Douggie’S Super Science Adventures: Stories for Teaching the Next Generation Science Standards for Third Graders

By Michael Brumage

Little Douggie is curious about everything, and he has an endless amount of questions that he must find the answers to. Douggies Super Science Adventures is a collection of 15 short stories that describe Douggies attempt to explore and understand how this world works. Each short story introduces the reader to a new scientific standard by using real-life problems that Douggie has to solve, creating one adventure after another. Each story draws the reader into the mind of a young boy as he problem solves his way through some intriguing scientific questions. His energy and enthusiasm is sure to motivate readers of all ages to start their own adventures in science. The stories are fun to read and make science easy to understand.

Since these stories are directly alligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, teachers can use each story to introduce a new standard, motivate their students, and help explain difficult scientific concepts. Everyone loves a good story, and teachers especially love stories with a point. These stories offer something for everyone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jul 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781491770269

Michael Brumage

Michael Brumage teaches science at Monte Vista middle school where he is the department chairman. He is on the curriculum senate for his district assisting in the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards and common core. He wrote the curriculum and teaches the CSET test preparation classes in science for both elementary and secondary teachers at Ventura County Office of Education. He holds a Bachelors degree in biological sciences from California Polytechnic University at Pomona and Master of Education degree from The University La Verne. He resides in Camarillo California with his wife and three children.

Book preview

DOUGGIE’S SUPER SCIENCE ADVENTURES

Stories for Teaching the Next Generation Science Standards for Third Graders

Copyright © 2015 Michael Brumage.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

iUniverse

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.iuniverse.com

1-800-Authors (1-800-288-4677)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4917-7025-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-7026-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015909255

iUniverse rev. date:  07/21/2015

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book is a collection of shorts stories inspired by my life as a teacher and a father of three children. As a science teacher by profession, I have tried to encourage my children to learn to find answers to their own questions by using the resources available to them. Their curiosity and amazing questions have inspired the character of Douggie. I have learned so much from them. I want to thank my amazing wife Aimee for her long hours spent editing and proofreading the stories. Her positive feedback encouraged me to continue writing them. I also want to thank my kids, Ellie, Livya and Oliver, for their patience and inspiration. They allow me to work and write without too many interruptions, and they willingly read the stories and provided much needed feedback. To Ellie, my oldest, I want to thank her for all of her beautiful illustrations.

To my friends who have encouraged me to get these books published, I thank you for believing in me and in this project. I also want to thank my teachers through the years who have inspired me to give back to education. They have given so much to me and have encouraged me to be a lifelong learner. I want all teachers to know they are appreciated and are touching lives every day.

INTRODUCTION

When the next generation science standards came out, I realized that there were a high number of teachers who were not excited about the changes. For many elementary teachers it is a scary thought to have to teach these new, complex science standards. As a teacher of science for 16 years, I realized that I could offer them something they needed and didn’t have. I decided to provide these stories to be used to introduce and explain each new science standard. The lessons that Douggie learns can help each person understand the science of each standard as they read the stories and become absorbed in the adventures and investigations along with Douggie. The activities Douggie and his parents engage in can encourage both teachers and students to dive deeper into these complex standards and the scientific knowledge associated with them.

I have often found that my students get more out of one of my stories with a point than taking notes from a lecture. Stories touch us personally by drawing from our own memories. This fact can help us recall the scientific point and even apply it in different real-life situations. The questions at the end are designed as jumping-off points and can be used to encourage whole class discussions about the scientific applications of these standards.

My hope is that these stories will bring out the little Douggie in all of us by encouraging us to keep asking questions and seeking answers to these questions, without being afraid to try new things. There is so much information at our fingertips and no reason to give up our quest for knowledge. Being a lifelong learner doesn’t stop. The world is amazing; all we have to do is look.

I often reflect back on the stories I tell my class and use them to reinforce a concept. These stories can and should be used in a similar fashion by teachers, parents and students. Enjoy.

CHAPTER 1

SHORTS OR PANTS?

ESS2-1: Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.

Little Douggie is fascinated with the world around him. He has always been very curious and full of questions. Finding the answers to his questions is not always easy, so he tends to seek help from his parents. His mother and father love their little Douggie, but they admit that all his questions can take their toll, so they started helping him find the answers to his questions instead of answering them directly. Douggie’s parents take him to local museums, science centers, and the library. They even search the internet to help him explore and find the answers to his questions. Still, more often than not, the answers only lead to more questions.

Douggie and his parents were looking forward to spring break and their vacation in Southern California. They used the weekend before spring break to pack and prepare the house for their week away.

Douggie wondered how he should pack for the trip. Mom, do I need to pack pants and a jacket? he asked, hoping his mother would answer, No.

image%2001.JPG

Instead, she countered, We need to check to see what kind of weather they are expecting to have during our stay in Southern California.

Can we do that now? I really need to get my packing finished, Douggie stated with a serious look on his face. His mother smiled, wondering to herself where he got all his motivation and energy.

Let’s look online and see if we can get some information on the forecast for that area, his mother said, as she began booting up the computer. I really ought to have done this earlier, his mother added with a small look of regret on her face.

No worries, Mom. This should be a snap, Douggie said with a smile and his usual enthusiasm. I have a feeling that the temperature will be perfect, and I am hoping no storms will be coming in, Douggie continued.

The weather forecast for Catalina Island was in the 80’s during the days, with clear skies. The lows were expected to be in the high 50’s or low 60’s with early morning fog, clearing by mid-morning. No rain was predicted during their stay. I don’t think the weather could be more perfect for our vacation, his mother stated.

This could be a good time to visit almost any place, don’t you think, Mom? Douggie asked as they moved away from the computer.

That made Douggie start thinking about what the temperature would be during the other three seasons. He knew what the weather was where he lived, but he was curious about the weather in other places around California. His mother always said California had virtually every type of climate. He wanted to be able to somehow gather this information together and compare the each of the locations during the all four seasons.

He decided to get his journal and write down a simple table with the four seasons on it. He listed the four seasons along the bottom of the graph, and the temperature ranges ran up the graph’s left side. He