Teaching Science to Children: An Inquiry Approach - Softcover

Friedl, Alfred E.; Koontz, Trish Yourst

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0072380578 ISBN 13: 9780072380576

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., 2000

Synopsis

This is a comprehensive, easy-to-use text containing more than 300 science teaching activities, 30 of which are new to this edition. This book's focus on the inquiry approach places value on the student's thinking and doing science, and ties the text to the inquiry-oriented National Science Education Standards for science teaching issued by the National Research Council. Each of the inquiry activities contains combined discussions of methods and content. This text helps students overcome science anxiety and shows them how easy it is to teach science using a simple, consistent three-step approach to each of the science activities (set induction, investigation, and resolution). All activities use simple, easy-to-find materials. Over 250 pieces of line art clearly illustrate the teaching activities.

About this title

From the Publisher:

TECHNOLOGY CHAPTER: Expanded coverage of technology includes a new Chapter 2 on technology and newly enhanced coverage integrated throughout the text. A computer disk icon in the margins calls out each activity that uses technology.
UPDATED: All chapters were revised to include a variety of calculator and/or computer activities. Assessment, questioning skills, and the National Science Education Standards are now examined in Chapter 1.
SCIENCE PROCESSES: Each activity is followed by a list of the science processes (observing, measuring, recording, comparing, interpreting, generalizing, etc.) that can be taught as part of the activity.
MOTIVATIONAL: Most of the activities can be presented as discrepant events in which some unexpected and surprising outcome (e.g., water running uphill) motivates student inquiry.
SAFETY: Excellent discussions of safety measures.
COMPING GUIDELINE: Look for a professor using (or check bookstore requisitions for) a separate collection of science experiments (many are trade or non-college publisher titles); most instructors use such an activities book together with a science methods text (like our Krajcik, Teaching Children Science, 1999 and 2003). Friedl has two first chapters on methods and after that is similar to our other science methods experiments collection by Lorbeer, Science Activities (2000).
BOOK'S POSITION: More than 300 science teaching activities using the inquiry approach and the National Science Education Standards each use a simple, consistent three-step approach that relieves science anxiety for pre- and in-service teachers. 250 illustrations.

About the Author:

Alfred E. Friedl is Emeritus Professor of Education at Kent State University. He received the first eight years of his education in a one-room elementary school in Minnesota. He attended high school in Albany, Minnesota, and received an undergraduate degree from Saint Cloud State College. Professor Friedl began his teaching career as an elementary school teacher in Minnesota and California. After receiving his doctorate in Education from Colorado State University, he served as a curriculum coordinator for the San Diego County Department of Education. He also taught extension classes for San Diego State University and UCLA. He later moved to Kent State University where he taught for twenty-five years. In addition to winning an "outstanding teacher" award from Kent State, he also won a national teaching award for writing and presenting a 13-week television series entitled, "Teaching Children about Space Science." Professor Friedl has written extensively for more than three decades--authoring or co-authoring more than twenty books. He co-authored his first book, YOUR SCIENCE FAIR, while still a sixth grade teacher. His most recent books include MODERN PHYSICAL SCIENCE and EXERCISES AND INVESTIGATIONS, both high school science textbooks. Tricia Koontz is an associate professor of Mathematics and Science Education at Kent State University in the College of Education. She received her Ph.D. in education from Kent State University where she has been on the faculty since 1983. A former elementary, middle, and high school teacher, she has authored or co-authored several chapters and articles dealing with her special interests in the teaching and learning of mathematics and science as well as gender equity issues in education. She has received several teaching awards including a Best Practices Award from the State of Ohio for her National Science Foundation grant project.

About this edition

• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Publishing Co.
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0072380578
• ISBN 13: 9780072380576
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 400