Transit of Venus Next Week

World wide map of the transit

by Michael Zeiler

The transit of Venus will soon captivate the world. Millions of people will be turning to the Internet to experience this rare event. One popular way to view the transit will be through live video streams from telescopes. Another way to learn and share experiences about the transit is through one of our oldest story-telling devices: the map.

Maps have figured prominently in the history of the transit of Venus. In 1760, Joseph-Nicolas Delisle created an influential transit map that guided many of the international expeditions of 1761 and 1769. In the late 19th century, Richard Anthony Proctor drafted a series of maps and diagrams that explained the geometry of the transit to the public. Many other examples can be seen in this archive of historical maps.

It is now our turn to tell our stories of the transit of Venus through maps.

This new transit of Venus web app has just gone live at tov2012.esri.com and invites you to learn about the transit, see observations in real time, and share your experiences of this special and rare event. The web app is a dynamic and participatory platform that offers these ways to encounter the transit and interact with others:

• You can find where and when the transit occurs around the world
• You can view contact timing observations from the VenusTransit smartphone app in near real-time on transit day and compare observed contact times with predicted contact times (most of the timing differences can be attributed to the black drop effect)
• You can find tweets, pictures, and videos of transit of Venus activities on the map and share your experiences by using these hashtags and key phrases: #tov2012, #venustransit, ‘Transit of Venus’, and ‘Venus Transit’
• You can watch a video which briefly explains the transit and provides a visual animation that compresses the 6 hours and 40 minutes of the transit into one minute

On transit day, this web app will also be embedded at several places including http://transitofvenus.nl/wp/, Astronomers Without Borders, and eclipse-maps.

The transit of Venus web app was developed jointly by the prototype software laboratory from Esri, the GIS software company (and my employer), Astronomers Without Borders, and the Dutch team behind the VenusTransit smartphone app and this website.

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OESE – OKLAHOMA AGAIN ESCAPES CREATIONIST BILLS

Oklahoma almost became the third state after Louisiana and Tennessee to have a creationist so-called ‘academic freedom act.’ THANKS to HUNDREDS of individuals and many organizations that sent messages opposing the bills (especially to the entire Senate) Oklahoma has escaped again. The National Center for Science Education posted a review of the session within 30 minutes after we notified them that the Legislature had adjourned without passing the bills.

In addition to the organizations listed in the NCSE report below these organizations also sent messages and urged their members to respond as well:  Oklahoma Academy of Science, Oklahoma Science Teachers Association, Interfaith Alliances of OKC and Tulsa, several special interest groups on Yahoo, National Association of Human Genetics, The National Association of Biology Teachers, Americans United for Separation of Church and State.  Other organizations that wish to remain anonymous lobbied directly against the bills.  The Tulsa World had a staff editorial against the bills and others wrote op-eds, letters to editors and posted on state political blogs.  This was the most response we have had in the past decade!

The blog ‘The Sensuous Curmudgeon’ also posted an item and ended the post with: “A lot of the credit for this result is due to the tireless efforts of Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education. But we’ve seen this movie before. The mummy always manages to rise again, so rest up, guys. The forces of madness will be back next year.”}

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Here is the NCSE posting:

“When the Oklahoma legislature adjourned sine die on May 25, 2012, no fewer than three legislative attempts to attack the teaching of evolution and of climate change were finally laid to rest. All three would have encouraged teachers in the public schools of the Sooner State to present the “scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses” of “controversial” topics such as “biological evolution” and “global warming.”

Senate Bill 1742 was explicitly modeled in part on the so-called Louisiana Science Education Act, passed and enacted in 2008 as Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:285.1. The sole sponsor of SB 1742 was Josh Brecheen (R-District 6). It was his second attempt at antievolution legislation; in 2011, he introduced Senate Bill 554, which he described in the Durant Daily Democrat (December 24, 2010) as “requiring every publically [sic] funded Oklahoma school to teach the debate of creation vs. evolution.” SB 1742 died in committee on March 1, 2012.

House Bill 1551 was originally introduced by Sally Kern (R-District 84) and was rejected by the House Common Education Committee in 2011, but it was resurrected by Gus Blackwell (R-District 61) and passed by that committee, which heard no testimony from the public, in 2012. HB 1551 passed the House of Representatives on a 56-12 vote on March 15, 2012. The bill was then sent to the Senate Education Committee, where it died on April 5, 2012, the deadline for single-assigned house bills (such as HB 1551) to be reported from their senate committees.

