Deck 10: Reading, Writing, and Interdisciplinary Approaches

Question 1

W How can required writing be implemented in a constructivist science class?

A) Have the students write descriptions of their inquiries and summaries of their conclusions in their science journals.
B) Have the students construct PowerPoint presentations showing summaries of interesting topics.
C) Have the students construct web sites that offer information on interesting topics.
D) Have the students make posters of interesting topics and include labels for each illustration included.
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Answer 1

E

Question 2

What should teachers and/or textbook committees look for when selecting a textbook series for elementary science?

A) They should look for multicultural treatment.
B) They should look for the availability of worksheets teachers can assign to students as seat work or homework.
C) They should look for suggestions of ways teachers can do demonstrations instead of having to assemble the materials for students to do their own inquiries.
D) They should not select a textbook series since textbooks are useless in helping teachers achieve inquiry-based classes.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

W An elementary science teacher is planning a unit on the water cycle of nature in which students will inquire into how water changes states from solid to liquid to gas and back. In addition to the science, the teacher is including reading, writing, mathematics, and social studies objectives in the unit. What form of curriculum is the teacher implementing?

A) Multidisciplinary
B) Integrated
C) Both of the above
D) Neither of the above

Answer 3

A

Question 4

W In a truly constructivist environment, science textbooks should be excluded because they serve no useful purpose and can interfere with students' inquiries.

Question 5

W A science teacher wants to take the class outdoors so the students can see the solar eclipse. How should the teacher have the students look at the sun?

A) By focusing the sun's image on a sheet of white paper using binoculars
B) By giving each student a thickly-smoked piece of glass through which they could look at the sun
C) By giving each student a piece of dark X-ray film through which they could look at the sun
D) By telling the students to bring sunglasses to wear while they are looking at the sun
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 6

How can required reading be implemented in a constructivist science class?

A) Have the students read the science textbook to gain additional information and insights to the topics they have explored.
B) Have the students use reference materials and the Internet to gain additional information on the topics they are exploring.
C) Have the students read biographies of scientists and prepare summaries to present to the class.
D) Have the students look up opposing arguments for controversial science topics and prepare summaries and their own conclusions to present to the class.
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 7

W Why would a constructivist science teacher include fiction and nonfiction pieces of children's literature in a unit or lesson?

A) To capture students' interest
B) To set the stage for the unit or lesson
C) To provide factual information about the topic
D) To provide information and pictures about aspects of the topic that the students might not otherwise experience
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 8

W What position do the professional science education organizations take about including reading and writing in science programs?

A) During science classes, students should focus on doing science, and reading and writing should not be included.
B) Reading and writing are more important than science and so should be prominent in all science classes.
C) Students can learn science without having to read or write, and therefore reading and writing should not be included in the science program.
D) Reading and writing should be included in the science program.
E) All of the above
F) None of the above ______________

Question 9

A science teacher who is following the required curriculum guide is expected to include in the course the roles of genes and chromosomes in the sexual reproduction of plants and animals. The teacher is committed to an integrated approach to curriculum. What topic might the teacher introduce that would satisfy the curriculum requirement and could be taught using an integrated curriculum?

A) Selective breeding of plants and animals
B) Organic foods
C) State parks
D) Consumer preferences
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 10

What is the primary difference between a multidisciplinary curriculum and an integrated curriculum?

A) A multidisciplinary curriculum retains subject matter boundaries whereas an integrated curriculum does not.
B) A multidisciplinary curriculum deals with central topics whereas an integrated curriculum does not.
C) An integrated curriculum deals with central topics whereas a multidisciplinary curriculum does not.
D) A multidisciplinary curriculum includes all subjects in a unit of study whereas an integrated curriculum does not.
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 11

How would a teacher use a required textbook in a constructivist science class?

A) Have the students read in the textbook about the topic to be studied and then do inquiry activities about that topic.
B) Have the students read in the textbook about the topic to be studied and try out the activities suggested in the textbook.
C) Introduce the topic to be studied with a demonstration and then have the students read about the topic in the textbook.
D) Introduce the topic to be studied. Then have the students do inquiry explorations that deal with the topic and then have them read about the topic in the textbook.
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 12

Why would a science teacher want to use an interdisciplinary approach when teaching science?

