Examining the Impact of a Modeling Enhanced Water Unit on Third-Grade Students' Scientific Explanations

• In Event: Research in Science Learning and Teaching

Abstract

In this quasi-experimental study, we examine elementary students' model-based explanations for hydrologic cycling in 3rd grade classrooms of teachers implementing a modeling-enhanced version of the FOSS Water unit. This unit was iteratively co-developed with teachers over the course of 4 years. We compare these intervention classrooms to another set of classrooms using the unmodified version of the same unit. Results demonstrate that by using scientific modeling as a key component of science instruction, the teachers were able to more successfully engage their students in explicit visualization and reasoning about large complex processes. On average, students exposed to the modeling-enhanced curriculum showed greater gains associated with model-based explanations, and they were able to articulate the interaction among various hydrological phenomena.

Authors

• Tina Vo, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Devarati Bhattacharya, University of Minnesota

• Benjamin F. Baumfalk, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Greg W. Welch, University of Nebraska

• Cory T. Forbes, University of Nebraska - Lincoln