Use of Accurate Scientific Language
I have grown
in my ability to accurately use scientific language.
1. Physics: The
Foundations of Science II
What this piece of evidence
is...
This is second pre-test
and post-test
that I took in the second physics course with Nicole Gillepsie and Bill
Berner. The items on both tests ask for an explanation and
reasoning for the ranking of the brightness of bulbs. In the
pre-test, prior to my circuit explorations, my knowledge was minimal,
but after participating in various inquiry activities, I gained
conceptual understanding of circuits and the accurate use of scientific
language pertaining to the unit.
Why I chose this and how this illustrates my growth
in the area of my ability to accurately use scientific language...
This piece exemplies my growth in accurate use of
electrical circuit scientific language, for I began with no knowledge
of the necessary scientific language about electric circuits on the
pre-test and grew to using accurate vocabulary on post-test.
During this introduction of circuits and the
proper terminology of types of circuits I began to develop a deep
understanding on electrical circuit models, and I believe this is when
I realized I can actually understand circuits.
Prior to the inquiry
activities on parallel and series circuits, I did not have the faintest
clue on how electricity works when more than one bulb is
involved. The pre-test shows how my limited understanding led to
my guessing and forming misconceptions without having any exposure to
circuits. This is typical of many students as I see it in my
classroom when I administer pre assessments. My response on the
post-test demonstrates my new
knowledge and accurate use of resistance,
current
flow,
independent branch, parallel, and series when I ranked the
brightness of bulbs in item A and explained why the brightness of a
bulb changes in item B.
2.
Environmental
Science
for Teachers
What
this
piece
of evidence
is...
Excerpts from the pre-test, post-test, and a stream
comparison paper I worked on with another colleague during the
Environmental
Science course clearly depicts my growth in the area of the use of
scientific
language. The first four items on the test require the use
of language that I was not familiar with at the very beginning of the
course. I took a guess at item 3 on the pre-test, and was unable
to respond to any of the other three items. On the post-test, I
demonstrated my learning by responding to all four items
correctly. The excerpts from the comparison paper show my use of
the language I learned by doing science when we were on our trips to
various streams.
Why I chose this and how this illustrates my growth
in the area of my ability to accurately use
scientific language...
My inability to respond to items 1, 2 and 4 on
the pre-test
shows that I have not been exposed to the necessary scientific language
related to environmental science or stream ecology; however, on the post-test,
I
was
able to respond accurately. When I took the
pre-test, I had no concept of what a watershed was, nor was I able to
conceive how to conduct chemistry analysis and what tests to use to
test the health of a
stream. By the end of the course, however, I had a very thorough
understanding of what a watershed entails, the various tests one can do
to
test for the presence of fertilizer in water, and other tests that help
determine the health of a stream. The obvious discrepancy in
the pre-test and post-test responses show that I have acquired new
knowledge of scientific language. In addition, I used the
language on a regular basis when we were at various sites to test the
water at different locations. In the strean comparison paper, a
part of the course requirement, I outline the tests that I conducted
with my group and what that tells me about the water in that
site. Prior to my adventures in this class, I did not realize
that simple tests such as the temperature of the water could tell me
about the quality of the water in a stream. This course has
rekindled my interest in environmental science, and I am excited to
implement my new knowledge when I teach a fifth grade ecosystems unit
this coming spring.
Excerpts taken from work done in
the environmental course:
| Pre-test |
Post-test |
 |
 |
Excerpts from Stream Comparison
