Science Research Course Outline for Huaxia Chinese School, NY
2009-2010 Academic Year

Instructor:  Liming Liu

Course Rationale and Objectives

Science contests and competitions present wonderful opportunities for young children to develop motivations to learn, and apply their talents, knowledge and skills to gain recognitions. While many science competitions are held in schools, there are also contests that students can enter independently, whether as individual competitors or as part of a team. Some of these contests offer prizes and awards for the students and the schools, as well as the chance to travel for national or international competitions.

 

This course is designed to help students understand the benefits of conducting a successful science research project, be aware of a variety of science competition opportunities available to them, identify and develop scientific interests appropriate to them, learn the essential elements of the science research and experimental design, plan and design research projects that suit their interests, conduct research, collect, analyze and interpret data, arrive at conclusions, make presentations, and make peer evaluations. Throughout this course, students will have plenty of opportunities to develop skills useful in real science research, including self-discovery, taking responsibility, critical thinking, seeking information and resources, planning, organizing, summarizing, presentation, evaluation, and time management, etc. Based on individual progress, each student will have the option to enter a real competition, or conduct research as a practice for next year competitions.

 

Two classes will be offered: one for students at grades 4 to 6, and other for students at grades 7 and above. 

Required Materials and Factors

Binders, paper, pencils, pens, folders, students’ efforts and support from parents.

Course schedule/Lesson topics

Week 1. Course introduction, class rules, expectations, motivations and responsibilities (What motivate you to take this course? What benefits can you get from this course if you choose to follow rules and take your responsibilities? What consequence could be if you choose to violate the rules? In which way can you learn most efficiently? Etc.)

Week 2. Available opportunities (Why should you plan for the long term and short term? Why should you try to seek and grasp opportunities to develop yourself and show your ability? What opportunities are available to you now? What are the rules and eligibilities of the opportunities? Why do you need to find a suitable science competition opportunity to take or to practice? Why is it more effective by learning from practice? Assignment: identify one science competition you want to participate now or in the future)

Week 3. The scientific methods and the essential elements of the science research using paper helicopter hands-on activity as an example (why should you start now to plan your science research project? How can you plan and design your research? Why do you need to consider all essential elements of the science research in your research plan? Assignment: plan and design one research project that will allow you to practice or participate in one science competition of your choice. Critical thinking: What triggers my scientific interests? What do I want to find out? What is my hypothesis? What materials and methods should I use to collect data? What evidence or data should I collect to support or disprove my hypothesis?)

Week 4. Seeking available information and resources (why do you need to start out with literature research first? How and where can you find available information and resources that are of your interests? How can you learn from available information and resources and further develop your research project? Assignment: modify and improve your draft research plan based on what you have learned from available information and resources. Critical thinking: How can I make my research plan workable? What factors should I consider? What difficulties should I anticipate?)

Week 5. Proposing research plans (Why do you need to write your research plan and present it to the class so that you can make further improvement? What the structures your research plan should be? Is there a time limit for me to make a presentation? Why do you need to make constructive critics to your peer’s research plans?  Assignment: put your draft research plan to a presentation, practice at home within the assigned time frame. Critical thinking: How can I make a great presentation with a given time limit?)

Week 6. Learning from the winners by analyzing previous winners’ winning essays: First session. (How can I find good points from previous winners? Are there any similarities between my research and previous winners? Assignment: modify and improve your research plan based on what you have learned from previous winners’ essays. Critical thinking: How can I learn from previous winners?)

Week 7. Learning from the winners by analyzing previous winners’ winning essays: Second session. (How can I find good points from previous winners? Are there any similarities between my research and previous winners? Assignment: modify and improve your research plan based on what you have learned from previous winners’ essays. Critical thinking: How can I learn from previous winners?)

Week 8. Student’s initial formal presentation of individual research plan with instructor guidance, peer evaluation and constructive critics First session. (Recorded as needed for self- and peer evaluation. Assignment: answer instructor’s and peer’s questions, modify and improve your research plan based on input from the instructor and peers. Critical thinking: How can I learn from others and help others?)

Week 9. Student’s initial formal presentation of individual research plan with instructor guidance, peer evaluation and constructive critics: Second session. (Recorded as needed for self- and peer evaluation. Assignment: answer instructor’s and peer’s questions, modify and improve your research plan based on input from the instructor and peers. Critical thinking: How can I learn from others and help others?)

Week 10.Procedures of conducting individual or team research project (based on each individual project, suggest ways of data collection from observation from natural world, from workable and reliable experiments, or from available literature. Assignment: students will need to carry out their research plans and plan for an update presentation. Critical thinking: What data have I collected? What data will I still need? How can I collect those data?)

Week 11.Update for procedures of conducting individual or team research project (Are there any obstacles during the process? What methods or strategies can I use to overcome the obstacles? Should I modify my plans to make it workable? Critical thinking: How can I use collective wisdom to help me succeed and over come difficulties? What are the potential sources of inaccuracy of my data? How can I make my data reliable?)

Week 12. Update for procedures of carrying out individual or team research project (Are there any obstacles during the process? What methods or strategies can I use to overcome the obstacles? Should I modify my plans to make it workable? Critical thinking: How can I use collective wisdom to help me succeed and over come difficulties? What are the potential sources of inaccuracy of my data? How can I make my data reliable?)

