TEACHING SCIENCE AT THE INTERMEDIATE LEVEL (CHEMISTRY) (PED3125)
Course Instructor:
Heather Mace (rm. 409, 562-5800 X4106)
Office hours: Monday, 2 - 3 pm, Wednesday 3-4 pm or by appointment.
Course website:
http://137.122.151.31/PED3125
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course examines teaching methodologies, resources and strategies that are useful for teaching the
new science courses at the intermediate level (Grades 7-10). It is important to note the nature of the
provincially mandated curriculum, that is, it contains four strands: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth
Science. Therefore no matter what your science teachable (Biology, Chemistry, or Physics), the
Intermediate science courses are general in nature.
COURSE EXPECTATIONS
By the end of this course, students will
 gain an understanding of the purpose, goals, and expectations of science courses at the intermediate
level;
 seek an understanding of the relevance and position of particular science issues;
 guide classroom discussion to promote the investigation and growth of new ideas;
 explore approaches to teaching and evaluating science (inquiry, problem-solving,…), including the
integration of computers into the curriculum where warranted;
 select tasks which will engage the interest and the intellect of students and provide them with
opportunities to deepen their understanding of the concepts being studied;
 develop and plan lessons and units of study which are appropriate to the age and ability levels of the
students in these divisions;
 improve teaching skills for guiding individual, small-group, and whole-class work.
COURSE CONTENT
The course consists of 39 hours of class time; there are 12 sessions outlined below, an additional class will be
scheduled to permit for a class field trip.
The course is not a lecture course; it consists of application of the practical aspects of teaching science, and will
include hands-on activities and experiences that should lead to a greater understanding of how children learn
science and how one might teach them in different ways. Topics discussed will include the following:
 curriculum guidelines for science
 theories of learning as applied to science
 current issues and programs in science
 learning science through manipulatives
 co-operative learning
 development of lesson plans for science
 development of a unit plan, including timing and sequencing of lessons
 assessment and evaluation of student work: tools and strategies
 adaptation of materials for students of differing skill levels, English proficiency, and interest
 lab safety; WHMIS
Session dates:
3125 E (Tuesday)
September 9
September 16
September 23
September 30
October 7
October 14
October 21
October 28
November 4
November 11
November 18
November 25
3125 G (Wednesday)
September 3
September 10
September 17
September 24
October 1
October 8
October 15
October 22
October 29
November 5
November 12
November 19
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PED 3125 – Fall 2003 - Mace
COURSE ASSESSMENT
Yes, attendance is mandatory as per Teacher Education Program Council policy. This is a class with a lot of
demonstration and hands-on learning – attendance is to your benefit!
Assignments in the course reflect a demonstration of the knowledge and skills covered in class. Assessment of
these assignments will be determined collectively in class.
Weighting
15 %
30%
40%
15%
Note:
Item
Resource Mania
a review of a minimum of 3 science-related resources (electronic, text, and
manipulative) useful for the science classroom
Hands-on Science
a science activity from a specified science strand providing students with a
hands-on learning experience; including a lesson plan and teaching
materials to be presented to the class
Strands Uncovered
an adapted unit plan demonstrating a range of science teaching strategies
(lesson plan and teaching materials) and a performance task for a given
science strand
The World of Science
a choice of constructing a science apparatus (rocket launcher, conductivity
tester,…), an exploration of a science misconception, the development of
STSE resources (careers / current science), the contribution of work to a
science community, or another choice with instructor approval
Due Date
October 7
TBA
November 25
TBA
All assignments must be submitted electronically in either Word or Word Perfect format. In your email,
please indicate the subject as “Mace 3125 Assignment 1” and attach your file(s) accordingly.
Submission of assignments:
Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day they are due. Please note the following Teacher
Education Program Council policies:
a) All late assignments will be penalized at the rate of 5% per day to a maximum of 10 days, after which
time assignments will not be accepted.
b) In exceptional cases, late assignments may be accepted at the discretion of the professor on medical or
compassionate grounds. In all such instances, prior discussion and documentation will be required.
c) Academic fraud associated with an assignment fall under the University of Ottawa’s regulation on
academic fraud as stated in the Teacher Education Calendar.
COURSE MATERIALS


The Ontario Curriculum: Grades 9 and 10; Science, 1998.
The Ontario Curriculum: Grade 1 to 8: Science, 1998.
