Working with parents. Models for activities in science centres and museums

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1 Working with parents. Models for activities in science centres and museums FEAST Working with parents. Models for activities in science centres and museums 1

2 Index TALKING ABOUT SCIENCE FLOATING AND SINKING Brief overview of the activities in the workshop Objectives and aims Introduction on general aims of FEAST workshops Key methodological principles guiding workshop rationale and practice Topic Target audience and recruitment Time scale Materials Theoretical introduction for parents Predict: science quiz Experiments Demonstration Take home The role of the explainer Things to consider when choosing to run this workshop Take/do at home activities and materials for parents... 9 FEAST Working with parents. Models for activities in science centres and museums 2

3 FEAST workshop 1: TALKING ABOUT SCIENCE FLOATING AND SINKING Developed by Science Center NEMO, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 1. Brief overview of the activities in the workshop In this workshop parent and child explore the phenomena of floating and sinking, working together as a team. The activities are based on common misconceptions about floating and sinking. First parents attend a theoretical introduction about science learning while the children participate in an entertaining demonstration in a separate space. Parents and children then join together to participate in a science quiz to predict whether objects will sink or float in ten different situations. What at first glance may seem simple soon turns out to be intriguing and challenging not only for children, but for parents too. Each family chooses three out of the ten situations and is able to test and refine their initial answers through direct experimentation. The activity is structured around a four-step approach: predict, explain, experiment and reflect. Adults and children specifically refer to this model by using a template notebook. The workshop is concluded with reflections on the most surprising things learnt and with an explainer-led demonstration on Archimedes Principle. Knowledge of this natural law and the experiments will help parents and children to continue their investigations at home. 2. Objectives and aims The workshop aims to make parents more aware of how children and adults learn. It also aims to stimulate parents to talk about science topics with their children and find out what the ideas of their children are on specific phenomena. It stimulates parents to be aware of the child s perspective while doing experiments together. And to be aware of the fact that adults can have misconceptions as well. 3. Introduction on general aims of FEAST workshops The FEAST workshops aspire to empower parents as facilitators of their children s learning in science, equipping them with skills and tools that go beyond the museum visit. At the same time, they are developed with the objective to build specific tools and methodologies that can help museum educators and explainers enrich and strengthen their work with family audiences. In the context of these objectives, the partner museums have designed a series of interactive/experimental/inquiry-based workshops that could be integrated within their museum provision, which can also be offered to other institutions outside the FEAST consortium. FEAST Working with parents. Models for activities in science centres and museums 3

4 4. Key methodological principles guiding workshop rationale and practice Help parents understand the key role that they play in supporting their children s learning Prior to the workshop, parents receive a theoretical introduction about science learning. It is highlighted that nearly everyone thinks or knows something about scientific and technical subjects. We gain this knowledge by experience and via theoretical information. To really understand how something works, one must integrate new information with the knowledge already held. Combining new information and existing knowledge is a difficult process that does not happen all by itself, - it requires effort. Children need help with this from a teacher or parent. Enhance the interest of parents and their knowledge of the subject matter The topic chosen aims to be attractive for children and at the same time sufficiently challenging for parents. The workshop is based on misconceptions (which adults also possess) on phenomena associated with floating and sinking. What at first glance may seem simple, turns out to be interesting to investigate and to think about for parents too. During the science quiz parents are forced to predict if a block sinks or floats in a certain situation. This activity stimulates them to think about the phenomenon themselves. For a short moment they step out of their role of facilitator of the child s learning and concentrate on their own knowledge and learning. The quiz is not about identifying who knows the most, but more a way to make misconceptions explicit. Equip parents with skills to enhance their own and their children s engagement with the topic The workshop focuses on the inquiry learning skills of predict, explain, experiment and reflect. Within the context of the theoretical presentation about science learning, these four skills are introduced to the parents prior to the workshop. During the workshop itself the explainer reminds the parents about these four skills and about what they, as a parent, can do to support their child s learning in each of the steps. The workshop is designed so as to help parents and their children to express their knowledge from previous experiences (non-verbal knowledge) in words. Parents and children who are not used to talking about science together can experience and practice the ways in which developing an explanation serves to integrate new information and existing knowledge. Strengthen learning by linking it to family life Parent and child work together as a team. This ensures that the parent can give his/her full attention to the child. For each step (part of the workshop), the role of the parent is made clear. In this way parental engagement is explicitly encouraged during the workshop. The explain part of the workshop stimulates parents to be aware of the child s perspective while conducting the experiments together later on. Allowing children and parents to choose their three favourite experiments provides them with the space to follow their own particular interests and questions. 5. Topic Floating and Sinking FEAST Working with parents. Models for activities in science centres and museums 4

