Biology 652:
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Science Education Partners in Biology
Course Syllabus, Fall 2008
“Whenever I sit for a couple of hours on the gravel bank... with my flock of geese, or in front of my aquarium with tropical
fish at home... the time rarely goes by without my observing something unexpected. I never have an explanation at hand for
these novel observations. Rather, they lead me on to new questions which require further observations and, very frequently
also, experimental investigation...” – Konrad Lorenz, Biologist
“Children are born true scientists. They spontaneously experiment and experience and re-experience again. They select,
combine, and test, seeking to find order in their experiences...” – R. Buckminster Fuller, Physicist
Instructor:
Office Hours:
Course Credit:
Prerequisites:
Schedule:
Location:
Allison Busch
Lecturer, College of Science of Engineering
Senior Program Coordinator, SEPAL
akbusch@sfsu.edu, (415) 405-3756
Fridays, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, or by appointment (Hensill Hall 236)
4 units, including 2-hour seminar course and 4 hours of fieldwork each week. Attendance
at all course sessions and completion of all fieldwork is required to receive credit for the
course. Grading may be + / - letter, CR/NCR.
The course is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Completion of Bio 230,
Bio 240, or at least 1 upper division biology course, and instructor consent are required.
The seminar course will be held weekly, Wednesdays from 3:00 – 5:00 pm in Hensill
Hall, Room 245. Students in classroom-based partnerships must also have a consistent
~3-hour time block available every week between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:00 pm for
fieldwork, in which they will alternately be planning and teaching elementary school
science lessons with teacher partners and SFSU student partners.
SFSU main campus and a Bay Area public school; access to a car is highly
recommended, but not required.
Course description:
This upper division biology course is intended for undergraduate and graduate biology students interested in
revisiting and applying their biology knowledge, understanding common misconceptions in biology, gaining
experience in teaching biology in the K-12 setting, exploring the field of biology teaching as a potential career,
and learning biology through teaching biology. SFSU students registered for this course will work with teachers
who have been selected to participate in either the Science Education Partners in Biology (SEP-Bio) Program or
the Spectrum Program. SFSU students will engage in service-learning fieldwork through these partnerships with
Bay Area teachers and their students.
Teams of SFSU science students and Bay Area elementary and middle school teachers will co-develop and
co-teach 6 classroom lessons (SEP-Bio) or 4 after-school science clubs (Spectrum) during the semester. In
conjunction with this fieldwork, SFSU students will meet weekly for a 2-hour seminar to explore concept
development in biology learning, delve into the biology education research literature, learn about biology-specific
teaching strategies, discuss issues of classroom equity and access, and design assessments of biology learning.
Course learning objectives are that SFSU students will:
1) explore and develop their own understanding of biological concepts
2) practice and develop their own teaching style and philosophy
3) gain skills in biology teaching and the development of biology lessons that engage students in scientific
investigations
4) increase their knowledge of research, theories, and policies that shape K-12 biology education
5) share their knowledge and enthusiasm for science with K-12 students in the Bay Area
Bio 652: Science Education Partners in Biology
Allison Busch; Instructor
San Francisco State University (SFSU)
Fall 2008
2
Bio 652: Science Education Partners in Biology
Class Topic Sequence and Fieldwork Timeline
(The topic sequence is approximate and almost certainly will change.)
Week of…
August 27
Course Activity Course Content
Class Topic:
Welcome, Expectations, and Introduction to Elementary Teaching & Learning
Fieldwork:
Reflecting on What You Want to Learn; Fingerprinting and TB Testing
September 3
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
Inquiry-based Science Teaching, Constructivism, and What is Science?
