Teaching Science in Elementary and Middle School: A Project-Based Learning Approach

Teaching Science in Elementary and Middle School integrates principles of learning and motivation with practical teaching ideas for implementing them. Paralleling what scientists do, project-based learning (PBL) represents the essence of inquiry and the nature of science, and engages children and teachers in investigating meaningful, real-world questions about the world around them. This text provides concrete strategies on teaching using a project-based approach and on meeting the principles in A Framework for K–12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Features include strategies for planning long-term, interdisciplinary, student-centered units; scenarios to help readers situate new experiences; and a wealth of supplementary material on the Companion Website.
Features in the Fifth Edition:
- Integrates research-based findings from the National Research Council’s Taking Science to School, A Framework for K–12 Science Education, and NGSS to engage learners and help them make sense of phenomena in using disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts
- Gives attention to cultural diversity throughout the chapters, with an added focus on working with English Language Learners
- Describes how to develop and use assessments that require students to make use of their knowledge to solve problems or explain phenomena
- Illustrates how to use PBL to make connections to Common Core Standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts
- Provides examples of project-based lessons and projects to illustrate how teachers can support children in engaging in scientific and engineering practices, such as asking questions, designing investigations, constructing models and developing evidence-based explanation