The Problem: Elementary Teachers Feel
Unprepared to Teach Science…
Elementary School Teachers’ Self-Reported
Preparedness to Teach Various Subjects
• A survey of 543
California elementary
teachers revealed
that …
• Only about a third of
teachers felt “very
prepared” to teach
science.
…and Less Prepared for Activities Central to
High Quality Instruction
Elementary School Teachers’ Self-Reported Preparedness in Specific Science
Instruction Activities
NSF ESCAPE Project
• Emphasizes Next Generation Science
Standards
• Builds on kit-based science curriculum (FOSS)
• Integrates arts-based instruction to help English
language learners understand terms, concepts
• Utilizes science notebooks to build both literacy
and observational skills
• Provides practical tools for assessing student
learning in science
Making Science
Comprehensible
to Children
Visualizing Concepts
• A science concept that high school grads often
misunderstand is: What causes the seasons?
• Despite repeated explanations by teachers as to
the role played by the tilt of the Earth’s axis…
• Many high school grads still assume that Earth’s
orbit takes it closer to the Sun in the summer
• They find the abstract explanation given by their
science teachers just too hard to visualize
• However, a picture can be “worth 1000 words…”
Winter Solstice (~December 21)
The North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun. All
places below a latitude of 66.5 degrees south receive 24
hours of sunlight (Arctic Circle remains dark).
Using Movement
to Make Concepts
Memorable
Children’s urge to get out of their seats and
move can also be utilized to deepen their
understanding and assist with recall of
concepts they have just learned.
Through dance, children can physically mimic
the counter-clockwise rotation of the Earth,
along with the tilt of the Earth’s axis that
causes the seasons.
Through creative movement, children also
model the placement of the Sun and Earth
that would cause a person standing at a
specific spot on Earth to perceive the time to
be noon, midnight, 6 a.m. or 6 p.m.
Using images also
makes concepts
clear to English
language learners
You could
probably explain
this diagram –
even if you do
not speak a word
of French
In the ESCAPE project the arts will be used to improve the accuracy of
children’s mental representations, introduce academic vocabulary, and
review concepts previously explored through science kits
Recruiting Schools
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Teacher commitment = 64 hours / year
Teacher stipend = $1350 / year
Focus on serving Title 1 schools
We ask that 80% of teachers at a school affirm
their interest in the project
• Goal is to complete school selection by April
• We are glad to provide brochures and explain
the program to school personnel, as needed.
5-Day Summer Institutes
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Earth Science Institute: August 11-15, 2014
Work with science kits in the morning
Work with teaching artists in afternoon
Follow-up during 2014-15 school year
Each teacher will co-teach three lessons in own
classroom with teaching artist, attend workshops
• Physical Science Institute: August 2015
• Life Science Institute: August 2016
Orange County
Department of
Education
The Orange County Department of Education will
recruit, train, and supervise the 3-person teams
who will lead groups of 25 teachers as they work
with the science kits during the Summer
Institutes.
Each of these teams will consist of a science
pedagogy expert, an artist, and a veteran teacher
with extensive experience using science kits.
Prior to the Summer Institute, staff from OCDE
will play a key role in designing the science
notebook activities that visual artists will
demonstrate during workshops.
OCDE will organize the school year science
notebook workshops.
Prepares and supervises their
professional teaching artists, who train
and work with participating teachers
During the Summer Institute:
 Dance teaching artists will model creative
movement lessons that teach scientific
concepts
 Visual arts teaching artists will lead
sketching workshops that train teachers
to help students with sketching and
observational drawing techniques
During each academic year:
 Dance teaching artists will visit each
participating teacher’s classroom three
times to co-teach lessons introduced
during the Summer Institute
 Both visual art and dance teaching artists
will meet with participating teachers to
build on and deepen the techniques used
in classroom lessons
ESCAPE Research Overview
• Research Aim: Measure the impact of ESCAPE on Teachers
and Students. For Teachers-- increases in content and
pedagogical knowledge in earth, physical, and life sciences.
For Students-- increases in earth, physical, and life science
achievement and specific increases for English Learners.
• Research Approach: Quasi-Experimental , matched
comparison study with randomly selected schools using
experimental and control groups. Main variable of analysis
will be Teacher and Student Pre and Post Tests.
• Teacher and Student Annual Participation: Estimated time
for Teachers is 2 to 3 hours per year participating in research
activities. Estimated time for Students is 2-6 hours per year
(Year 1:1-2 hours, Year 2: 2-4 hours, Year 3: 4-6 hours)
participating in research activities.
Approach to Random
Selection
Step 1: Districts identify title one elementary
schools that are willing to participate
Step 2: Research Team randomly selects schools
within the district that will serve as experimental
schools—at least two schools from each district
possibly more (flip of a coin selection)
Step 3: Schools not selected are asked to
participate as control schools with a teacher
incentive provided and options for teacher
participation at the end of year four (2017) and
during year five (2018)
Teacher Participation
Experimental Teachers:
-Take a pre/post test of knowledge and
pedagogy in earth, physical or life science
(1-2 hours per year)
-Complete an implementation log each year
(30-45 minutes)
-Complete a feedback form each year (10-20
minutes)
-Prepare a student research roster each year
(30-45 minutes)
Student Participation
Students:
-Take a NGSS earth science pre/post online
test in 2014-2015 (1-2 hours)
-Take a NGSS earth and physical science
pre/post online test in 2015-2016 (2-4 hours)
-Take a NGSS earth, physical, and life
science online pre/post test in 2016-2017 (46 hours)