instructional materials review conceptual...

Instructional Materials Review

Conceptual Chemistry

C&T 855: Curriculum in Science and Mathematics

Submitted by:

Kaitlyn D. King

Submitted to:

Dr. James Ellis

July 24, 2010

Conceptual Chemistry King

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One of the more challenging tasks that school districts must tackle is that of setting the

curriculum and choosing instructional materials. The school must sort through available

materials and choose those that best suit the needs of the school. Instructional materials are a

valuable resource to teachers and can guide much of what goes on in the classroom. There are

different methods for evaluating and selecting instructional materials. Some school districts

allow individual teachers to choose their own materials. Others nominate a committee to

evaluate and select materials for the school. One method developed by the Biological Sciences

Curriculum Study (BSCS) for selecting these materials is the Analyzing Instructional Materials

(AIM) process.

This process has two major features, a paper screen and a pilot study. Before either of

these steps is completed, however, the school must first identify the criteria that the materials

must meet to satisfy their needs. The AIM method begins with the paper screen. Different

packages of instructional materials are evaluated on the categories of science content, work

students do, assessment, and work teachers do. Evidence is gathered to demonstrate how the

materials fit the four categories. The evidence is then analyzed and evaluated based on a rubric

for each category. The rubrics allow the evaluator to compare the materials against what have

been determined to be necessary components of good instructional materials. AIM rubrics for

the four categories may be seen in Tables 4, 5, 7, and 9. Once the materials have been evaluated,

each component is given a score. Each category is weighted and a total score for the materials is

obtained. Based on these scores, the field of materials is narrowed down and a few are selected

to pilot in the classroom. During the pilot study, the materials are evaluated based on the

categories of student understanding and teacher implementation. Once again evidence is

gathered for each category and compared against a rubric. The evidence is evaluated and


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assigned a score. The results of the pilot study are summarized and fused with the results of the

paper screen evaluation. The instructional materials are then chosen based on the overall score.

The AIM process is very in depth. And because it requires pilot testing the materials, it

can also be time consuming and costly. However, it is believed that this process allows

administrators to make informed and evidence-based decisions about curricular materials1. The

process requires that evaluators document evidence of how the materials meet the criteria. This

helps teachers to step away from the types of materials with which they are comfortable and truly

evaluate them based on specific measurements. Additionally, documented evidence enables the

evaluators to make comparisons between materials. Due to time and resource constraints, for the

purposes of this analysis only the paper screen of the materials was conducted and the emphasis

was placed on a single unit.

I reviewed the Conceptual Chemistry: Understanding Our World of Atoms and

Molecules instructional materials by John Suchocki. The materials that were available for

review included the student textbook and the instructor‟s manual. Additional materials that

complement the text include a CD-Rom package and a laboratory manual. These are available

for purchase separate from the textbook. The materials were designed for a community college

chemistry course for liberal arts majors. But the material is also suitable for the high school

setting. The emphasis of the materials is on the chemical concepts more than the calculations

used. The approach used is to teach the concepts by explaining them in the context of real-world

applications. The text is structured to present the chemical concepts first and then to address

topical issues that use or relate to the concepts. The instructor‟s manual offers several

suggestions for the order in which to present the material. The recommended approach goes in

the order of the textbook and addresses the first 12 core chapters in detail. These chapters


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provide fundamental knowledge of the concepts. In the remaining weeks of school the students

choose one of the topical chapters, 13 through 19, and learn these on their own. They present a

poster on their chapter to the class. This track was termed the Poster-Session Approach. I chose

to assess the third unit of this approach. This unit includes chapters seven through nine of

textbook, Molecular Mixing, Those Incredible Water Molecules, and An Overview of Chemical

Reactions. Additional suggestions for presenting the text include the Fast-Track to Topics

Approach, Integrated Topical Approach, Conceptual Prep Approach, and the Life Science

Approach.

The first criteria assessed were in the category of science content. In this category the

materials scored very well. The text was adequately aligned with the national science standards.

The physical science standards were addressed in detail. One weak point was the motion and

forces standard. This was addressed through discussions on intermolecular forces and particle

motion, but not in the same detail as the other standards. This standard would likely be

addressed better in a physics course. Alignment with the life science and earth and space science

standards was not evaluated. These standards are not pertinent to the topic of chemistry. The

materials were a little inadequate when addressing the science as inquiry standards. This was

difficult to assess because the lab manual was not available. It was unclear whether the

experiments used an inquiry-based approach. Some of the text was dedicated to helping students

understand scientific inquiry. Additionally, some of the activities used a limited form of guided

inquiry to help the students develop inquiry abilities. But there were no examples of full inquiry

activities. The topical chapters did well addressing the abilities of technological design and

understandings of science and technology. These standards were also addressed to a lesser

degree within the main chapters. The science in personal and social perspectives standards were


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also addressed in the main chapters and to a greater extent in the topical chapters. One exception

is the population growth standard. This was not addressed in the text. Again, however, this

standard is more pertinent to the biology or life science classroom. The history and nature of

science were discussed periodically throughout the book. Overall, the text was technically

accurate. However, I did find at least one spelling error in the instructor‟s manual and a few

instances where the presentation of the material was misleading or referenced illustrations which

weren‟t present. The concepts were well developed. They were generally presented in depth

and then connected to other ideas or applications. The material was presented in a logical order.

