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The purpose of this study was to compare the 5E method of inquiry-based instruction (IBI) and the four-stage model of direct instruction (DI) on students' content knowledge achievement. The population for this study was all secondary high school students enrolled in the CASE® Natural Resources and Ecology course and whose teachers completed the CASE® Institute for Natural Resources and Ecology certification between the years 2013 and 2017. This study was quasi-experimental and used a nonequivalent control group, pretest-posttest design. A convenient sample of 13 teachers and 222 students was collected. Each teacher was randomly assigned to deliver a set of 16 lesson plans that utilized either the IBI or DI approach. Lesson plans were grouped into four modules, each lasting approximately two weeks. Prior to the delivery of each module, teachers administered content knowledge pretests. Posttests were administered at the completion of each 2-week module. Students in both groups demonstrated significant gains in content knowledge achievement. ANCOVA statistical procedures were used to compare student achievement for both instructional methods. Results of the ANCOVA indicated that the 5E method of IBI and the four-stage model of DI are equally effective on students' content knowledge achievement.

Preparing teachers to teach science consistent with current reforms in science education is a daunting enterprise given a lack of high-quality science professional development (PD) adaptable across various contexts (Wilson 2013). This study examines the impact of a comprehensive professional development program on middle school teachers' disciplinary content knowledge and instructional practices. In this mixed methods investigation, data sources included classroom observations, content knowledge assessments, surveys, and a range of interviews. The teachers in the program showed significant improvements in their disciplinary content knowledge and demonstrated through their enactment of a reform-based curriculum, a range of ability levels to translate their knowledge into instructional practices consistent with the principles espoused in the PD. We conclude that programs that attend to elements of effective PD identified in the literature can positively impact middle school science teachers' enactment of reform-based science teaching. Our findings extend these elements to include the strategic engagement of school and district leadership and the provision of a safe learning space for teachers to collectively engage in reciprocal learning and critical practice. This study has worldwide implications for designing PD for science teachers and for extending our understanding of the impact of each element.

The increase in global migration and the prioritization of English as an international language have resulted in science learning environments that include students whose primary language differs from the language of instruction. This worldwide phenomenon is not limited to geographical regions but occurs where diverse populations representing languages, cultures, ethnicities, and nationalities exist. English Language Learners (ELLs) in these classrooms face the task of learning science while learning to comprehend and participate in the discourse of science. Science teachers must therefore be strategic in providing experiences that will facilitate the development of ELLs' literacy skills to do and engage science learning. We present how one middle school science teacher, engaging in practitioner inquiry, tapped into the potential of deliberate cognate instruction to support the learning of science vocabulary within the context of inquiry-based science teaching. The 7th grade teacher adapted a graphic organizer that served to focus on ELLs learning core ideas and through deliberate cognate instruction connected their Spanish language to English. Cognates, in conjunction with other teaching strategies, proved to be an effective way for the simultaneous learning of disciplinary content knowledge and vocabulary words. The knowledge generated from this practitioner inquiry had immediate impact and though not generalizable can offer insights beyond this immediate classroom. The Spanish-English cognate was a viable tool in bridging the language differences; however, we acknowledge that limitations will occur in classrooms where the languages may not have common roots to support cognate instructions.

This study presents the interpretations and perceptions of Black girls who participated in I AM STEM--a community-based informal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program. Using narrative inquiry, participants generated detailed accounts of their informal and formal STEM learning experiences. Critical race methodology informed this research to portray the dynamic and complex experiences of girls of color, whose stories have historically been silenced and misrepresented. The data sources for this qualitative study included individual interviews, student reflection journals, samples of student work, and researcher memos, which were triangulated to produce six robust counterstories. Excerpts of the counterstories are presented in this article. The major findings of this research revealed that I AM STEM ignited an interest in STEM learning through field trips and direct engagement in scientific phenomena that allowed the girls to become agentic in continuing their engagement in STEM activities throughout the year. This call to awaken the voices of Black girls to speak casts light on their experiences and challenges as STEM learners--from their perspectives. The findings confirm that when credence and counterspaces are given to Black girls, they are poised to reveal their luster toward STEM learning. This study provided a space for Black girls to reflect on their STEM learning experiences, formulate new understandings, and make connections between the informal and formal learning environments within the context of their everyday lives, thus offering a more holistic approach to STEM learning that occurs across settings and over a lifetime.