A last-ditch effort was a proposal from Steve Russell (R-District 45) to amend House Bill 2341, which dealt with unrelated educational matters (extending a deadline by which local school districts are required to meet certain standards for media, equipment, and textbooks) and was passed by the House on March 7, 2012, to include the language of HB 1551. The amendment would have been considered when the bill came to a floor vote in the Senate, but it was not brought to the floor before April 26, 2012, the deadline for bills to receive their third reading in the opposite house.

Organizations opposing these efforts to attack the teaching of evolution and of climate change included the American Institute of Biological Sciences, the National Association of Biology Teachers, the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and — as always — the indefatigable grassroots organization Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education.”

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TEACHERS’ WORKSHOP OPENINGS STILL AVAILABLE.

EVOLUTION IN OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS SCIENCE CLASSES 

Presented by Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education, the National Science Foundation (NSF-0845314), and the University of Oklahoma Biological Station.

Who: High school and Junior High School science teachers and college majors in science education from Oklahoma and northern Texas (approximately from  Texarkana, to Dallas-Fort Worth and suburbs to Wichita Falls, Texas)

When: Friday Oct. 5 (6:00 PM) through Sunday Oct. 7, 2012 (3:00 PM)

Where: The University of Oklahoma Biological Station on Lake Texoma, OK

Topics covered will include:

The nature of science and latest developments in evolutionary biology

·    Curriculum development and state standards

·    Resources on teaching evolution for teachers

·    Discussion of participants’ favorite lesson plans and classroom experiences

·    Dealing with classroom and community controversy

·    Legislation and the political landscape.

Participants will earn a certificate of participation for professional development credit.

Instructors include:

·    Dr. Julie Angle (Teaching and Curriculum Leadership, OSU)

·    Dr. Richard Broughton (Zoology, OU)

·    Dr. Ola Fincke (Zoology, OU)

·    Dr. Victor Hutchison (Zoology, OU)

·    Dr. Cecil Lewis (Anthropology, OU)

·    Dr. Joseph Maness (Biological Sciences, Southwestern OSU)

·    Bob Melton (Science Curriculum Specialist, Putnam City Schools)

·    Dr. Stanley Rice (Biological Sciences, Southeastern OSU)

All materials (including two books on teaching evolution), accommodations, and meals at the UOBS are included. The only cost for participants is a $25 registration fee. Registration deadline is Sept. 14, 2012. Early registration is advised as places are limited to 30 registrants.

Further information, registration forms and payment information are on-line at: www.oklascience.org/teachers.pdf and at www.ou.edu/uobs/teachers.htm.

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Vision 2020 Conference: Science Strands and Luncheon

Greetings science educators!

I know many of you have or are about to leave your classrooms for the summer. However, I wanted to send you titles and descriptions for the science strands of the Vision 2020 Conference.

As a reminder, on June 12^th there will be a science strand focus and a science luncheon and on June 13^th there will be a STEM strand focus and a STEM luncheon. However, there will be several science sessions on June 13^th as well.

You can view the titles, descriptions, and author bios for the sessions in the document attached to this e-mail. There are several STEM sessions on June 13^th which are not detailed in the document. These sessions include presentations by Project Lead the Way and PITSCO.

Also, there are over 200 sessions outside of the science strand being offered at the Vision 2020 Conference. Several of them will provide valuable information, resources, and tools applicable to the science classroom. The at-a-glance agenda for the entire conference will be up on the Oklahoma State Department website soon!

Links for the Vision 2020 Conference:

General session speakers and keynotes speakers: https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/OSDEVision2020/general_session_speakers/?&&

Register at:  https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/OSDEVision2020/HOME/?&

I hope to see you there! Have a great summer!

-Tiffany

Tuesday June 12, 2012

Science Luncheon Tuesday June 12^th, 2012

The Year of Science: Celebrating, Connecting, and Collaborating

Description: Join us for this energizing luncheon as we honor and celebrate two very special science educators from our state, Sarah Vann, winner of the 2011 Milken Educator Award and Lance Doss, a finalist in the 2011 Shell Lab Challenge. The luncheon will also provide an opportunity to connect with Tiffany Neill, the new Oklahoma Director of Science Education as she shares exciting new initiatives in science education and resources that support the implementation of Common Core State Standards for Literacy in Science. This unique luncheon will also offer attendees a chance to collaborate and share strategies for enhancing science education in their schools and in our state.