A) So the students will learn more about the topic
B) So the students will become more interested in the topic to be explored
C) So the students will find the topic to be explored more meaningful
D) So the students will have multiple paths they can take when they study the topic
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 13

W What factors should a teacher consider when selecting children's literature to be used in science classes?

A) Does it show the use of the scientific processes?
B) Is it factually accurate?
C) Does it show a relationship between science and other disciplines?
D) Is there a non-stereotypical multicultural component?
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 14

W The emphasis in children's science-oriented literature recently has been on non-fiction books rather than fiction. Why is this shift happening?

A) Because of increased emphasis on students acquiring scientific factual information
B) Because non-fiction books are easier to write than fiction
C) Because it is easier to illustrate non-fiction books than fiction books
D) Because the imagination and creativity seen in fiction books have no place in science

Question 15

Some pieces of children's literature can be used with a science lesson or unit because they contain descriptions and conclusions that parallel the topic being studied. What would be the best time to use such literature?

A) As an introduction to the lesson
B) Midway during the lesson
C) At the end of the lesson
D) At any time during the lesson
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 16

A science teacher is planning a unit on weather, and she has a choice between a nonfiction and a fiction book to introduce the unit. Which should she use?

A) The fiction book because it is more interesting to children than non-fiction
B) The fiction book because it stimulates students' imaginations about weather
C) The non-fiction book because it is factually accurate
D) The non-fiction book because it sets the tone for learning factual information in this unit

Question 17

W What subject would you expect to see emphasized in a science class that is using an integrated curriculum?

A) Science
B) Mathematics
C) Language arts
D) Social studies
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 18

What is the role of reading and writing in a constructivist science class?

A) Reading and writing are considered one of many ways of communicating.
B) Reading and writing can supplement the inquiries the students are doing, thereby fostering literacy as well as science.
C) Reading can be used by students to find information about the topic they are studying and writing can help them organize their thoughts.
D) Reading and writing can help students' development of the science process skills.
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 19

W According to the text, what is the role of a science textbook in a constructivist science class?

A) The text enables the teacher to teach science through reading instead of through inquiry activities.
B) The text supplements the inquiry investigations that the students are undertaking.
C) The text enables the teacher to write tests easily.
D) The text is considered to be the curriculum of the class and thus frees the teacher from having to write lesson plans.
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 20

When selecting fiction and nonfiction literature to use with a science unit, what should govern the choices?

A) The literature must be scientifically accurate.
B) The literature must foster the students' development of the ability to do science.
C) The literature must encourage students to think for themselves.
D) The literature must be free of cultural or gender stereotyping.
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 21

W What is a science topic that could be successfully approached from an STS perspective?

A) Shadows
B) Phases of the moon
C) The formation of volcanoes and mountains
D) Gravitational force
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 22

W What is STS (Science-Technology-Society)?

A) An interdisciplinary approach to science education
B) The study of topics that are important to society
C) The study of the science that underlies social problems
D) The study of ways in which science is made applicable to the public through technology
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 23

Why is STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) gaining in popularity in the science curriculum?

Question 24

During the study of what topic should teachers interject their personal biases in order to influence the direction of the study?

A) Evolution
B) Cloned animals
C) DNA and genetic research
D) Stem cell research
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 25

What is the advantage of using an STS approach in science education?

A) In the STS approach, students find the relevance of principles of science to problems associated with living in today's world.
B) In the STS approach, students explore subject areas that bear on the topic being studied in addition to science.
C) The STS approach enables students to explore avenues of interest suggested by their inquiries.
D) In the STS approach, students may suggest solutions to problems facing the local community.
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 26

W How is the STS approach constructivist in nature?

A) It fosters individual thinking.
B) It encourages individual students to construct their own understandings.
C) It gives students the opportunity to explore the topics being studied in their own directions.
D) It enables students to apply their own background information and experiences in studying the topic.
E) All of the above
F) None of the above