HOW TO PREPARE A LESSON INCLUDING BIG IDEAS IN SCIENCE USING ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1. Big ideas in Science CONTRIBUTERS:
MAKHUNGA KX
MOATLHODI TS
RADEBE N
SEKOKODI N
SKOSANA BG
YUNUS NA

2.  A big idea is defined as a purpose or aim that helps us make sense of
lots of confusing experiences and facts. It’s like a picture that
connects the dots to make clear sense.
 A big idea is thus a way of seeing better, making connections and
working smarter, not just a vague notion or another piece of
knowledge. It is more like a lens for looking than another object
seen.

3.  Big ideas inform the whole (or significant pieces) of your course.
 Provide a “conceptual lens” for prioritizing content
 Serve as organizers for connecting important facts, skills, and
actions
 Transfer to other contexts

4.  There are 10 big ideas of science
 There are 4 big ideas about science
 These big ideas represent overarching principles in the science curriculum, and
they are just that, ideas. They are statements about what the main principles of
each curriculum encompass. They are not definitions of terms.

5.  Big idea 11: Science assumes that for every effect there is one or more causes
 Science is a search to explain and understand phenomena in the natural world in
terms of causes. Proposed explanations should be based on supporting evidence
from observations and experiments. There is no single scientific method for
generating and testing scientific explanations.
 Our translation of this idea:
 Mining has an impact on the environment and people’s lives… Big Idea 1

6.  Big Idea 13:The knowledge produced by science is used in some technologies to
create products to serve human ends
 The use of scientific ideas in technologies has made considerable changes in many
aspects of human activity. Advances in technologies enable further scientific
activity; in turn this increases understanding helping to satisfy human curiosity
about the natural world. In some areas of human activity technology is ahead of
scientific ideas, but in others scientific ideas precede technology.
 Our translation of this idea:
 Positive impacts of mining on human livelihood… Big Idea 2

7.  Big idea 14: Applications of science often have ethical, social, economic and
political implications
 The use of scientific knowledge in technologies makes many innovations possible.
Whether or not particular applications of science are desirable is a matter that
science alone cannot address. Ethical and moral judgments may be needed, based
on such considerations as human safety and impacts on people and the
environment.
 Our translation of this idea:
 Applications of mining often have ethical, social, economic and political
implications… Big idea 3

8. What do you intend the learners to
Learn about the idea?
 Learners need to know about the
impact that mining has on the
environment, on the people’s lives,
safety and overall well-being. E.g.
global warming. Furthermore
learners need to know about the
different effects mining has in detail
so as to can be able to suggest ways
of reducing the effects.
Why is it important for learners to
Know this?
 It is important for learners to know
this as it will help them appreciate
not only the by-products that are
obtained from mining but as well as
the very environment yielding the
resources, additionally it is
important for learners to know about
this so that they can be able to come
up with innovative ways of lessening
the impacts that mining has on the
environment and people’s lives.

9. What else do you know about this idea(that you
do not intend Learners to know yet)?
 Mining has an effect on the structure
of the soil, not only on the
environment in terms of pollution.
With the thumping and the pounding
that occurs in the mines, the
structure of the soil can be affected
which could at times result in
landslides, mostly rock slides as the
pounding changes the slope of the
earth (land formations) at the point
where it is occurring.
Structure of the soil

10. What difficulties/limitations are
Connected with teaching this idea?
 When learners hear the word mining
the first thing that would come to
their minds is ‘gold’ only, some
learners may find it difficult at first
to consider that there are other
resources that are being mined
 Learners may have not seen a live
mine before due to mines being
closed owing to the fact that
resources are limited
What knowledge do you have about learners’
thinking which influence You’re teaching of
this idea?
 Most of the learners do not know
what really goes on in a mine, so
even as I will be explaining the
impacts that it has, I will need to
consider that, and try to bring them
a bit up to speed in terms of the
processes so that it will be easier for
them to grasp the topic

11. What other factors influence you
Teaching this idea?
 The fact that some of the learner’s
parents may be employed in mines,
now when discussing the negative
impacts it is likely that some of these
learners may feel somehow that the
job that is sustaining their family is
on the other hand affecting the
environment as well as the people in
that environment.
What teaching procedures would you use
(and particular reasons for using These) to
engage with this idea?
 Discussions, specifically De Bono’s
thinking hats, considering that the
topic that is being dealt with is
controversial. The teacher would group
the learners into the different colours
and then deal with a case study or an
article on the impacts of mining on the
environment as well as on the people’s
lives.
 This procedure would be used as it
brings about the different views or
perspectives when coming to mining,
giving the learners an opportunity of
viewing the topic holistically. It also
stimulates the learners and ensures
collaboration and engagement in the
classroom