Science education reform efforts set expectations for K-12 education to produce scientifically literate individuals. Implicit in this reform is the need for preservice teachers to be engaged in learning that builds their knowledge, understanding, and ability toward good science teaching. In this paper, I describe some of the experiences in science education for preservice elementary teachers and their reactions to the activities as indicated by their responses on an exit survey. The preservice teachers assess the effectiveness of each activity based on their expectations of the course, and the extent to which the activities are reproducible in elementary classrooms. (Contains 1 table.)

Teacher professional development (PD) is central to the realization of the current reform efforts in science education. In this qualitative study, we investigated how educative curriculum materials supported middle school science teachers' learning within the context of a comprehensive PD program focused on the enactment of a reform-based science curriculum. Over a 5-year period, we conducted interviews and collected artifacts from formal courses and complementary project activities. Our analysis revealed that the educative curriculum materials facilitated continued science learning, shaped and scaffolded teachers' pedagogical practices, and extended the PD while the teachers were immersed in the act of teaching. Furthermore, the interrelated project activities along with the involvement of school and district administrators offered the teachers ongoing support and provided multiple opportunities to develop, reinforce, and extend their understanding of the science content, teaching practices, and principles of the curriculum. Our findings have practical implications for the role of educative curriculum materials within the context of comprehensive PD for science teachers.

The purpose of this article is to provide a review of empirical studies investigating the impact of professional learning communities (PLCs) on science teachers' practices and knowledge. Across 14 articles that satisfied the definition we embraced, most were devoted to the change in science teaching practices, disciplinary content knowledge (DCK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of K-12 science teachers. Although a small number of studies have implicit focus on comparing measures of student learning, we set out to examine the studies in science education and present how teachers engaged in PLCs focusing on examining and exploring strategies to promote student learning. Analysis of the related studies resulted in the following: PLCs can help teachers increase their PCK and DCK; increases in PCK and DCK may facilitate the change in teacher practices from traditional into more inquiry-based approaches; science teachers collaboratively focusing on student learning in PLCs are more likely to change their practice; and studies do not embrace student learning as an essential feature of PLCs. Methodological flaws and future directions along with implications for science teachers' professional development are discussed.

In this study, we examined how teachers involved in a yearlong technology integration initiative planned to enact technological, pedagogical, and content practices in science lessons. These science teachers, engaged in an initiative to integrate educational technology in inquiry-based science lessons, provided a total of 525 lesson plans for this study. While our findings indicated an increase in technology-related practices, including the use of sophisticated hardware, very little improvements occurred with fostering inquiry-based science and effective science-specific pedagogy. In addition, our conceptual framework, technological pedagogical content knowledge, as a lens to examine teachers' intentions as documented in their lesson plans, provided an additional platform from which to investigate technology integration practices within the ambit of reform science teaching practices. This study, therefore, contributes knowledge about the structure and agenda of professional development initiatives that involve educational technology and integration into content knowledge disciplines such as science.

This article presents the experiences of Miss Felecia McLaughlin, a fourth-grade teacher from the island of Jamaica who used the model proposed by Bass et al. (2009) to assess conceptual understanding of four of the six types of simple machines while encouraging collaboration through the creation of learning teams. Students had an opportunity to demonstrate what they learned and understood about simple machines through the construction of scientific models and the oral presentation of the mental processes involved in the generation of their products. The topic "Simple Machines" is typically taught in grade 4 as part of a unit entitled "Simple and Complex Machines." The unit explores how ideas such as force, push, pull, and work are related to simple machines and may also be adapted to suit the needs of fifth and sixth graders. This performance assessment activity was conducted in a single lesson after the basic concepts of simple machines were developed in two prior classes, and the main objective was to have students design and construct simple machines that complete particular tasks. The successful completion of these tasks demonstrates students' comprehension of the concepts taught and their ability to integrate them into their everyday experiences.

