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Expect More: Children Can Do Remarkable Things

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Contents

Acknowledgements.........................................................................................ixInvitation...............................................................................................xiChapter One: Systems Thinking............................................................................1Chapter Two: Technological Design........................................................................13Chapter Three: Graphing Data.............................................................................23Chapter Four: Scientific Investigation...................................................................31Chapter Five: Scientific Drawing.........................................................................43Chapter Six: The Essential Connection: Writing & Reading in Science & Social Studies.....................51Appendix A: Why Should We Use a Unifying Concept?........................................................63Appendix B: Citizen Scientist & Leave No Child Inside Links..............................................69Appendix C: Technological Design Links...................................................................71Appendix D: Children's Books About Scientists............................................................73References...............................................................................................75Index....................................................................................................79

Chapter One

"All great entrepreneurs are systems thinkers" Michael Gerber

From futurists to business leaders, there is no shortage of individuals who have heralded the importance of "systems thinking". David Thornburg identified "systems thinking" as one of the essential skills of the 21st Century. Peter Senge brought "systems thinking" to the forefront of the business world. In A Whole New Mind, Daniel Pink pointed out that both Charles Schwab and Richard Branson credit their success with being able to see the "big picture".

As early as 1990, The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) highlighted the importance of systems thinking in their highly celebrated book Science for All Americans. In 1993 when AAAS developed Benchmarks for Science Literacy they made the case that systems thinking was an essential component of higher-order thinking. They stated; "One of the essential components of higher-order thinking is the ability to think about the whole in terms of parts and, alternatively, about parts in terms of how they relate to one another and to the whole.... The scientific idea of systems implies detailed attention to inputs and outputs and to interactions among the system components." (AAAS, p.262)

By now you would probably like a clear explanation of "systems thinking". Simply put, systems thinking means having the capacity to understand how things within a system influence one another. Systems thinkers are capable of seeing patterns and relationships within systems. Rather than seeing events in isolation they view them in relationship to the whole. As teachers and parents we use systems thinking in understanding the dynamic relationships within our classrooms and families. We recognize patterns that we have seen in the past and are capable of using those patterns and previous experiences to keep our operations running smoothly. We recognize that single actions or events do not occur in isolation. As classroom teachers we work with many dynamic systems that help our classrooms function effectively. We recognize that from our systems of management to our systems for analyzing data and differentiating instruction, that all systems are inextricably connected to one another. We constantly have an eye on the big picture and adjust often to keep our classroom systems functioning.

In Benchmarks for Science Literacy, AAAS did a beautiful job of describing how "systems thinking" progresses throughout the grades. The AAAS benchmarks, and insights from the National Science Education Standards were used to develop the "Systems Thinking" continuum below. All continuums are written in "student friendly" reflective language, in order to put students in charge of their own learning process. After developing the Systems Thinking continuum, it was reviewed by the Oak Park/River Forest teachers who encouraged me to provide examples so teachers and parents could readily think about some tangible examples. While the examples below the continuum relate to science, please note that in both science and social studies there are many opportunities to apply "systems thinking". In social studies systems abound from political to economic systems. One cannot effectively investigate cause/effect relationships without applying systems thinking. Below the continuum you will find specific suggestions for both teachers and parents and a brief discussion of the relationship between systems thinking and pattern recognition. Patterns of change will be further developed in the chapter on graphing.

In conclusion, if we are committed to developing critical thinkers and problem solvers, then we are compelled to see the importance in developing systems thinking. The continuum on systems thinking provides clarity and focus for talking about systems with children. The continuum helps us see how the concept of systems thinking develops over time and provides teachers and parents with a progression of expectations they can use when facilitating learning experiences. It is exciting to think about the dynamic conversations and potential for student engagement if we embrace the challenge of teaching systems thinking.

FOR TEACHERS IMPLEMENTING CONTINUUMS:

As you begin to think about implementing continuums in your classroom my first suggestion is to focus on your grade level band.

If you are a K-2 teacher use the next level of the continuum to differentiate for children who need a greater challenge. If you teach third grade or above, use the other grade bands to consider ways to differentiate for students who either need a greater scaffold or a greater challenge.

CREATE CLASSROOM CHARTS

Creating a chart of the continuum expectations for your grade level band creates a focal point for instruction and student reflection. Barb Mayer, a second grade teacher in River Forest, was one of the first to begin piloting my continuums in her classroom. Barb shared that as she worked with the reflection points in a single continuum she made a large class chart that was posted in the classroom for her grade level band of the continuum. She found that she could refer to the chart and challenge her children to reflect on their work. In Barb's words using the continuum chart was helpful because, "children knew just what to do". The charts make the correct vocabulary visible to us as facilitators of student learning, they give the student the correct vocabulary for what they are doing. The literacy experts have helped us understand the importance of developing common vocabulary that is used at both home and at school. Continuums provide the means to do so. A sample classroom chart for Systems Thinking in grades K-2 appears below.

Systems Thinking I identified the parts of a system....