5 6. Target audience and recruitment The target audience of this workshop are families with children from 8 to 11 years old. Parent and child, one by one, work together in teams. The workshop offers room for 9 parent-child teams. Channels for recruitment were: museum website ( museum facebook page museum twitter channel 7. Time scale The total programme takes about 2,5 hours. 7.1 Schedule: specific structure of each part of the workshop Theoretical introduction for parents (30 minutes) The families, 10 parents and 10 children, are welcomed to the science center. They are divided into two groups. The parents attend a theoretical introduction about science learning. After that the explainer informs the parents about the aim of the workshop "Talking about science and what is expected from the parents. Meanwhile the children participate in a demonstration which is not part of the FEAST-programme in the room next door. Predict: science quiz (20 minutes) Parents and children join together in one room to participate in the science quiz. The room has 10 tables and 20 chairs. The children are seated at tables in the first row. The parents are seated separately of the children in the second row. The explainer hands out booklets and pencils to the children and quiz forms and pencils to the parents. The questions of the quiz will be projected on a big screen. The explainer tells how the booklet and form can be used. And tells that the quiz contains 10 questions about floating and sinking. He stresses that the quiz is not about right and wrong! But a way to find out what they already know about floating and sinking. Explain: I think that. because (10 minutes) The explainer takes in the quiz forms of the parent. This is a very important step! To avoid parents and children comparing their answers, which may upset the children. Parent and child are seated together as a team now, each at their own table. Using the booklet of the child, the parent question by question asks the child to explain his predictions. The parent writes down the explanation of the child. In this way the child makes his thinking explicit and the parent gets insight in the thought process of the child. The explainer stresses that the parent only asks questions, and if necessary makes the child aware of contradictions. But the parent does not explain that. Experiment (45 minutes) Each team chooses three out of ten questions they absolutely want to investigate today. They write their top three down on a big flip over paper. In this way the explainers gets a good FEAST Working with parents. Models for activities in science centres and museums 5

6 overview which experiment is popular today. In case of all participants want to do experiment 10 (oil) the explainer decides which team comes first. The explainer gives a short introduction. He tells that by experimenting the participants can find the answers to the quiz questions. He stresses that parent and child work together as a team, in which the child takes the lead. He gives suggestions how parents can stimulate their children s experimenting: ask your child questions like: what would happen if or make your child aware of things that happen: did you notice that?, or you can help your child to draw a conclusion by summarizing what he observed. The explainer now hands over a material box to each team. This box contains almost all materials needed to perform the 10 experiments. Except for the materials of experiment 9 (large water container) and experiment 10 (oil). These experiments take place at a separate table to avoid an oil or water ballet. While the teams experiment, the explainers walk around to see whether the participants are in need of anything. In case they are stuck in setting up an experiment, the explainer can support them by asking questions or offering suggestions (facilitating). There is approximately 45 minutes time for experimenting. Teams can do extra experiments as long as time permits. Ten minutes before the end the explainer lets the participants know how much time they have left. When time is up, the explainer asks participant to help him/her clean up by putting all materials back in the box. Explainers put all boxes away before they start the next step. Reflect: The most surprising we have seen today was (5 minutes) Let parent and child reflect on the workshop (quiz, talking, experiments). Ask them What was the most surprising thing you learned today?. Let them write down the answer in the child s booklet. Demonstration: Archimedes principle (20 minutes) After doing the quiz and experiments both parents and children will be left with questions about floating and sinking objects. That is why at the end of the workshop the explainer gives a demonstration on Archimedes Principle integrating as much as possible the findings of the participants experiments. And facilitating the process of drawing conclusions. Knowledge of this natural law and the experiments will allow parents and children to continue their investigations at home. Have the parents and children sit as close to the experiment as they can, on stools or on their knees on the floor. It is important they have a good view of the table and can reach it. Follow the instruction as written in appendix XX. Take home experiments (10 minutes) Finish the demonstration by saying the kids and parents did a good job today. Through predicting, explaining and experimenting parent and child have started a thought process. We do not expect them now to understand everything about the phenomenon. That would not be realistic nor is it the aim of what we wish to achieve in this workshop. What we do hope is that they have loads of ideas, experiences, knowledge and skills to continue thinking and experimenting at home. FEAST Working with parents. Models for activities in science centres and museums 6

