Earth & Space Science: About the Course
Course Structure
On-Site Activities
Essential Science for Teachers: Earth and Space Science consists
of eight sessions, each of which includes group activities and discussions
as well as an hour-long video program.
This guide provides activities and discussion topics for pre- and post-viewing investigations that complement each of the eight one-hour video programs.
Getting Ready (Site Investigation)
In preparation for watching the program, you will engage in 60 minutes of investigation through discussion and activity.
Watch the Video
Then you will watch the 60-minute video, which includes classroom footage, commentary, science demonstrations, and more.
Going Further (Site Investigation)
Wrap up the session with an additional 60 minutes of investigation through discussion and activity.
Between Sessions
Homework Assignments
Each session will contain the following homework activities.
All participants should complete the assignments marked with *—the
Reading Assignment, the Problem Set, the Ongoing Concept Mapping, and
Preparing for the Next Session. Participants taking the course for graduate
credit must complete all of the listed assignments, including those described
in the Graduate Course Requirements section.
Note: Required Hours for Graduate Credit: If you are taking this course for graduate credit, the complete set of homework activities has been designed to fulfill the additional three hours required per session. The time taken to complete each assignment will vary among individuals, so no time estimates have been given. Each assignment will result in some form of evidence of learning. This evidence may be useful in building a portfolio for course assessment purposes.
Reading Assignment*
The reading assignments for this course are selected and assigned
to expose you to the research literature on children’s ideas about
Earth and space science and reinforce your understanding of the science
content included in each of the sessions. In some cases, there will be
a specific homework task associated with a reading. In all cases, there
will be small group work connected with the assigned readings occurring
during the next session.
Earth and Space Science Problem Set*
Each session will be accompanied by a problem set that will
reinforce content learning by asking questions that apply or extend Earth
and space science concepts addressed in the video. Possible answers for
the problem set will be provided at the end of the session materials.
It should be emphasized that many questions have a variety of answers – answers
that vary depending on the understandings of the person answering the
question. The intent is not to give you “right answers,” but
to suggest one answer for each question that is considered scientifically
accurate.
Ongoing Concept Mapping*
Within each session, several fundamental concepts are explored.
Creating a set of concept maps will provide you with an opportunity to
reflect on your understandings of these concepts and their connections
to one another as well as to see how the content in each session relates
to that of other sessions. A more detailed explanation of concept mapping
is included in Session 1.
Guided Journal Entry
As you proceed through this course, one way of building and
connecting understandings is to reflect upon your learning as you go.
In each session, one or more questions will be suggested to guide a journal
entry. At the end of the course, these entries should help you see how
your ideas have progressed.
Guided Teacher-TalkEarthspace Posting
Although this is a course designed to help enhance your understandings
of earth and space science concepts, the intention is for you to use
this knowledge to inform your teaching. Often, a community of learners
who are also teachers can collaborate to support one another in transforming
content knowledge into successful classroom action. In each session,
one or more questions will be suggested to guide a discussion on Teacher-Talk to
facilitate this type of collaboration among participants.
Textbook Reading Suggestions
We strongly recommend that you acquire introductory college-level
geology and astronomy texts to refer to in this course. Reading topics
will be listed in each session and can be located in most textbooks
in the Table of Contents or Index.
Preparing for the Next Session*
This section will get you thinking about upcoming topics and
remind you to bring materials needed for the next session’s activities.
Ongoing Activities
The following are activities that you should work on between sessions for the duration of the course:
- This Course Web Site:
Go online for additional activities, resources, and discussion through Teacher-TalkEarthspaceTeacher - TalkEarthspace:
You can communicate with other course participants throughout the country via the course’s email discussion list. To subscribe to Teacher-TalkEarthspace, visit: http://www.learner.org/mailman/listinfo/teacher-talkearthspace.
Scheduling Course Sessions
Below are recommended options for scheduling credit and non-credit class meetings, based on how participants are viewing the video programs. Because of the amount and kinds of work associated with a graduate-level course, it is recommended that participation in the course for credit be over a 15-week period. “Work weeks” are scheduled to allow participants time to work on their assignments required for graduate credit.
Option One: Viewing via DVD or video on demand (VOD) (for Graduate Credit)
- Week 1. View Program 1 and complete assignments
- Week 2. View Program 2 and complete assignments
- Week 3. Work Week
- Week 4. View Program 3 and complete assignments
- Week 5. View Program 4 and complete assignments
- Week 6. Work Week
- Week 7. View Program 5 and complete assignments
- Week 8. View Program 6 and complete assignments
- Week 9. Work Week
- Week 10. View Program 7 and complete assignments
- Week 11. View Program 8 and complete assignments
- Weeks 12-15. Complete long-term coursework: assemble portfolio components, action research project and paper, and annotated bibliography.
Option Two: Viewing the Programs via DVD or video on Demand (VOD) (Not for Graduate Credit)
- Week 1. View Program 1 and complete assignments
- Week 2. View Program 2 and complete assignments
- Week 3. View Program 3 and complete assignments
- Week 4. View Program 4 and complete assignments
- Week 5. View Program 5 and complete assignments
- Week 6. View Program 6 and complete assignments
- Week 7. View Program 7 and complete assignments
- Week 8. View Program 8 and complete assignments
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