STORIES FROM HISTORY: MORE AUTHENTIC WAYS OF THINKING THROUGH ACTING AND TALKING ABOUT SCIENCE 

Debra McGregor

Abstract

This chapter will discuss and demonstrate how it is possible to introduce young people to scientists’ life stories and draw on particular events or incidents that can inspire them to think more deeply about science. Noteworthy moments from historical scientific stories are dramatised in various ways to engage learners to consider these scientific happenings from different perspectives. The learning activities, adopted and adapted from established theatrical strategies, purposely oriented learners to think about the lives and work of scientists from varied viewpoints. Immersed and positioned differently in a range of historical contexts to work in-role enabled learners to consider science from alternate positions. This provided not only an historical dimension to learning about science, but many of the narratives the learners were introduced to offered insights about socio-cultural influences determining what and how scientists investigated in the past. Learners working in-role, in participatory ways, considering issues that faced scientists in the past, can inform and shape age-appropriate inquiry tasks. Drawn from a series of action research projects carried out in schools across the UK, ways that different theatrical strategies have been developed and trialled in classrooms to engage young people with stories form history are carefully described so that others might apply these approaches.

Key Words

Historical stories, Inquiry, Drama pedagogy, Participatory learning