EDSC 508 - Chemists in the Making: Fostering Inquiry with Science Notebooks (3)

Scientific inquiry in chemistry asks students to answer real world problems like “How does nail polish remover work?” and “Why is cooking an art, but baking a science?” Through this process, students learn to conduct investigations and collect evidence from various sources to answer their questions. In this course, teachers will learn how to use science notebooks modeled after the notebooks scientists use during inquiry-based chemistry investigations to satisfy students’ natural curiosity. Science notebooks help students develop, practice, and refine their understanding in chemistry, while also improving their reading, writing, math, listening, and speaking skills. 

By the end of the course, teachers will learn how to use science notebooks and inquiry to foster a shift from a teacher-centered to a student-centered approach in chemistry; restructure current lessons and experiments as inquiry-based investigations; align chemistry instruction to the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards; foster twenty-first century skills, including collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking; actively engage students in learning and problem-solving; and support diverse learners with authentic, inquiry-based chemistry instruction.