Teaching Children Science: A Discovery Approach, CourseSmart eTextbook, 7th Edition

The seventh edition of Teaching Children Science provides comprehensive coverage of elementary science methods focusing on “what to teach” and “how to teach it.”  Using Abruscato’s well known “discovery approach”, the book includes all three major components of teaching science–methods, content, and activities–organized in a format that allows teachers ultimate flexibility.  The text has also been updated to include the 5 E’s of Learning and the Universal Design for Learning.

 

Organized in four parts, the first nine chapters of the book deal with the major topics that shape what teachers will teach and how they will teach it (the methods.)  Parts II, III, and IV deal with the content and the activities for the different fields of science: The Earth and Space Sciences, The Life Sciences, The Physical Sciences, and (new to this edition) The Technological Sciences.  In order to make the book more reader friendly, the content chapters of each part are followed by a separate chapter of activities. 

 

With a renewed focus on the NSE Content Standards, Teaching Children Science provides clear direction of what kids need to learn and what teachers need to know while aligning the chapter content with the standards.  The authors also emphasize the importance of solid, valid, summative assessment strategies over “teaching to the test.” 

 

This edition also has an increased emphasis on using technology and multimedia in the classroom.  The “webquests” of the previous edition have been expanded into a full chapter on Using Technology to Enhance Science Learning. (Chapter 8.)  The authors provide a framework for understanding a meaningful application of computers in education as a way to deepen one’s descriptive model of a phenomenon.  They also encourage the use of computers to move beyond description to explanation.  The assessments section in this chapter has been updated to be more explicit. 

 

Asking questions is what makes us who we are.  This book will help new teachers to create a classroom environment in which inquiry is carried out for the purpose of making discoveries.  Inquiry is the path and discovery is the destination. 

 

NEW!  Features a new co-author in this edition–Dr. Donald DeRosa of Boston University.

 

NEW!  A new paperback binding and larger 8 ½’’ x 11’’ trim size gives the book a fresher and more open feel.

 

NEW!  Includes a new chapter (Chapter 8) Using Technology to Enhance Science Learning.

Part I -- Strategies and Techniques

1    Inquiry: The Path, Discovery: The Destination

2    Constructing Knowledge and Discovering Meaning

3    The Inquiry Process Skills

4    Planning and Managing

5    Strategies and QuickChecks

6    Assessment of Understanding and Inquiry

7    Integrating Science

8    NEW - Using Technology to Enhance Science Learning

9    Adapting the Science Curriculum

Part II -- The Earth/Space Sciences

10    Earth and Space Sciences

11    The Cosmos

12    Putting the Content into Action! Earth Space/Science Lesson Ideas

Part III -- The Life Sciences

13    Living Things

14    The Human Body

15    Putting the Content into Action! Living Science Lesson Ideas

Part IV -- The Physical Sciences

16    Matter and Motion

17    Energy and Machines

18    Putting the Content into Action! Physical Sciences Lesson Ideas

Part V -- The Technological Sciences

19    Technology

20    Engineering

21    Putting the Content into Action! Technological and Engineering Lesson Ideas