Unit breaks however seemed somewhat arbitrary or misplaced. The focus seemed to be on

including exactly three chapters in a unit rather than grouping chapters based on content. The

book did an excellent job of introducing chemistry in the context of how it is applied to real

situations.

The second category of criteria I evaluated was the work students do. There were several

activities for students to do and questions for them to answer in the materials. The questions

allowed for self-assessment, group collaboration, and review of the material. The Concept

Practical activities gave the students questions, allowed them to discuss the questions in small

groups, and prompted them to explain their answers to the class. The hands-on activities did not

do a very good job of demonstrating the concepts. In some of the activities it was difficult to tell

what was happening. For example, there is an activity where students add salt to one cup of

water and then compare the change in temperature to a second cup of water. It was difficult to

notice a temperature change at all. Further, the learning goals of the experiences were not clearly

defined. Through the hands-on activities and the lab experiments, students are given the

opportunity to conduct investigations and use equipment. The students formulate explanations


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and collaborate with others to discuss their findings. They may also read about examples of the

work scientists do in the textbook and make connections to the experiments they do in the

laboratory. The materials do not provide students with the opportunity to investigate their own

questions, design the experiments, or formulate new questions. In this way, students do not

conduct full inquiry and don‟t obtain the abilities to perform scientific inquiry. The materials do

contain a variety of different experiences for students with varied learning preferences. There is

no guidance, however, for adapting the experiences for students with special needs.

Assessments were also evaluated. There are a number of assessment opportunities in the

materials, including the opportunity for students to assess their own learning. Questions are

posed throughout the reading that students can answer to determine if they understand the

concepts. The answers are provided for students to evaluate their understanding. With the

exception of the poster-session at the end of the course, most of the assessments are question-

answer style. This makes it difficult to measure how students apply their knowledge in new

situations and limits the type of feedback students receive. Additionally, similar assessments fail

to address different learning styles. Some of the activities like the Concept Practical exercises

allow students to work together and better learn the material while simultaneously allowing the

teacher to assess their understanding.

The fourth category reviewed was the work teachers do. The materials use the

conceptual approach as the instructional model. The instructor‟s manual does provide several

different approaches to sequencing the textbook. There is little support in the materials,

however, for the conceptual approach over a more contextual one. There are a number of

different teaching strategies offered including demonstrations, questioning and discussing, lab

work, and group work. The materials do not provide opportunities for the instructor to teach by


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setting up full inquiry activities. There is a minor degree of guided inquiry found in the labs and

activities. The teacher can model use of inquiry in the investigations. As discussed previously,

the teacher is also given several opportunities to assess the students using the activities in the text

or supporting material. Sample quiz and exam questions are provided in the instructor‟s manual,

but are limited. The teacher would need to write many of the exam questions herself. The

answers or explanations of the Concept Practical activities are not available. While many of

these questions are straightforward, some are a little abstract and it is difficult to ascertain the

point that is being made without guidance. There was also little guidance about potential student

misconceptions. The materials did provide some background information for the Hands-On

Chemistry activities. They also provided instructions for the demonstrations and activities. It is

assumed that the CD-Rom package and laboratory manual provide guidance to the teacher, but

these are only available at an additional cost.

The scores for each section may be found in Table 2. The overall score of the materials

from the AIM evaluation is 83.6%. The textbook did a good job applying the conceptual

approach and relating the underlying concepts to everyday examples and applications. I think

this approach has the potential to increase student engagement. The materials were lacking in

the standards for inquiry. To improve the program full inquiry activities should be included to

help students develop these abilities. Students should have the opportunity to design their own

investigations. Further, the laboratory manual should be included with the other materials as it is

an important aspect of the course. The activities did not include any activities that prompted the

students to write about science apart from brief answers to questions. I would advocate adding

lab report or essay requirements. I would also like to see the learning goals stated at the

beginning of each chapter so that the objectives are clear. All the questions posed to the students


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should have answers in the instructor‟s manual. This would help to prevent miscommunication.

To make the lessons more accessible to all students, the activities and demonstrations should be

outfitted with suggestions for accommodations for students with special needs.

Overall, I think this is a good program for high school chemistry. I would recommend to

teachers using these materials to supplement them with additional activities that allow for full

inquiry investigations. Additionally, I would suggest that teachers be prepared to adapt or

supplement the activities and test questions. Teachers should test all the activities before

attempting them in class. Many may need to be adapted to better illustrate the concepts.

Additional activities could also be included to enhance student learning and engagement. The

BSCS AIM process of review encouraged thorough review and analysis of the materials. I

would recommend that districts always use at least the paper-screen portion of the process when

evaluating materials. While it is a time-consuming process, if there were a team to share the

work, I think it would be manageable. It is certainly a worthwhile investment of time. Since the

pilot study portion of the assessment was not conducted, I cannot state whether it provides

enough additional information to be worthwhile. Pilot studies are costly and it would be up to

the district to determine if they are a valuable use of assets. Overall I support the AIM process.

