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Science Statement
Science Statement
Science Statement
The instructional strategy most closely identified with science instruction is project-based
real-world problems, student choice, and completion of projects based on the content (Bender,
2017). In our salmon dissection workshop students get to ask questions, make predictions and
connections to previously taught material, discuss cultural values, and get their hands on the
specimen, ensuring the highest levels of engagement and retention. Teachers using these hands-
on methods have reported their students feeling more confident about science, engaging their
questioning skills, and cementing their use of terminology and vocabulary (Tomas, Jackson &
Carlisle, 2014).
Students need to feel a connection from aspects of their world to the material they are
expected to learn. Traditional methods of teaching science introduce concepts without linking
them to activities and meaningful applications, whereas true understanding of science requires
that it be examined and explored in many different ways (Luera & Otto, 2005). In my lesson on
salmon the students get to visually make anatomical connections between a human and a fish,
and a trout a salmon and other species of fish; as with true inquiry-based learning the students
acted as scientists, exploring, getting messy, formulating explanations (Avery & Meyer, 2012).
Our salmon dissection workshop was indeed messy, but each student was completely immersed
in the activity, and supporting one another in trying to figure out which body parts to label using
the vocabulary, while asking one another the identifying questions about the characteristics of
The students also discussed the way salmon has played an important role in Alaskan
traditions and mythology, bridging a gap that can often exist between school and the culture of
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the community. Authentic science activities must invite students to explore content that is
socially relevant, and allow them to share their own cultural connections, enriching the
knowledge base of the whole class (Cunha, 2011). The students even engaged in sharing
personal experiences with fishing and salmon, making the material more relevant to them
Feeling confident and able is the key to students staying interested in, and involved in
science after elementary school (Ogle, Hyllegard, Rambo-Hernandez & Park, 2017). In my
lesson on salmon dissection the students supported one another’s learning in a group, while
maintaining individual responsibility for the work on their own papers. This kind of structured
support builds confidence and allows for all participating students to be successful. After a
whole-class discussion and the dissection activity, during which the students figured out and
labeled all the parts together, the students were then able to independently complete another
worksheet that went with the activity, identifying and labeling all the salmon parts and their
Hands-on learning in my classroom means we get to hike and look at mountains when
talking about landforms, we dig soil to look at layers and grow our own sweet peas when
discussing the plant lifecycle, we bring in rocks and look at minerals to compare their qualities,
play with various kinds of liquids and make charts with predictions about whether things will
float or sink, we build marshmallow bridges and test their strength, we sail paper airplanes and
test their flight capabilities, we grow salmon in our tank, feed them and care for them, and
release them in the spring. Every student gets to be a practicing, confident scientist.
References
Avery, L. M., & Meyer, D. Z. (2012). Teaching Science as Science Is Practiced: Opportunities
ANISIMOVA MASTER’S PORTFOLIO 3
and Limits for Enhancing Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy for Science and
Science Teaching. School Science and Mathematics, 112(7), 395–409. Retrieved from
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=EJ984135&site=ehost-live
Bender, W. N. (2017). 20 Strategies for STEM Instruction. West Palm Beach, FL: Learning
Sciences International.
Cunha, T. B. P. da. (2011). Teaching Science in Culturally Diverse Classrooms: The Relevance
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http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uas.alaska.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN
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Ogle, J., Hyllegard, K., Rambo-Hernandez, K., Park, J. (2017). Building Middle School Girls’
Self-Efficacy, Knowledge, and Interest in Math and Science Through the Integration of
Fashion and STEM. Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences, 109(4), 33–40. https://doi-
org.ezproxy.uas.alaska.edu/10.14307/JFCS109.4.33
Tomas, L., Jackson, C., & Carlisle, K. (2014). The Transformative Potential of Engaging in
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