Science Education News (SEN) Journal 2018 Science Education News Volume 67 Number 2 | Page 47

YEARS 7–12 IDEAS FOR THE CLASSROOM Using Cultures of Thinking to Promote an Inquiry-based Approach in Stage-4 Geology By Nicolette Wheaton In 2017 I had an article published in SEN about the overwhelming benefits of using Project Zero and a culture of thinking to promote inquiry in Science. A suite of routines and strategies is offered by Project Zero to educators, and to encourage students to use higher-order critical thinking skills, whilst also assisting teachers to create a supportive and safe environment. I have been very descriptive in the implementation of two such routines and strategies in my lesson outline below. Many teachers use strategies similar to these, but developing a culture of thinking has quite a specific language set, and scaffolded way of introducing routines; this is what makes them so successful in engaging students to become critical thinkers. I do not have a formal academic background in Geology, but having travelled with the Mars Society of Australia and NASA on Spaceward Bound Expeditions (please find relevant websites at the end of this article) I have become reasonably obsessed with geological formations on Earth and what they are able to tell us about similar formations observed on Mars. Scientists from a broad range of areas (astrobiology, astropaleontology, robotics and spectroscopy, to name a few) are then able to utilise this information to develop a history of early Mars. What did it look like? Was there life? What could these life forms have looked like? Students already have a natural fascination with space exploration, so, for me, this is the hook I use to really engage students in Geology. Dendrite fossils found within shale or slate. A crater on planet Earth. 47 SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 67 NO 2