Week 13. Organization, analysis and interpretation of data (What are the most effective ways to organize my data for presentation? How can my data be used for scientific explanation of my research? How can I draw conclusions from my current data? Critical thinking: Can I trust my data? Can I interpret my data in this way? Do I need to collect more data?)

Week 14. Update presentation (Are there any obstacles during the process? What methods or strategies can I use to overcome the obstacles? Should I modify my plans or hypothesis to make it workable? Critical thinking: How can I use collective wisdom to help me succeed and over come difficulties? What are the potential sources of inaccuracy of my data? How can I make my data reliable and my interpretation correct?)

Week 15. Update presentation (Are there any obstacles during the process? What methods or strategies can I use to overcome the obstacles? Should I modify my plans or hypothesis to make it workable? Critical thinking: How can I use collective wisdom to help me succeed and over come difficulties? What are the potential sources of inaccuracy of my data? How can I make my data reliable and my interpretation correct?)

Week 16. Repeat procedures 10 to 15. Foster motivation and team spirit. Provide individual and collective support and help as needed (Each student is expected to bring a weekly update journal, summary of research, and possible ongoing problems so as to use collective wisdom to find solutions).

Week 17. Re-practice some or all procedures 10 to 15. Foster motivation and team spirit. Provide individual and collective support and help as needed (Each student is expected to bring a weekly update journal, summary of research, and possible ongoing problems so as to use collective wisdom to find solutions).

Week 18. Re-practice some or all procedures 10 to 15. Foster motivation and team spirit. Provide individual and collective support and help as needed (Each student is expected to bring a weekly update journal, summary of research, and possible ongoing problems so as to use collective wisdom to find solutions).

Week 19. Re-practice some or all procedures 10 to 15. Foster motivation and team spirit. Provide individual and collective support and help as needed (Each student is expected to bring a weekly update journal, summary of research, and possible ongoing problems so as to use collective wisdom to find solutions).

Week 20. Re-practice some or all procedures 10 to 15. Foster motivation and team spirit. Provide individual and collective support and help as needed (Each student is expected to bring a weekly update journal, summary of research, and possible ongoing problems so as to use collective wisdom to find solutions).

Week 21. Writing a scientific paper, prepare a PowerPoint presentation, or a poster presentation (How can I present my research most effectively? Assignment: Based on the requirement of your science competition, prepare the first draft of your presentation.)

Week 22. How to conduct self evaluation of my presentation (How can I make my presentation better? How can I answer potential questions of my own? How can I defend my research, my data and my conclusions? Assignment: Based on the requirement of your science competition, prepare the second draft of your presentation.)

Week 23. How to use peer evaluation to improve my presentation (How can I make my presentation better? How can I answer potential questions from peers? How can I defend my research, my data and my conclusions? Assignment: Based on the requirement of your science competition, prepare the third draft of your presentation.)

Week 24. How to use my evaluation to peer’s presentation (How can I make my peer’s presentation better? How can I ask potential questions for peers? How can my peers defend his/her research, data and conclusions? Assignment: Based on the requirement of your science competition, prepare the third draft of your presentation.)

Week 25. First formal presentation of individual or team research project: First session (with instructor guidance, peer evaluation and constructive critics. Recorded as needed for self- and peer evaluation. Assignment: answer instructor’s and peer’s questions, modify and improve your presentation based on input from the instructor and peers. Critical thinking: How can I learn from others and help others?)

Week 26. First presentation of individual or team research project: Second session (with instructor guidance, peer evaluation and constructive critics. Recorded as needed for self- and peer evaluation. Assignment: answer instructor’s and peer’s questions, modify and improve your presentation based on input from the instructor and peers. Critical thinking: How can I learn from others and help others?)

Week 27. Second formal presentation of individual or team research project: First session (with instructor guidance, peer evaluation and constructive critics. Recorded as needed for self- and peer valuation.. Assignment: answer instructor’s and peer’s questions, modify and improve your presentation based on input from the instructor and peers. Critical thinking: How can I learn from others and help others?)

Week 28. Second presentation of individual or team research project: Second session (with instructor guidance, peer evaluation and constructive critics. Recorded as needed for self- and peer evaluation. Assignment: answer instructor’s and peer’s questions, modify and improve your presentation based on input from the instructor and peers. Critical thinking: How can I learn from others and help others?)

Week 29. Final formal presentation of individual or team research project: first session (with invited parents, instructor and all peers present. Recorded as needed for self- and peer evaluation.)

Week 30. Final formal presentation of individual or team research project: first session (with invited parents, instructor and all peers present. Recorded as needed for self- and peer evaluation.)

Week 31. Celebration of students’ success!

 At the time when the deadline of a science competition approaches, we will encourage a student or a team of students to enter the competition if the student or the team is ready and has chosen to enter the competition. However, if the student or the team is not ready, we will suggest to the student or the team postponing the entering of competition until the next year to avoid premature mistakes. Winning a competition depends mainly on the talents and efforts of the student or the team, plus correct guidance from the instructor/coach and supports from parents.