The Science I Know: Culturally Relevant Science Lessons from Secondary Classrooms is a collection of culturally relevant lesson plans written by secondary science teachers. Each lesson discusses how the tenets of academic success, cultural competence and critical consciousness that are part of the theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) are addressed (Ladson-Billings, 1995). Additionally, each lesson plan is structured following the 5E learning cycle (Bybee, 2006) and aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NAS, 2012). The goal of this book is to help science teachers understand how to go about designing lessons that are culturally relevant. The hope is that the lessons that are detailed in each chapter will inspire teachers to draw the cultural knowledge from their students and capitalize on it when designing science lessons.
After an introductory chapter that discusses how science education has shifted in recent decades to address the needs of diverse students, the main body of the text is divided into three sections. The first part introduces Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) as a framework; this would be important for those readers unfamiliar with Gloria Ladson-Billings work. It addresses and discusses the three tenets of CRP (Academic Success, Cultural Competence and Critical Consciousness) and it includes an explanation of how each area can be observed and addressed in science education specifically.The second part features lesson plans from secondary science classrooms written by teachers from different subject areas (i.e., life science, physical science, earth science, etc.). The lesson plans follow the 5E Instructional Model (Bybee et. al., 2006). This model promotes inquiry by guiding teachers in the design of lesson plans that are "based upon cognitive psychology, constructivist-learning theory, and best practices in science teaching." (Duran & Duran, 2004). A brief snapshot of each teacher precedes each lesson plan. A discussion about how each of the CRP tenets is observed appears after each lesson plan. Finally, each plan featured will have a section that addresses the concepts of Funds of Knowledge (Moll et al., 1992). This concept will guide teachers in the process of identifying and maximizing students cultural capital in the classroom. Each lesson plan chapter concludes with questions for further consideration for teachers. The last part of the book features a discussion about what the future of science education will look like based on the sets of skills and practices that are part of the national and state standards. It includes best practices for teachers when preparing and planning to implement culturally relevant practices in their classrooms.
The Science I Know is not only essential reading for all science teachers interested in utilizing culturally relevant instructional practices in their classroom, but also a valuable tool in the instruction of pre-service teachers in Colleges of Education. The books structure is ideal for classroom use.
Suzanna Roman-Oliver has been an educator for almost 20 years. She was a high school science teacher for English Language Learners for 12 years. After that, she worked as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University. Her dissertation research, the inspiration for this book, focused on pre-service teachers understanding and implementation of culturally relevant pedagogy during their student-teaching experience. Dr. Roman-Oliver continues to do research to explore the influence of culture in the teaching and learning of science. She lives in Covington, Georgia, with her husband, son, and puppy. She is currently an Assistant Professor at Georgia College and State University.
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I Setting the Stage
Chapter 1. The Shifting Role of Science Education
Chapter 2. The 5E Instructional Model and the Next Generation Science Standards
Chapter 3. Why Culturally Relevant Pedagogy?
Chapter 4. How to Use this Book
Part II Culturally Relevant Lessons
Chapter 5. Lessons from the Classroom
Lesson Plan 5.1
Human Activities and Biodiversity Tara Conner
Lesson Plan 5.2
Cultural Influences on Diet Barbara J. Parks
Lesson Plan 5.3
Exploring Mendelian Inheritance Patterns Anne Norviel
Lesson Plan 5.4
Diversity Benefits Us All Melissa Volante
Lesson Plan 5.5
Rhymes and Rhythms of the Body Ansley Talafous
Lesson Plan 5.6
How Do Fireworks Work? Larry Layfield
Lesson Plan 5.7
Energy Transformations Sarah Brown
Lesson Plan 5.8
Heat Transfer in the Kitchen and Lesson Plan 5.9
Little Star Perri Lennon
Chapter 6. Lessons by the Author
Lesson Plan 6.1
Renewable Sources of Energy Around the World
Lesson Plan 6.2
Sport Injuries
Lesson Plan 6.3
Exploring Friction
Lesson Plan 6.4
Genetically Modified Foods
Part III Next Steps-Becoming a Culturally Relevant Science Teacher
Chapter 7. Ten Best Practices for Incorporating Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in the Science Classroom
