August 23rd, 2011 Bob
Preparations are underway for the 2011 OSTA Fall Staff Development Conference. What will YOU share? Now is the time to submit your workshop proposal. Titles submitted so far include:
Apply STEM with Science Olympiad My Experiment with Standards Based Grading Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots Newton’s First One Your Students Already Have A Computer… In Their Pocket! Environmental Science in a World of 7 Billion Mosses to Masterpieces: Empowering Learners Through Art and Life Sciences EarthStorm – Classroom Resources from the Oklahoma Mesonet Modeling Unwrapping and Wrapping Science PASS Using Models to Investigate Reading Frames, Shotgun Library Assembly, Protein Folding and Recombinant Plasmids FOSS Chemical Interactions: Chemistry Middle Schoolers Understand and Love FOSS Diversity of Life: A Middle School Life Science Course Biotech Labs from the Kitchen Butterfly Garden Basics Critters in the Classroom A Space Adventure Aboard the ISS ALIENS!
Submit your proposal online HERE. DON’T DELAY, DEADLINE FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION IS SEPTEMBER 2nd!
Remember that all presenters MUST ALSO Register for the OSTA Conference. Register Securely Online
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August 22nd, 2011 Bob
It’s been nearly a decade since the Glenn Commission produced Before It’s Too Late, its visionary report on the state of science and mathematics education in the United States. The report described the infrastructure and activities needed to produce and sustain first-rate teachers of science and mathematics. Yet minimal progress has been made in implementing the commission’s ideas on the scale that its members envisioned, and a level that is desperately needed for our nation’s schools. We can no longer afford to wait.
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)—the world’s largest organization of science educators—is taking action. With Senator John Glenn as our Honorary Chair, we are mounting a five-year, $43 million national effort to make excellence in science teaching and learning a reality for all U.S. students.
This effort—one of the most significant ever undertaken by NSTA—will fund a body of forward-thinking programs and initiatives that promote leadership, learning, and advocacy in science education. An extraordinary state-of-the art facility will house these programs and serve as a national home base for all teachers of science. In recognition of Senator Glenn’s lifelong dedication and commitment to science education, we have named this new facility theJohn Glenn Center for Science Education. This effort will create:
- The The John Glenn Center for Science Education, a LEED Platinum-certified green building that will serve as home base for the future of science education;
- The NSTA Learning Center, a state-of-the-art internet portal providing professional development resources and support at a scale never before seen;
- The NSTA Leadership Institute, offering workshops, seminars, and other highly visible initiatives, including Science Matters, a public advocacy campaign to rally the nation around science education, and Science Anchors, a forward-thinking effort to help states embrace and educators teach a core set of science standards; and
- The NSTA New Science Teacher Academy, supporting those educators who are most vulnerable to the challenges of a new profession.
NSTA needs your help to achieve our goal! If we are to succeed, all stakeholders in the science education community must be involved. NSTA is asking you to join with us, the science education community, and other partners to provide the infrastructure, seed money, and program development funds to launch this major initiative inspired by the Glenn Commission’s work. How you can help:
For more than 60 years, NSTA has been the voice of and for teachers and science. Our growing membership includes science educators, science supervisors, informal science educators, administrators, scientists, and leaders in business, industry, and government. But NSTA’s mission “to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all” reaches far beyond its membership. It is with this in mind that we pursue this campaign and serve as a catalyst for change. We hope you will join us by making a gift in support of this extraordinary effort.
The Oklahoma Science Teachers Association is an affiliate of NSTA and is an organizational supporter of the John Glenn Center for Science Education. PLease consider your tax-deductible contribution to this important endeavor.
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August 19th, 2011 Bob
From Gaile Loving, OSDE Science Assessment Specialist:
As the new PASS standards and objectives are implemented, there is a transition period before the criteria for test alignment with PASS can be completely met. During this transition time, items will be developed and field tested in order to meet the criteria for alignment to the revised PASS standards and objectives.
For the purposes of the OCCT and OMAAP Assessments:
• 2011-12 assessment year – the version of Science PASS used for the 2010-11 assessments will be reused. New items/questions which correlate to Science PASS (revision 2011) will appear only as field test items.
