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4.

Learning Journal

Implementation

Learning and Teaching:

¾ Students are asked to keep a learning journal at the beginning of the school year.
¾ The learning journal may include records of experiments and assignments, various
learning experiences, and reflections.
¾ It is believed that a learning journal can help encourage students’ engagement and
reflection. As the learning journal is less structured than a traditional worksheet, it allows
room for capable students to perform tasks which are challenging enough to maintain
their motivation for learning.
¾ Students are encouraged to include the following items in the learning journal throughout
the whole school year:
„ student notes taken during the lessons
„ topics that interest or impress students
„ what they have learnt during the lessons
„ summary of the contents of learning
„ self-study materials on related topics.
¾ The aims of the learning journal are to help students
„ develop the habit of keeping good records of laboratory work and personal notes
„ gain personal experience of science through self-study
„ extend the learning of science beyond the classroom setting
„ learn at their own pace and in own styles.

Observation and Reflection:

¾ Students had developed a sense of ownership of their learning through journal writing.
They felt in control and became fully committed to their own learning.
¾ The teacher encouraged students to read their classmates’ Journals and to appreciate the
efforts and creativity of their peers. This would help cultivate the culture of sharing
among students.
¾ Students established a habit of evaluating and reflecting on their own learning. They
became self-directed learners.
¾ The hands-on practical activities aroused their curiosity and interest in learning science.
¾ Students had built up confidence both in doing experiments and writing laboratory reports.
This in turn motivated them to investigate more about science.

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¾ Students had tried their best to improve the quality of their work. Meanwhile, students’
ability in making scientific inquiries showed progress at the end of the school year.
¾ Continual feedback was crucial in this learning strategy which enabled students to make
improvements and advance forward.
¾ The building of an open and supportive learning environment helped encourage
teacher-student and student-student interactions.
¾ Learning journal provided a platform for students to express or communicate their ideas
and findings concerning the science subject in a less structured and organized manner.
¾ Students’ positive attitude and achievement somehow reinforced the teacher’s belief who
would be motivated to move ahead.
¾ The teacher could adjust the teaching plan and the pedagogical approach based on the
feedback from students, and hence became a reflective practitioner.

Teacher’s Guide:

I. Ask students to stick the agreed list of learning outcomes onto the first page of the
learning journal at the beginning of the school year. This will serve as a checklist for
students to check for their own progress/achievements throughout the year.

II. Emphasize that students are the owners of their own learning journals and they have total
control in managing and using the Journal. They can write down whatever they like in the
Journal.

III. Encourage students to write down their own experience in science learning. In keeping a
Journal of their own, students can learn in their own styles and choose strategies they
consider appropriate for handling the learning task at hand.

IV. Highlight good work in students’ journals with stickers and share that piece of work with
the whole class. Teacher’s recognition will encourage students to do better where the
good work will stand as an exemplar for other students.

V. May consider assigning tasks involving hands-on practical activities which are safe for
students to conduct at home and gradually increase the demands of the tasks to provide
challenges for the students in stretching their potential.

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List of suggested assignments to be recorded in the learning journal

For S 1:
Unit Scientific skills Assignments Key points
— Observe a burning candle. — Employ all senses to
— Observe the melting down observe
of a coloured ice cube in — Break down the whole
Observation and
1 water. observation activity into
recording results
— Observe a raisin in 7-Up. several stages
— Use diagrams to present the
results
— Suggest methods of — Use two-dimensional
comparison to find out diagrams
which beaker contains — There will be more than one
1 Drawing diagrams more pebbles. method.
— How can we heat up
different amounts of water
by using a Bunsen burner?
— Dissolve 3 sugar cubes in — Need careful observation
60ml of water. — Write down the procedures
State the difference as step by step
1 Writing procedures observed at the beginning — Use measuring instruments
and the end of the to find out the difference
experiment. — Perform the experiment in
the laboratory if possible
— Study the contents of — Broaden the sources of
relevant web-sites / CD information
2 Self-learning ROMs / books about — Promote reading to learn
endangered species — Write down reflections after
the study
— Find out the factors — Understand of different
affecting the rate of types of variables in the
Fair Test
5 evaporation. investigation
experiment
— Which set-up will produce — Control variables
the fastest evaporation?

