Elementary preservice teachers are being prepared to develop lessons and curriculum projects in an integrated context. Research has shown that science receives less attention in the elementary classroom due to many factors. Many teachers are uncomfortable teaching science and external pressures of school-wide testing discourage spending much time on science subjects, and instead adding extra time to mathematics and reading instruction. As an advocate for science learning, I try to provide my students with models that will enable them to integrate science instruction into math and reading curriculums. This is one such project. Students are required to locate a children's book, not obviously science related, and develop a science inquiry project that implements several science process skills. For example, one student chose the tale, the Three Little Pigs. She developed a list of questions that young students might think about after reading this story. They may ask why people build straw houses if they are so easily blown down. She designed an experiment that would assist her students in finding out the answer to that question.
After each of the students had designed and implemented their inquiry project, they presented each of their projects to small groups of their peers. Students evaluated each other's projects and applied a rubric. A variety of presentation styles and graphic aids were used by the students. Some students included a demonstration, others read excerpts from their story, some students presented a video tape of the inquiry being conducted, and some used computer applications such as PowerPoint, to present their project to their peers.
Application of Literature-Based Inquiry Project in an Exemplary Teachers Classroom
During the Fall 1999 semester , I entered into a collaboration with a fourth grade teacher from Utah. This teacher is allowing my students to create science activities for her students to conduct. My students worked with Lizz Thomas, a Presidential Awardee for Excellence in Science Teaching, as they designed their literature-based science inquiry activities. She provided them with email feedback on their activity ideas, assisted in their creation of student record sheets, and assisted in developing assessment methods. After the students finished developing the activities, Lizz implemented them in her classroom, videotaped her fourth grade students and sent the tape to us. In addition, Lizz had a group of Brigham Young University education students observing as her students completed these activities. Lizz included their video comments on the tape as well. I also arranged for Lizz to hold a conference call with the the Cortland students after they had watched the tape to discuss what they had seen, and hadn't seen. In addition to learning about inquiry science, national standards, integrating science into literature, alternative assessment, and other key elements in a "real-life" situation, my students have had the opportunity to work with an exemplary elementary science teacher.
