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I like that you let your students explore something that they were interested in. Your students were able to explore and use their own observations to make their own conclusions. I actually do something similar with my students, but it’s hard for them to come up with their own conclusion. As the facilitator, I ask students what they think and help them out with their conclusions.

I like that you let your students explore something that they were interested in. Your students were able to explore and use their own observations to make their own conclusions. I actually do something similar with my students, but it’s hard for them to come up with their own conclusion. As the facilitator, I ask students what they think and help them out with their conclusions.

[color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4]For problem-based learning, definitely get the Phenomenon-Based Learning Books (from NSTA Press) and, if you have funds for materials, accompanying materials (from Arbor Scientific). The activities can be done at any level, so your both your lower-level students and high-performing students can start from wherever they are and will get a lot out of them. Students work in groups like real scientists and, also like real scientists, they learn not by memorizing facts, but by exploration and discovery, as they puzzle out what's going on and then learn based on their own investigations. [/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4]You didn't say what grade you teach, but [url=http://q-r.to/IkB][color=#196ad4]this link[/color][/url] [/size][size=4][font=Helvetica, sans-serif]will get you to all editions — elementary (3-5), middle-school (6-8), and high school (9-12).[/font][/size][size=4][font=Helvetica, sans-serif] [/font][/size][size=4][font=Helvetica, sans-serif]If you click on one of those editions, you can then scroll down, and under “Details,” you’ll see a link for downloading a sample chapter. And if you click on that link, you get not only the sample chapter, but also the table of contents and the Introduction. The Introduction is quite informative in describing how to present the activities in ways that will be pedagogically effective for all levels of students.[/font][/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4]The books are based on "Phenomenon-Based Learning" (PBL), which builds knowledge of and interest in physical science as a result of observations of real-world phenomena, in this case, some fun gizmos and gadgets. [/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4]If you want to see more about Phenomenon-Based Learning, you can look here: [/size][url=http://www.msb-science.com/PBL/][color=#196ad4][size=4]http://www.msb-science.com/PBL/[/size][/color][/url][size=4] [/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4]There are kits of materials designed to go with the book that are sold by Arbor Scientific. You can see them here: [/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][url=http://www.arborsci.com/nsta-kits][color=#196ad4][size=4]http://www.arborsci.com/nsta-kits[/size][/color][/url][size=4] (Click on any book to see the kits.)[/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4]The kits are expensive, but they provide enough materials for dozens of activities and would be a great investment for any school. Or, if money is tight, the materials can be purchased individually instead.[/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=3][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font][/size][/color] [color=#000000][size=4][font=HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif]Iris[/font][/size][/color]

Look at local newspapers, community issues or concerns, and incorporate those iinto yoru instruction sas problem-based connections or projects.

Bring in community entities that can help students understand the problem, issue, or topic and ways they (community entity) go about solving such issues.

Using case studies are examples of problem based learning: http://nativecases.evergreen.edu/ teacher resources and lessons for native american issues/concerns;
http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/ has many more science case studies;

I do not know your grade level but I used ChemCom-Chemistry in the community to begin with and used modified lessons from this textbook for Earth Science and Biology as well as Chemistry.

Hope this helps.

Hello, Gwendolyn,

NSTA Press has two books on Problem-Based Learning:
Problem-Based Learning in the Earth and Space Science Classroom, K-12
Problem-Based Learning in the Life Science Classroom, K-12

If you follow these links, you'll see a 'Read Inside' link about halfway down each page on the NSTA website where you can download a sample chapter PDF with the table of contents for each book. These samples give a good overview of what's in these new resources.

Best wishes,
Claire