Attitude Boost
Attitude Boost (AB) is a supplement to the standard science curriculum designed to build positive attitudes toward science and increase students’ science literacy and achievement. AB’s six classroom lessons make science personally relevant to all students by emphasizing the value of science in everyday life.
AB is available in two age-grouped versions: AB45 and ABMS. AB45 is optimally designed for fifth grade students and ABMS is optimized for eighth grade students. AB45 and ABMS can also be used with higher performing fourth and seventh graders, respectively.
AB is designed for implementation at the start of the school year. The AB lessons provide an attitude boost that is likely to improve student engagement with and understanding for your standard science curriculum. AB45 and ABMS cover similar and over-lapping topics in age-appropriate ways. Therefore, students can complete both AB45 and ABMS to facilitate greater exploration of the concepts.
Lessons
The AB lessons use the “5E” instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate) to build positive science attitudes. Each lesson in the Teacher’s Guide provides a detailed instructional sequence for in-class activities and is based on National Science Standards.
AB45 (Fifth Grade)
My Science
Students learn how science relates to their interests and compare modern life to life in the past.
Learning Objectives
The student will:
- Discuss how science is related to his or her world
- Develop a concept map describing how different types of science (life, earth, physical, and technology) relate to his or her interests
- Compare his or her life to life in the past and list improvements offered by science
ABMS (Eighth Grade)
My Science
Students learn how science relates to their interests and describe how science and technology have changed jobs over time.
Learning Objectives
The student will:
- Discuss how science is related to his or her world
- Create a concept map describing how technology and engineering reflect the science involved in his or her interest and possible jobs in that area
- Explain how science makes life easier through technology
AB45 (Fifth Grade)
My Science is Fun
Students use hands-on activities to understand more about how their world works. Students learn that My Science is Fun because it is creative and dynamic.
Learning Objectives
The student will:
- Compare and contrast engaging (fun, exciting) activities with non-engaging (boring, dull) activities
- Associate the word “dynamic” with science
- Discover that sound travels better through solids than through air
- Use information gained during inquiry to make a real work technology connection
ABMS (Eighth Grade)
My Science is Fun
Students use hands-on activities to understand more about how their world works. Students learn that My Science is Fun because it is creative and dynamic.
Learning Objectives
The student will:
- Associate the word “dynamic” with science
- Discover that sound travels better through solids than through air
- Understand how the brain puts information together
- Use information gathered during inquiry activities to make real-world technology connections
AB45 (Fifth Grade)
Twenty Questions –
More or Less
Students discover the importance of questions to scientific discovery. Students learn about classification and identification of unfamiliar objects.
Learning Objectives
The student will:
- Gain an appreciation for the value of questions to science
- Realize that one scientific question can, and often does, lead to another
- Discover that paired questions form the basis of modern classification systems
ABMS (Eighth Grade)
Twenty Questions –
More or Less
Students examine the statement, “My Science explores universal questions and raises others.” Students learn to identify unknown objects using a dichotomous key.
Learning Objectives
The student will:
- Gain an appreciation for the values of questions to science
- Realize that one question can, and often does, lead to another
- Discover that paired questions form the basis of modern classification system
AB45 (Fifth Grade)
Scientific Inquiry Uses
Methods and Tools
Students review the process of scientific inquiry and use varied methods and tools to answer a question.
Learning Objectives
The student will:
- Understand the importance of careful observation in science
- Learn how to use observation to formulate questions and verify hypotheses
- Understand that not all hypotheses are correct, and that disproving a hypothesis still gives us knowledge
- Understand the need for keeping good notes and records in data collection
ABMS (Eighth Grade)
Methods and Tools –
Inquiring Minds Want to Know
Students review the process of scientific inquiry and learn that it is not necessary to follow any one rigid technique to do science.
Learning Objectives
The student will:
- Explain the value of careful, logical scientific inquiry to solve problems
- Learn that problem solving is an ever-evolving process that rarely reaches a permanent or final answer to a question
- Review and apply the six steps of scientific inquiry
- Discover the methods and tools scientists use during the process of scientific inquiry
AB45 (Fifth Grade)
Misconceptions - Oh, Really?
Students learn about the dangers inherent in misconceptions and learn to apply a healthy amount of analysis to what they hear, see, and read from others.
Learning Objectives
The student will:
- Learn the value of questioning what he or she hears and sees and strive to consider the source of the information he or she is given
- Learn that “facts” from advertising are not necessarily based in scientific evidence and may be more exaggeration than truth
- Learn that a good scientist does not accept facts based solely on the word of another, but requires proof, testing, and evidence
ABMS (Eighth Grade)
Misconceptions – Myth Busting
Students learn about the dangers inherent in misconceptions and learn to apply a healthy amount of analysis to what they hear, see, and read from others.
Learning Objectives
The student will:
- Learn that many “facts” he or she hears may not be based on scientific evidence and may be more misconception than fact
- Learn that a good scientist does not accept facts based solely on the word of another, but requires proof, testing, and evidence
- Learn the value of questioning what he or she hears and sees and strive to consider the source of the information he or she is given
AB45 (Fifth Grade)
Collaboration and Communication
Students explore how scientists benefit from collaboration, use effective communication to solve problems, and how they can too.
Learning Objectives
The student will:
- Work cooperatively to solve a problem
- Describe how science relates to his or her interests
ABMS (Eighth Grade)
Collaboration and Communication
Students explore how scientists benefit from collaboration, use effective communication to solve problems, and how they can too.
Learning Objectives
The student will:
- Work cooperatively to solve a problem
- Describe how science relates to his or her interests