Volume 4 Is Out!
Good News! Uncovering Student Ideas in Science- Volume 4 is hot off the press. It arrived just in time for the NSTA National Conference in New Orleans. I mentioned this blog in the opening chapter. I guess that means I better start blogging on a regular basis (I think I am finally getting the hang of this!). This volume brings the series up to 100 probes. Wow- 100 questions that reveal fascinating insights into children’s (and adults’) thinking. My favorite probe in Volume 4 is the “Chicken Eggs” probe. Why is it my favorite? The right answer to the probe isn’t what’s important- it’s the variety of interconnected concepts that surface when one thinks about whether a chicken egg weighs more right after it is laid, right before hatching, or whether the weight remains the same. Concepts such as food, transformation of matter, conservation of mass, embryo development, open versus closed systems, gas exchange, permeable materials, etc. are all relevant to this probe and can provide teachers with interesting data on students’ prior knowledge and experiences. I love this one because the best answer is so counter-intuitive!