Content, Inquiry, and Misconceptions: Enhancing Student Learning

Sponsored by

The Salem State Collaborative and

The Massachusetts Department of Education

March 14, 2007

Description:

The goal of this workshop is for teachers to reflect on their lessons and teaching to see whether they include content, incorporate inquiry, and to address some possible student misconceptions, for the purpose of enhancing student learning. Participants will analyze several typical lessons that to some extent relate to density, to look at how each addresses the development of student science content knowledge and inquiry skills. Participants will examine these lessons in relation to some commonly recognized student misconceptions of the concept of density. As a group, we will ask the question of whether any of these lessons addressed these student misconceptions. We will discuss the importance of recognizing student misconceptions both in developing lesson plans and conducting lessons. Finally, we will look at a sample lesson that brings all the pieces together: content, inquiry skills, and student misconceptions.

This workshop will be limited to one participant per collaborative district and is offered at no charge. We hope that this participant will return to their district and share the information learned.

Location: Lynnfield High School, Science Wing, 275 Essex Street, Lynnfield MA 01940

Time: 3:30 PM – 5 PM

Presenter: Office of Mathematics, Science and Technology/Engineering, Massachusetts Department of Education

Cost: Free (Limited to one participant per district)

PDP’s: 1.5 hours per session

Registration Information:

Please register at our website www.salemcollaborative.org (preferred) or email the following information to Jim Kearns at registration@salemcollaborative.org. If you have registration questions, please call Jim at 781-771-4860.

DEADLINE to sign up for the Inquiry Workshop by March 5^th .