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Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - SCE6315
Tracking Number - 2946

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Current Status: Approved by SCNS - 2014-02-01
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only): N/A
Comments: to GC 3/4/13 for MAT in Elem Ed Changes. Objectives need revision - back to faculty 3/4/13; still pending 5/9/13; faculty emailed 5/10/13. updated 6/6/13. GC apprd 10/28/13; to USF Sys 11/21/13; to SCNS 12/3/13. Sub as 6103, Approved as 6315 Effective 2/1


Detail Information

  1. Date & Time Submitted: 2012-09-27
  2. Department: Childhood Education and Literacy Studies
  3. College: ED
  4. Budget Account Number: 1721000
  5. Contact Person: Audra Parker
  6. Phone: 8139743460
  7. Email: akparker@usf.edu
  8. Prefix: SCE
  9. Number: 6315
  10. Full Title: Teaching Elementary (K-5) School Science
  11. Credit Hours: 3
  12. Section Type: C - Class Lecture (Primarily)
  13. Is the course title variable?: N
  14. Is a permit required for registration?: N
  15. Are the credit hours variable?: N
  16. Is this course repeatable?: N
  17. If repeatable, how many times?: 0
  18. Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Teaching Ele School Science
  19. Course Online?: C - Face-to-face (0% online)
  20. Percentage Online: 0
  21. Grading Option: -
  22. Prerequisites: N/A
  23. Corequisites: N/A
  24. Course Description: This addresses the concepts, materials, methods around ele school science and immerses you in learning experiences that provide a robust understanding of science teaching and learning from the perspective of both learner and teacher.

  25. Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Needed for program/concentration/certificate change
  26. What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? Would service 25 students per year.
  27. Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? No
  28. What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) Earned doctorate in Elementary Education (or related field) with a concentration in science
  29. Objectives: Objectives:

    Understand the central concepts (content), tools of inquiry (process skills) and structure (nature of science) appropriate for teaching in elementary schools

    Understand the diverse needs of elementary learners in regards to science instruction

    Understand content and pedagogical knowledge related to effective science instruction

  30. Learning Outcomes: •Demonstrate understanding of the central concepts (content), tools of inquiry (process skills), and structure of science (the nature of science) appropriate to teaching at the K-6 level [*FEAP 3.b, 3.c. **FLC 22.2, 23.4, 24.10, 25.1, 25.2, 25.4, 25.5, 26.1. ***ACEI 2.2, 3.1. ****USF CF 2, 3]

    •Demonstrate understanding of the social, intellectual, and personal development of students and recognize the diverse needs, interests, and abilities of students in regard to science at the K-6 level [FEAP 1.b, 2.b, 2.g, 2.h, 2.i, 3.h, 4.d. FLC 1.9. ACEI 1.0, 3.1, 3.2. USF CF 5, 6]

    •Demonstrate knowledge of and ability to critically evaluate and utilize contemporary science standards and curriculum materials for science education [FEAPs 1.a, 1.d, 4.b, 5.f. FLC 4.6. ACEI 3.1 USF CF 4]

    •Demonstrate knowledge of and ability to plan and implement a variety of instructional strategies and assessment techniques for teaching science at the elementary level [FEAPs 1.c, 1.f, 2.i, 3.a, 3.b, 3.e, 3.f, 3.g, 4.a, 4.c. FLC 1.5, 1.10, 3.5, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.2, 27.1, 27.2, 27.3. ACEI 2.2, 3.1, 4.0. USF CF 2, 4]

    •Demonstrate the capacity to create a positive environment that encourages science learning by modeling the attitudes and dispositions of scientific inquiry [FEAPs 2.a, 2.c, 2.f, 2.h, 3.i. ACEI 3.3, 3.4, 3.5. FLC 5.2]

    •Demonstrate the capacity for collegiality, reflective practice, and professional growth in regard to science teaching [FEAPs 5, 6. ACEI 1.0, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2. USF CF 2]

    * Florida Educator Accomplished Practice (2010)

    ** Florida Learning Competencies: Elementary Education K-6 (2012)

    *** Association for Childhood Education International Elem Education Standards (2007)

    **** USF College of Education Conceptual Framework

  31. Major Topics: 1. Course Introduction / Overview

    2. What is science?

    3. Why should students learn science?

    4. What should students learn about science?

    5. How should science be taught?

    6. What does it mean to 'do science'? Essential Features of Inquiry

    7. What does it mean to 'learn science'? Misconceptions & Conceptual Change

    8. What counts as learning? Assessment in the Science Classroom

    9. The Learning Cycle & Inquiry I: Technological Design

    Assessment Task #1: Magnetic Invention

    Invention Convention

    The Learning Cycle & Inquiry II: Teaching With Tradebooks

    Assessment Task #2: Writing Prompt

    The Learning Cycle & Inquiry III: Animals in the Classroom

    The Learning Cycle & Inquiry III: Types of Investigations

    Assessment Task #3: Designing an Investigation

    The Diverse Elementary Science Classroom

    Family Involvement in Science

    Lesson Planning with the 5Es

    Informal Science - Resources to Support Teaching & Learning

    Connecting Science & Mathematics

    Interdisciplinary Instruction

    Collaborating with Scientists

    Science Fairs & Festivals

    An Authentic Science Conference: The Mealworm Inquiry Project

    Looking back and looking forward... Planning the first week of school.

  32. Textbooks: Harlen, W. (2001). Primary Science: Taking the plunge. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. (REQUIRED)

    Wenham, M. (2004). Understanding Primary Science: Ideas, Concepts, & Explanations. Chapman. (REQUIRED)

    Campbell, B. and Fulton, L. (2003). Science notebooks: Writing about inquiry. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. (RECOMMENDED)

  33. Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: Please purchase a notebook for recording your science experiences, your questions and new ideas, and other activities and concepts that will be introduced and discussed in class. Your notebook will be for drawing, graphing, planning experiments, planning teaching, etc. as well as writing.
  34. Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: Your work will be graded based on mastery of the course objectives, rather than against the performance of your peers, therefore, grades are criterion-referenced rather than norm-referenced (curved). The grading scale is as follows:

    Exemplary Work

    Outstanding Work

    Acceptable Work

    Needs Improvement

    Unsatisfactory

    A+ 98-100

    A 94-97

    A- 90-93

    B+ 87-89

    B 84-86

    B- 80-83

    C+ 77-79

    C 74-76

    C- 70-73

    D+ 67-69

    D 64-66

    D- 60-63

    F Below 60

  35. Assignments, Exams and Tests: Science Autobiography

    Lesson Analysis (“Decookbooking”)

    Student Interview

    Learning Cycle **CRITICAL TASK

    Assessment Project

    Book Talk

    Class Participation/Reading Response Posts/Reading Discussions

    Inquiry Project

    Course Portfolio

  36. Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,

    http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)

    Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)

    In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.

  37. Policy on Make-up Work: All class assignments must be completed on or before the due date. We will work toegher to negotitate assignment due dates for missed work. The University of South Florida has an account with an automated plagiarism detection service which allows instructors to submit student assignments to be checked for plagiarism. I reserve the right to 1) request that assignments be submitted to me as electronic files and 2) electronically submit to SafeAssignment.com, or 3) ask students to submit their assignments to SafeAssignment.com through myUSF. Assignments are compared automatically with a database of journal articles, web articles, and previously submitted papers. The instructor receives a report showing exactly how a student's paper was plagiarized.
  38. Program This Course Supports: MAT in Elementary Education
  39. Course Concurrence Information: N/A


- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.