Chapter 1: THE NEED TO TEACH ABOUT THE PROCESSES OF SCIENCE

Lesson 1.1: The Nature of Science

THINK Science has a particular way of understanding the world, trying to connect the past with the
present. When we do science, we ask ourselves three basic questions: (1) What is this, (2) How does
it work, and (3) How did it become like this?

Scientific Ways
Science works in specific ways. We have to remember that:
1. Science relies on evidence from the natural world. This evidence is logically examined.
2. Although we must be flexible in our thinking, we should still follow the scientific process guided by
some parameters. and interpreted by scientists using reasoning.
3. Science is embedded within the times.

Scientific Principles
Science has the following principles:
1. Science assumes that we can learn about the world by gathering evidence using our senses and
the extensions of our senses, such as tools or equipment.
2.Science uses and tests evidence from the natural world in order to explain science concepts or
phenomena substantially.

3.Science is a process of continuously learning about the world around us.

4.Scientific claims are tested and accepted based on observations and rejected if these fail the test.

Steps in the Scientific Method

This is a process where one carefully gathers and examines evidence by doing experiments, running
tests, and exploring observations in an effort to answer some questions in a logical manner.

1. Make an observation - A good observation can help you create great questions.
2 Ask a question - Once you observe something and are curious about it, you start asking questions
about it.
3.Do some background research-Find out if other people have asked the same question before.
4.Make a hypothesis- It refers to an educated guess about how things work.
5. Make a prediction-You can make a prediction of what might happen if you do something to the
thing you are curious about.
6.Do an experiment - This is to test your prediction. You start doing the experiment, then collect data,
gather measurements, and analyze the results of your experiment.
7.Analyze your data - You may put the results of your experiment in tables or graphs to make it easier
to analyze.
8. Draw your conclusion - After analyzing your data and presenting it in tables, charts, or graphs, you
can state a conclusion based on evidence.
9. Tell people about what you found out-Communicating the results of your experiment in an oral
presentation and/or in written form in a poster or a journal helps other people who are interested in
the same topic to interact with you.

Lesson 1.2: Teaching about the Six Basic Science Process Skills
In collecting evidence or data about things around us, one must have these basic science process
skills:

Observation -In observing, we use our five senses: sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing. This is the
most basic skill in science. This involves exploring looks (color, shape, and size), sounds, texture,
temperature, pressure, tastes, and smells or odors.
Communication - Communicating is the process of letting other people know what we are doing and
thinking. We communicate in science by speaking, reading, and writing.
VERBAL, NON-VERBAL, PARA VERBAL
Measurement - We measure height, weight, length; volume, temperature, and density.
Unconventional Ways of Measuring
Children can use unconventional ways of measuring, also known as "nonstandard measurement,"
like measuring something by using one's hand, one's feet, or any object such as coins, paper clips, or
a piece of string for measuring.

Conventional Ways of Measuring

Children can start with using "inch blocks" when learning how to measure how long an object is as a
concrete representation of what "one inch" really is.
Classification - When there are so many objects, events, and living things around us, it is easier to
study these when we classify them based on similarities, differences, and interrelationships that we
observe.
Inference - We infer when we try to figure out why and how an event happened,
Prediction - When we predict, we offer our best guess on what might happen in the future based on
facts or pieces of evidence. We are making a forecast of what we might observe in the future.

Lesson 1.3: Teaching about the Six Integrated Science Process Skills

Students in science should be able to develop these skills in order for them to learn how to pursue
searching for knowledge by themselves. All scientific inquiries rest upon one's ability to use these
skills carefully, accurately, and appropriately.