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For S 2:

Unit Scientific skills Assignments Key points


— Study and comment on — Focus on items / skills used
Comment on &
some given laboratory in the investigation
9 Re-write a
reports and then re-write a — Practice report-writing
laboratory report
laboratory report.
— Investigate the effect of — Design an experiment, select
stretching the rubber band appropriate materials and
Plan and conduct to its limits by force. tools, tabulate the data
9 an investigation — Carry out the investigation collected, present the data,
at home and write a draw conclusions, evaluate
laboratory report. the whole process and reflect
on the experiment.
— Observe the changes of an — Divide the whole observation
egg immersed in vinegar. into stages.
10 Observation
— Use diagrams to record the
observations.
— Use vegetables / fruits to — Write a simple report of the
prepare a home-made investigation.
10 Writing procedures
acid-base indicator. — Write procedures of the
experiment in correct order.
— Carry out the investigation — Design an experiment, select
individually (at home) and appropriate materials and
Investigate the then write a laboratory tools, tabulate the data
11 structure of a report. collected, present the data,
pin-hole camera draw conclusion, evaluate the
whole process and reflect on
the experiment.

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Sample tasks and students’ performance

Observe the changes of an egg immersed in vinegar.

Teacher’s Guide:
¾ Do the experiment at home.
¾ Observe carefully and write a report.
¾ Hand in the report after three days.
¾ It is an interesting experiment for developing observation skills and is related to the
contents in Unit 10.
¾ Students can apply the “3C1P” skills in their learning.

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Students’ Work:

Student A:
The student adopted a simple
report format.

The student broke down the


The student used diagrams &
observation process into stages.
flow charts in his descriptions.

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Student B:
The student adopted the journal format to
present her findings.

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The student gave quantitative (with
numerical data) descriptions to
illustrate her observations.

The student demonstrated good


observation skills.

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Repeated trials had been
made by the student in the
investigation.

Further investigation was


performed: He tasted the egg.

The student included photos


in presenting the result.

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Student C:

The student demonstrated


self-directed learning: She
designed and performed
additional experiments by
applying cream soda, lemon
juice and vinegar.

The student made use of


both photos and text in
recording observations.

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Students’ Reflection:

Student D decided to be a scientist in the future.

Student E said that she would never give up and had learnt from mistakes.

Student F was amazed at the experiment. She became more enthusiastic and would do more
information search before performing an experiment in the future.

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Home-made acid-base indicators

Teacher’s Guide:
¾ Demonstrate how to get some plant extracts. Test if it is a natural indicator by respectively
using an acidic solution and an alkaline solution.
¾ Remind students of the safety precautions to be taken when they do the experiment at
home.
¾ Propose some common acidic and alkaline solutions to the students.
¾ Remind students to observe carefully and write a report of the experiment and submit it in
three days’ time.

Students’ Work
Student A :
The student adopted
simple but systematic
format to report his
experiment.

The observation was detailed


and well-recorded with
diagrams and textual
description.

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Student B: The student used flowcharts to
show the procedures and results.

Student C:

The student tested on


twelve potential indicators
according to her
experimental design.

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Student D:

The student used a table


to present the results.

Student E:

The student presented


the conclusion in the
report.

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Students’ Reflection:

Student F learned from failure. He reflected that he should check from science literature about the
acidity & alkalinity of solutions before using them for calibration. He also realized that he needed to
develop “forbearance”.

With the opportunity to develop and try out his own ideas, student G’s interest in learning was
enhanced. He also showed improvements in his report-writing skills.

