Greetings Science Educators!
I hope you enjoyed the beautiful fall weather this year and that you were able to find time to do a few outdoor investigations with your students. I’ve been working overtime with the Writing Team and the Draft Team to finalize the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science. I know many of you have been patiently waiting for the draft version of the standards and I am happy to announce that they are in the final stages of formatting! You can look for them on the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s website in the next couple of weeks. I will send an announcement out through the Science Listserve and provide a direct link to their location as soon as they are posted.
In this message I’m launching a new arm of support, OKSci PD ON YOUR PLAN. OKSci PD on Your Plan is an attempt to provide educators across the state with opportunities for learning and professional growth at times that are most convenient for them. The goal of OKSci PD on Your Plan is to provide an ongoing series of modules developed over topics of interest and need by Oklahoma science teachers. I will work with science educators across the state to share some of the best practices they are utilizing in the classroom. OKSci PD on Your Plan will also leverage successful strategies being utilized across the nation. Teachers can use the modules independently or participate in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
1) OKSci PLC AT SCHOOL: The PD modules can be utilized by Professional Learning Communities by groups of science teachers at their school sites. The modules will contain activities for groups to participate in and reflection questions to encourage teachers to share thoughts, strategies, and best practices.
2) OKSci PLC IN THE CLOUD: Find yourself without an on-site PLC or if you prefer to participate in an on-site PLC and a PLC comprised of teachers outside your school, join OKSci PLC in the Cloud. Each module will be connected to a Google Document whereby teachers can respond to reflection questions and share thoughts, strategies, and best practices on a dynamic document with teachers across the state!
OKSci PD on Your Plan First Installment!
Claims Evidence and Reasoning: Preparing students for DOK 2 & 3 Questions (see link below)
: PD on Your Plan: Claims Evidence and Reasoning
FREE NSTA ARTICLES:
Science for Children: Assessing for Achievement: Formative Assessments are woven throughout a series of lessons structured on the 5E Instructional Model
: http://learningcenter.nsta.org/files/sc1303_29.pdf
Science Scope: Building Science Literacy by Reading Science News
: http://learningcenter.nsta.org/files/ss1303_20.pdf
The Science Teacher: What happens when you flip a switch: A series of hands-on investigations to help students understand what energy is and how we generate it.
: http://learningcenter.nsta.org/files/tst1308_33.pdf
Resources:
Launch into Engineering Design! Request a FREE Engineering Design Challenge Launcher from Mobile Area Education Foundation. This effective launcher mini-challenge is readily accessible, uses simple materials, and allows for multiple solutions – enabling learners to dive in quickly. Will their different solutions work to keep Ping-Pong-ball “people” safe in their cup “seats” at the end of a fast-dropping amusement park ride – without the use of seat belts?
Each launcher is a 2-part, 90-minute lesson that introduces a design challenge in math or science class and provides an opportunity for redesign in the other content area’s class. Moving from one content area classroom to another, students sort out some important ideas about teamwork – and then practice applying those ideas with new team members.
- E-mail Susan Pruet, EYE Program Director, spruet@maef.com, to request a complimentary copy of our Engineering Design Challenge Launcher, “Drop, Stop, Don’t Pop.”
Announcing for 2014: Student Spaceflight Experiments Program
- For details or go to http:ssep.ncesse.org
Environmental Education Grants Now Available
The Oklahoma Environmental Quality Education Committee invites qualified individuals to apply for a grant to promote enthusiasm in young people for learning about the environment and natural resources. You must be an Oklahoma teacher, public or private (Pre K – 12), school environmental club, youth group leader, and/or organization with a youth component to apply for the grant.
Applicants may apply for amounts from $100 up to $1,000 per grant. A total of $7,000 will be awarded in early 2014 to winning applicants. Eligible categories include: environmental club projects, green school efforts, edible school gardens, environmental education projects, outdoor classroom revitalization, and recycling and composting programs. Deadline for submission of grant applications is December 1, 2013. Recipients will be selected by December 31, 2013.