This method of selecting materials places an emphasis on making evidence-based selections.

Further, it increases consistency through use of standard rubrics by the evaluators. It encourages

educators to look at the necessary criteria in instructional materials to obtain the goal of

producing scientifically literate students.


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Table 1: Science Standards Map Template

Instructional Material: Conceptual Chemistry: Understanding Our World of Atoms and Molecules

Standards Modules, Examples, Pages

Science as Inquiry

Abilities necessary to do

scientific inquiry

The instructor‟s manual provides “Ask Your Neighbor” activities

which require the students to use their prior knowledge and discuss

with their classmates possible solutions to a question. This is a form

of guided inquiry where the instructor provides the question, but the

students must collaborate and investigate the question.

Understandings about scientific

inquiry

P. 3 describes scientific research. Ch. 1 – Chemistry is a Science –

talks about what science is, how scientists study the universe, how

inquiry is essential to science, and gives examples that illustrate how

scientists find new information.

Physical Science

Structure of atoms Chapters 3, 4, and 5 – Discovering the Atom and Subatomic Particles,

The Atomic Nucleus, and Atomic Models.

Structure and properties of

matter

Chapter 5 – The periodic table and properties of elements, Pgs 158 –

163; Chapter 6 – Chemical Bonding and Molecular Shapes; P. 207-

gas/gasoline and Velcro example of intermolecular interactions; P.

209 – sugar in water example; Ch. 8, P. 232-234 – the structure of

water as a solid and liquid; Ch. 8 also discusses water properties such

as surface tension, capillary action, etc.

Chemical reactions Ch. 9 – An Overview of Chemical Reactions; Chemical equations and

conservation of mass are addressed on Pgs 266-276; Basic kinetics

and the concept of catalysts are discussed on Pgs 276-290. Ch. 10

deals with acid and base reactions. Ch. 11 teaches

oxidation/reduction reactions.

Motion and forces Intermolecular forces Pgs 202-207 – polarity, dipoles. Pgs 22-25

discuss the motion of particles.

Conservation of energy and

increase in disorder

Energy transfer is briefly discussed on P. 252. Pgs 256-258 discusses

energy transfer and conservation.

Interactions of energy and matter Evaporation, condensation, heat capacities of water and other

materials, and the energy required for phase changes are discussed on

Pgs 244-259. Ch. 5 discusses light energy.

Life Science

The cell

N/A

Molecular basis of heredity

Biological evolution

Interdependence of organisms

Matter, energy, and organization

in living systems

Behavior of organisms

Earth and Space Science

Energy in the earth system

N/A

Geochemical cycles

Origin and evolution of the earth

system

Origin and evolution of the


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Standards Modules, Examples, Pages universe

Science and Technology

Abilities of technological design The topical chapters discuss how science is combined with

technology to design things such as water treatment facilities (P. 527).

But there are no activities which require the students to practice

technological design.

Understandings about science

and technology

Examples of science being used in technology are occasionally given

in the book. One example is on P. 216 regarding glass frosting. Ch. 7

(P. 221-4) also includes a section that discusses how the science of

polarity has been used to develop cleaning products for things such as

dry cleaning. P. 236 discusses the application of freezing point

depression to salting icy roads. P. 265 – scientists learned to control

chemical reactions for technological advances such as producing

fertilizers, etc. P. 283 – catalytic converters.

Science in Personal and Social

Perspectives

Personal and community health There is a brief discussion about how hard water can be bad for

people who are prone to kidney stones on P. 224. Topical chapters

13, 14, and 15 deal with nutrients that people need, the chemistry of

drugs, and optimizing food production.

Population growth

Natural resources Chapter 8 begins with a section on how water helps regulate the

earth‟s temperature and is vital for human life (P. 231). Topical

chapters 16, 17, 18, and 19 deal with fresh water, air, material, and

energy resources.

Environmental quality How water density changes with temperature and phase is discussed

with relation to marine ecosystems and the concept of upwelling, P.

239. P. 253-255 discusses how climate is influenced by water‟s heat

capacity. Ch. 17 discusses how human activities have increased air

pollution.

Natural and human-induced

hazards

Ch. 7, P. 201 – Discussion of how excessive organic waste in water

can deplete the oxygen that fish need to breathe.

Science and technology in local,

national, and global challenges

Ch. 7, P. 221 – There is discussion about perfluorocarbons as a blood

substitute due to blood shortages, the elimination of disease

transmission, and its ability to be stored for long periods of time. The

section discusses the challenge of blood bank shortages. P. 283

discusses how chlorine atoms are destructive to the ozone layer.

History and Nature of Science

Science as a human endeavor There are some real-world applications of chemistry at the end of Ch.

7 such as water-softening techniques (P. 224) that illustrate some of

the contributions from science.

Nature of scientific knowledge Ch. 1 discusses the central components of science and how scientists

conduct studies and interpret information.

