Science Instruction in the Middle and Secondary Schools: Developing Fundamental Knowledge and Skills

This science methods textbook is designed to provide middle and high school science teachers with the skills they need to help students become scientifically and technologically literate.  To be successful, beginning teachers must master the basic functions of teaching.  They are: 

• Understanding the purpose of science teaching
• Planning science lessons that are engaging and lead to meaningful learning
• Managing the science learning environment in ways that emphasize student responsibility
• Assessing students science learning throughout the instructional process
• Teaching in a way that is both active and personally rewarding.    

Once these basic skills have been mastered, then pre-service teachers are ready to tackle the other important topics relevant to science teaching and learning.  In order to meet this goal, the authors immediately engage their readers with six introductory chapters on these basic skills.  The remaining chapters focus on the foundational areas of science education and strategies for science teaching.  Many vignettes and examples of classroom practices are included to reinforce the chapter content.  The appendices provide Puzzling Situations, science demonstrations, science laboratory activities, and a scoring key for the science inventory found in Chapter One. 

New To This Edition:

NEW:  Opens each of the six introductory chapters with revised vignettes that serve as advanced organizers of the chapter–Focuses on the basic functions of science teaching-purpose: planning, assessing, teaching, and managing.

NEW!  Correlates the chapter content with the NSTA/NCATE 2003 Professional Standards for Science Teacher Preparation–Facilitates the preparation of the NCATE review process at many universities.

NEW!  Uses backwards design strategies (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) to guide the discussion of instructional planning in Chapter Three–Emphasizes unit planning (rather than lesson planning) and the state science standards.

• Guided by backward design strategies, the book stresses the use of state and locally developed curriculum frameworks and science literacy (strand) maps presented online by the National Science Digital Library. 

NEW! Introduces a Beginning Science Teacher’s Checklist for evaluating lesson assessment practices (Chapter 4)–These three sections focus on assessment practices that should be addressed before, during, and after a lesson.

NEW!  Addresses Differentiated Instruction in Chapter 8 Diverse Adolescent Learners and Differentiated Instruction –Suggests ways teachers can address the diverse learning needs of today’s students.

NEW!  Emphasizes the use of Technological Tools of Science Learning such as computer data collection probe-ware and graphing calculators in Chapter 15–Discusses their use in student investigations.

Eugene L. Chiappetta is a professor of science education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University

of Houston. Dr. Chiappetta holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Allegheny College and master’s degree in General

Science, and a Ph.D. in Science Education from Syracuse University. He has coauthored many textbook analysis research

studies, using the nature of science as a framework. Recently, a recipient of the National Association for Research in Science

Teaching Paper Award for Examination of Science Textbook Analysis Research Conducted on Textbooks Published over the Past

100 Years in the United States, The “Skoog Cup” for Significant Contributions and Leadership in the Development of

Quality Science Education in Texas, and “Teaching Excellence” Award in the College of Education. Professor Chiappetta

teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in science education and has coordinated teacher certification and science

education programs for over three decades.

 Thomas R. Koballa, Jr. is a professor of science education in the Department of Mathematics and Science Education at

the University of Georgia. Dr. Koballa holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and master’s degree in Science Education from

East Carolina University, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the Pennsylvania State University. He is past

president of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching and the recipient of the Association of Science

Teacher Education’s Outstanding Mentoring Award. He teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in science education

and has authored or coauthored more than 50 journal articles and chapters. His current research foci include science

teacher learning and mentoring.