Five E's of Science....

Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration(Extension) and Evaluation...

The scientific method is a term that is of course not alien to most people in or outside the realm of science. To sum-up the method may be as follows:

• Ask (a) Question(s)
• Do Background Research
• Construct a Hypothesis
• Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment
• Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion
• Communicate Your Results

Today, there seems to be a more broader approach to the method. There tends to be a communicative process through the method using what is called the "5 E's",  Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration and Evaluation. I believe that the 5 E's have been constructed specifically for the school student. The most attractive aspect of the 5 E's would be Engagement. I feel that it is an integral part of a good science lesson plan. Students should be be allowed to have input into what is most intriguing or relevant to them. Questioning is vital and at the heart of science. Students can be approached individually or put into groups and discuss what issue or aspect of science attracts him/her or what phenomena/natural event  promotes inquiry the most. The other four E's are self-explanatory and akin to the scientific method.

I found the 5 E's to be quite helpful in designing a lesson plan and would consistently go back to use as a reference when designing one. I would say that the process of designing a science lesson plan is some what limiting without the 5 E's. In a sense the 5 E's help to encapsulate a much broader realm for the student to expand his/her potential and query, without too many barriers or limitations in place in a more traditional approach to pedagogy.