Science Interactions Course 1

Rating:
Summary: Good Book for 6th Graders
Review: An Educational Assessment of a Science Text The sixth grade at Lansing Intermediate uses a textbook entitled, Science Interactions, Course 1, in their science course. The intent of this paper is to evaluate this text and its effectiveness in the classroom. The text was published by Glencoe, and has a copywrite date of 1995. The book has eleven authors, of whom, three are university professors, and eight are high school or middle school science teachers. The text also used twenty-three consultants who are listed in the beginning of the text. The consultants are listed by his or her area of expertise. These areas include: chemistry, multiculturalism, earth science, physics, reading, life science, middle school science, L.E.P., and safety. Also listed are twenty-six reviewers from upper middle schools, high schools and colleges. Although this text had many noteworthy scholars who served to publish it, there are many problems associated with its use. The authors, reviewers, and consultants, are mostly people who work with children above the level of sixth grade. Therefore, the text assumes that the child has prior knowledge of the subject to be built on by using the text. While the intent of the text may have been to promote higher learning, the authors did not consider the fact that these children would see much of the material presented in the book for the first time. The text also assumes that the school is able to afford the expensive experiments listed in the text. These experiments are central to the curriculum presented in the text. Since Lansing does not have the budget for the laboratory materials that are required, the

An Educational Assessment of a Science Text: 2 teachers have had to develop a multitude of their own experiments, and hence, the text has become somewhat obsolete. The text offers a wide array of supportive interactive materials. Laboratory manuals, at-home activities, performance assessment guides, study guides, CD ROMs, overhead transparencies, and even Spanish instruction are offered. Lansing chooses to use only the overhead transparencies, and the study guides. Again, this is due to the cost of the materials needed for the laboratory experiments. The text is very aesthetically pleasing. The pictures are well done, and appropriate for the material. Many races and ethnicities are represented throughout the text. The book is also gender neutral, and provides pictures and activities that would be appropriate for both genders. However, this text would not be appropriate for children with special needs, nor does it depict any of these children in its many pictures. This text would be far too confusing for a child with special needs. However, it could be used appropriately in an enrichment class, since its content would be challenging enough for these students. This text assumes that all learners are visual learners. If that were true of all children, then there would not be a problem using this type of textbook in any sixth grade science class. But such is not the case, and a major assumption like that should never have been made.

An Educational Assessment of a Science Text: 3 Activities in the book are student-centered. The questions in the book are mostly open-ended questions, and the curriculum in the book is geared towards hands-on activities. The only problem is, that the text lacks the detailed information needed to complete these activities; hence the children are forced to supplement the book with information off of the Internet. The book does, however, have a helpful appendix and skills handbook in the back. These help, somewhat, with understanding terms, graphs, measurements, and charts, but are only a reference guide, and do not serve to explain the many vague concepts presented in the book. These concepts require in depth explanations. The layout of the text indicates that it attempts to encompass too many elements. It moves from earth science to life science, to physics and chemistry, to science and society, to technology, and finally to a section that could be labeled miscellaneous. The miscellaneous section has anything from the study of natural disasters, to astronomy, to hot springs and geysers. This is a lot for sixth graders to cover in one year. By incorporating so much into one text, students are may not be able prove mastery of the any of the concepts presented. Science Interactions, Course 1, provides ideas for cross-curriculum connections at the end of each chapter. Topics such as diversity, art, health, and historical connections are represented. The problem with these suggestions is that they are not appealing to the students. In fact, the students described them as boring, so the sixth grade class at Lansing Middle School do their own projects created by the science teacher.

An Educational Assessment of a Science Text: 4 From a business perspective, it could be said that the teacher is the sales agent for the book, and the student is the ultimate consumer. With that in mind, an interview was conducted with a student who has an aptitude for science, as well as an "A" grade point average. In the interview, the student expressed more dislikes than likes with regard to the text. He believed that, although the text was very eye appealing, it was lacking in substance. Many areas in the book were lacking in explanation, and were, sometimes, confusing. He felt that some points in the book could have been enhanced by a pictorial chain or web, to promote a better understanding of the subject matter. On occasion, the teacher had the students create webs that would aid in understanding some of the more complex concepts presented in the text. The student stated that the book should include more age-appropriate activities. Many of those in the text were either boring or too difficult to accomplish. He felt that, while the language was somewhat understandable, the explanations were vague at best. He stated that he was especially perplexed by the lack of explanations and activities offered for the section on classification and kingdoms. Since this was the first time these students studied certain classifications and kingdoms, the teacher felt that it was best not to utilize the book for this subject. The student expressed a few items that he liked about the text. The student liked how the book shows side views and cut-aways of organisms. He also liked the few times when the book offered detailed steps as explanations, for example, the movement of an amoeba, which was listed in four detailed steps. Also, in the chapter on animals, there An Educational Assessment of a Science Text: 5 was an exceptional pictorial regarding the food chain. Lastly, the student liked the few times the authors used detailed descriptions with regard to the many figures presented in the text.

