Middle School Science Curriculum Overview
Explore IQWST, a middle school science curriculum that promotes scientific practices and deep understanding by engaging students in investigations across physics, chemistry, and life science. Learn why research supports literacy and content integration while emphasizing the importance of coherence, prior knowledge, and vocabulary in context.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
You are allowed to download the files provided on this website for personal or commercial use, subject to the condition that they are used lawfully. All files are the property of their respective owners.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
IQWST Investigating & Questioning our World Through Science & Technology Mrs. Reppen Immaculate Conception
What is IQWST? IQWST is a carefully sequenced, 9-unit middle school science curriculum. Each academic year includes three units, one in each discipline: Physics, Chemistry and Life Science. IQWST engages students in scientific practices as they experience, investigate, and explain phenomena while learning core ideas of science. Rather than memorizing facts, students build understanding by connecting ideas across disciplines and across the middle grades.
Research does not support: Broad content coverage o Superficial coverage = superficial understanding Reading-centered curriculum o Reading to answer questions at the end of a chapter no integration Activities strung together o Engagement w/o conceptual understanding, doing over all else Vocabulary Study such as: o Words in sentences, create-your-own glossary, Friday vocab quizzes-apart from words in context Projects whose goal is completing the project
Research DOES support: Literacy and content integration Multiple ways to interact with content and to make sense o Read, write, talk about and DO science Importance of Prior Knowledge & Making Connections o Coherence builds conceptual understanding across lessons, units, strands, years Ability to use, apply and manipulate information Vocabulary in-Context o Frequent, in-context use-reading, writing, talking science Interest + engagement + motivation = achievement
IQWST Components Experience phenomenon first Then talk about, read about, and make sense Readings o Every lesson has at least 1 reading o Readings refer directly to in-class activities Another opportunity to make sense Another opportunity to use the language Absentees in inquiry classrooms Parents Apply & extend with everyday examples
IQWST Components Oral classroom discourse is key Use of Driving Question Board (DQB) Learning unfolds over time Do not rush! Students will arrive at the right answer over time Formative assessment opportunities talk, plus student portal
IQWST Key Features Students DO science: Experience & Investigate phenomena Addresses core ideas in depth Coherence: Within unit, across content areas, across 6-8 Integrates content, scientific practices & all forms of literacy Scaffolds Scientific Practices Uses Driving Questions & DQB to structure & focus learning Embeds formative assessments in readings, discussion & activity sheets Provides support for diverse learners, differentiation Educative for teachers: Background knowledge, videos
Introducing... the IQWST Interactive Digital Edition (IDE) Best described as an Interactive Science Curriculum & Notebook Incorporates audio, video, graphic simulations, and writing and drawing tools into the already powerful IQWST curriculum Students utilize their devices while investigating phenomena. Provides investigation procedures, ways to collect and organize data, and prompts to support students in analyzing data and using their data to construct explanations as they go. Students can respond to questions textually or by making digital drawings, or they can take pictures or capture video in each lesson.
IDE Student Benefits Students are immersed in an interactive environment, including compelling digital features: digital journals for recording students original questions and data to support answering them communication and collaboration tools with their teacher(s) and other students embedded videos embedded simulations audio versions of each reading Students written responses and models are stored for revisiting and revising, as well as for electronic submission to me, so their progress toward learning goals can being frequently monitored.
IQWST in Action https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=367&v=ajMyJ_X0AeQ