Despite recent progress toward gender equity in science and mathematics education, the underachievement of low-income African American girls remains a challenge when compared with their white counterparts. Furthermore, the causes of this persistent underachievement have not been explored thoroughly. We have initiated a three-year longitudinal study of how African American girls position themselves in relation to science and mathematics learning from fifth to seventh grade, including the impact, if any, of the positioning of teachers, counselors, and parents on this process. In this article, we share findings examining science and mathematics teachers' actions and perceptions and their positioning of African American girls. This qualitative study used an interpretive design with multiple data sources including classroom observations, interviews, and field notes. Findings reveal that school-wide policies and teachers' autonomous decisions impact the regularity of science and mathematics instruction, and that teachers do not always conceptualize the girls as science and mathematics achievers, positioning them in negative ways.

A survey of the literature on evolution instruction provides evidence that teachers' personal views and understandings can shape instructional approaches and content delivered in science classrooms regardless of established science standards. This study is the first to quantify evolutionary worldviews of in-service teachers in the Caribbean, specifically in Belize, an English-speaking nation with a high school system guided by a regional biology syllabus and strict standardized tests. Using the Measure of Acceptance of the Theory of Evolution (MATE) instrument and knowledge test, we investigated (1) the current level of acceptance and understanding of evolution as given by 97% of high school biology teachers in Belize; (2) the factors associated with acceptance and understanding of evolutionary theory. With an average MATE score of 64.4 and a mean knowledge score of 47.9%, Belizean teachers were classified as having both "Low Acceptance" and "Low Understanding" of evolutionary theory. A positive correlation was found between teacher acceptance and understanding of evolution. A review of the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate biology syllabus suggests that evolution plays a minimal role in the high school biology classroom. We believe that Belize presents a unique opening for future training on evolution instruction since 57% of the biology teachers self-proclaim to be unprepared to teach evolution. The results of this study have implications for policy, practice and research with teachers' acceptance, understanding and confidence in teaching evolution serving as important predictors for instructional approaches used in the biology classroom. (Contains 4 tables and 5 figures.)

How can you connect teachers in two different school districts, separated by more than 50 miles, on a weekly basis to provide ongoing professional development (PD)? The answer: videoconferencing. In this article, the authors describe their use of videoconferencing technology to support ongoing PD both within and across two school districts. Specifically, they discuss the structure of their sessions, the strengths and limitations of using videoconferencing, and suggestions for how elementary teachers of science can initiate and plan their next PD experience. (Contains 2 figures and 3 online resources.)

The underrepresentation of low-income African American girls in science-related careers is of concern. Applying the concept of positionality, the authors explored how three school counselors at low-resourced schools view this population of learners to either support or discourage mathematics and science careers. The results of this study suggest that these school counselors evidence lowered expectations for their students. The authors suggest that school counselors need to become aware of how their perceptions and beliefs impact academic achievement.

Recent calls for border crossing between reading and science have heightened the need to support science teachers in integrating reading into science and to verify the robustness of this approach in the context of inquiry-based science. In this paper, we share what we did, found, and learned in a collaborative project in which a team of university-based reading educators and school-based science teachers worked together to infuse reading strategy instruction and quality science trade books into inquiry-based sixth-grade science classrooms. We suggest that infusing reading into middle school science enhances science teaching and learning, but is a complex, multifaceted undertaking. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)

Too many middle school students struggle to comprehend their textbooks in science and other content areas. Thus, many adolescent learners lag behind in developing scientific literacy, which the National Research Council has defined as sufficient understanding of the scientific concepts and processes required for personal decision making, participation in civic life, and economic productivity. With these concerns in mind, professors and doctoral students from the University of Florida at Gainesville collaborated with two middle school teachers in the 2004-05 academic year to integrate reading instruction and a wide range of science readings into these teachers' 6th grade science classrooms. Their action research team provided students with explicit instruction in reading strategies, exposure to award-winning science books and related activities, and professional development focused on building teachers' comfort with integrating reading into science. End-of-year test results showed that students who received this intervention achieved higher scores in both science and reading than did students whose teachers didn't participate.

Investigation involving children's understandings of scientific concepts have been a dominant area of research in science education over the last 2 1/2 decades. One fruitful outcome of these studies is to alert teachers to difficulties in learning science. Although this information is commendable in highlighting their existence, not much is presented on how to deal with the alternative conceptions. It is generally believed that teachers tend to teach the way they were taught, and breaking this cycle requires different emphasis on pedagogy in teacher education. The focus of this article is on preservice teachers' experiences in a science education course as they explore the importance of children's alternative conceptions and in using such knowledge to make decisions about teaching.