• 2012-13 assessment year, Science PASS (revision 2011) will be used to build the tests.
Both sets of blueprints are posted on the SDE Website. http://www.sde.state.ok.us/AcctAssess/core.html
Note: While the number of items per standard and/or objective will be different between the OCCT and OMAAP tests due to fewer total questions,the percentage of the test covering a standard will be similar between the two assessments. Please feel free to contact Gaile Loving, M ED., Science Assessment Specialist, Office of Accountability and Assessments for answers to any questions you may have regarding the state assessments.
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August 18th, 2011 Bob
Free hands-on training to integrate data-collection technology into your science curriculum.
Come and experience hands-on training with Vernier’s data-collection technology.
Join us for one of our free, 4-hour, hands-on workshops to learn how to integrate our computer and handheld, data-collection technology into your science curriculum. The workshops include lunch or dinner and lab handouts. These workshops are eligible for graduate credit.
This is a great opportunity for teachers who
- Want to evaluate our award-winning, data-collection technology.
- Are new to data collection.
- Need a refresher course on their Vernier equipment.
- Want to learn from the experts.
Tulsa Area Vernier Workshop:
September 13th
4:00 – 8:00 PM
Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills
Oklahoma City Area Vernier Workshop:
Crowne Plaza Hotel
2945 Northwest Expressway
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Dinner is included in this free workshop. Register online at Vernier.com
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August 18th, 2011 Bob
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), along with NASA and DARPA, has announced that an exciting new robotics competition will take place this fall. The 2011 Zero Robotics Challenge for High School Students invites teams of 5 or more U.S. high school students, plus a mentor, to enter for a chance to have their code run on basketball-sized satellites in the International Space Station. Students will build critical engineering, problem-solving, and teamwork skills as they progress through multiple rounds of simulation and ground competition.
There is no cost to the teams for participation in this tournament, and registration is open from now until September 5, 2011. For more information, visit link: http://zerorobotics.org
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August 18th, 2011 Bob
The Science Teachers Association of Texas would like invite the Oklahoma Science Teachers Association to our annual conference: CAST 2011! We’re hoping that you’ll join us: we’re expecting 7,000+ Texas science teachers and administrators to attend.
We’ve booked truly outstanding programming this year. In addition to 650+ workshops and short courses for CEU credit, we have over 30 field trips to locations of scientific interest around Dallas. We’re also bringing in Dallas Senator Royce West to speak to our members, and have booked Reed Timmer of Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers to speak at the Opening Assembly. We also have Cirque Imagination, a troupe of acrobats, coming to the Opening Reception as our big entertainment this year to showcase our theme, “The Art of Science.”
We would love for Oklahoma science teachers to be a part of this event. Please see our CAST newsletter for visuals and more information.
Registration is only $115 for three full days of educational credit, and is now open! The conference takes place November 17-19, 2011, at the Dallas Convention Center. We also host a special half-day program just for administrators on Thursday, November 17. View all conference details at www.statweb.org/cast.
Please do not hesitate to email us at stat@bizaustin.rr.com.
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August 18th, 2011 Bob
Welcome back to school!
And in the rush to get your class ready, learn the names of a new crop of young charges, rework curriculum in light of new testing data, and all the other stuff you gotta get done today….
DON’T FORGET TO REGISTER FOR THE OSTA FALL STAFF DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE!
This is especially important if you plan to use a school Purchase Order to pay registration costs. The deadline for Early-Bird Registrations (and PO submission) is September 15th, which means if you start TODAY, you gan get a requisition started and approved by your administrator and School Board in time to take advantage of the savings.
The OSTA online registration will accept your Purchase Order number and you will be able to print out the completed registration for and mail it to OSTA.
Go the the Conferences Tab at the top of the page or click Register Securely Online
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August 18th, 2011 Bob
Oklahoma High School students are invited to create an audio-video public service announcement to promote awareness about recycling. This contest is a part of the Oklahoma Recycling Association’s (OKRA) America Recycles Day campaign. The purpose of America Recycles Day is to raise awareness of the importance of recycling across the state. The deadline for entry is October 21, 2011.