Historical perspectives P. 223 has a brief discussion of how chemists developed detergents in

the 1940s. At the end of Ch. 7 (P. 227) there is some historical

information about chromatography that complements an activity in

the chapter. Pgs 68-69 have some history of chemistry.


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Table 2: AIM Score Sheet

Criterion/Component Score Weight Weighted Total Percent

CONTENT

Standards Alignment 5

Accuracy 4

Concept Development 5

Sequencing 4

Context 5

TOTAL Content Criterion 23 x 0.4 9.2

WORK STUDENTS DO

Quality Learning Experiences 4

Abilities Necessary To Do Scientific Inquiry 3

Understandings About Scientific Inquiry 3

Accessibility 4

TOTAL Work Students Do Criterion 14 x 0.2 2.8

ASSESSMENT

Quality 5

Multiple Measures 4

Use of Assessments 4

Accessibility 3

TOTAL Assessment Criterion 16 x 0.2 3.2

THE WORK TEACHERS DO

Instructional Model 4

Teaching Strategies 5

Teaching Strategies for Inquiry 3

Support for the Work Teachers Do 4

TOTAL Work Teachers Do Criterion 16 x 0.2 3.2

GRAND TOTAL 18.4 83.6%


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Table 3: AIM Evaluation Summary

Criteria and Components Summary of Strengths Summary of Limitations

Co

nte

nt

Standards Alignment

Most of the standards are addressed. The physical science

standards are generally addressed very well. The science in

personal and social perspectives standard was addressed

quite well with the exception of the population growth

portion.

Science as inquiry standard is addressed to a limited

degree. Students learn about inquiry, but there is little

devoted to development of inquiry skills. The motion and

forces standard is addressed, but in less detail than the

other physical science standards. There were no activities

for the students that would help them develop the abilities

for technological design. There was no mention of

population growth. There were only a limited amount of

historical perspectives.

Accuracy

Overall, content is accurate. No instances were found where

the content was technically incorrect. However, please see

the limitations.

Page 201 refers to an illustration which is not present. The

book also defines solvent as the component present in the

largest amount in a solution. While this may be true, it is

not technically the definition of solvent. The discussion

about evaporation on P. 245 is misleading. It implies that

energy is „lost‟ when hydrogen bonds are broken. There

are a few typos in the materials, for example the word

„brands‟ on P. 388 of the instructor‟s manual.

Concept Development

In general, the concepts are well developed. They are

explained theoretically using chemistry terms and then

examples are given of how the concept is seen in everyday

life. For an example, see the discussion of evaporation and

condensation Pgs 247-248.

Some challenging concepts are only addressed in a few

paragraphs. New vocabulary words are interspersed with

little explanation of their meaning – for example,

sublimation on P. 246.

Sequencing

The content is organized so that the concepts build on each

other. The instructor‟s manual provides several different

approaches to the material that the teacher can take to

achieve different purposes and how the order of the text

Some of the breaking points between the units in the

recommended approach seem a little arbitrary. For

example, the chemical reactions chapter (9) is in the unit

with mixing (7) and water molecules (8) rather than acids


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should be adapted to fit those approaches. and bases (10) and oxidation and reduction (11).

Context

The book places much of the information in the context of

how the chemistry is applied in everyday life. It gives the

students the opportunity to see how they are affected by

chemistry.

The applications of chemistry that are mentioned are often

everyday things such as water-softening. It would perhaps

be more interesting to students to also include novel

research using some of the chemical concepts.

Wo

rk

Stu

den

ts D

o

Quality Learning Experiences

There are a variety of different activities that help to engage

the students. Many of the activities allow the students to

gauge their own learning. Students are given the

opportunity to work collaboratively. And they have the

opportunity to use scientific equipment in laboratory work.

Learning goals are not clearly stated, there are not

objectives for each unit or chapter. Hands-on activities do

a poor job of illustrating the concepts.

Abilities Necessary To Do Scientific Inquiry

Students conduct scientific investigations through the

hands-on activities and lab work. Students must formulate

explanations for the demonstrations or their reasoning in the

concept practical activities. They discuss alternative

explanations when working in groups. They are also asked

to communicate their results.

Students do not ask the questions for the labs or design

their own experiments. The students are not required to

formulate additional study questions.

Understandings About Scientific Inquiry

The textbook provides some examples and discussion of the

work that scientists do (Chapter 1). Students are given the

opportunity to connect to the work scientists do by

conducting investigations, using equipment, performing

calculations, and working with others to interpret and

explain results based on scientific principles.

After the beginning of the book, there is little discussion or

examples of how scientists conduct inquiry. Students do

not get to plan their own investigations.

Accessibility

There are a variety of activities to address varied learning

abilities and styles.

There are not any accommodations or adaptations for

students with special needs. For example, some of the

demonstrations like the one on P. 62 are completely visual.

For a student with a visual impairment, this demonstration

would not serve its purpose.

Ass

e

ssm

ent Quality

The assessments measure what the students know and are

able to do. They also give the students the opportunity to

Since the assessments are all similar in nature, they don‟t

adequately measure how students can apply their


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assess their own learning. At the end of the class, the

students present a poster for assessment.

knowledge in new situations.