12. What do you intend the learners to
Learn about the idea?
 Mining is the main contributor to the
growth of our economy. Through job
opportunities that are created by the
mining sector, people are able to
contribute significantly to the growth
of our economy. Mining produces
commodities which the country can
trade with, with other countries and
thus boost economic growth. Mining
contributes significantly to
community uplifting through various
companies bursary schemes
Why is it important for learners to
Know this?
 Learners will be enabled to look at
mining holistically; to observe the
positive impacts of mining and not
only focus on the negative impacts
that have been reported on the
media
 Learners, through this idea, will
formulate their own informed
opinion about mining rather than to
take what is being reported on the
media

13. What else do you know about this idea(that
you do not intend Learners to know yet)?
 Learners need not to know about the
factors that favor and hinder mining
in South Africa as this topic is dealt
with in Grade 12 as specified by the
CAPS document.
What difficulties/limitations are
Connected with teaching this idea?
 Proving that mining has a positive
effect on human livelihood as it is
always portrayed in the media as
being negative, this alone can create
a limitation.

14. What knowledge do you have about learners’
thinking which influence You’re teaching of
this idea?
 Learners already have a negative
view in terms of mining based on
what is being reported on the media
and how the media has portrayed the
mining sector in South Africa. For
example, they always report about
the work conditions that miners
work under, however they seldom
report on the number of people that
have been employed by the mining
sector and the bursaries that have
been given to students by the mining
sector.
Reports likely seen by learners

15. What teaching procedures would you use
(and particular reasons for using These) to
engage with this idea?
 One teaching procedure that would
be used in the classroom discussion
and in combination with question
and answer method. Classroom
discussion will allow learners to
formulate their own opinions and
construct their own knowledge.
Question and Answer method will be
used to allow learners to ask
questions to enhance their
understanding and for the teacher to
check whether learners have
understood the content.
Which specific ways would you use of
ascertaining learners’ understanding (not
confusion) about This idea? You need to include
likely Range of learners’ responses.
 One way that the question and answer
technique would be used as stated
above, it will be utilized to check for
understanding and to clarify any
misconceptions that learners might
have. For example, I may ask learners
to name minerals that are mined in
South Africa and their responses would
include Gold, Coal and Platinum.
Another question would be, how does
mining contribute to the growth of our
economy and their responses would be:
Mining could provide employment for
people
Through mining our country is able to
participate in foreign trade and that
boost our economic growth.

16. What do you intend the learners to
Learn about the idea?
 Learners need to know about the
damage mining does to places with
high tourist or cultural heritage
value, the loss of farming and
wildlife environments and about the
laws that govern mining to protect
people and the environment.
Why is it important for learners to
Know this?
 Learners should know about the
impact that mining has on various
sectors of society because South
Africa is a country that relies heavily
on the mining industry for large
economic gain. Learners also live in
an area that has many mines and
became densely populated because of
mining therefore they see the effects
of mining in everyday life but are not
aware of the causes.

17. What else do you know about this idea(that
you do not intend Learners to know yet)?
 Mining’s impact on the environment
as a human influence is further
covered in much more detail in term
four of grade 11 in life sciences.
 In geography, grade 12 term 3, the
economic point of view of mining is
covered that includes the
contributions, significance and
economic geography of miming in
South Africa
What difficulties/limitations are
Connected with teaching this idea?
 Although there are many active and
inactive mines around
Johannesburg, learners live more
closely to the city and may find
mining an abstract concept and the
effects removed from their daily
lives.
 Names of laws are not mentioned
and only a basic overview of why
laws are put in place is given in the
textbook which leads to the idea that
regulating mining is a simple process

18. What knowledge do you have about learners’
thinking which influence You’re teaching of
this idea?
 Learners might have never seen
mines or pass mines/ mine dumps
every day and not know they are
there.
 Learners do not know the value of
money that is, saying the mining
industry contributes 60 million to
the economy that would know that’s
it’s a lot of money but not how that
money is spent.

19. What other factors influence you
Teaching this idea?
 Learners are in grade 9 and it is the
fourth term. They will need to make
subject choices soon and the mining
sector offers many different kinds of
jobs that can be mentioned.
What teaching procedures would you use
(and particular reasons for using These) to
engage with this idea?
 In the De Bono’s thinking hats
activity I will walk around each
group and use discussion method
with each group to see if each group
is on track with the perspective hat
that they were given. If the group is
moving away from the topic then I
will guide them back on to the topic
or if they are completing the activity
fine by themselves then words of
encouragement will be given. This
method makes it easy to stimulate
the opinions and ideas of the
learners to be given and further
develops their social skills in a mock
work environment

20. Any questions?