- For more information on this grant opportunity, please visit http://www.deq.state.ok.us/pubs/lpd/eegrant2012.pdfor contact Skylar McElhaney at skylar.mcelhaney@deq.ok.gov.
Professional Development Opportunities:
REAC3H Regionals 2014
The second round of REAC3H Regional professional development sessions will begin in January. The science sessions for elementary and secondary will focus on the new Oklahoma Academic Standards for science. This will include strategies for transitioning to the new science standards and assessment support for the current science standards (PASS 2011).
- Register at http://reac3hregionalpd.eventbrite.com/
Look for more dates to be added soon!
January 3rd and February 14th
The Oklahoma Conservation Commission and the Rogers County Conservation District invite you to spend the day learning all about trees. This 6-hour workshop will introduce you to the parts of the tree and their functions, methods for identifying trees, and the roles that trees play in the environment.
- See attached flyer for details and registration
2014-2015 Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching (DA) Program
By conducting educational research abroad, U.S. teachers gain new skills, learn new instructional methods and assessment methodologies and share best practices with international colleagues and students. Teachers also have the opportunity to expand their understanding of other cultures and international education systems that will enrich their U.S. schools and local communities with global perspectives.
Teachers may travel to: Chile, Finland, India, Israel, Mexico, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
- Application Deadline: December 15, 2013
- Application Info: http://www.fulbrightteacherexchange.org/application-tp2 .
Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program now accepting applications for the 2014-15 fellowship year:
The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program is now accepting applications for the 2014-15 fellowship year. The Einstein Fellowship seeks experienced and distinguished K 12 educators in fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to serve an 11-month fellowship appointment in a Federal agency or U.S. Congressional office. Applications are due December 4, 2013 and must be submitted through the online application system. For more information link below.
: http://www.trianglecoalition.org/einstein-fellows
Opportunities for Students:
Science Fest Oklahoma Registration:
ScienceFest is designed to foster scientific literacy while educating children about protecting the environment, conserving natural resources, and using alternative fuels and technologies. Educators plan a day packed with exciting exhibits, presentations, and hands-on demonstrations all developed to show the importance of scientific applications in the environment.
Date: April 24th 2014
Location: Oklahoma City Zoo
Register at http://www.sciencefestok.org/register.html
Science Assessment FAQ:
- Science Assessments will continue to be aligned to the PASS 2011 in 2013-2014, 2014-2015 and possibly 2015-2016.
- Science Assessments will continue to be given for grades/subjects 5, 8, and Biology 1.
- Science Assessments will continue to be multiple choice.
- Students might have a question on their English exam in 2014-2015 that requires them to respond to an informational text about science. The literacy assessed on the English exam in 2014-2015 will only assess students’ literacy skills associated with informational text in science. The students will not be assessed on science content on the English exams.
- I know many of you have questions about the process for science assessment standards setting. If you would like to know more about the process or if you are interested in being considered for future committees who conduct this work, please contact our Science Assessment Coordinator, Craig Walker at Craig.Walker@sde.ok.gov .
- Item Specifications, Blueprints, and Released Items
: http://www.ok.gov/sde/documents/2013-09-05/blue-prints-plds-item-specs
OKSci Message Survey:
Please complete the following survey to provide feedback on this and future OKSci Messages!
: Link to survey
Stay Connected
Follow me on Twitter: @tiffanyneill Facebook: #OKSci Hashtags: #oksde #OKSci #OKSTEM Sign Up for a Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ OKSci Resources: Classroom Strategies: http://www.scoop.it/t/oksci-classroom-strategies Website Resources Elementary: http://bit.ly/OSDE-SciElemLinks Website Resources Secondary: http://bit.ly/OSDE-SecScienceLinks Accessing Archived Science Messages: You can access Archived Science Messages I’ve sent out via the Oklahoma Science Teachers Association (OSTA) website. Scroll down to see previous posts. Science Listserv: Please encourage others to register for the science listserv and pass along the following registration link: Register for Science Listserv As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have! -Tiffany