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Change • Provide examples:

• Provide non-examples:

• On the back, categorize your list. Include every item. • What generalizations can you make about change?

Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009

Page 11: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary

Change Generalizations and OutcomesGeneralizations: Clarion Outcomes:

(Students will be able to…)

Change is linked to time. Illustrate how change is based on time.

Change is everywhere. Understand that change permeates our lives and our universe.

Change may be perceived as orderly or random.

Categorize types of change, given several examples.

Change may happen naturally or be caused by people.

Analyze the source of change as natural or man-made.

Page 12: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

SYSTEMS

Page 13: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Element: a distinct part of the system

Boundary: something that indicates or fixes a limit on the size or spread of a system

Interaction: the nature of connections made between elements and inputs of a system

Input: something that is put in the system

Output: something that is produced by the system; a product of the interactions

SYSTEMS

Page 14: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Aquarium as a systemDraw and label: elements , boundaries, interactions, inputs , outputs

Page 15: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Systems• Provide examples:

• Provide non-examples:

• On the back, categorize your list. Include every item. • What generalizations can you make about systems?

Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009

Page 16: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary

Concept generalizations and outcomes for systems

Generalizations: Clarion Outcomes: (Students will be able to…)

Systems have elements. Recognize that a plant is a system with identifiable elements.

Systems have boundaries.

Define the boundaries of a plant system.

Systems have input and output.

Discover that systems (plants) have identifiable inputs and outputs.

The interactions and outputs of a system change when its inputs, elements, or boundaries change.

Observe the nature and behavior of a system as its elements interact with each other and with input from outside the system.

Page 17: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary

Depict a computer as a system.Boundaries

Elements

Inputs Outputs

Interactions

Page 18: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary

Example macro-concept follow-up questions from Clarion:

• How can you describe a seed as a system? (Budding Botanists, p. 94)

• How was the temperature of the dirt and sand changed? (Weather Reporter, p. 65)

Page 19: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary

Standards Alignment with Concept Development Model

Models of Concept Development

Social Studies• Economic,

legal, government, political systems

• Structure, function, and pattern of societal systems

• Maps as systems

• History as the study of change over time

Language Arts• Change in

literary characters (e.g. character, plot, setting)

• Writing process

• Language study

• Grammar as a system

Mathematics• Pattern

recognition and pattern making

• Number systems

• Use of the concepts of models and scale to construct mathematical forms

• Communication and connections

Science• Living and

earth/ space systems

• Cycles and patterns

• Interactions within and across systems

• Change processes in biology, physics, chemistry, and geology

Page 20: Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding.

Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary

Macro-concept conclusions:• The macro-concepts of systems and change

are fundamental to the Project Clarion units.

• Macro-concepts are highly interdisciplinary.

• Conceptual understanding provides students with pathways to learning new material.

• Systems and change can easily be woven into your other units of study, enhancing student learning.