Asking Questions in Biology: Discovery versus Knowledge

Introduction

Students asking good questions? Even getting my students to ask a question can sometimes be daunting. So when the seminar Asking Questions in Biology: Discovery versus Knowledge came up I was immediately interested. I teach 2 ^nd grade in a school with students of low income families. Many of my students come to me with their natural curiosity about the world stifled. It's not that they don't want to know or are not curious. Rather, it is more that they just don't want to ask questions. Many of them come from homes that answers are not given and questions are discouraged either because parents don't take the time or don't know the answers themselves.

My goal for this curriculum unit is to reignite student's natural curiosity and empower them to ask questions, as well as teach them how to ask good questions. Our Biology topic is Life Cycles. We will observe the life cycles of butterflies, frogs, and chickens in our classroom. Students will keep science notebooks ¹ to record observations, questions, class discussions, research findings and experiments. We will introduce and utilize parts of the Scientific Method and develop an understanding of what it means to think like a scientist. The new Common Core State Standards ² will lend to connecting science and literacy allowing for more effective use of classroom time. A list of standards utilized in this unit can be found following the classroom activities.

I want to emphasize the time table needed and flexibility of this unit. My class will be working with this unit throughout the year, as we will have three different animals to observe over the course of the school year. However, this unit can be utilized on various timetables based on what time is available in your school schedule. If you wish to bring an animal into your classroom there are several insects whose life cycles can be observed in a matter of weeks. Also, you should not believe that you must commit to having a small zoo in your room to utilize this unit.

I understand not all districts will allow animals into the classroom. Many of the websites provided in the resource section have videos and activities that would be sufficient for students to gain knowledge and understanding of various life cycles. One weblink even demonstrates a variety of projects that a Kindergarten class undertook in the study of butterflies. This unit can also be utilized with older students by focusing on the ideals of a scientific notebook to gain a basic understanding of the scientific method. The science notebooks can be used with all age groups to link literacy and science. I intend to use the science notebook with all of the science topics we study this year, and not simply for the life cycle lessons outlined here.