Theoretical Frameworks
2. Theoretical Frameworks
biology, physics, language, etc. “To communicate Models are mental representations of concepts and
across multiple subject areas, students must sort out phenomena. Several authors consider models as
and map the conceptual terrain that spans multiple intermediaries between the capacity of children to
disciplines and everyday interactions”. It is necessary interpret naturally occurring events and the multiple
to know the varieties of discourse used by students in aspects of these events and that they generally work
the classroom so that the teacher can evaluate what by representing hidden semantic links and organizing
they have really learnt [21].
these in a comprehensible way [15]. Both educators and researchers agree that the goal What is the most effective way to help student
of writing-to-learn activities is to create learning teachers to deal with practical problems so that they
situations in classrooms that allow for meaningful can teach science successfully? The authors proposed
writing. Effective writing not only communicates
93 what students have learned in a scientifically and
Constructing a Model of Digestion in a Primary School Using a Theatrical Performance
could be resolved by transcribing the prior text rhetorically correct style, but also aids students in
literally.
constructing knowledge about scientific concepts [17]. The pupils were encouraged to stage a theatrical Drama techniques have been recognized as very
performance for the whole school, explaining the useful tools for learning, not only for contents such as
digestion of a sandwich, a glass of water, an apple and language, but also for attitudes such as cooperation,
a piece of chewing gum.
collaboration and creativity [2, 3]. The act of staging, The class was divided into four work groups of writing and telling a story, facilitates the construction
three pupils each and each group chose one of the of robust and flexible models. Pupils have to make
food types suggested by the teachers. The pupils had decisions about characters, give roles to each of the
to choose the roles (sandwich, teeth, liver, stomach actors, and tell each other a story with a beginning,
etc.) and to write what was happening to them in the middle and end [2]. Describing a sequence of eight
digestive system.
steps constitute scaffolding through story and drama: They looked for the information in their textbook arouse interest, make vocabulary memorable, engage
and in other reference books about the human body with the story, facilitate initial comprehension, re-tell
that were in the classroom. They were also free to or act out the story, think from within the story,
look for information by using the Internet. The explore issues and transfer. This sequence leads up to
information that they found was discussed first among the last step which is to internalize. That is, after the
the members of each group and a preliminary script whole process that culminates in the dramatic
was written. After that, the four groups gathered performance, pupils should have constructed a together, discussed their ideas about the digestion of complex model of digestion that enables them to
the corresponding food types and put the different explain both the changes that take place in food and
scripts about each of the food types together into one the purpose of digestion itself.
script.
The scripts were discussed by the university