Scientist’s Circle? DQB? Word Wall? What are these new terms to the WMS science curriculum?
As you probably know by now, the middle school has adopted a new science curriculum called OpenSciEd. Each grade will cover 6 units and each unit revolves around a phenomenon that is examined in the very first lesson. For example, in the very first lesson of the 8th grade, the phenomenon is a bath bomb and how/why it creates gas when it reacts in water. By using the phenomenon we will eventually be discovering the answer to the unit question, “How can we make something new that was not there before?”
The new curriculum also brings some new terms to the science curriculum. A “scientist’s circle” is a circle that students create around the room. Students bring their science notebooks to the circle and each student participates and contributes ideas during the scientist’s circle. You might be wondering how this is different from a normal class where class participation is encouraged. In the scientist’s circle student participation is required. In order for this to be successful, “Science Class Norms” were studied, discussed, and mutually agreed upon by all students in all classes. These “norms” help all students feel respected and have equal participation time.
Another new term to the science curriculum is “DQB” or Driving Question Board. This is not really a board, but more of a chart in which students each post a question or multiple questions related to the unit phenomenon and also any related phenomena. This can be done in multiple ways: on a wall with sticky notes, on chart paper with sticky notes, or digitally on canva with digital sticky notes. Each student writes a question that they still have on a sticky note and that sticky note is posted near another student’s question that it is most closely related to. As students post their own questions, they must also explain how their question is related to the previous students’ question.
Finally, there is the “word wall.” This is a place in the classroom where vocabulary words are posted. In order for the words to be posted, students must earn the words by coming up with the definitions on their own, using class discussions and evidence from hands-on labs. It surely is a different way to learn vocabulary than just having the words and definitions given to students!
By: Laurisa Duba