The six integrated science process skills are:

identifying and controlling variables - When making experiments, we try to identify variables,
control variables, and check the effect of changing certain variables one by one.
formulating and testing hypotheses- Formulating a hypothesis means you predict or make a guess
of what might happen if you manipulate one variable. In other words, you might think, "if I change this,
perhaps this might happen."
defining operationally- When you define variables operationally, you give a precise meaning or a
specific procedure for measuring the variable. This is to make sure that our investigation is
consistent. This also makes communicating with other people more accurate. So, before you make
any measurements when you do an experiment, you must decide how exactly you will measure each
variable.
interpreting data- When we interpret data, we give meaning to all the data we collect. We first
decide how to gather the data we need, organize it in a table, make charts or graphs about the data
we collect, then analyze it to make valid conclusions.
Experimenting- In this process of experimenting, we try to investigate the effect of changing one
variable on the change of another variable.
constructing models- When we construct a model, we are trying to make a visual representation of
an object or concept that may be too small or too big to observe in the classroom, or that cannot be
measured directly. We want to show how something looks like and/or how something moves.

CHAPTER 2 L2. 1 DEPED FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHING SCIENCE

Lesson 2.1:

The curriculum guide given by the department of education (DepEd) emphasize the need to develop
science literacy and culture among the Filipinos, whether or not they pursue careers in science,
specifically: scientific, technology, and environmental literacy, as found in the introduction of the
guide.

The K to 12 science curriculum envisions the development of scientifically, technologically, and

environmentally literate and productive members of society who manifest skill as critical problem
solvers, responsible steward of nature.

THE INTENDED OUTCOMES

The overall outcome of studying is found in a small rectangle at the top of a framework above. It
emphasizes the need to develop scientific, technological and environmental literacy among the
student.

SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
The conceptual framework of science education or DepEd framework has a circle divided into three
parts showing the understanding of science knowledge which includes:

(1) understanding and applying scientific knowledge,

(2) demonstrating scientific inquiry skill, and
(3) developing and demonstrating scientific attitudes and values, all of which were discussed in
chapter 1.

ATTRIBUTES NEEDED IN SCIENCE

Five attributes necessary in science are found around the center of the framework. These are the
attributes we went our student to develop as they study science and hopefully, to continuously
develop even after they finished studying in school. These include being
(1) An effective communicator,
(2) A critical and creative problem solver,
(3) An informed decision maker,
(4) An innovative or inventive thinker and
(5) A responsible steward of nature

LEARNING THEORIES AND TEACHING APPROACHES

At the lowest part of the framework is a rectangle filled with little squares. The four squares at the
button of the rectangle are the theories (Constructivist, Social Cognition, Social Cognition, learning
model, Learning Style theory, and brain-based learning), and the four squares in the upper part of the
rectangle are the teaching approaches (Multu/Interdisciplinary Approach, Science-technology-Society
Approach/ Contextual Learning, Problem/issue-based Learning, and inquire-based approach)
suggested by DepEd for teachers to use in teaching science.

A brief review of the afore mentioned theories is as following:

Constructivism posits that people construct or develop their own Local understanding of the
world based on their own experience, Beliefs, culture, values and prior knowledge. This theory
is associated with "learning by doing" or "active learning".

This implies that Teachers should understand students’ thanking’s and match instructional strategies
to what students can do. And teachers should response students to plenty of hands experiences to
help students to build their foundation of learning.

Social Cognition Learning Model or the Social Cognition Learning theory say people gain knowledge
by observing other people in the context of their interactions with them, their experiences, and
through influences by media. The role of adults, more peers, and the media is very important,
Teachers can use modeling, collaboration, and use media in their teaching.

Learning style theory assumes that children have several learning styles but may exhibit a preferred
learning style. Some prefer learning through visual, auditory, or tactile kinesthetic ways. But since
there is a high interconnectivity within the brain, as teachers, we want to offer multiple pathways for
presenting material, for engaging or working with the material, and for expressing what they learned
in assessment. We should cater to all these preferences, so that all students are served. The reason
being, if we label students, we actually limit them.

In relation to this is the multiple intelligence theory that can show students strength, being
dominantly
(1) logical-mathematical,
(2) linguistic,
(3) musical,
(4) spatial,
(5) body-kinesthetic,
(6) interpersonal,
(7) intrapersonal, or
(8) naturalist, or a combination of several of these.
.

Brain-Based Learning or BBL is a latest finding on how the brain work based on researchers in
neuroscience, psychology, and education.

