Elementary Science Methods: A Constructivist Approach

by David Jerner Martin

ELEMENTARY SCIENCE METHODS: A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH, Fifth Edition, is based on two fundamental and complementary ideas: it is more important for children to learn how to do science than to learn about science, and elementary science teachers do not need to know a great deal of science but rather should be co- inquirers with their students. To facilitate learning, this text features a wealth of exercises, including open-ended inquiry activities that help teacher candidates construct their own personal conceptualizations about science content and teaching methods. The text also contains over 170 process-oriented, open-ended activities, organized by grade level, that practicing teachers can use to encourage children to develop and perform their own investigations. The Book Companion DVD (available separately) provides valuable tools and resources such as additional activities and video clips that students can use both in their college course and later in elementary science classrooms.

Genres: Professional Development, Education

626 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 1999

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful and accessible textbook that serves as an introduction to constructivist education.

[Mr. Southmayd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This text is full of helpful strategies, but is vague in places of importance. Where there should have been talk of pedagogy I found a light touch on instruction and more about content. This directly contradicts what the text says about how much science knowledge teachers have to have (which is said to be "not much"). The author didn't seem to be able to make up his mind when it came to content vs. instruction and the melding of the two.

As scattered as this text is, it does provide a lot of great strategies for teaching, but that can all be found on the internet just as easily without having to pay the hefty price.