 Science Strand Sessions Tuesday June 12^th, 2012

Title: Common Core in the Science Classroom-Sara Vann

Description:  What does a good Common Core lesson/activity look like?  There will be a variety of hands-on activities that will model Common Core implementation in the secondary science classroom, and an opportunity to brainstorm new ideas as well!

Author Bio:  Sara taught 7^th -10^th  grade Science in Tahlequah for 2 years and has been at the Owasso 8^th Grade Center for the past 8 years, currently teaching Advanced Physical Science.  She is a National Board Certified Teacher  and was awarded the 2011 Milken Educator Award.

Title: Congratulations!  You’re a Grandparent!-Mary Butler

Description:  Participants will work in pairs and use modeling to create a child, then partner with another ‘couple’ to create a grandchild using 11 easily observed characteristics.  ‘Grandparents’ will prepare a written birth announcement for their grandchild and provide a phenotypically correct drawing of him/her.

Title: Virtual Labs-Mary Butler

Description:  In this session, participants will explore virtual labs and the value they add to existing science curriculum. Mary will share websites and her personal insights into incorporating both wet-labs and virtual labs into instruction.

Author Bio:  Mary Butler is a science and mathematics teacher from Muldrow Public Schools. Mary has a B.S.  in education from Northeastern State University as well as an Masters in education from Northeastern State University. Mary has taught both at the middle school and high school levels.

Title: Assessment for Learning rather than Assessment of Learning- Janis Slater

Description:  In this session, participants will explore strategies for formative assessment that can be integrated into lessons to inform instruction and reveal student thinking.  As participants experience assessment strategies in a lesson context, they will discover how learning and assessment can be combined into a cohesive learning experience.

Title: Zen and the Art of Data Representation – Janis Slater

Description:  In this session, participants will explore strategies for guiding students as they collect data and construct representations allowing them to explain or make predictions about phenomena encountered in the natural world.  Participants will create visual representations of data that reflect diverse ways in which scientific ideas can be illustrated and analyzed.

Author Bio:  Janis Slater is a Science Professional Development Specialist at the University of Oklahoma’s K20 Center. She is a former middle school science teacher with 13 years of experience in the classroom.  She has a B.S. in microbiology from the University of Arizona and an M.Ed. in Instructional Design from the University of Oklahoma.  Janis works extensively with teachers and administrators in schools across the state of Oklahoma to facilitate authentic, student-centered learning in the classroom with a focus on research based instructional practices.  She is on the Board of the National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA) and is pursuing a PhD in Instructional Psychology.

Title: The Challenges and Rewards of Teaching High School Laboratory Science in a Minimalist Setting-Lance Doss

Description: Students can learn and be successful in less-than-perfect educational environments. Teacher creativity, parental, and community involvement all work together to introduce and reinforce the skills and objectives which ALL students need to know from the sciences. Attendees will learn about making the most of a sparse teaching environment and will be given new ideas about how to get more resources for their classroom.

Author Bio: Lance is currently completing his 28^th year as a special education teacher. He teaches biology, environmental science, and physical science to 9^th-12^th grade students at Wagoner High School.  Lance obtained his B.S. in education and Masters in education from Northeastern State University.

Title: How does Science Fit into the Common Core? (K-2)- Patricia Turner

Description:  Can you really see in the dark? How does light travel? How do I teach these concepts? The activities in this session are organized by the stages of the learning cycle. How to use a formative assessment probe to learn about your students thinking and integrating math and literacy into science is a key focus of the session. We will discuss as a group how science is an integral part of the new Common Core State Standards.

Title: How does Science Fit into the Common Core? (3-5)- Patricia Turner

Description:  Can you really see in the dark? How does light travel? How do I teach these concepts? The activities in this session are organized by the stages of the learning cycle. How to use a formative assessment probe to learn about your students thinking and integrating math and literacy into science is a key focus of the session. We will discuss as a group how science is an integral part of the new Common Core State Standards.

Author Bio: Patricia has worked as an elementary teacher in Oklahoma, Ohio, and New Jersey. Science has always been a key part of her students’ curriculum and she is a strong believer of incorporating the science and mathematics practices into students daily activities. Patricia is currently employed at the University of Oklahoma’s K20 Center, where she provides professional development for teachers across our state. Her emphasize of instruction includes: implementation of the Common Core State Standards, science using the 5E model and science, literacy, and mathematics integration.

