TEACHING SCIENCE IN ELEMENTARY GRADES

“SCIENCIA” = knowledge

Science as a broad body of knowledge.

Science as a set of skills.
• The Science process skills form the foundation of scientific methods:
1. State the problem
2. Formulating hypothesis
3. Gathering data
4. Experimentation
5. Draw a conclusion
• Six basic science process skills: observation, communication, classification, measurement,
inference, and prediction.

Science as an intellectual activity.

• Science as an intellectual, practical, and systematic study of the structure and behavior of the
physical and natural world through observation and experiment.

Science as a social activity.

• Science is a social activity shaped by history, institutions, beliefs, and values. Society shapes
science and vice versa.

Science as problem solving.

• Science class provides the students opportunity to develop and utilize their problem-solving
skills.

Science as a career.
• Individuals who have devoted themselves in studying and doing science have established
careers in science (biologists, chemists, environmentalists, astronomers, medical practitioners,
etc.)
Science as a process.
• The scientific methods is a set of steps for verifying and building scientific knowledge.
• When performing this process, one employs skills necessary to research a topic, develop a
plan and timeline, and draw conclusions from research results.

INQUIRY BASED SCIENCE

5 E’s Model
Engage
Students are engaged in a challenging situation, prior knowledge is activated, questions
are provoked.
Explore
Students investigate the phenomenon, prior knowledge is challenged, ideas are created.
Explain
Students explain the phenomenon, new knowledge is gained and applied.
Elaborate
Students apply their knowledge towards new situations, knowledge is deepened and
extended.
Evaluate
Students reflect on their knowledge and the learning process, assessment.

LESSON PLAN
- The instructor's road map of what students need to learn and how it will be done
effectively during class time.
CURRICULUM GUIDE
- Documents used by states, schools' districts and individuals' schools to guide teachers in
their instruction.