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Student H improvised equipment from household tools to do the experiment.

Student I learned from peers.

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Evaluate the previous two learning journals

Teacher’s Guide:

¾ Teacher gives feedback to students on the experimental design (selection of materials,


methods and precautions) of the two previous experiments. Teacher also gives comments
on the formats and ways of presentation (written, diagrams and photos, graphs) in
report-writing.
¾ Teacher then asks students to evaluate their own experiments and journals and write down
some reflections on their strengths and weaknesses. Students can suggest ways of
improvement for further studies.
¾ Teacher can show some good examples of students’ work to honour their effort and
creativity. Teacher can also share his/her feeling of excitement in reading their journals.

Students’ Work:

The following student was able to list the items useful for report-writing after making two entries in
the learning journal.

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Comment on & rewrite a laboratory report
.
Teacher’s Guide:

¾ Students are given a laboratory report written by a student in another country (adapted
from AKSIS INSET Making an impact in scientific inquiry by Anne Goldsworthy (2002)).
They are asked to read the laboratory report, discuss in groups and comment on the report
using a given checklist.
¾ Draw students’ attention to the good practices in the laboratory report (e.g. inclusion of a
prediction, repeated measurements, graphs, evaluation)
¾ Ask students to point out possible improvements of the report.
¾ Ask students to rewrite the laboratory report (including an overall evaluation at the end of
it) and hand in their reports in three days’ time.

Students’ Work:

Student A:
The student was
able to rewrite the
lab report in a full
report format (with
the materials list
included).

The student
introduced
procedures which
are illustrated with
diagrams.

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The student suggested
how the raw data
could be presented in a
more scientific way.

The student made


some suggestions for
improvement.

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Student B:

The student tabulated


the results and carried
out repeated
measurements.

In the experimental
design, four different
variables were
investigated.

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Student C:

The student
constructed a table of
variables to present the
different types of
variables.

Students’ Reflection:
Student D reflected on her learning and showed interest in conducting further investigation.

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Student Worksheet:

Comment on & rewrite a laboratory report

1. The student had conducted a scientific investigation. Read her laboratory report carefully
and comment on her investigation and report writing

2 Rewrite her laboratory report in your Learning Journal.

Reference for writing a laboratory report:


http://cd1.edb.hkedcity.net/cd/science/physics/Report%20writing_e.pdf

評論及重寫科學探究報告

1. 一位學生進行了一項有關科學的探究。小心閱讀她的報告,然後給予評語。

2. 在你個人的學習日誌中重寫這篇科學探究報告。

撰寫科學探究報告時可參考以下網址的內容:
http://cd1.edb.hkedcity.net/cd/science/physics/Report%20writing_c.pdf

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Investigation of a rubber band

Teacher’s Guide:

¾ Rubber bands are elastic where their shapes and length will change when force is applied
to them.
¾ Students are asked to investigate the relationship between the force applied and the
extension of the rubber band.
¾ Students are asked to do the experiment at home.
¾ Students are asked to design the experiment, tabulate the data collected, record the results
and write a report on the investigation.
¾ Students are asked to hand in the report in three days’ time.

Students’ Work
\
Student A:

The student varied the


weight by adding more
socks.

Student B:

The student varied the


weight by adding
different amounts of
water.

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Student C:

The student increased


the weight by varying
the number of
batteries.

Student D:

The student carried out


repeated measurements.

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Student E:

The student carried out


repeated measurements
and tried to present the
results with graphs
despite his incorrect
application of axes.

Student F:

The student used a bar


chart to present the
results.

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Student G:

The student was able to write a detailed full report on the experiment.

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Student H:

The student did lots of information search on the Internet before he actually carried out the
experiment.

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Students’ Reflection:
Student I:

The student was able to


critically reflect on the
experimental procedures
adopted.

Student J:

The student spelt out


the importance of
repeated
measurements and
posed questions for
further investigation.

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