Note: Curriculum documents are available at Access Ontario on Elgin or at www.edu.gov.on.ca.

Additional readings will be assigned during the course and may require a further purchase.
For your further exploration, some key resources are listed below:
-
Ministry of Ontario
Ontario Curriculum Centre
Science Teacher’s Association of Ontario
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www.edu.gov.on.ca
www.curriculum.org
www.stao.org
PED 3125 – Fall 2003 - Mace
Assignment 1: Resource Mania (15 %)
Due date: October 7
You will review a minimum of 3 science-related resources (electronic, text, and manipulative)
useful for the science classroom. These resources should be chosen to complement your
practicum and should vary in nature. For example, you may choose a website providing
resources on many of the areas of science, however you may select a book on Astronomy as a
reference guide for your own teaching.
Your review should include the following:
What is the resource?
 features
 examples of material in the resource (demonstration of use)
 access
How does the resource help you teach science?
 when / where / how would you use it?
 links to curriculum or the science classroom
Assessment of Assignment 1: Resource Mania
The assessment of this assignment will be based on 2 criteria:
 pedagogy (do the resources link to science, as stated above?)
 presentation (is the review clear, concise, and well presented?)
Criteria
Acceptable
(75 %)
Good
(80 %)
Excellent
(85 %)
Pedagogy
Resources are
somewhat linked to the
teaching of science.
Resources are
linked to the
teaching of science.
Resources are
clearly linked to the
teaching of science.
Professionalism
Review presents
resources in a
somewhat limited
manner.
Review presents
resources in a clear
manner.
Review presents
resources in a
clear, concise
manner.
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Exceptional
(95 %)
Resources are
linked to the
teaching of science
in an exceptional
manner.
Review presents
resources in a
clear, concise, and
creative manner.
PED 3125 – Fall 2003 - Mace
Assignment 2: Hands-on Science (30%)
Science at the intermediate level touches on all disciplines of science: earth sciences,
chemistry, physics and biology. You will select a specific strand and grade level, and choose a
science activity suitable for students to help them learn necessary knowledge and skills. Your
lesson plan and class teaching materials will be presented to your classmates as a means to
practicing the implementation of this activity. For example, you may choose to have students
conduct an experiment on the relationship between mass and volume or you may have
students debate the aspects of genetically modified foods.
Note: the activity you select should not be an introductory lesson to a strand
Your work should include:
 teacher materials:
o lesson plan (see template on course website)
 description of activity
 links to curriculum expectations covered
 teaching / learning strategies
 student groups
 assessment and evaluation (where appropriate)
o lecture notes (overheads, reference material)

student materials
 student handout
 lab materials (prepared in
advance, contact lab technician
for support)
Assessment of Assignment 2: Hands-on Science
You will be evaluated in 3 areas:
 links to curriculum (does your activity cover expectations identified?)
 hands-on science (does your activity provide an opportunity for hands-on learning?)
 teaching materials (are your materials ready and suitable for classroom use?)
You will be assessed in 1 area:
 presentation of material
Criteria
Acceptable
(75 %)
Good
(80 %)
Excellent
(85 %)
Links to
curriculum
Activity covers some
of the expectations
identified
Activity covers most
of the expectations
identified
Activity covers all the
expectations
identified
Hands-on
science
Activity provides
opportunity for handson learning with some
corrections
Activity provides clear
opportunity for handson learning
Activity provides clear
opportunity for handson learning linked to
theory
Teaching
materials
Teaching materials
present information
but require changes
and improvements.
Teaching materials
are classroom ready
with minor changes or
improvements.
Teaching materials
are prepared in an
excellent manner,
providing information
for both students and
teachers
Teaching materials
are exceptionally
organized, creative,
and well presented.
Presentation
of material
Material was
communicated
information; clarity
could be improved
with a few changes.
Material
communicated
information in a clear
manner, with a few
minor changes to
improve.
Material was
presented in a clear
manner to
communicate
information.
Material was
presented in a clear
manner to
communicate
information in an
engaging and
creative fashion.
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Exceptional
(95 %)
Activity covers all
expectations
identified complete
manner
Activity provides
exceptional
opportunity for handson learning and an
excellent link to
theory
PED 3125 – Fall 2003 - Mace
Assignment 3: Strands Uncovered (40 %)
Over the semester, you will have the opportunity to explore a variety of science teaching
methods and to examine classroom resources. As a culmination to your learning, you will
create a “focused collection” of resources for a given strand to demonstrate a range of science
teaching strategies (lesson plan and teaching materials) and an assessment tool: a
performance task including a rubric.
