Supporting Third-Grade Students' Model-Based Explanations About the Water Cycle: A Quasi-Experimental Study of a Curricular Intervention

• In Event: 60.026 - Learning Through Disciplinary Practices of Science

Abstract

The Next Generation Science Standards emphasize that elementary students should engage in scientific modeling to begin developing robust conceptual understanding of hydrologic phenomena. However, scientific modeling remains underemphasized in elementary science learning environments and little past research has explored early learners’ engagement in domain-specific modeling practices. In this quasi-experimental study, we present findings from a comparative study of students’ model-based explanations generated during a standard and modeling-enhanced version of a curricular unit on water. Findings suggest students experiencing the modeling-enhanced version of the water unit made significant gains in both conceptual understanding about water-related phenomenon and reasoning about water movement. Study findings contribute to research on scientific modeling in elementary classrooms and have important implications for teachers and curriculum developers.

Authors

• Laura Zangori, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Cory T. Forbes, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Christina V. Schwarz, Michigan State University

• Tina Vo, University of Nebraska - Lincoln