BBL believes in the plastically of the brain as changes through one's life.

1. Approach- Teachers should try to teach the whole brain. This means to both left-dominant and
right- dominant

2. Priming-Teacher should prime students on the new topic by connecting prior knowledge with new
topic to be discussed.

3. Novelty- Teachers must balance novelty with structure. They should create a dynamic,
multisensory, and novel environment for learning.

4. Motivational Strategies-Teachers should provide strategies of positive emotions and

encouragement that would motivate students to feel safe even when making mistakes while trying to
learning something.
LESSON SUMMARY

In this lesson, we discuss the framework for teaching science and proposed by the Department of
education (DepEd). It contained the desire learning outcomes: science content knowledge, inquiry
skills, which includes all the science process skills introduced in the previous lesson. And a positive
scientific attitude.

The learning theories support science education studied here include Constructivism. Social
Cognition Learning Model, leaning style theory and based-learning.

The different student-centered teaching approaches recommended by DepEd for teaching science
include Multi/Interdisciplinary approach, Science-Technology-Society Approach/Contextual learning,
Problem/issue-based learning and inquiry-based approach. The following lesson in this chapter
present these teaching approaches found in the DepEd conceptual framework for science, plus a few
more teaching methods used to effectively teach science around the world.

Lesson 2.2
The 4 A's Lesson Activity Plan
The 4 A Lesson Plan is said to be "learner-centered," where the teacher acts as a facilitator. This is
commonly used by public school teachers for any subject. It seems to be anchored on cognitivism,
and other learning theories previously mentioned, focusing on how information is received by the
learner, organized, stored to memory, and retrieved by the mind when needed.

Lesson Plan
A lesson plan is a roadmap that teachers create to structure daily activity in their classrooms. It
outlines what students will learn during each class period, how the lesson will be taught and how
student progress will be measured.

Parts of Lesson Plan

I. Objectives
II. Content
III. Procedure
IV. Evaluation
V. Assignment/Agreement
VI. Remarks
VII. Reflection

The 1st A:
Activity
Activate prior knowledge

Engaging the learners to the activities that will link them to activate their prior knowledge.
The 2nd A:

Analysis

Acquire new Knowledge.

Promoting higher order thinking.

The 3rd A:
Abstraction
The content of the lesson.
The concrete ideas will turn into an abstract idea.

Ways in doing Abstraction:

1. Present the new lesson.
2. Discussion
3. Create an activity to check if learning has occurred.
4. Generalize.
The 4th A:
Application
Applying the learnings.
Transforming the learnings into new situations.

LESSON SUMMARY
In this lesson, you had the opportunity to use the 4As lesson plan, which is currently being promoted
for use by DepEd in various subjects. The 4As are actually found in the Procedure part of a regular
lesson plan, it starts with (1) activity, where the teacher introduces a motivating, interesting, hands-
on, and concrete activity that can link prior knowledge to the new lesson. This is followed by (2)
analysis, where the teacher finds out the readiness of the students for the new lesson, checking for
understanding, making sure that the prerequisite skills are acquired, facilitating discussions moving
from lower to higher order thinking skills, and introducing the new lesson. Then comes (3) abstraction,
so students can go from concrete to abstract, with the teacher giving guided and independent
practice for mare in-depth understanding, followed by the development of generalizations. Finally,
there is (4) application, where students are given the opportunity to apply their new knowledge to a
new situation

CHAPTER 2.3 THE 5E INQUIRY- BASED LEARNING PLAN

Scientific Inquiry is flexible and involves the following: asking questions or developing hypothesis that
can be investigated, designing and doing the investigation, and communicating the result or
explanation.

The main goal of studying this is to be able to develop scientific inquiry practices and habits of mind
among future students. Although inquiry-based learning (IBL) is used in different subjects, it is one of
the most popular teaching methods used in science.

