Science

• Everyday science mysteries : stories for inquiry-based science teaching, by Richard Konicek-Moran (NStA, 2008, 188 p. $_____, ISBN: 1933531215When this reviewer talks about banning bird units from the library, those cut and past worksheet activities that net little learning, he always recommends the insertion of a Big think as part  of the culmination of the learning activity. That is, after learners have achieved some expertise in what they research as individuals, they put together what they know as a group. Konicek-Moran provides on method of doing so. He provides story mysteries for solution that require the learners to apply what they have learned and using their background knowledge to figure out a solution. I always recommend this technique as something that requires the learners to think on beyond regurgitation of facts. This, this volume is valuable for thse ready-made mysteries that can be used in elementary schools. And, when you get the knack of what this author is recommending, you can make up mysteries of your own to suit what your students are trying to learn. It works. Recommended as a valuable and creative idea.

• Girls in science : a framework for action by Liesl Chatman, et.al. (NStA, 2008, 290 p., $24.94, ISBN: 1933531045) This is a terrific book not only for girls and science but for boys and most importantly for teachers and teacher librarians.  Here a group of science teachers build a strong teaching model and then through dozens of stories, they reflect on the principles of the model they have created. Thus, the book is a giant professional learning community conversation that becomes a very realistic example of teachers reflecting and reflecting often about what is really going on in the teaching and learning of science by their students. No, the teacher librarian is not included as usual; neither is any other specialist in the school; however, if these voices were inserted into the conversations of an actual school, the conversation would be exponentially more powerful. The model these authors create is a powerful but simple one and fit very well into the broadened concerns of the AASL Learning Standards, 21st Century Learning Skills, and the NEtS Standards. Essentially, the model has three parts: Student Goals, Teaching Goals, and Science Goals. Student Goals consist of: confidence to explore, familiarity with tools, persistence through confusion, resilience to failure, and defending a position (one can see the correlations to the AASL standards here). Teaching goals include: encourage student voices, maintain high expectations, delegate responsibility, make equity explicit, reflect to improve practice. Science goals include: wonder about the natural world; do science to learn science; think critically, logically, and skeptically; use evidence to predict, explain, and model; build a community of scientists. One could create a simple model like this for any discipline at any grade level upon which to reflect as a community of professionals. For teacher librarians, this book demonstrates how the conversation evolves and demonstrates how we could fit in with powerful concerns of our own if we would just reach out and push ourselves into that conversation. A must read.