elements of their investigation could be implemented in your own classroom, school, or district?

  1. If you were to implement a similar investigation in your classroom or school, how would you begin? What kind of support would you need? What resources would you use?

  2. For principals and science specialists: How would you support teachers to carry out an extended project like the biodiversity project? How would you adapt the project to fit your particular geographical location, as well as your particular district and school?

  3. What does “science as practice” mean to you?

Chapter 3

  1. How can educators harness young children’s shared base of understanding and skill to help them learn science?

  2. How can children’s misconceptions about science act as stepping-stones to greater scientific understanding? How does this differ from past thinking about children’s misconceptions?

  3. Imagine you were going to do the same demonstration with the aquarium and the empty glass that Ms. Faulkner’s class did. Assume that before the demonstration, students came up with the following four predictions:

    1. The glass will be filled with water and the paper will get wet.

    2. A lot of water will go in the glass but the paper will not get wet.

    3. A little water will go in the glass but the paper will not get wet.

    4. No water will go in the glass and the paper will not get wet.

  1. Which prediction would you use to begin a discussion? Why? What would you do if no one came up with Prediction 3 or 4?

  2. Did you think that Ms. Faulkner’s unit on air pressure was successful? Why or why not? In what ways could it be improved? To the extent that it was successful, what were the most critical factors in its success?

  3. For parents: If your child were a student of Ms. Faulkner, what would you want to know about the air pressure investigation? How would you want to be kept informed about your child’s participation and learning? What questions or concerns would you have?

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