Title: STEM-What does it mean for Oklahoma and K-12 Classrooms?

Description:  Advancements in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are vital to the overall wealth, health, and success of our state and efforts in STEM education today will determine our ability to solve 21^st century challenges in such areas as energy, health, and national security. Join us for this exciting session as Dr. Stephen McKeever, the Oklahoma Secretary for Science and Technology and the Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer at Oklahoma State University, shares the state of STEM in Oklahoma and how K-12 education, higher education, and business and industry partnerships will enhance the Oklahoma’s STEM pipeline.

Title: K20alt: A Virtual Professional Learning Community (PLC) for Teachers-Tiffany Neill

Description:  Have you wondered what other teachers across the state are doing in their classrooms? Are you a teacher that loves to share resources and ideas about education? Join us for this exciting session as we introduce a Free web-based portal for Oklahoma Teachers to connect, collaborate, and retrieve resources.

Wednesday June 13^th, 2012

STEM Luncheon Wednesday June 13^th, 2012

Speaker: Ben T. Robinson

Mr. Robinson is the Owner/President of Sentry One LLC. Sentry One is an aerospace industry consulting company specializing in a wide spectrum of expertise from military command and control operations to the growth and sustainment of American aerospace through future investments in workforce and business development and leadership. Sentry

One LLC has aerospace clients in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. Through his Sentry One

LLC, Ben is an Executive-in-Residence with Oklahoma Career Technology Center. In addition, Ben teaches aerospace courses for Oklahoma State University as an adjunct professor.

Click the following link to read more about Mr. Ben Robinson: https://www.eiseverywhere.com/file_uploads/258b0c1c8854524b3865bdf568dc0a93_BIOrobinson.pdf

Science Strand Sessions Wednesday June 13^th, 2012

Title: Inquire Within – Implementing Inquiry-Based Science Standards- Douglas Llewellyn

Description: This session will provide an overview of the different levels and approaches to teaching and learning through science inquiry. Topics include:

• What is scientific inquiry?
• What are the myths and misconception about scientific inquiry?
• How can I modify an existing activity or lab to make it more inquiry-based?

Title: Ready or Not, Here They Come – The Common Core State Standards and its Implication for Scientific Argumentation-Douglas Llewellyn

Description: The Common Core State Standards for Literacy in Science provides a glimpse into what’s ahead for curriculum and professional development for science educators. The word “argument” or “argumentation” appears in the documents repeatedly – a fact that illustrates its importance. To prepare science educators for the practice of argumentation in their classrooms, the session will focus on several questions:

• What is the role of argumentation in science instruction?
• How do students make and defend arguments in the science classroom?
• How can inquiry-based investigations be modified to accommodate students forming and justifying scientific arguments?

Title: Modifying a Traditional/Structured Lab-Douglas Llewellyn

Description: Using a differentiated inquiry format, participants will modify a previously-taught traditional or structured lab and “tweak” it to be more inquiry-based. Participants should bring two or three labs to the session.

Author Bio: Douglas Llewellyn teaches science education courses at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY. Previously, he was the K-12 Director of Science at the Rochester City School District, a junior high school principal, and a middle school science teacher.

Llewellyn’s interests are in the areas of scientific inquiry and argumentation, constructivist teaching, and science leadership.

Llewellyn is a frequent speaker at state and national conferences on inquiry-based teaching. He has three books published by Corwin Press – Inquire Within: Implementing Inquiry-Based Science Standards in Grades 3-8, Second Edition; Teaching High School Science through Inquiry; and Differentiated Science Inquiry.

Title: From Elementary to AP, STEM work!- Kimberly Batten

Description: This presentation includes hands-on STEM activities with adaptations from elementary to AP Biology included. It is easier than you think to engage all of your students regardless of reading level. From isopods to Rat Island, come experience labs for yourself.

Author Bio: Mrs. Batten is currently a middle school science teacher, chair-person, and STEM club sponsor. Her teaching experience includes high school biology, elementary, and special education. She is experienced in classroom STEM projects, after-school activities, and field trips.

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BSCS / NABT AP Biology Leadership Academy – Applications Due Soon!

