Making Sense of SCIENCE: Force & Motion for Teachers of Grades 6-8, Teacher Book

Proven through more than a decade of rigorous research to be effective with both teachers and students, Making Sense of SCIENCE helps teachers gain a deep and enduring understanding of tricky science topics, think and reason scientifically, and support content literacy in science, thereby increasing student achievement.

The materials presented in this book help teachers gain a solid understanding of tricky science concepts and common misconceptions, support productive and worthwhile professional learning communities, and prepare teachers to implement standards-based science curriculum. Topics are central to the Next Generation Science Framework and aligned with the Common Core State Standards in literacy.

This book guides teachers through investigations of motion, changes in motion, force, and the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration, and features:

• Hands-on experiments with easy-to-follow instructions and illustrations
• Clear explanations of tough science concepts
• Examples of classic misconceptions
• A bank of formative assessments
• A CD containing reproducible black line masters
• A guided protocol for evaluating student work in professional learning communities

Kirsten R. Daehler began her work in science education as a high school chemistry and physics teacher and department chair, where she delighted in her work with adolescents and her fellow science teachers. Upon joining WestEd in 1994, Kirsten served as the lead teacher developer and content expert for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Currently, Kirsten directs the Understanding Science for Teaching project at WestEd, where she aims to transform the way teachers learn about science and the complex art of teaching.

Originally trained in physics, Mayumi Shinohara co-directed the Understanding Science for Teaching project at WestEd for 15 years, focusing on children's thinking in science and practice-based professional development. Mayumi is currently at Vanderbilt University as a doctoral student. Her research focuses on children's mathematical and scientific reasoning in and out of school, particularly social and material mechanisms for developing thinking (e.g., participation structures, argumentation, inscription, and models).

Jennifer Folsom began her career in science education in high school, conducting research in a pharmacology lab and teaching K–5 students at a neighborhood environmental education center. Since then she has worked with numerous school districts, nonprofits, and universities to conceptualize and produce innovative science curricula for students and teachers in collaboration with scientists, teachers, and science education professors. Currently, Jennifer mingles her writing skills, teaching insights, and science knowledge as a curriculum writer and staff developer with the Understanding Science for Teaching project at WestEd.