Moving from a “Cookbook” Science Lesson to a Scientific Inquiry Science Lesson

In a regular science classroom, let us say we have this topic (density):

1. The teacher gives a short lecture about density;

2. The students search for the science vocabulary in their textbooks and write the definition on
their notebooks;
3. The teacher does a demonstration, knows several objects that float on or sink in water;
4. The class discusses why some of objects sink in water;
5. The teacher explains the new lesson about computing density using mass and volume;
6. The teacher makes the students copy the formula for density;
7. By pairs or small groups, the students do the same experiment that was demonstrated by the
teacher;
8. By using several objects, the students measure the mass and volume of the objects and
compare for density;
9. They record these in a table of observations and discuss results; and then,
10. The students take a written quiz about density. This may seem very organized, but it is also
focused on the test.

In this method of teaching, you will notice that students take ownership of their own learning explore
their own questions, and have already been trained to think of scientific ways on how to find the
answers to their questions. Students learn what is essential instead of just repeating through drills of
what they already know.

Inquiry-based learning is a critical component of the scientific method. It was a core idea of student-
centered learning by John Dewey and Maria Montessori, and the theory of constructivism by Jean
Piaget.

Different Levels or Types of Inquiry

Confirmation Inquiry
- This level is more “teacher-centered” or “closed”. In this type of inquiry, the teacher leads the
class by teaching the concepts and creating the questions. The teacher then models the
process for the students.
Structured Inquiry
- In this type of inquiry, the teacher creates the initial set of questions. The teacher also shares
the procedures with the students. The students follow the teacher’s lead. The whole class
engages in one inquiry together. But here, the students go through the rest of the inquiry
process by collecting and analyzing the data by themselves and drawing their own conclusion.

Guide Inquiry
- Here, the teacher still chooses the topics or creates the initials research questions, but does
not tell the students how they will solve the problem. The students themselves design the
research process, or how they will form an experiment, the product, or solution. It is, therefore,
important at this stage that the students already developed, to a certain degree, the different
science process skills from basic to integrated.

Free Inquiry
- This is also known as “open”, “independent”, or “true” inquiry. In this level or type of inquiry, the
students choose their own topics, formulate or ask their own questions, and find the answers
themselves. Engaging in open inquiry lets students own their learning and keeps them curious.
Students eventually learn how to ask great questions, finds the answers, and share their result.

The Four Phases of Inquiry

• Orientation
- This is a form of discussion where the key idea is presented. This is sometimes known as
“provocation”. This is when the teacher provides pictures or real- life objects in the science
table or science area of the classroom.

• Conceptualization
- In this phase, the students generate questions and define a hypothesis. The teacher can ask
these questions: “What do you see?”, “What do you notice,” and “What do you wonder?”
Students then ask many questions. Teacher can provoke investigations with big essential
questions, games or game questions, a mystery to figure out, a problem to solve, stimulate,
role-playing, or others methods.

• Investigation
- Students research, explore, discover, do experiments, and interpret data in a flexible, dynamic,
and cyclical manner.

• Conclusion
- Students make a conclusion based on their findings. Make sure that you allow your students to
immediately share what they have discovered and learned. Also, take note of the student’s
discussions while they are building their knowledge. Sentence starter can be given to students
to allow for better build up of ideas, aside from just adding a new idea all the time.

The 5E Inquiry-based lesson plan

Let us learn about the 5E inquiry-based lesson plan, or also known as the 5E Model for Teaching
Inquiry Science. 5E Stands for Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate.

Engage
- Activity which will focus student’s attention, stimulate their thinking and access prior
knowledge.

Explore
- Activity which gives students time to think and investigate/test/ make decisions/ problem solve,
and collect information.

Explain
- Activity which supports students to develop scientific explanations, drawing from experiences
and observations, using representations. Students continue to develop knowledge of concepts
and demonstrate their developing understanding.

Elaborate
- Activity which expands and solidifies student thinking and/or applies it to a real-world situation.