Due date: November 25
Your work should include:
a) a unit outline
o a handout for students indicating the content of the strand, also highlighted relevant vocabulary
and a marks breakdown for the unit
b) sample lessons and materials (minimum 4 lessons)
o lesson plans should contain description, curriculum links, teaching strategies, resources,
student groupings, and an indication where the activity would fit in the unit.
o associated materials should be ready for classroom use and range in nature: handouts, labs,
activities, demos, overheads, teaching notes, quizzes, tests
c) performance task
o you should create a performance task for use within your strand; it can be either formative or
summative in nature. It must be accompanied by a rubric for use in its evaluation.
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PED 3125 – Fall 2003 - Mace
Assessment of Assignment 3: Strands uncovered
Your work will be evaluated using 3 criteria
 content (have you demonstrated a range of teaching strategies?)
 assessment (does your performance task provide opportunity to demonstrate learning?)
 professionalism (how have you approached Strands Uncovered overall?)
Criteria
Acceptable
(75%)
Good
(80%)
Content
A range of teaching
strategies.
Materials require
additions or changes
for classroom use.
Materials require
changes or additions
to link to curriculum.
A good range of
teaching strategies.
Materials require
minor changes for
classroom use.
Materials require
minor changes to
link to curriculum.
Assessment
Professionalism
Excellent
(85%)
Exceptional
(95%)
An excellent range of
teaching strategies.
Materials are ready
for classroom use.
Materials are clearly
linked to curriculum.
An excellent range of
teaching strategies.
Materials are created
in an exceptional
manner for
classroom use.
Materials are all
clearly linked to
curriculum.
Performance task
allows students to
gather information
throughout the unit.
Assessment tool
clearly outlines
criteria and levels.
Performance task
allows students to
demonstrate
learning.
Assessment tool
clearly outlines
criteria and levels.
Performance task
allows students to
gather information
throughout the unit.
Assessment tool
clearly outlines
criteria and levels.
Activities described,
supported somewhat
with examples and
resources. Material
written with
acceptable
presentation.
Succinct description
of activities,
supported with
practical examples
and resources.
Material well written
with strong
presentation.
Excellent description
of activities,
effectively supported
with examples and
resources showing
creativity and
practicality. Material
clearly written with
professional
presentation.
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Performance task
provides a unique
learning and
assessment
opportunity.
Assessment tool
outlines criteria and
levels in a studentfriendly and useful
manner.
Superior description
of activities, strongly
supported with
examples and
resources showing
creativity and
practicality. Material
clearly written with
exceptional
professional
presentation.
PED 3125 – Fall 2003 - Mace
Assignment 4: The World of Science (15 %)
Teaching science is not just expectations and textbooks…this assignment
allows you to explore a topic, build a piece of equipment or contribute to the
world of science in whatever manner you choose. For example, you could
construct a conductivity tester, create a resource that quells a science
misconception, develop a career resource for grade 10 science, examine a
current science event and prepare a review for your classmates, contribute to
the science community by joining the science council, take charge of the
science website, or something else you dream up – just talk to your Science
Geek instructor first!
The nature of this assignment means that final copies will vary; hence the final “product” will be unique for
everyone. Your work should include some commonalities:
 a summary of your work (what did you do?) or a display of your work (a show and tell)
 your thoughts (what do you think? what can you do next? what did you learn?)
Assessment of Assignment 4: The World of Science
You will be evaluated on two criteria for this assignment:
 product
 thoughts
Criteria
Product
Thoughts
Acceptable
(75%)
a foray into the world
of science; perhaps
you could…
have you linked
where your work or
contributions fit into
the world of
science?
Good
(80%)
a good foray or
contribution to the
world of science
Excellent
(85%)
a definite foray or
contribution to the
world of science
Exceptional
(95%)
an exceptional foray
or contribution to the
world of science
your thinking shows
an awareness of the
impact of your work
your thinking shows
a keen awareness of
the impact of your
work and where it fits
your thinking is ahhh,
reflective, insightful,
and provides for
further contributions
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PED 3125 – Fall 2003 - Mace