Science and the Integrated Curriculum

Presented by  Mary Jean McCarthy

Through demonstrations, humor, and lively discussions, Mary Jean McCarthy gave an example of an integrated science unit on air pressure.  McCarthy stressed that, learning science enables lifelong learning.  Using the 4-E Learning Cycle as a teaching tool, teachers were encouraged to guide students learning by: 

1. exploring a topic by providing students with opportunities to investigate it
2. explaining a topic by providing construct concepts and meaning sensible to the students
3. expanding students ideas through additional physical and mental activities
4. evaluating students understanding of new concepts shown by their mastery of science process skills.  (Handout, Using the 4-E Learning and Teaching Model)

 Our workshop goals were:  to engage in 4-E Learning Cycle (explore, explain, expand, evaluate), to investigate effects of air pressure, and to apply understandings as we make and adjust paper airplanes.

For her first powerful and motivating demonstration, McCarthy used the air pressure on a piece of newspaper to break a wooden stick.  Sounds hard to believe?  We were reminded that air pressure has weight, is a powerful force, and takes up space.  She continued the workshop with other demonstrations while we hypothesized the results.  We saw that a balloon inside of an empty soda bottle will not inflate because the air pressure in the bottle is greater than the air pressure in the balloon.  By constructing paper airplanes and recording data of each flight, students learn to observe results and change only one variable at a time. 

This workshop provided excellent demonstrations for air pressure.  Such demonstrations would be engaging and useful in the classroom, especially when students are able to do them individually.  Finally, this workshop exemplified that hands-on activities involving the students help to make science come alive and be meaningful.