This study examined preservice teachers' understanding of, and processes when, designing instruction. Participants were 47 juniors and seniors enrolled in science methods courses. Qualitative methods and analysis of written reflections and interviews revealed the beliefs and views the preservice teachers had about planning. Findings are as follows: (1) Preservice teachers acknowledged the importance of standards and lesson objectives but planned in a sequence that found lesson activities before objectives; (2) despite similar experiences with the Pathwise Observation System approach to planning and related activities in science methods courses, students used two approaches to lesson planning; (3) the requirements and lesson-planning procedures experienced by preservice students in mentor teacher classrooms did not match experiences and expectations in teacher education programs. Implications for future research are discussed.

In 1983, the National Commission on Excellence in Education in the United States issued a report called "A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform." This report and other policy initiatives such as the No Child Left Behind Legislation recommended that the individual states institute assessments to hold schools accountable. This research explored the potential impact of impending standardised testing on teaching science in elementary schools in one school district in Florida. We explored the teachers' concerns about the upcoming high-stakes tests in science, possible impact on their curriculum and what changes, if any, will be made in the approach to science teaching and learning in their classrooms. As the teachers look toward the implementation of high-stakes testing in science, they have recognised the need to teach science. This recognition is not borne out of the importance of science learning for elementary school children, but rather out of fear of failure and the effects of tangible rewards or punishments that accompany highstakes testing. In anticipation, the teachers are preparing to align their teaching to the science standards while aggressively searching for test preparatory materials. Schools are also involved in professional development and structural changes to facilitate teaching of science.

Science requires active learning--it is something that children do, rather than something that is done to them. The learning process involves students' thinking and doing to develop higher-order thinking skills, strengthen their reading and mathematical skills, and attain scientific knowledge. In the elementary grades, children learn biological concepts through direct experiences with living organisms and those organisms' life cycles and habitats. Students come to understand that the survival of organisms depends on their physical environment and how well they adapt to living in it. Direct experiences are easy if habitats are within children's immediate environment. However, some habitats are not easily accessible for such hands-on, minds-on explorations; hence simulations and models are important teaching strategies. The lesson topic "How do polar bears keep warm in their homes?" is part of a teaching unit that explores animals and their adaptations to habitat. The unit features a variety of animals and the structural adaptations that they have that allow them to live in their habitats. For example, a streamlined body and the presence of scales and gills allow a fish to breathe in water. In this polar bear adaptation activity, students learn what physical features of polar bears allow them to call the arctic regions home. (Contains 2 tables.)

Children's books are an important classroom resource for the study of animals because it is not practical for students to study many animals in their natural habitat. This article is the result of a collaborative research project undertaken by a science methods specialist and a children's literature specialist. We analyzed books about animals that contained both narrative and expository writing and determined the best books that facilitated science learning. We share our criteria for book selection and examples of books that meet these criteria. Many support science learning in classrooms allowing children to make observations, raise questions and form conclusions from evidence.

This article describes a lesson in which students construct Bohr's planetary model of the atom. Niels Bohr's atomic model provides a framework for discussing with middle and high school students the historical development of our understanding of the structure of the atom. The model constructed in this activity will enable students to visualize the components of the atom and to understand that the atom is mostly empty space with its mass concentrated in the nucleus. (Contains 3 figures.)

Explored how preservice elementary teachers incorporated technology into a microteaching activity that was a component of their science education, mathematics education, and educational technology courses. Participants displayed varied levels of technology use. Four uses emerged: knowledge source, data organizer, information presenter, and facilitator. The article discusses microteaching as a tool in teacher education, sharing preservice teachers' efforts to integrate computers and other related technologies in their science teaching. (SM)

Students need to read more science texts and develop strategies for learning from these texts in order to become scientifically literate, but content-area teachers tend to focus more on covering content than on teaching students how to learn from texts. An account of how professors and doctoral students in the College of Education at the University of Florida in Gainesville initiated a research project aimed at helping science teachers infuse reading comprehension strategy instruction into the classroom, is presented.

The article describes an activity program for sixth grade students which explore the formation of a solution or a suspension and their applications in everyday living.