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Inquiry Science
Tahoma School District Vision for Science 

The Tahoma School District is markedly changing their approach in teaching science.  Changes to the curriculum will occur in the 2000-2001 school year.  These changes are based on guidelines set by the National Science Foundation and Project 2061 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.  In addition to changes in course offerings, students will notice a change in teaching style.  Before  teachers may have predominantly presented information with lecture and videos while students took notes.  In the future, this will be balanced with a more investigative approach. Students may be given a question and then explore answers with experiments.  For example, instead of explaining the phases of the moon, students may be given a light source and two Styrofoam balls to try and figure it out. 

As educators, we recognize that students are best able to learn science processes and content when those subjects are approached in a manner consistent with the process of scientific inquiry.  Any approach to teaching science must include as part of its foundation a base of content knowledge.  An inquiry based approach to science education must also be supported by a staff committed to active learning, student-directed investigations, and the pursuit of answers through diverse strategies.

As educators, we recognize that where students pursue scientific investigations designed to answer questions, explore issues, or solve problems, they more fully utilize and develop their Complex Thinking skills and more readily apply thinking skills and behaviors.  When students see questions and issues as significant to their current and/or future lives, or as important to their community, they be come more fully engaged and motivated.  Engaged and motivated students are more likely to endeavor to become Quality Producers and involved Community Contributors.  Given the freedom to conduct their own investigations, they are more likely to take on a degree of responsibility for their own learning and thus develop into Self-Directed Learners.  In light of these considerations, Tahoma School District (TSD)  is working toward the adoption of an inquiry-based science curriculum.

In addition to its commitment to the inquiry model, TSD is committed to the implementation of a science curriculum which is in alignment with the State's Essential Academic Learning Requirements, prepares students for the Washington Assessments of Student Learning, supports the district's own school-to-work goals, and encourages student development in accordance with the district's own Outcomes and Indicators.  To realize the adoption of a science curriculum consistent with these various commitments, TSD has outlined four key areas that describe what an inquiry based approach to science education in that district should look like.  Those areas include Communications, Collaboration, Tools and Technology, and Field Experiences.  As relates to those key areas, a set of descriptors has been listed as to what teachers working toward implementation of the new curriculum will be seen doing.

 

CommunicatingCommunications

When entering into the fields of science and industry, potential employees are required to have strong communication skills.  Employees are expected to be capable of using those skills in a variety of formal and  informal situations.  As with all tools, communication skills have little use when taken out of context.  Communication skills must be a focus in all subject areas, and science education, no exception, must be designed to enhance those skills, especially those that are specific to the discipline.  The process of scientific inquiry requires the use of high levels of communication skills as students research, read, discuss, and write as they work to discover the answers to questions.

Recognizing the important role communications skills play in students' futures, Washington State has made them a focus of its EALRs and has designed state assessments that challenge students' communications skills within content areas such as science.  The EALRs require that students have the skills to organize and express science ideas and that they use effective communication strategies and tools to prepare and present science information.  As part of the assessments, students will be evaluated based upon their ability to organize their ideas as they relate to some particular science content.  Also recognizing the importance of communications skills, TSD lists Effective Communicator as a student outcome goal.

Teachers working toward implementation of the Communications component of TSD's science curriculum will be seen:

CollaboratingCollaboration

As with communication skills, science and industry employers expect potential employees to be capable of working collaboratively.  Science is by nature a collaborative venture; with teams of individuals working together toward common goals either directly or by sharing research and ideas.  The State's EALRs require that students develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry.  Among those skills are the ability to work collaboratively.  An inquiry-based approach to science education modeled on the scientific inquiry process itself will necessarily require student collaboration with peers, teachers, community members, and others involved in the matter being investigated.  Science education which models the collaborative nature of the discipline will help prepare students for work in any field, and TSD recognizes the importance of developing group processing skills in students and has identified Collaborative Worker as an outcome goal.

Teachers working toward implementation of the Collaboration component of TSD's science curriculum will be seen:

Tools and Technology
and Applied Mathematics

Science and industry's dependence upon technological tools and applied mathematics is continually increasing. Potential employees will be expected to have the background knowledge to quickly learn to use new tools and to be conversant enough with current computer technologies to quickly master them as well. Science education must be designed to allow for the regular use of a variety of tools so that students become familiar with the general patterns inherent in today's technologies.  Potential employees will be expected to have strong problem-solving skills and sufficient background experience to recognize how tools and technology might be vital to identifying solutions.  In fact, the EALRs state that students will know that science and technology are interrelated to each other, to society, and to the workplace.  An inquiry-based approach to science education provides students with the context in which they have cause to want to learn how to use those tools and technologies.  

Teachers working toward implementation of the Tools and Technology component of TSD's science curriculum will be seen:

Field ExperienceField Experiences

Science may be defined as the study of the natural world. A personal relationship with, and thus a deeper understanding of science concepts can be developed by students engaged in investigations conducted outside the classroom, out in that natural world.  A fully implemented inquiry-based model of science education will provide students with those opportunities.

Teachers working toward implementation of the Field Experiences component of TSD's science curriculum will be seen:

 

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Last Updated Friday March 04, 2005

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