After the interview, the teacher was consulted as to whether the student's opinion was valid. She confirmed that this particular student had expressed sentiments that accurately reflected her beliefs as well as those of the class. She was, less than thrilled to have to use this text. She stated that the class would be using a new text next year. What would philosopher John Dewey have thought of this text? Dewey may have liked the fact that the text is student-centered. He may have also liked the attempt the text made to present hands-on materials and the text's experimentalist philosophy. However, Dewey would probably have been disappointed in general with this text. It basically goes against some of the philosophies that Dewey so strongly believed. Dewey would find that, while the text promotes inquiry and challenge, it does not provide enough information for accurate problem solving. Also distressing for Dewey, would be the fact that the book assumes prior knowledge that is nonexistent. Since Dewey was adamant regarding his belief that knowledge builds upon prior experiences, he would be disappointed in Science Interactions, Course 1. Dewey believed that for learning to be meaningful, it must be tied in with a learner's prior experience. This in turn, would lead the learner to make real life connections. If prior learning does not exist, then the connections could never be made. While the authors' genuine intent was to promote higher learning through the use of beautiful visual photographs and illustrations, they have fallen short of their goal. The An Educational Assessment of a Science Text: 6 primary reason for this is a lack of quality testing. If the consultants had used test groups at the appropriate sixth grade level, the school system would have had an easier time using this text as a teaching tool. The authors should have also tested their laboratory experiments for cost. If the authors had known that some schools could not afford many of the experiments, the book was built around, they would have been forced to rethink them to meet cost requirements. The Lansing school district is also at fault for choosing a text that is obsolete because of the high cost of its experiments. Proper foresight would have prevented th

Rating:
Summary: An Educational Assessment of a Science Text
Review: An Educational Assessment of a Science Text The sixth grade at Lansing Intermediate uses a textbook entitled, Science Interactions, Course 1, in their science course. The intent of this paper is to evaluate this text and its effectiveness in the classroom. The text was published by Glencoe, and has a copywrite date of 1995. The book has eleven authors, of whom, three are university professors, and eight are high school or middle school science teachers. The text also used twenty-three consultants who are listed in the beginning of the text. The consultants are listed by his or her area of expertise. These areas include: chemistry, multiculturalism, earth science, physics, reading, life science, middle school science, L.E.P., and safety. Also listed are twenty-six reviewers from upper middle schools, high schools and colleges. Although this text had many noteworthy scholars who served to publish it, there are many problems associated with its use. The authors, reviewers, and consultants, are mostly people who work with children above the level of sixth grade. Therefore, the text assumes that the child has prior knowledge of the subject to be built on by using the text. While the intent of the text may have been to promote higher learning, the authors did not consider the fact that these children would see much of the material presented in the book for the first time. The text also assumes that the school is able to afford the expensive experiments listed in the text. These experiments are central to the curriculum presented in the text. Since Lansing does not have the budget for the laboratory materials that are required, the

An Educational Assessment of a Science Text: 2 teachers have had to develop a multitude of their own experiments, and hence, the text has become somewhat obsolete. The text offers a wide array of supportive interactive materials. Laboratory manuals, at-home activities, performance assessment guides, study guides, CD ROMs, overhead transparencies, and even Spanish instruction are offered. Lansing chooses to use only the overhead transparencies, and the study guides. Again, this is due to the cost of the materials needed for the laboratory experiments. The text is very aesthetically pleasing. The pictures are well done, and appropriate for the material. Many races and ethnicities are represented throughout the text. The book is also gender neutral, and provides pictures and activities that would be appropriate for both genders. However, this text would not be appropriate for children with special needs, nor does it depict any of these children in its many pictures. This text would be far too confusing for a child with special needs. However, it could be used appropriately in an enrichment class, since its content would be challenging enough for these students. This text assumes that all learners are visual learners. If that were true of all children, then there would not be a problem using this type of textbook in any sixth grade science class. But such is not the case, and a major assumption like that should never have been made.