We are currently accepting applications for the first NABT/BSCS AP Biology Leadership Academy. The first Academy is limited to 50 participants. Applications are due by 25 May 2012.

• The supervisor signature form must be received for an application to be considered.
• Participating in the academy requires a two year commitment.
• Direct costs for participants total $375 per year, which includes an annual NABT membership.
• Participant support costs total $2500 per year and can be covered by sponsoring organizations or schools.

AP Biology Leadership Academy Overview

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TEACHERS’ EVOLUTION WORKSHOP 2012

Teacher Workshop: Evolution in Oklahoma and Texas Science Classes

Who: Oklahoma and Texas Middle level and High school science teachers and students in science education

When: Friday Oct. 5 (6:00 PM) through Sunday Oct. 7, 2012 (3:00 PM)

Where: The University of Oklahoma Biological Station on Lake Texoma, OK

Topics covered will include:

• The latest developments in evolutionary biology and anthropological genetics
• Curriculum development and state standards
• Resources on teaching evolution for teachers
• Discussion of participants’ favorite lesson plans and classroom experiences
• Dealing with classroom and community controversy
• Legislation and the political landscape.

Participants will earn a certificate of participation for professional development credit.

Instructors include:

• Julie Angle (Teaching and Curriculum Leadership, OSU)
• Dr Richard Broughton (Zoology, OU)
• Dr. Ola Fincke (Zoology, OU)
• Dr. Victor Hutchison (Zoology, OU)
• Dr. Cecil Lewis (Anthropology, OU)
• Dr. Joseph Maness (Biological Sciences, Southwestern OSU)
• Bob Melton (Science Curriculum Specialist, Putnam City Schools)
• Dr. Stanley Rice (Biological Sciences, Southeastern OSU)

All materials (including two books on teaching evolution), accommodations, and meals at the UOBS are included.  The only cost for participants is a $25 registration fee. Registration deadline is Sept. 14, 2012. Early registration is advised as places are limited to 30 registrants.

Further information, registration forms and payment information are on-line at:

www.oklascience.org/teachers.pdf and at www.ou.edu/uobs/teachers.htm.

Presented by Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education, the National Science Foundation (NSF-0845314), and the University of Oklahoma Biological Station

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2012 OSTA Fall Conference

School just finished for the year… Time to get ready for next Fall!

The OSTA Fall Conference, the largest and best science professional development opportunity in the state will take place Saturday, November 10th at the University of Central Oklahoma.“Saving The World Through Science”

1. – get out your calendar and mark the date.

2. – submit your proposal to present.  This year all proposals will be submitted using our convenient on-line form.  DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DEADLINE!  Space is limited.

3. – nominate yourself or someone you know for an position on the OSTA Board. The following Board positions are accepting nominations: Vice-President / President-Elect, Middle Level Division Director, College/University Division Director,  District II, Northwest Representative (North of I-40 and West of I-35),  District IV, Souteast Representative (South of I-40 and East of I-35),  District VI, Within the boundaries of Oklahoma City Pubic Schools.  Submit your nomination online HERE.

4. – nominate yourself or someone else you know for an OSTA Award using our electronic nomination submissions forms.  Each year the OSTA awards program seeks to recognize outstanding elementary, middle school, high school and college science teachers.  We also honor outstanding contributions to science education in Oklahoma with OSTA’s highest award, the Jack Renner Award, named for the late, esteemed Science Education Professor from the University of Oklahoma. 

If you are exhibitor - OSTA is now accepting reservations for exhibit space at the conference.  Exhibit space utilizes the primary halls and the atrium of Howell Hall on the UCO campus.  Commercial vendors  and non-profit exhibitors pay a nominal fee  for exhibit space.  Book your exhibit space using our ON-LINE FORM.

All  program presenters must register for the conference.

Ready to Register for the Conference?  Click the link to register for the 2012 OSTA Fall Conference.  Register Securely Online

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“Team Oklahoma” competes at ISEF

The Intel ISEF is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition and was held May 13-18, 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA. It is the premier global science competition for students in grades 9–12. Each year more than 1,500 high school students from about 70 countries, regions, and territories display their independent research and compete for over $3 million in awards.

