Science at home is the same as in the laboratory...

I was travelling around the countryside (for work of course!) when this interview came on the radio. I've become a bit of a National Radio convert which I assume everyone does as they get older -now that would be an interesting research project! Anyway Kathryn Ryan was talking to Dr Helen Czerski about everyday objects and actions that reflect deeper science -theories as well as illustrations. I think she might have been on TV that week too.

Radio New Zealand

Here's the link to the interview -it's only 23 minutes long and well worth a listen (if just for a really good science reason for doing the Dancing Raisins experiment!):  http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201839077/can't-pop-this-bubble-scientist's-passion-for-physics.
The reason I like the conversation is that Dr Czerski is discussing ideas and questions she has about the world around her, for example why tea sometimes slops when she walks, bubbles in her coffee, etc. More than this, she's investigating further! I sometimes wonder if students even have these types of questions -I wonder why there are drops on the outside of the fizzy drink bottle? I wonder why there are more mynah birds these days?... If we're developing that awe and curiosity in students, sharing with them that scientists wonder these kinds of questions may encourage them to start growing wonderings.

Of course, linking them to more complex science is possibly beyond us primary teachers but I do like the thought that we could share this thinking with our Y7-10 children. In looking at the 'why', again, we may need to use google -so why does tapping stop the coke can 'exploding' when I open it? But before googling, could children do some investigating? Could they explore the question, grow some inferences, build some explanations from their investigations and then check the internet to see what others say, critiquing carefully -roomtwo.com may not have as much validity as a university site!

I read something recently (and cannot remember the paper but will put it in here if I do!) that talked about children carrying out the same work as scientists is important. I do think this means heading down to the estuary and working alongside the DoC staff, observing and counting animals but could it also mean what Dr Czerski does? Could they investigate why a popcorn pops? At least they could put some ideas together before heading online to further clarify their thinking. Naturally, we could just send the students online in the first place but if we are to be explicit about our teaching the Nature of Science (a Randy Bell comment), an opportunity to grow our questioning, plan and investigate further, attempt to explain our own findings and then check the internet means children could be working within the science lens -measuring, predicting, hypothesizing, critiquing, guessing,  deciding, explaining, communicating, debating, etc can all be happening in far greater detail than a quick 'check the web'. In conversations I've had with teachers over the last few weeks, the need for content knowledge has come up lots -particularly how much we need to teach science 'effectively'. Having a wee squiz before the lessons to get some idea of what is going on may help you feel far more confident and capable as well as enable you to question students more effectively. Because I'm a pretty good questioner with a bit of general science, I'm happy to be thrown in the deep end and discover alongside the students but you may feel happier having some pre-knowledge!

So, have a listen to the webcast, perhaps have a try at one of the doctor's ideas and start growing a wonder wall in the class where children can stick post it notes with their wonderings.