7 Introduce three concrete activities to do at home using the child s booklet: o See if using the overflow box helps you to understand the answers to the 10 questions even better! o Try a new experiment! Fill the overflow container with oil instead of water. o Predict what the objects of experiment 1 to 10 will do when you put them into oil instead of water. Do the objects displace as much oil as water? o Can you think of a liquid on which the water balloon of experiment 10 can float? Tell them that all the materials used in the workshop are cheap and very easy to get or make themselves. That You tube and the internet are great resources for examples, tips and things to try out yourself. 8. Materials 8.1 Theoretical introduction for parents power point presentation (NEMO_2_Introduction_parents_ppt) theoretical information parents (NEMO_1_Introduction_parents_text) computer, beamer 8.2 Predict: science quiz power point presentation (NEMO_8_Quiz_and_Workshop_ppt) computer, beamer booklets for the children (NEMO_6_Quiz_booklet_child) => print as A5 booklet quiz forms for the parent (NEMO_7_Quiz_form_parent) 8.3 Experiments Material for each team: a plastic box about 18 x 25 x 20 cm (10 liter) to be filled with about 5 liter of water materials that float such as wood/ plastic/ foam cut in blocks of about 4 x 6 x 10 cm material that sink such as modeling clay Additional and supporting materials: oil, plastic jar with lid, balloons, ping pong ball, coins, pebbles, scotch tape, rope scissors, scale, 2 extra plastic boxes (about 20 x 20 x 60 cm and about 10 x 10 x30 cm) flip over see also document (NEMO_3_Materials.doc) FEAST Working with parents. Models for activities in science centres and museums 7

8 8.4 Demonstration Material for demonstration experiment: a plastic box 18 x 25 x 20 cm 10 liter, small plastic pipe, piece of modeling clay instruction demonstration (NEMO_4_Demonstration_Archimedes) see also document (NEMO_3_Materials) 8.5 Take home See document (NEMO_5_TakeHome) 9. The role of the explainer The workshop will be given by 2 explainers. They take different roles during the different activities of the workshop. The explainer introduces each activity by making the goal and the role of the parent explicit. This makes him a facilitator of the four step approach (a facilitator of the process). While the teams experiment, the explainers walk around to see whether the participants are in need of anything. In case they are stuck in setting up an experiment, the explainer can support them by asking questions or offering suggestions (facilitating). During the theoretical introduction for parents and during the quiz the explainer takes the role of presenter. At the end of the workshop, during the demonstration, the role of the explainer will be a mixture of facilitating and explaining. Clarifying Archimedes principle the explainer will interact with the public, integrating as much as possible the findings of the participants experiments. And facilitating the process of drawing conclusions. 10. Things to consider when choosing to run this workshop Notify parents in advance (by , in the museum or website) on the purpose of this workshop in order to ensure that the expectation of the parent matches the offer of the workshop. This workshop is more focussed on developed thinking and talking skills than it is on addressing the science underlying floating and sinking. Make sure that parents and children feel safe enough to make mistakes. The quiz is not about right and wrong. Rather it is a way to find out what they already know about floating and sinking. Be sure to take in the quiz forms of the parent to avoid parents and children comparing their answers, which may upset the children. Through predicting, explaining and experimenting parent and child begin a thought process. We do not expect them, at the end of the workshop, to understand everything about the phenomenon. Instead we hope that both adults and children will have the interest and the thinking skills to continue exploring science phenomena together at home. The demonstration at the end of the workshop ensures that all the thinking and experimenting of children and parents is summarized in a conclusion at the end of the workshop in a satisfactory way. The demonstration should be light, fun and entertaining. FEAST Working with parents. Models for activities in science centres and museums 8

9 11. Take/do at home activities and materials for parents At the end of the demonstration is discussed what other interesting experiments can be done with floating and sinking. We hand out instructions how to build an overflow box. The not finished experiments in the child s activity booklet can also be complete at home. FEAST Working with parents. Models for activities in science centres and museums 9