Science+Literacy

==== Scientific literacy is the knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes required for personal decision making, participation in civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity. It also includes specific types of abilities. ====

==== Scientific literacy means that a person can ask, find, or determine answers to questions derived from curiosity about everyday experiences. It means that a person has the ability to describe, explain, and predict natural phenomena. Scientific literacy entails being able to read with understanding articles about science in the popular press and to engage in social conversation about the validity of the conclusions. Scientific literacy implies that a person can identify scientific issues underlying national and local decisions and express positions that are scientifically and technologically informed. A literate citizen should be able to evaluate the quality of scientific information on the basis of its source and the methods used to generate it. Scientific literacy also implies the capacity to pose and evaluate arguments based on evidence and to apply conclusions from such arguments appropriately. (National Science Education Standards, page 22) ====

====The effective science teacher works to develop scientifically literate students. That is your challenge as you embark on this career. In order to effectively develop scientifically literate students, you must be scientifically literate yourself. This includes, among other things, understanding the nature of science as a discipline, including not only concepts but processes, limitations, etc.====

====While science itself is not controversial, the manners in which it overlaps with societal norms and values, religious beliefs, and political agendas can make it so. The effective science teacher must learn to navigate these areas in order to develop students into scientifically literate, critical thinkers.====

Sample Science Literacy Activities:
A. [|Crazy Conclusions.docx]

B. [|The Structure of DNA.docx]

[|The Structure of DNA: Cooperation and Competition - Complex version]

C. "What Happened to Great Grandpa John?" (The Checks Lab)
[|Checks lab worksheet.pdf]

[|Checks lab checks.pdf]

[|Checks lab answers.pdf]

D. "The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs" by Jon Scieszka
E.[|Data Analysis Activities]

Student Work:
Heather Bartos

The science literacy skills that I focused on were assessing validity, self-reflection, and problem-solving. Activities include assessment of the Bermuda Triangle phenomenon, a daily discussion on self, and a team-building safari challenge.

Alyssa Imig

I focused on developing the following science literacy skills: Understanding Scientific Articles, Analysis of Data, and Exploration of Questions. The representative activities are an article summary review, M&M lab, and a technology survey activity.



Jackie Lotzer

The science literacy skills that I focused on were problem solving, deductive reasoning, and analysis of data. The activities included are The Blackout Syndrome, "Who Killed the Red Baron" and the sheep selection online program.



Megan Butler

My addressed science literacy skills were collection, organization, presentation, and analysis of data drawing and evaluating conclusions; problem solving; asking and exploring a question; and deductive reasoning. The correlated activities include the Mystery Bag, Old Wives Tales, and Bioglyphs.



Lynn Kotte The skills I addresed were; Formulate hypotheses by referencing prior research and knowledge; Collection, Organization, and Analysis of experimental data (Understand and use the scientific method); and Using available technology, report, and display experimental findings. The activities included a Bublegum lab, my own enzyme activity, and an understanding blood activity.



Sarah Verdun

Problem solving, drawing and evaluating conclusions, and asking and exploration of questions are the three science literacy skills I chose to focus on. The three representative activities that I incorporated are Clay Boats, What’s Going on Here?, and Before and After.

Scott Birns

The skills that I focused on were: Problem solving, collection,organization,presentation, and analysis of data,and the last one is conduct controlled experiments to test hypotheses. The activities that I used were The Angry Red Planet, Bubble Gum lab, and Alcohol Tolerance in Drosophila and You lab.



Samantha Porn

I chose the following science literacy skills: understand the structure, function, and organization of cells; design and conduct an experiment to test hypotheses; and collect, organize, and analyze data accurately and precisely. My three activities that exemplify those skills are Cell Poster, The Bridge Project, and Polar Bear Migration and Sea Ice Change.

Yazmin Torres

I chose to use the science literacy skills, 1) formulate hypotheses by referencing prior research and knowledge,2) to collect, organize and analyze data accurately and precisely, and lastly 3) determining the advantages and disadvantages of designs and selecting the most prominent. The 3 activities I will be using is showing how photosynthesis works, going outside and collecting samples and analyzing the findings, and lastly there were lesson plans for natural selection and evolution.