Setting the Stage - Option 1

Overview

Setting the Stage: Overview (Coleman)
A model-based classroom looks and feels different from a traditional classroom. Students spend much of their time in collaborative groups speaking, listening, and thinking. They work together to develop model ideas and write group explanations. Science is a collaborative enterprise but students often have had little experience or instruction in effective communication and collaboration. Accordingly, in addition to the usual introductory activities that establish routines and expectations, preparation for an MBR classroom includes: team building, instituting and practicing norms of interaction, introducing the idea of models and doing some simple modeling activities, and exploring the purpose and practice of science.  We want to establish early on a non-threatening environment in which students feel comfortable participating. The importance of setting this groundwork cannot be over-emphasized - you will reap the benefits the entire year! You probably already have favorite lessons that accomplish some or all of these initial goals - by all means, use them! These lessons and activities are provided as just one example of how it can be done. There are powerpoints for each of the activities (the first 3 days are all in the same one) and there are detailed teacher notes for most of the activities, located in their respective folders.

For most people this introductory segment will take 2-3 weeks, but it will be highly individual. We each face different levels of distraction (students entering, students leaving, class leveling etc.) and different administrative demands during these first few weeks. For me, dealing with all those demands and completing the lessons here takes about 3 weeks of 55-minute class periods.