Multiple Measures

There are many different activities for assessment including

concept practicals, quiz questions, and concept check

questions. These all seem to provide the students and

teacher with information about how well the students

understand the material.

While there are different assessment tools, they are all very

similar styles of assessment. Varied assessment tools such

as portfolios or journals would provide different types of

feedback.

Use of Assessments

The concept check questions allow the students to assess

their own learning without being graded. The concept

practical activities allow the teacher to gauge how well the

students understand the material and are also ungraded.

Additionally, these activities allow the students to work

together and better learn the material in addition to being

assessed.

Many of the questions in the book also have answers in the

book. Therefore, it makes it challenging for the teacher to

assess their learning.

Accessibility

The assessments appear to be free from bias. The assessments are all very similar in type. Therefore,

they don‟t address different learning styles. There is

nothing built into the assessments to accommodate specific

individual needs.

Th

e W

ork

Tea

cher

s D

o

Instructional Model

The instructor‟s manual offers several different tracks for

using the textbook and sequencing the course. The tracks

all take the conceptual approach. The instructor‟s manual

provides guidance for sequencing of activities.

The materials do not provide much background support for

why the conceptual approach is better than a contextual

approach.

Teaching Strategies

A variety of different teaching strategies are provided

including question-discussion, demonstrations and lab work,

and group work.

The amount of inquiry teaching is limited.

Teaching Strategies for Inquiry

The instructor does orchestrate discussion of ideas and

model curiosity and openness to new ideas by asking

students questions and allowing them to explain their ideas

through reasoning (concept practical activities for example).

Inquiry is addressed to a limited degree with the

demonstrations, hands-on chemistry activities, and lab

experiments. However, the inquiry is guided. There is

little available for the students to ask their own questions


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or design their own experiments.

Assessment Strategies

The instructor‟s manual contains answers to all the

questions in the book and suggests questions to pose during

class discussion. The manual also provides sample quiz and

test questions for each chapter.

There are only a limited number of sample quiz and exam

questions. The answers to the concept practical activities

are not provided.

Support for the Work Teachers Do

Background information is provided for the hands-on

chemistry activities. The materials provide lists of what is

needed for activities and demonstrations. The instructor‟s

manual contains some information about the instructional

approach and the teaching strategies. A CD can be

purchased to complement the texts.

There is not much about student conceptions. The CD and

lab manual are extra costs in addition to the text.


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Table 4: SCIENCE CONTENT RUBRIC (5) (3) (1)

STANDARDS ALIGNMENT

Science content standards may originate at the national, state, district, or school level.

Science content standards may include the subject matter disciplines (physical, life,

earth and space sciences) as well as science as inquiry, science and technology, science in personal and social perspectives, history and nature of science, and/or

unifying concepts and processes.

Most of the science content

standards designated for the

specific course and/or grade

level are addressed.

Some of the science content




Few of the science content




ACCURACY

Information provided on science content is grounded in current research and

conforms to fact.

Interpretations that explain or translate information into developmentally appropriate

content do not lose original meaning or distort fact.

Content is accurate with very

few errors of fact or

interpretation.

Content is accurate with some

errors of fact or interpretation.

Content has many errors of

fact or interpretation.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

Content development for conceptual understanding has the following:

only a few concepts are addressed,

concepts are linked to one another,

students apply understanding to new situations.

Most key science concepts are

developed for conceptual

understanding.

Some key science concepts

are developed for conceptual

understanding.

Few key science concepts are

developed in depth for

conceptual understanding.

SEQUENCING

Content with a coherent sequence has the following characteristics:

content is organized in a deliberate fashion to promote student understanding;

content is organized within a conceptual framework that is based on research on

developmental appropriateness of science content;

facts and concepts are linked in ways that facilitate retrieval and application.

The materials have a

consistent coherent sequence

to build student conceptual

understanding within, and

when appropriate, between

instructional units.

The materials have a

somewhat consistent

coherent sequence to build

student conceptual


when appropriate between,


The materials lack a

consistent coherent sequence

to build student conceptual


when appropriate, between


CONTEXT

Content is presented in an engaging context that is related to real world experiences

and situations.

The context facilitates the assimilation of new knowledge or reorganization of

knowledge in a way that allows students to build on their prior conceptions and/or

experience with the world.

Most key science concepts are

addressed in the context of

their connections with the real

world.

Some key science concepts

are addressed in the context of

their connections with the real

world.

Few key science concepts are

addressed in the context of

their connections with the

real world.


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Table 5: WORK STUDENTS DO RUBRIC (5) (3) (1)

QUALITY LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Characteristics of Quality Learning Experiences include:

learning goals are clearly defined within an inquiry-based learning cycle/sequence

activities are engaging, relevant and developmentally appropriate for students

students are in control of their own learning by monitoring their progress in achieving learning goals

student collaboration is an integral part of the learning experience

students use a variety of resources (e.g., equipment, media, technology) in and out of the classroom to

explore ideas and solve problems.

The materials engage

students in activities that

have many characteristics of

quality learning experiences.


students in activities that

have some characteristics

of quality learning

experiences.


students in activities

that have few

characteristics of

quality learning

experiences.

