Share Paper: Approaching the Teaching and Learning about Materials Science Through Rewriting a Song: Musical Magnetism in Middle School Science

  1. Pamela Pena Martin, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States
  2. Maggie Mahmood, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States
  3. Nadya Mason, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States
  4. Suzanne Newman, Champaign District School, STEAM Magnet, United States
  5. Luisa-Maria Rosu, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States
Tuesday, March 30 12:45 PM-1:00 PM Room 5

Abstract: In this paper, we examine the implementation of a materials science education innovation called Musical Magnetism in a middle school context. The initiative was designed and implemented using the practice of approaching the teaching and learning of science through the arts, particularly, through rewriting songs. We consider the objectives of this practice, such as building student science identity and confidence and developing science communication skills and intuition, through the engagement of student creative skills. We search for features of this practice that make compatible concepts frequently used in the field of materials research with students’ life experiences, while simultaneously remaining ...