Evaluate
- Activity which allows the teacher to assess student performance and/or understandings of
concepts, skills, processes, and applications.
Engage (Suggested Activities)
- Demonstration Explain (What the student does)
- Reading - Explains possible solutions or answers
- Free Write to others.
- Analyze a Graphic Organizer - Listens officially to others’ explanations.
- KWL - Questions other’s explanations
- Brainstorming - Listens to and tries to comprehend
Engage (what the teacher does) explanations the teacher offers
- Creates Interest - Refers to previous activities
- Generates curiosity - Uses recorded observations in
- Raises questions explanations.
- Elicits Reponses that uncover what the Elaborate (Suggested Activities)
students know or think about the - Problem Solving
concept/topic. - Decision Making
Engage (What the student does) - Experimental Inquiry
- Asks questions such as, why did this - Thinking Skill Activities: compare,
happen? what do I already know about classify, apply
this? What have I found out about this? Elaborate (what the teacher does)
- Shows interest in the topic - Expects the students to use formal
labels, definitions, and explanation
Explore (Suggested Activities) provided previously.
- Perform an investigation - Encourages the students to apply or
- Read Authentic Resources to Collect extend the concepts and skills in new
Information situations.
- Solve a problem - Reminds the students of alternatives
- Construct a Model explanations.
Explore (what the teacher does) - Refers the students to existing data and
- Encourages the students to work evidence and asks, what do you already
together without direct instruction form know? Why do you think…?
the teacher. - Strategies from Explore apply here also.
- Observe and listens to the students as Elaborate (What the student does)
they interact. - Applies new labels, definitions,
- Asking probing questions to redirect the explanations, and skills in new, but
student’s investigations when similar situations.
necessary. - Uses previous information to ask
- Provides time for students to puzzle questions, propose solutions, make
through problems. decisions, and design experiments.
Explore (What the student does) - Draws reasonable conclusions from
- Thinks freely but within the limits of the evidence.
activity. - Records observations and explanations.
- Tests predictions and hypotheses. - Check for understandings among peers.
- Forms new predictions and hypotheses
- Tries alternatives and discusses them Evaluate (Suggested Activities)
with others. - Any of the Previous Activities
- Records observations and ideas. - Develop a scoring tool or rubric
- Suspends judgement. - Performance Assessment
Explain (Suggested Activities) - Produce a Product
- Student Analysis & Explanation - Journal Entry
- Supporting Ideas with Evidence - Portfolio
- Structured Questioning Evaluate (what the teacher does)
- Reading and Discussion - Observe the students as they apply new
- Teacher Explanation concepts and skills.
- Thinking Skill Activities: compare, - Assesses students’ knowledge and/or
classify, error analysis skills.
Explain (what the teacher does) - Looks for evidence that the students
- Encourages the students to explain have changed their thinking or
concepts and definitions in their own behaviors.
words. - Allows students to assess their own
- Asks for justification (evidence) and learning and group-process skills.
clarification from students. - Asks open-ended questions, such as:
- Formally provides definitions, why do you think…? What evidence do
explanations, and new labels. you have? What do you know about it?
- Uses student’s previous experiences as How would you explain it?
basis for explaining concepts.
Evaluate (What the student does)
- Answer open-ended questions by using observations, evidence, and previously accepted
explanations.
- Demonstrates an understanding or knowledge of the concept or skill.
- Evaluates his or her own progress and knowledge.
- Asks related questions that would encourage future investigations.

Lesson Summary

In this lesson, you had the opportunity to use 4As lesson plan, which is currently being promoted for
use by DepEd in various subjects. The 4As are actually found in the Procedure part of a regular
lesson plan. It starts with:

Activity, where the teacher introduces a motivating, interesting, hands-on, and concrete activity that
can link prior knowledge to the new lesson. This is followed by analysis, where the teacher finds out
the readiness of the students for the new lesson, checking for understanding, making sure that the
prerequisite skills are acquired, facilitating discussions moving from lower to higher order thinking
skills, and introducing the new lesson. Then comes abstraction, so students can go from concreate
to abstract, with the teacher giving guided and independent practice for more in-depth understanding,
followed by the development of generalizations. Finally, there is application, where students are
given the opportunity to apply their new knowledge to a new situation.