ABILITIES NECESSARY TO DO SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

Students doing scientific inquiry involves

asking and identifying questions and concepts to guide scientific investigations,

designing and conducting scientific investigations,

using appropriate technology and mathematics to enhance investigations,

formulating and revising explanations and models,

analyzing alternative explanations and models,

accurately and effectively communicating results and responding appropriately to critical comments,

generating additional testable questions.

Investigations provide

experiences that focus on

most of the fundamental

abilities of scientific inquiry.

Investigations provide

experiences that focus on

some of the fundamental

abilities of scientific

inquiry.

Opportunities to develop

the abilities necessary to

do scientific inquiry are

limited or absent.

UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

The work scientists do includes

inquiring about how physical, living, or designed systems function;

conducting investigations for a variety of reasons;

utilizing a variety of tools, technology, and methods to enhance their investigations;

utilizing mathematical tools and models to improve all aspects of investigations;

proposing explanations based on evidence, logic, and historical and current scientific knowledge;

communicating and collaborating with other scientists in ways that are clear, accurate, logical, and open to questioning.

The work scientists do connects to student learning by students

planning and conducting investigations;

utilizing equipment, tools, mathematics, and technology in investigations;

proposing logical explanations based on evidence and scientific principles;

communicating with others and practicing legitimate skepticism.

The materials provide

students with many

opportunities to understand

the work scientists do and

make connections to student

learning.


students with some

opportunities to understand

the work scientists do and

make connections to

student learning.


students with few

opportunities to

understand the work

scientists do and make

connections to student

learning.

ACCESSIBILITY

When addressing the diversity of learners, consider the following:

varied learning abilities / disabilities

special needs (e.g., auditory, visual, physical, speech, emotional)

English language proficiency

cultural differences

different learning styles

gender

The work students do is

consistently accessible to

diverse learners, providing

opportunities for all students

to achieve.


often accessible to diverse

learners, providing some

opportunities for all

students to achieve.


rarely accessible to

diverse learners,

providing limited

opportunities for all

students to achieve.


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Table 6: Work Students Do: Evidence Chart

Note the types of activities students are asked to do (e.g. read, make observations, watch a demonstration, design an experiment, make a model, journal write, etc.) in

order to understand the concept you selected. Record the type of activity in column one. In column two, describe the type of student product. In column three,

describe how the activity helps students gain understanding of the concept (e.g. which part of the concept does this activity address? what thinking is challenged by

the activity?).

Type of Activity Student Product How does this activity build student understanding

of the concept? Make Observations –

Hands-On Chemistry

Students do an activity that demonstrates a concept,

make predictions, and answer questions. Examples

are on pages 214, 219, 234, 289, etc.

The activities provide a concrete example of the concept or

phenomena that the students are learning about. Students learn

through observing the phenomenon. They practice critical thinking

skills by making predictions and explaining what is going on in the

activity.

Watch a Demonstration Students watch a demonstration that the teacher

performs. They may answer questions about what is

happening during the demonstration. Examples of

demonstrations may be found in the instructor‟s

manual, for example see P. 62.

The students see a visual representation of an idea. Witnessing the

demo can help students to address their misconceptions or form a

more complete idea of the concept in their minds.

Design and Present a Poster Students choose a topical chapter to learn on their

own. They must become experts on the chapter and

present a poster to the class. They may use the book

and other resources. Instructor‟s manual P. 2.

Chapters 13-19.

The topical chapters discuss how chemistry is used in different real-

world challenges. The students must learn the application of the

concepts in depth. This gives them a broader understanding of how

the concepts are applied.

Discussion – Ask Your

Neighbor Questions

Students discuss a conceptual question with a partner

and generate an answer. For an example, see P. 75 of

the instructor‟s manual.

The students are able to discuss an idea with a partner and become

active participants in their learning. Additionally, they have the

opportunity to express their own ideas and ask questions. Requiring

discussion of the reasoning behind the answers encourages students to

think about the concepts.

Reading and Concept

Checks

Students read through the chapter and answer

questions as they go to assess their own

understanding. See P. 272.

Students are able to assess their own learning as they read. If they

find they are struggling with a concept they can go back in the book

and re-read the section or look at the examples. Additionally, it helps

them pinpoint where they are struggling so that they can ask

questions in class.


18

Group Question and

Discussion – Concept

Practical

Students work in small groups to answer practical

questions. The groups must then present one answer

to the class. These activities may be found in the

instructor‟s manual, Pgs. 141-180.

Working in groups allows the students to discuss their ideas and learn

from each other. Requiring them to defend their answers encourages

them to think about the concepts and apply it to the practical

questions. This helps them connect the ideas.

Laboratory Experiments Students perform experiments and answer questions

about what was done, the results, what-if questions,

etc.

The students have the opportunity to practice lab techniques,

investigate chemistry concepts, and apply the concepts to practical

applications. Again, this gives them a concrete example of the

concepts that helps them understand the ideas more thoroughly. Review Questions Students do exercises, solve problems, match terms,

and answer review questions. These are located at

the end of each chapter. For example see Pgs. 291-

295.