“Recycle for Your Future” is the theme for this year’s contest. This 30 or 60 second audio-video message should emphasize how recycling saves natural resources and energy and reduces pollution. Entries must contain all original material and may include real life experiences. Cash prizes will be awarded to all entries with larger amounts given to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winning entries. Winning Entries will be announced on America Recycles Day, which is Tuesday, November 15th. For the rules and entry forms, go to: http://recycleok.org/psa-contest.php. For more information contact: Chris Feeney, Education Chairman at Chris.Feeney@okdhs.org or call (580) 603-2252. Get Contest Rules and Entry forms HERE.
OKRA is a non-profit volunteer group that supports communities, governments and individuals in recycling. In Oklahoma, America Recycles Day is co-sponsored by OG&E, Greenstar Recycling, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, and the M.E.T. (Metropolitan Environmental Trust).
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August 15th, 2011 Bob
I thought I might take just a minute to introduce myself since you will be (hopefully) hearing from me regularly.
My name is Jody Bowie (even though the name is confusing, I’m a GUY) and I’m the new Science Director here at the State Dept. of Ed. I’m a physics teacher, but more importantly, I’m a science person. I’m naturally curious about how things work, even in life science, so don’t be worried that I’m only going to be concerned with the physical sciences!
I know I’ve got some really big shoes to fill in moving into this position. I hope you will all be patient with me as I begin to wrap my brain around just what I’m supposed to be doing here. I’ll depend on the collective wisdom of each of you to keep me on the right track. I’m not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I am willing to learn.
I hope the biggest part of this job will be for me to be a resource for you. If you need something, please call (the phone number is still the same, although it is not in my office yet: 405-522-3524) or email (Jody_Bowie@sde.state.ok.us) and I’ll see if I can track down what you need or someone who can.
I suspect the flow of information will be slow from this office in the beginning. However, that isn’t because I want to keep information from you. It probably is a result of me not knowing I should be sending it. If you want to know, ask and I’ll begin to learn what I should send out on the list-serve.
I hope you are each being successful in preparing for the upcoming (or current) school year. I know your students are excited to get to know you and I’m looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible and learning from you. I’m excited and I hope you are too! Please let me know when I can be of assistance.
Jody L Bowie
Director, Science Education
Office of Instruction
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 N Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
Phone: 405.522.3524
http://sde.state.ok.us/curriculum/CurriculumDiv/Science/
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August 15th, 2011 Bob
The Oklahoma State Department of Education has named Jody Bowie as state Science Director, replacing Jana Rowland, who left OSDE to join the staff at Western Technology Center. Jody recently received his M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from Southern Nazarene University and for the past four years has been teaching AP Physics, Physics, and Earth Science at Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Southern Nazarene.
OSDE Science Director Jody Bowie reviews data from a sonic range finder with Putnam City West Physics teacher Jan Watson.
Jody has gained notoriety as a user and promoter of educational technology application. He has presented numerous technology workshops to participants at the Oklahoma Technology Conference, the Oklahoma Science Teachers Association fall conference, the National Science Teachers Association, and the International Society of Technology in Education. Most of his workshops focus on the use of technology to foster student collaboration and the use of reflective writing as a tool for learning. “Everything I Need to Know About Life I learned from Isaac Newton”, Google Will Change Your Life”’ and Wiki’s and Discussion Boards in the Secondary Classroom” are some of his most recent workshop titles.
This past school year he was named the 2011 Putnam City Schools Teacher of the Year and in July, was named by State Supt. Janet Barresi as one of 12 finalists for 2011 Oklahoma State Teacher of the Year. He was also named 2011 Technology Teacher of the Year by the Oklahoma Technology Association.
Jody currently holds memberships in the National Association of Physics Teachers, the National Science Teachers Association, and the Oklahoma Science Teachers Association. In addition to his new duties with OSDE, Jody now joins the OSTA Board as an ex-officio member and will be featured in regular “Jody-Gram” articles publicizing opportunities and programs of interest to Oklahoma science teachers.
You can contact Jody at: jody_bowie@sde.ok.state.us
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