Jack Andraka, 15, of Crownsville, Md. was awarded first place for his new method to detect pancreatic cancer at this year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), a program of Society for Science & the Public. Based on diabetic test paper, Jack created a simple dip-stick sensor to test blood or urine to determine whether or not a patient has early-stage pancreatic cancer. His study resulted in over 90 percent accuracy and showed his patent-pending sensor to be 28 times faster, 28 times less expensive and over 100 times more sensitive than current tests. Jack received the Gordon E. Moore Award, of $75,000, named in honor of Intel co-founder and retired chairman and CEO.

Nicholas Schiefer, 17, of Pickering, Ontario, Canada and Ari Dyckovsky, 18, of Leesburg, Va., each received the Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award of $50,000.

Jenna Reed Huling, the big Oklahoma winner is a senior from Ada High School in Ada.  She received two awards for her environmental science project.  The first was $8000 tuition scholarship from the Office of Naval Research on behalf of the United States Navy and Marine Corps.  Her project entitled “Enhanced Adsorption of Arsenic on Aquifer Solids and Soil, Phase II: Oxidative Treatment and Feasibility Assessment” also won the ISEF third place award in her category.  For this she received $1,000.

The second winner was Joseph Christopher Woodson, an 18 year old home-schooled student from Tulsa.  He was recognized by the American Meteorological Society.  His research earned him a $2000 award plus a certificate, an AMS Journal/Bulletin Archive DVD, and a one-year student membership to the AMS. Joseph’s computer science project is “Efficient Automated Generation and Dissemination of Meteorological Data Representations.”

Samantha Elizabeth Grace Curran was the third winner.  She received a United States Army Award of $1,500, a certificate of achievement, and a gold medallion.  Her biochemistry research is entitled Sweet Poison:  A Second Year Study.  Samantha is a senior from Southmoore High School in Moore.

The other Oklahoma students who displayed their science and engineering projects at ISEF were:  Chandler Holliman and Catherine Hine, 9^th graders from Bartlesville Mid-High School; Hayden Allen and Gage Holleman from Cascia Hall Preparatory School, Tulsa 10^th graders; Hannah Pagels a 10^th grader from Grove High School; Mishana Ellison, a Latta High School 10^th grader; Mattie Dragoo an 11 grader from Muskogee High School; and Jake Evans and Dakota Keys 10^th graders from Vici Public Schools.  All twelve students earned the right to attend ISEF by competing in one of the eight ISEF affiliated Oklahoma regional fairs and Oklahoma State Science and Engineering Fair.  Over 5000 student projects competed at school fairs that lead into the Oklahoma fairs.

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NSELA Summer Leadership Institute

The National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA) and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) invite you to attend a Summer Leadership Institute, June 24–28, 2012 in Austin, Texas. This immersive experience will bring together scores of individual science educators, teams (leaders and teachers), and administrators to explore the K–12 Framework and draft Next Generation Science Standards and:

• determine key features of each, noting comparisons, contrasts and shifts in focus,
• identify the “next steps,” develop a deep understanding of supporting research for reform,
• engage in the use of models and vignettes to demonstrate the practice of science,
• apply new knowledge to each participant’s own unique professional environment,
• build an action plan for implementation.

Featured speakers will share their insights throughout the four-day Institute, and many differentiated breakout sessions provide smaller groups the ability to challenge the status quo and build a personal or team plan of action for implementation into their classrooms, schools, and districts. Breakout sessions will be facilitated by individuals who are on the NGSS writing teams and will offer first-hand knowledge of both the content and the intent of the standards.

• Lance Rougeux, Discovery Education, has been featured in thePhiladelphia Inquirer and was recently highlighted in The Emergency Teacher, a book about urban teaching which termed Lance “the best teacher in Philadelphia.” Lance spearheaded many statewide initiatives including Keystones, a program recognized as a success story in the U.S. Department of Education’s National Education Technology Plan, and eSPARC, a research endeavor called the “gold” standard of scientifically-based research by eSchool News.
• Stephen L. Pruitt, Ph.D.- Vice President, Content, Research and Development, Director of Science, Achieve. Pruitt is leading the development of the Next Generation Science Standards.
• Harold Pratt was President of NSTA in 2001-2002 and a Senior Program Officer at the National Research Council where he helped to develop the National Science Education Standards. He has co-authored or directed the development of three science textbooks and published numerous articles and book chapters. He is currently a science education consultant and serves as an advisor to NSTA on standards-related efforts.
• Dr. Martin Storksdieck is director of the Board on Science Education at the National Research Council where he oversees a wide range of studies related to science education and science learning. His prior research focused on informal or free-choice learning, including learning science from media and connecting schools and out-of-school settings.
• Sam Zigrossi works with education systems that partner with the Dana Center as well as providing direct client services to leaders in education. Previously, Zigrossi had a 29-year career with IBM holding positions such as education manager, personnel director, site services director, and education client executive. He represented IBM in its education outreach program, which donated over $1 million to school systems.