These questions give students practice applying the concepts to

answer questions. It gives them opportunities to think about the main

ideas. Additionally, it helps to reinforce some of the key terms that

will help students understand the material. Further, it gives students

an idea of their own understanding so that they can review the book

or ask questions.

Practice – Calculation

Corner

Students read examples of how to perform

calculations related to the concepts. Then they

answer two questions using the calculations. For

example, see P. 254.

Performing calculations can help students understand some of the

concepts. For example, performing calculations can help illustrate

that addition or removal of energy such as heat is necessary to change

the temperature of a substance. Additionally, it is important to be

able to perform the calculations to do investigations or experiments.

Reading Additional suggested readings and websites are at the

end of the chapters. Students can access these

websites to read more about a concept (P. 295).

This adds a supplementary source of information for the students to

access. It can present the information in a different way or provide

additional ideas that can help the students learn.


19

Table 7: ASSESSMENT RUBRIC (5) (3) (1)

QUALITY

High-Quality Assessments

measure what students know and are able to do;

align with learning goals and the mode of instruction;

stress application of what students know and are able to do in new or different situations;

provide students the opportunity to assess their own learning.

The assessments have all of the

features of high-quality

assessments.

The assessments have some of

the features of high quality

assessments.

The assessments have none of the

features of high-quality

assessments.

MULTIPLE MEASURES

Examples of assessments include:

performance tasks

objective assessments

constructed response questions

project-based tasks

portfolios

A wide variety of assessment

measures and corresponding

scoring guidelines (e.g. rubrics,

answer keys) are provided.

Some variety of assessment

measures is provided.

Assessments are limited to a few

different types.

USE OF ASSESSMENTS

Assessments can be used for purposes other than determining

student grades. Assessments can be designed to focus on

learning as well as evaluation. Student work can inform the

design or redesign of teaching strategies or sequences.

Materials include many

assessment opportunities that

provide ways to modify the

teaching sequence based on the

results of student work.

Materials include some

assessment opportunities that

provide ways to modify the

teaching sequence based on the

results of student work.

Materials include few assessment

opportunities that provide ways to

modify the teaching sequence

based on the results of student

work.

ACCESSIBILITY

The three key characteristics of accessible assessments:

free from bias (e.g., gender, cultural),

provide accommodations for individual and cultural differences,

provide accommodations for differences in learning styles and

language proficiency.

Most or all assessment tasks

exhibit these three

characteristics.

Some assessment tasks exhibit

these three characteristics.

Few assessment tasks exhibit

these three characteristics.


20

Table 8: Assessment: Evidence Chart

Record the type of assessment in column one. In column two, list the page number of the assessment. In column three, describe how the assessment helps

measure student understanding and inform instruction.

Type of Assessment Page Comments How does it measure student understanding? Inform instruction?

Constructed Response

Questions

212, 254,

275

Questions are provided for the student to answer by calculating concentrations of solutions. It can

help assess if students are capable of performing these calculations. There are only two questions.

If the students struggle with these problems, then it is clear that they need further instruction in

this area. However, since there are so few questions, they could answer them correctly by

following the examples, but still need additional instruction. Additionally, the answers to the

problems are available at the end of the chapter which makes it difficult to ensure the students

complete the questions on their own.

Self-Assessment Questions 204, 205,

207, 208,

210, 212,

233, 237,

273, 281...

The book provides “concept check” questions for the students to answer to assess their own

learning of the major concepts. The answers are provided directly below the questions. Questions

are found periodically throughout the chapters at the end of major sections. They allow the

students to measure their own understanding but do little to inform instruction because the teacher

can‟t determine what the students know since the answers are available to students.

Constructed Response

Questions

226-230,

260-264,

291-295

Review questions, matching, exercises, and practice problems are located at the end of each

chapter. The questions do seem to do a good job of measuring understanding. They range from

conceptual questions to calculations and range in level of difficulty such as matching terms to

explaining concepts and applying ideas. The teacher can use the questions to assess the students

understanding and inform instruction prior to formal assessment such as a quiz or exam. It should

be noted however that the odd-numbered exercises and problems have answers in the back of the

book. Those questions may be useful for students to self-assess.

Objective Assessments Instructor

Manual

Pgs 93-

138

The instructor‟s manual includes sample quiz and exam questions for each chapter. These

questions are mostly multiple choice and short answer. The questions ask about information the

students should have learned in the chapter. This assessment can inform instruction by providing

the teacher with information about which concepts need more coverage.

Performance Tasks Instructor

Manual

Pgs. 141-

180

There are several concept practical tasks for each chapter. The questions require the students to

think about the overarching concepts and apply them to practical ideas. The students are also

required to defend their answers. This allows the teacher to determine if the students really

understand the concepts. If the students can adequately support reasonable answers, then the

teacher should feel comfortable moving on to the next topic.


21

Table 9: THE WORK TEACHERS DO RUBRIC (5) (3) (1)

INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL

Components of an instructional model provide opportunities for students to

engage with a scientific question, event, or phenomenon,

explore and create their own explanations,

connect their ideas to scientific explanations,

extend, apply and evaluate what they have learned.

