My Science Students are Trying New Things–and We’re Learning Together
In our seventh-grade science class, we recently learned about energy waves. Students were asked the questions: Is there a relationship between frequency, wavelength, and speed? If so, what is it? If not, why? I could teach about frequency, wavelength, and speed by having students memorize definitions, teaching them the math formulas, and having them do practice problems—then testing them on it. Instead, I had students use the vocabulary, design a model, and plan an investigation in order to discover the math formulas. Seventh graders in Lerchenfeldt’s class used a slinky, meter stick, and stopwatch to design an energy wave experiment. As a society and as science educators, we are in a transition from a focus on knowledge itself to a focus on putting that knowledge to use. That shift is behind Michigan’s move to a new paradigm for science teaching, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), adopted last year. The United States’ ability to innovate depends on science e