Visit http://www.nsta.org/pd/nsela/ for an agenda, biographies of the speakers, and to register for this outstanding opportunity.

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BioBlitz! 2012

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NSTA’s Science Matters

First Public Draft of Next Generation Science Standards Released—Comment Period Open Until June 1

The first draft of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) was released on May 11 and will be online for public comment until June 1.

Access the vast variety of NSTA resources and materials on NGSS (including background information) and the FREE NSTA Reader’s Guide to A Framework for K–12 Science Education, an important companion to the Framework that will help science educators prepare for the standards. Visit NSTA’s Next Generation Science Standards Forums in the NSTA Learning Center or sign up today for the comprehensive NSELA/NSTA Summer Leadership Institute, which will focus on NGSS, scheduled for June 24–28, 2012, in Austin, Texas.

New Report Links Students’ Interest in STEM to Technology in Classroom

A survey of students and educators finds children are more likely to have an interest in STEM fields when their classroom’s instructional model incorporates personalized learning strategies, digital technology, and social media. The survey results are contained in Mapping a Personalized Learning Journey—K–12 Students and Parents Connect the Dots with Digital Learning, from Project Tomorrow’s Speak Up 2011 National Research Project.

According to the report, only 20 percent of children in traditional classrooms—where instruction is teacher centered and the use of technology is minimal or nonexistent—expressed an interest in pursuing STEM fields, compared to 27 percent of technology-infused classrooms with both student-directed and teacher-directed instruction models.

The report also argues that the impending implementation of the common core state standards and the assessments that will accompany them, combined with the “continuing national self-interest in attracting more students to the STEM fields,” gives a “greater urgency” to transforming the in-school learning process through personalization enabled by technology.

Feminizing Science and Math Role Models Discourages Female Students From Pursuing STEM Fields According to New Study

Efforts to promote more feminine role models in STEM fields may actually be discouraging middle schools girls from pursuing these fields, according to a new study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science.

The first study found middle school girls who read about the blatant female role models reduced the students’ interest, perceived ability, and future expectations in math, and they showed less interest in taking future math classes in high school and college than girls who read about role models with non-STEM-specific achievements. Study 2 suggested that girls who already disliked science or felt disconnected from it were even more likely to reject the feminine STEM role model than girls who like science already.

“The bottom line, though, is that this research suggests that we don’t need to make role models or STEM fields ‘girly’ to motivate girls,” they told me. “Instead, we should turn to what we already know makes a helpful role model. Girls have to feel like they can relate to or identify with the female scientists they see and learn about. … Female role models should also be shown as actively involved in science rather than passive observers or tokens: show women really using equipment and conducting research. Teaching girls about what scientists and engineers really do, and especially highlighting their social usefulness and communal aspects, has been found to be motivating for girls.”

U.S. Students Show Slight Improvement on Science Test; No Cause For Optimism, Says NSTA

The science results of the 2011 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), also known as The Nation’s Report Card, were released last week by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB). The results showed that the average eighth grade science score rose from 150 in 2009 to 152 in 2011, a small increase, but still far below 170, which is considered science proficiency on the test’s 300-point scale.

The NAEP data also revealed that score gaps between white and black students and between white and Hispanic students narrowed slightly from 2009 to 2011. In comparison to 2009, average science scores  in 2011 were one point higher for white students, three points higher for black students, and five points higher for Hispanic students.

NAEP tested a nationally representative sample of 122,000 students in 8th grade from 7,290 public and private schools. Among the 47 states that chose to participate in both years, scores were only higher in 16 states—Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Said Interim Executive Director Dr. Gerry Wheeler, “There is no cause for optimism regarding the science results of the 2011 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Overall, the results show miniscule gains in student achievement. The majority of our eighth-grade students still fall below the proficiency level… When you consider the importance of being scientifically literate in today’s global economy, these scores are simply unacceptable.”

Click here to read NSTA’s official statement regarding the science results of the 2011 National Assessment of Education Progress.

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