The materials frequently

guide teachers in using an

instructional model to

organize and sequence

learning experiences.

The materials occasionally

guide teachers in using an




The materials rarely guide

teachers in using an




EFFECTIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES

Examples of effective teaching strategies include the following:

inquiry (see below)

questioning and discussion

investigation and problem solving

demonstration and laboratory work

utilizing whole class, group, and individual work

incorporating literacy strategies (reading, writing, speaking, & listening) in science

using multiple types of assessment

using student work to inform instruction

The materials suggest many

effective teaching strategies.

The materials suggest some

effective teaching strategies

The materials suggest few,

if any, effective teaching

strategies

TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR INQUIRY

Teaching strategies for inquiry include:

Focusing and supporting inquiries while interacting with students

Orchestrating discourse among students about scientific ideas

Encouraging and modeling the skills of scientific inquiry

Encouraging and modeling curiosity about science

Encouraging and modeling openness to new ideas and data

Encouraging and modeling legitimate skepticism about scientific ideas and evidence

The materials suggest many

teaching strategies for inquiry.

The materials suggest some

teaching strategies for

inquiry.

The materials suggest few,

if any, teaching strategies

for inquiry.

SUPPORT FOR THE WORK TEACHERS DO

Materials that support the work teachers do provide

pertinent content background information,

examples of typical student conceptions

explanations of specific instructional models and teaching strategies to improve student understanding (see above),

resources to assist and enhance instruction (e.g., transparencies, test bank, videos, CDs,

software),

a list of material and equipment needs including information about maintenance and safe

use,

technical support for the use of equipment, multi-media, and technology resources.

Materials provide

comprehensive support to

help inform and enhance

instruction.

Materials provide some

support to help inform and

enhance instruction.

Materials provide little, if

any, support to help

inform and enhance

instruction.


22

Table 10: Work Teachers Do: Evidence Chart

As a sampling technique, use your graphic organizer to select one major idea/concept in the instructional materials and identify the strategies used by teachers to

increase student learning. Then indicate evidence of support for implementing those strategies.

Strategies (Instructional Model, Teaching Strategies

[including inquiry] Assessment Strategies)

Evidence of Support for implementing the strategies Pertinent content background information, explanations of specific teaching strategies to improve student understanding, resources to assist and enhance

instruction (e.g. transparencies, test bank, videos, CDs, software), list of material and equipment needs including information about maintenance and safe

use, technical support for the use of equipment, multi-media, and technology resources.

Instructional Model – Conceptual

Approach

P. vi of the instructor‟s manual explains the conceptual approach to teaching chemistry which the book follows.

The book is arranged to present the concepts first, followed by topical issues. Pgs 2-7 provide different tracks for

the teacher to choose from to present the information in the book, all following this model.

Teaching Strategy – Questioning and

Discussion

The instructor‟s manual provides chapter discussions which include questions the teacher can pose to the

students. An example is on P. 60. The teacher asks the students a question and then the students are to discuss

the question and possible answers with a partner. The manual provides the answers as well as tips for how to

explain the answer or demonstrations that may help illustrate the concept.

Teaching Strategy – Demonstrations and

Labs

The instructor‟s manual includes demonstrations that the teacher can use to demonstrate an idea to students

(Example P. 67). The manual gives a description of how to perform the demonstration and what materials are

necessary. Additionally, there is a description of when the demonstration fits into the lesson and what the class

should discuss following the demonstration. The textbook details Hands-On Chemistry activities that the

students or the class as a whole can do. One of these activities is on P. 255. A description of the activity, the

materials, the procedure, and follow-up questions are provided in the book. At the end of the chapter, P. 262,

there are additional insights that the instructor can use to provide the students with background information about

the activity.

Teaching Strategy – Utilizing group and

individual work

Pgs. 141-180 of the Instructor‟s Manual include activities. Students are given questions and work in groups to

discuss and answer the questions. Questions in the text such as the concept check questions (example P. 205) and

the calculation corner questions (example P. 254) are suitable for individual work. The instructor is provided

with the activities and the questions along with the answers to the questions in the text. The instructor‟s manual

contains the concept practical activities which may be photocopied and distributed to students.

Teaching Strategy – Inquiry and

Investigation

In addition to the textbook and the instructor‟s manual, a laboratory manual may be purchased. This material was

not available for review. But the intent of the laboratory experiments is assumed to be to teach students inquiry

and investigation techniques. The instructor‟s manual includes a section, Pgs. 373-400, that offers suggestions

for modifications to the experiments so the teacher can adapt the lab or make substitutions to work with available

materials. Additionally, answers to the lab questions are provided.


23

References

1. Suchocki, John (2001). Conceptual Chemistry: Understanding Our World of atoms and

Molecules. Addison Wesley.

2. National Research Council (1996). National Science Education Standards. Washington,

DC: National Academy Press. [http://books.nap.edu/catalog/4962.html]

3. National Science Teachers Association (2004) Science and Children: AIM for

Professional Development. BSCS

[http://nsta.org/main/news/stories/science_and_chilren.php?news_story_ID=49030]

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