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PUBLICATION INFORMATION

TITLE OF PUBLICATION

OLIVES IN SALAMOIA AND FRUIT IN SYRUP (OLIVE IN SALAMOIA E FRUTTA SCIROPPATA)

NAME OF AUTHOR(S)

Giuseppina Caviglia and Lia Zunino

NAME OF PUBLISHER

CnS La Chimica nella Scuola

YEAR OF PUBLICATION

2008

LANGUAGE OF PUBLICATION

Italian

PUBLICATION TYPOLOGY

Report

TARGET GROUP OF PUBLICATION

Teachers

SIZE OF THE PUBLICATION

Over 10 pages

DESCRIPTION OF CONTENTS

The article shows the design and realization of an activity in science education carried out in two classes of primary school (third and fourth year). The theme, the acquisition of the concept of solid substance soluble in water, is about chemistry but the primary goal of the work is to develop first skills necessary for the study of experimental sciences.
The work with children started in a motivating context, the preparation of pickled olives. From this, the need to observe, describe, classify, discuss and formulate hypotheses, developed a further activity that helped to refine the language and to formulate, at the end of the long process of observation and research, a shared definition of soluble solid substance.
The paper describes the detailed sequence of activities carried out, the considerations of the two teachers step by step, the involvment of their little pupils and, eventually, the results in terms of learning and developments of skills.

REVIEWER’S COMMENTS ON THE PUBLICATION

Authors say that the points of strenght of the work are the following:
- the teacher has a role of activator of processes;
- discussions allowed students to develop communication and argumentative skills;
- the request of designing, putting the kids in a position to do so autonomously, opens the door to the creativity of everyone, even the weakest;
- The work is developed in terms of observation and description of phenomena and not on their interpretative explanation. This setting is appropriate for a primary school, because an explanation would require the knowledge about the structure of matter that children of this age can not control and understand but only "believe", trusting in the teacher or the textbook.

WHERE TO FIND IT

https://www.soc.chim.it/sites/default/files/users/div_didattica/PDF/2008-4.pdf

NAME OF THE REVIEWING ORGANISATION

University of Genoa

Comments about this Publication

Your comments are welcome

Date: 2014.04.07

Posted by Sabine Jacquemin (Belgium)

Message: This publication is referred to an experiment related to the preparation of pickled olives and fruit in syrup as a basis for understanding the concept of solubility of a solid substance, followed by students comments on this matter. It is very relevant in the context of improving chemistry teaching as it underlines three different aspects teachers want to develop out of students skills: the first consists in the transversal capability of using communication to describe scientific experiments and methodology, such as observing them and formulating opinions, together with the social competence based on the ability to work in a group and disciplinary competence aimed at the knowledge of the concept of solubility.
A critical aspect of the exercise mentioned in the publication is the interference of the students daily language with their scientific description of the experiments. The strategy used to solve this problem consists in a following exercise aimed at making students able to classify items and to define this classification with scientific terms. There are also other weaknesses in this experiment that could not be solved:
- Teacher’s time management was not effective as the overall experiment exceeded the limits of the lesson;
- Some students released wrong statements that could not even be fixed through further experiments;
- The experiment project also predicted a moment of meta-cognitive reflexion that could not be performed due to lack of time.

Date: 2014.04.03

Posted by Jana Žigmundová (Slovakia)

Message: It is very interesting publication in which authors present a nice approach for introducing young kids to the world of chemistry with the realization of practical activities which are closely connected with everyday life experiences. Pupils does not know what chemistry is, nevertheless they learn to observe nature. They lern how to describe, discuss and formulate hypotheses. Publication can be very useful for any primary school teacher, since they can get a very good idea on trying out similar things in your own class. Students are affraid from chemistryand publication shows that observation must not be annoying. Pupils could be motivate to observe nature without fear of chemistry. Experiential learning is very important for pupils of this young age and another positive aspect is the possibility of the students to learn to work together. Content of this publication is relevant with the objectives of the Chemistry is All Around Network .

Date: 2014.03.24

Posted by Kalachanis Vasileios (Greece)

Message: In this publication, the authors present a nice approach for introducing young kids to the world of chemistry (and science) via the realization of practical activities which are closely connected with everyday life experiences. The publication deals with the subject of teaching chemistry in primary school which on its own is very interesting and useful since not so much research is done or appears in relation with science teaching at this educational level.
I believe that this publication can be very useful for any primary school teacher, since he/she can get a very good idea on trying out similar things in his/her own class. It is not necessary to do the whole project described since it does take too long. Experiential learning is very important for pupils of this young age and another positive aspect is the possibility of the students to learn to work together (cooperative learning).
I am not sure I would agree totally with the authors that the students at primary school should not be taught at all or are incapable of grasping the notion of the particulate nature of matter. Recent research shows that this is not necessarily an impossible task. In any case, they would have to try it out simultaneously with a separate team of students and actually prove it.
Overall, I have the opinion that the contents of this publication are closely relevant with the objectives of the Chemistry is All Around Network and I myself will try out some of the described activities in my class.

Date: 2013.12.13

Posted by Alzbeta Jantova (Czech Republic)

Message: The article named Olives in salamoia and fruit in syrup shows an activity for pupils who does not learn chemistry at school yet.

1) Which kinds of successful experiences does the publication describe?
Pupils does not know what chemistry is, nevertheless they learn to observe nature. They lern how to describe, discuss and formulate hypotheses.

2) Does the publication present critical factors and solution to overcome them?
Nowadays students are affraid from chemistry. This activity shows that observation must not be annoying. Pupils could be motivate to observe nature without fear of chemistry.

3) Does the publiction present difficulites of chemistry teachers to keep update the new teaching methods?
Yes, it does. I find this activity very useful, because it shows how to motivate students to be more motivated in science.

4) Does the publication suggest how to use ICTs in the teaching of chemistry?
It does not. But it is not necesarry to improve ICTs for such activities. Goal of this activity is to gain experience and motivation for science.

National Reports on successful experiences to promote lifelong learning for chemistry The national reports on chemistry successful experiences to promote lifelong learning for chemistry are now available on the related section of the project portal. The reports presents examples of successful experiences in the partner countries and the results of testing of ICT resources with science teachers.