Even More Brain-Powered Science: Teaching and Learning With Discrepant Events

How can water and a penny demonstrate the power of mathematics and molecular theory? Do spelling and punctuation really matter to the human brain? The third of Thomas O’Brien’s books designed for 5–12 grade science teachers, Even More Brain-Powered Science uses the questions above and 11 other inquiry-oriented discrepant events―experiments or demonstrations in which the outcomes are not what students expect―to dispute misconceptions and challenge students to think about, discuss, and examine the real outcomes of the experiments. O’Brien has developed interactive activities―many of which use inexpensive materials―to engage the natural curiosity of both teachers and students and create new levels of scientific understanding. The hands-on activities serve as visual participatory analogies for science education principles related to the nature of science and cognitive learning theory, bridging the gap between practice and theory. Each exploration, along with the related extension activities, can serve as the framework for a series of professional development sessions or complement conventional preservice science textbooks. Each of O’Brien’s easy-to-use chapters includes an expected outcome, an explanation of the science and science education concepts, discussion points, the procedure, and a list of related websites. Whether you are new to the Brain-Powered Science books or are a “brain-powered” professional, this book is sure to create shared entertaining educational experiences for teachers and students.

Dr. Thomas O’Brien’s 33 years in science education began in K–12 schools, where he taught general, environmental, and physical sciences and high school chemistry. For the past 23 years, he has directed the preservice and inservice graduate-level science teacher–education programs of the School of Education at Binghamton University (State University of New York [SUNY]). His master’s-level courses include Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations of Science Teaching, Curriculum and Teaching in Science, and Elementary Science Content and Methods. He also supervises the student teaching practica. In addition, he teaches a cross-listed doctoral/postmaster’s educational leadership course. Concurrent with and subsequent to earning a master’s degree and doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction/Science Education at the University of Maryland–College Park, Dr. O’Brien served as a curriculum development specialist and Teacher’s Guide editor on the first edition of the American Chemical Society’s Chemistry in the Community (1988) textbook and as the coauthor of the New York Science, Technology & Society Education Project Teacher Guide (1996). As a science teacher professional development specialist, he has cotaught more than 25 summer institutes, including national programs of the Institute for Chemical Education and state and regional programs funded by grants from the National Science Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the New York State Education Department, among others. He has received awards for excellence in teaching and/or service from the American Chemical Society (for National Chemistry Week programs), the New York State Association of Teacher Educators, the SUNY chancellor, and the New York State Science Education Leadership Association. These grants and awards are a reflection of collaborations with university-based colleagues and what he has learned with and from the large number of K–12 teachers he has had the privilege to serve. The Brain-Powered Science book series owes a debt of gratitude to these friends and funding agencies for the insights and opportunities they offered the author.