The Science I Know

The Science I Know: Culturally Relevant Science Lessons from Secondary Classrooms is a collection of culturally relevant lesson plans written by secondary science teachers. Each lesson discusses how the tenets of academic success, cultural competence and critical consciousness that are part of the theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) are addressed (Ladson-Billings, 1995). Additionally, each lesson plan is structured following the 5E learning cycle (Bybee, 2006) and aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NAS, 2012). The goal of this book is to help science teachers understand how to go about designing lessons that are culturally relevant. The hope is that the lessons that are detailed in each chapter will inspire teachers to draw the cultural knowledge from their students and capitalize on it when designing science lessons.

After an introductory chapter that discusses how science education has shifted in recent decades to address the needs of diverse students, the main body of the text is divided into three sections. The first part introduces Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) as a framework; this would be important for those readers unfamiliar with Gloria Ladson-Billings' work. It addresses and discusses the three tenets of CRP (Academic Success, Cultural Competence and Critical Consciousness) and it includes an explanation of how each area can be observed and addressed in science education specifically.The second part features lesson plans from secondary science classrooms written by teachers from different subject areas (i.e., life science, physical science, earth science, etc.). The lesson plans follow the 5E Instructional Model (Bybee et. al., 2006). This model promotes inquiry by guiding teachers in the design of lesson plans that are "based upon cognitive psychology, constructivist-learning theory, and best practices in science teaching." (Duran & Duran, 2004). A brief snapshot of each teacher precedes each lesson plan. A discussion about how each of the CRP tenets is observed appears after each lesson plan. Finally, each plan featured will have a section that addresses the concepts of Funds of Knowledge (Moll et al., 1992). This concept will guide teachers in the process of identifying and maximizing students' cultural capital in the classroom. Each lesson plan chapter concludes with questions for further consideration for teachers. The last part of the book features a discussion about what the future of science education will look like based on the sets of skills and practices that are part of the national and state standards. It includes best practices for teachers when preparing and planning to implement culturally relevant practices in their classrooms.

The Science I Know is not only essential reading for all science teachers interested in utilizing culturally relevant instructional practices in their classroom, but also a valuable tool in the instruction of pre-service teachers in Colleges of Education. The book's structure is ideal for classroom use.

"After 25 years of preparing middle and high school teachers, I have learned that they are far more likely to implement new concepts when they are able to see high quality, practical examples from similar classrooms. It is for this reason that I believe The Science I Know: Culturally Relevant Science Lessons from Secondary Classrooms can have a substantial impact on the quantity and quality of culturally relevant teaching in our nation's science classrooms. I highly recommend this inspiring book to both teacher educators preparing novice science teachers and to veteran teachers who are striving to meet the needs of ALL their students."--Cynthia Alby, PhD, co-author of "Learning That Matters: A Field Guide to Course Design for Transformative Education"
"Dr. Roman-Oliver masterfully tackles an important, yet underemphasized facet of Culturally Relevant Science Education. As educators, we are all familiar with the terminology. But how can we effectively implement this pedagogical model in an ever-changing classroom filled with diverse personalities and needs? The Science I Know: Culturally Relevant Science Lessons from the Secondary Classrooms explores the importance of cultural relevancy and how to implement this teaching and learning framework. With standards-based lessons that can be adapted to fit the diverse needs of any secondary science classroom, this book is a must read for all science teachers and teacher educators!"--Dionne Lazenby, PhD

Suzanna Roman-Oliver has been an educator for almost 20 years. She was a high school science teacher for English Language Learners for 12 years. After that, she worked as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University. Her dissertation research, the inspiration for this book, focused on pre-service teachers understanding and implementation of culturally relevant pedagogy during their student-teaching experience. Dr. Roman-Oliver continues to do research to explore the influence of culture in the teaching and learning of science. She lives in Covington, Georgia, with her husband, son, and puppy. She is currently an Assistant Professor at Georgia College and State University.

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