{"id":325,"date":"2021-10-21T15:28:39","date_gmt":"2021-10-21T22:28:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/?p=325"},"modified":"2021-10-21T15:28:39","modified_gmt":"2021-10-21T22:28:39","slug":"the-math-and-science-connection-good-for-kids-good-for-teachers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/2021\/10\/21\/the-math-and-science-connection-good-for-kids-good-for-teachers\/","title":{"rendered":"The Math and Science Connection: Good for Kids, Good for Teachers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>By Linda Adams and Colleen Behrens<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"945\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/files\/2021\/10\/bigstock-open-learning-book-with-scienc-43363693_5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/files\/2021\/10\/bigstock-open-learning-book-with-scienc-43363693_5.jpg 945w, https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/files\/2021\/10\/bigstock-open-learning-book-with-scienc-43363693_5-300x203.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/files\/2021\/10\/bigstock-open-learning-book-with-scienc-43363693_5-768x520.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/files\/2021\/10\/bigstock-open-learning-book-with-scienc-43363693_5-443x300.jpg 443w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 945px) 100vw, 945px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>For most of us, our middle school and high school math and science classes were taught in isolation.\u00a0 Today not much has changed.\u00a0 A student will go to a math class and then to a science class and &#8211; though the content and concepts might be related &#8211; they are taught in isolation. \u00a0<\/strong> In science, many of the Science and Engineering Processes (SEP) rely on mathematical computation to answer complex questions about phenomena.\u00a0 As students progress, conceptual learning relies on more complex mathematical reasoning for sense-making. \u00a0 In mathematics, students experience most learning of algorithms as deriving, manipulating, and memorizing\u00a0 \u201cnaked numbers\u201d without context, and then may have some \u201cword problems\u201d in the independent work where they must decide which algorithm to use and what numbers to plug in.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#f5f1a3\"><strong>\u00a0What if the student\u2019s experience was more of a crossover between their math and science courses? \u00a0 The CCSS-Mathematics and the NGSS have a lot in common.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-yhOTUh8NVc5tqAF4UARWJ0nPF1D5K7Qht3IdJ_LBhRsDe7dmm_41e1abCsOWjicdiCtxLTK723dt3tOt0_iJvJZIz9h_u8fEY99AEW-koaj2w2DlmByxEpDJVQ-llLdjI8uPRjC=s1600\" alt=\"\" \/><figcaption><strong>Figure 1 compares the eight Mathematical Practices (MP) to the eight Science and Engineering Practices (SEP).<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#f5f1a3\">The terminology might be different between the MP and the SEP but the conceptual understandings are similar.\u00a0 Math and science teachers can explicitly teach the terminology of the MP and SEP in their classes to help students understand the interconnectedness of the two domains. <strong>Check out this video:  here&#8217;s what one middle school did to help their students make those connections <strong>(6:49 minutes)<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Middle School Math and Science Integration\" width=\"584\" height=\"329\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/X-eWhkPFKDA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#f5f1a3\">Similarly, the area of applied mathematics requires students to use mathematical modeling to describe scientific phenomena. <strong>UC Santa Cruz offers us a short video describing how their mathematicians, scientists and engineers use mathematics in their fields (3:41 minutes).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Applied Mathematics\" width=\"584\" height=\"329\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OF7qR-d-Vxs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#d4add7\">There are challenges to creating interdisciplinary experiences but <strong>how can we think differently<\/strong> about what we teach and how students learn?\u00a0 <strong>How can we create more opportunities <\/strong>for students to make real-world connections between math and science\/engineering practices?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#d4add7\"><strong>Below are some possible actions for math and science departments in the pursuit of more interconnection\/overlap:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-background wp-block-list\" style=\"background-color:#d4add7\"><li><strong>Compare terminology<\/strong> in math and science and explicitly teach in both subjects. For example, <em>How is a conjecture in math similar to a hypothesis in science?<\/em><ul><li><strong>Coordinate SIW<\/strong> meetings to discuss the similarity and differences between the MP and SEP\u2019s<\/li><li><strong>Conduct learning walks <\/strong>where math teachers and science teachers observe each other in action.<\/li><li><strong>Ask students<\/strong> to reflect on their experiences in both science and math.<\/li><li><strong>Plan for opportunities to incorporate<\/strong> developing mathematical models, use computational thinking, and construct viable arguments, critique and debate the reasoning of others based on evidence across both disciplines.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Revisit the overlapping skills <\/strong>with the CCSS and the NGSS and intentionally include elements into your lessons.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#e6ae83\"><strong><em>Common Math and Science Tools<\/em><\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"has-background wp-block-list\" style=\"background-color:#e6ae83\"><li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/codap.concord.org\/\">CoDAP<\/a> <\/strong>online data analysis tool<\/li><li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.desmos.com\/\">Desmos<\/a> <\/strong>online graphing calculator and activities<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/tuvalabs.com\/dashboard\/\"><strong>TUVA LABS<\/strong><\/a> data analysis tool available as part of Stemscopes units for middle School science<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/gizmos.explorelearning.com\/\"><strong>Gizmos<\/strong><\/a> Math and Science simulations. All BLSD high school science teachers have access. Curious math and middle school teachers can reach out to Colleen.<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/jasp-stats.org\/teaching-with-jasp\/\"><strong>JASP<\/strong><\/a> online data library<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov\/\"><strong>MyNasaData<\/strong><\/a> data sets and lessons plans<\/li><li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ourworldindata.org\/\">Our World Data<\/a> <\/strong>data explorer for statistics<\/li><li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/column\/whats-going-on-in-this-graph\">What\u2019s Going on with this Graph?<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0 Weekly graph for classroom analysis done by the New York Times\u00a0<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextgenscience.org\/\"><strong>Searchable Next Generation Science Standards<\/strong><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oregon.gov\/ode\/educator-resources\/standards\/science\/Pages\/Science-Standards.aspx\"><strong>Oregon Science Standards &#8211; NGSS<\/strong><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ode.state.or.us\/wma\/teachlearn\/commoncore\/ccssmath.pdf#:~:text=Oregon%20Common%20Core%20State%20Standards%20for%20Mathematics%20that,fractions%29%20to%20deeper%20structures%20inherent%20in%20the%20discipline.\"><strong>Oregon -Common Core State Standards\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/files\/2021\/10\/1998219-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-329\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Works Consulted: <\/strong> Mayes, Robert, and Thomas Koballa. &#8220;Exploring the Science Framework: Making connections in math with Common Core State Standards.&#8221; NSTA, Dec. 2012, static.nsta.org\/ngss\/resources\/201212_Framework-MayesKoballa.pdf.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Linda Adams and Colleen Behrens For most of us, our middle school and high school math and science classes were taught in isolation.\u00a0 Today not much has changed.\u00a0 A student will go to a math class and then to &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/2021\/10\/21\/the-math-and-science-connection-good-for-kids-good-for-teachers\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":638,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=325"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":331,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325\/revisions\/331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/dean.richards\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}