Deepening Conceptual Understanding in Middle School Life Science

该项目将开发模型课程单元，旨在对涉及复杂视觉模型的生命科学（能源和人体）领域产生更深层次的概念理解。7-9年级的课程将细分为五个不同的学习单元：细胞结构和功能（重点是细胞呼吸）、肺呼吸、循环系统、消化系统以及呼吸和生态系统的关系。该课程将需要6周的时间来涵盖一些单元，几个月到一个学期的时间来涵盖所有单元，并且可以与现有课程相结合，也可以作为一个独立的项目使用。课程将由教师指南、学生练习册和光盘组成。这些单元将与一组中学教师共同开发，并将利用目前关于学习的研究成果，这些研究成果已开发出用于教授生物学中复杂视觉模型的教学方法。学习成果将使用迁移问题和衡量综合概念理解的替代评估工具进行评估。

9911401CLEMENTThis project will develop model curriculum units designed to produce deeper conceptual understandings in areas of the life sciences (Energy and the Human Body) that involve complex visual models. The curriculum for grades 7-9 will be subdivided into five distinct units of study: cell structure and function (cellular respiration emphasis), pulmonary respiration, circulatory system, digestive system, and relationship of respiration and ecosystems. The curriculum will require six weeks to cover a few of the units, several months to a semester to cover all of the units, and can be integrated with existing curricula or used as a stand-alone program. The curriculum will be comprised of a teacher's guide, student workbooks and a CD-ROM. The units will be developed in conjunction with a team of middle school teachers and will also utilize findings from current research on learning that have developed instructional methods for teaching complex visual models in biology. Learning outcomes will be assessed using transfer problems and alternative assessment tools that measure integrated conceptual understanding.