The Mystery Box
SEPAL Resource Center Visit
September 10
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
Partnership Orientation: Meet Your Teacher Partners! (4-6 pm)
First Classroom Observation
September 17
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
How to Start: Goals for Student Learning and Anatomy of a Lesson Plan
Lesson Planning and Reflection
September 24
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
The 5-E Model
Teaching Lesson #1
October 1
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
Involving All Students in Life Science Lessons: Issues of Equity and Access
Lesson Planning and Reflection; Final Lesson Plan #1 Due
October 8
Class Topic:
Identifying and Addressing Learning Styles
Case Study Discussion
Teaching Lesson #2
Fieldwork:
October 15
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
October 22
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
October 29
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
November 5
Class Topic:
Into Thin Air: Common Student Conceptions and Misconceptions in Biology
Discussion: Sharing Our Classroom Experiences
Lesson Planning and Reflection; Final Lesson Plan #2 Due
Strategies for Assessing Student Biology Conceptions
Case Study Discussion
Teaching Lesson #3
Questioning Strategies, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Wait Time
Discussion: Sharing Our Classroom Experiences
Lesson Planning and Reflection; Final Lesson Plan #3 Due
Fieldwork:
Re-visiting Age-appropriate Science Teaching and Cognitive Development
Case Study Discussion
Teaching Lesson #4
November 12
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
Veteran’s Day – NO CLASS
Lesson Planning and Reflection
November 19
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
Strategies for Assessing Student Biology Conceptions, Part 2
Teaching Lesson #5, Final Lesson Plan #4 Due
November 26
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY - NO CLASS, NO FIELDWORK
December 3
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
Developing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy
Lesson Planning and Reflection; Final Lesson Plan #5 Due
December 10
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
Partnership Poster Session with Teachers Partners and SFSU Students (4-6 pm)
Teaching Lesson #6
December 19
Class Topic:
Fieldwork:
Final Exam; Final Reflection Due
Final Lesson Plan #6 Due
Bio 652: Science Education Partners in Biology
Allison Busch, Instructor
San Francisco State University (SFSU)
Fall 2008
3
Expectations and Grading:
As ambassadors of SFSU working in the local public schools, students enrolled in this course are expected to
conduct themselves professionally at all times. Professional behavior includes: 1) attentiveness to on-time
arrival for planning meetings and lessons with teachers and fellow SFSU students, 2) clear and frequent
communication in-person, by phone, and by email with partner teachers and fellow SFSU students, 3) ontime arrival and preparedness for class, and 4) professional behavior, language, and dress, especially when
visiting elementary schools to co-plan or co-teach a biology lesson.
Points
240
140
50
90
30
50
600 points total
Course Activity
• Co-plan and co-teach 6 biology lessons/ 4 science club activities with your partnership team
• Submit 14 weekly reflective journal entries prior to class each week
• Attend and actively participate in all 14 class sessions. Only one excused absence from
class is permitted during the semester. Excused class absences must be approved by the
instructor prior to the class session. There are no excused absences from any scheduled
fieldwork.
• Submit final drafts of 6 biology lesson plans (format to be discussed in class).
• Submit final reflection for the course.
• Final Exam
In general, no late work will be accepted unless approved in advance by the instructor due to fieldwork
constraints.
Departmental and University Procedures and Deadlines:
Credit/No Credit Option - Students are responsible for choosing this option. You must sign the 4th week class
lists to request this option. The option cannot be reversed after the request.
Dropping and Withdrawing from a Course: The student is responsible for dropping via the WEB or
Touch Tone until the last day to drop, Tuesday, September 23. A student may withdraw by
completing a withdrawal petition between September 24 and October 26 without documentation.
From Oct. 27 – Nov. 16: During this time period the student may withdraw only for a verifiable serious
and compelling reason that prohibits him/her from attending and/or completing the course such as
illness, accident, or an increase or change in work hours. The student must submit a withdrawal petition
along with documentation, to the instructor for signature and then submit the petition and all attachments
to the Biology Department Office for final review and signature from the Chair of the Department.
Nov. 17 – Dec. 15: As stated in the SFSU Bulletin: "Withdrawals are not normally permitted during the
final three weeks except in verified cases of accident or serious illness where the cause of withdrawal is
due to circumstances clearly beyond the student's control and where the assignment of an incomplete is
not practical. Ordinarily, withdrawals in this category will involve total withdrawal from the
University."
The University Withdrawal Policy is: “A student may withdraw from an individual course only 2
times no matter what their circumstances are. The third time that the student enrolls in the same
course, they CANNOT withdraw for any reason.”
Bio 652: Science Education Partners in Biology
Allison Busch, Instructor
San Francisco State University (SFSU)
Fall 2008