An Educational Assessment of a Science Text: 3 Activities in the book are student-centered. The questions in the book are mostly open-ended questions, and the curriculum in the book is geared towards hands-on activities. The only problem is, that the text lacks the detailed information needed to complete these activities; hence the children are forced to supplement the book with information off of the Internet. The book does, however, have a helpful appendix and skills handbook in the back. These help, somewhat, with understanding terms, graphs, measurements, and charts, but are only a reference guide, and do not serve to explain the many vague concepts presented in the book. These concepts require in depth explanations. The layout of the text indicates that it attempts to encompass too many elements. It moves from earth science to life science, to physics and chemistry, to science and society, to technology, and finally to a section that could be labeled miscellaneous. The miscellaneous section has anything from the study of natural disasters, to astronomy, to hot springs and geysers. This is a lot for sixth graders to cover in one year. By incorporating so much into one text, students are may not be able prove mastery of the any of the concepts presented. Science Interactions, Course 1, provides ideas for cross-curriculum connections at the end of each chapter. Topics such as diversity, art, health, and historical connections are represented. The problem with these suggestions is that they are not appealing to the students. In fact, the students described them as boring, so the sixth grade class at Lansing Middle School do their own projects created by the science teacher.

An Educational Assessment of a Science Text: 4 From a business perspective, it could be said that the teacher is the sales agent for the book, and the student is the ultimate consumer. With that in mind, an interview was conducted with a student who has an aptitude for science, as well as an "A" grade point average. In the interview, the student expressed more dislikes than likes with regard to the text. He believed that, although the text was very eye appealing, it was lacking in substance. Many areas in the book were lacking in explanation, and were, sometimes, confusing. He felt that some points in the book could have been enhanced by a pictorial chain or web, to promote a better understanding of the subject matter. On occasion, the teacher had the students create webs that would aid in understanding some of the more complex concepts presented in the text. The student stated that the book should include more age-appropriate activities. Many of those in the text were either boring or too difficult to accomplish. He felt that, while the language was somewhat understandable, the explanations were vague at best. He stated that he was especially perplexed by the lack of explanations and activities offered for the section on classification and kingdoms. Since this was the first time these students studied certain classifications and kingdoms, the teacher felt that it was best not to utilize the book for this subject. The student expressed a few items that he liked about the text. The student liked how the book shows side views and cut-aways of organisms. He also liked the few times when the book offered detailed steps as explanations, for example, the movement of an amoeba, which was listed in four detailed steps. Also, in the chapter on animals, there An Educational Assessment of a Science Text: 5 was an exceptional pictorial regarding the food chain. Lastly, the student liked the few times the authors used detailed descriptions with regard to the many figures presented in the text.

After the interview, the teacher was consulted as to whether the student's opinion was valid. She confirmed that this particular student had expressed sentiments that accurately reflected her beliefs as well as those of the class. She was, less than thrilled to have to use this text. She stated that the class would be using a new text next year. What would philosopher John Dewey have thought of this text? Dewey may have liked the fact that the text is student-centered. He may have also liked the attempt the text made to present hands-on materials and the text's experimentalist philosophy. However, Dewey would probably have been disappointed in general with this text. It basically goes against some of the philosophies that Dewey so strongly believed. Dewey would find that, while the text promotes inquiry and challenge, it does not provide enough information for accurate problem solving. Also distressing for Dewey, would be the fact that the book assumes prior knowledge that is nonexistent. Since Dewey was adamant regarding his belief that knowledge builds upon prior experiences, he would be disappointed in Science Interactions, Course 1. Dewey believed that for learning to be meaningful, it must be tied in with a learner's prior experience. This in turn, would lead the learner to make real life connections. If prior learning does not exist, then the connections could never be made. While the authors' genuine intent was to promote higher learning through the use of beautiful visual photographs and illustrations, they have fallen short of their goal. The An Educational Assessment of a Science Text: 6 primary reason for this is a lack of quality testing. If the consultants had used test groups at the appropriate sixth grade level, the school system would have had an easier time using this text as a teaching tool. The authors should have also tested their laboratory experiments for cost. If the authors had known that some schools could not afford many of the experiments, the book was built around, they would have been forced to rethink them to meet cost requirements. The Lansing school district is also at fault for choosing a text that is obsolete because of the high cost of its experiments. Proper foresight would have prevented th

Rating:
Summary: Good Book for 6th Graders
Review: I used this book when I was in 6th grade. Our school's science curriculums uses the Science Interactions: Courses 1-3 depending on what grade. This book is good material and makes reading interesting. I recommend this book.