Clarion Module III Developing Conceptual Understanding
Dec 27, 2015
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.
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).
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
BRACKEN BASIC CONCEPTS
• Colors• Comparisons• Shapes• Direction/Position• Social/Self-Awareness• Size
• Texture/Material• Quantity• Time/Sequence• Letter Identification• Numbers/Counting
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
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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
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
CHANGE
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
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.
SYSTEMS
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
Aquarium as a systemDraw and label: elements , boundaries, interactions, inputs , outputs
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
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.
Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary
Depict a computer as a system.Boundaries
Elements
Inputs Outputs
Interactions
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)
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
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.