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AP Meeting

Focus on Science

Presentation Link: https://goo.gl/RkZrkn

(Case sensitive, lowercase letter l after second g)

February 23, 2016

Sunset High School

Jennifer McCluan

Samantha Thacker (BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!)

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Outcomes

Understanding of the major conceptual shifts associated with NGSS
Awareness of district science plan and timeline
Identification of the key changes inherent in the chosen Integrated Middle School course model
Awareness of the distinctions between and implications of the three state proposed High School course models

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The Goals of NGSS

ALL students…

have some appreciation of the beauty and wonder of science
possess sufficient knowledge of science and engineering to engage in public discussion on related issues
are careful consumers of scientific and technological information related to their everyday lives
are able to continue to learn about science outside school
have the skills to enter careers of their choice, including (but not limited to) careers in science, engineering, and technology.”

---(NRC Framework, page 1)

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What Effect Will Sunlight Have on the Materials Displayed?

What else does this make you wonder?

3 minutes (8:05 - 8:08 am)

Ask participants to think about the effect that sunlight will have on the materials displayed in the placemat. What have they observed related to the phenomena? What do you wonder about it? Tell participants to record their thoughts on paper. When everyone has had time to record their thoughts, ask participants to discuss their ideas with their group.

Reconvene the group and chart the answers from the questions in the slide and additional questions from the group.

Conclude the conversation by summarizing the major points: 1) different materials have different properties when exposed to sunlight. These properties are observable by the fact that they do feel warm, hot or cold. 2) Sunlight is a form of energy that is being transferred to the materials. 3) If it did not come out from the participants, point out that AIR is also one of the materials in the picture. Air also has specific properties when exposed to sunlight.

Remind the participants that all the activities presented in this

session involve transfer and absorption of energy from one source to the other and make observations about the effects that this transfer of energy has on the materials in the system. The session focuses on understanding this concept using modeling, argumentation, and explanation.

In this first activity the main source of energy is the sun, which transfer energy to different materials (water, rocks, metal, wood, air, etc.). The different materials absorb energy in different ways depending on their properties.

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Cube and Ice Investigation

Place blocks on paper towel.
Predict: What will happen if you put the ice cube on top of the blocks?
Place a cube of ice on top each block simultaneously.
Observe and record what happens in the next few minutes.

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Cube and Ice Investigation Continued...

Using Handout H1:
�Draw and label observations at beginning, during, and after a few minutes.
What is the source of energy in these phenomena?
�Generate a question about what you observed.

�Why is the ice melting faster/slower ________?

�Generate your preliminary answer to your question.

�I think _________ because _________

�Share ideas with your table group. Do you all have the same ideas?
�Be ready to debrief with whole group.

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Developing a Scientific Model and Engaging in Argument

A model is a simplified representation of a system or phenomenon
�Central features are made explicit and visible (including those that are not observable with eyes)
�Appropriate labels are included to clarify the model’s components
A model allows opportunities to explain what we think is happening (to make the invisible visible)
Models are revisable
�Discussion of models or parts of the model allows to engage in argument with evidence.

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Candle in a Jar Phenomenon

Our next phenomenon is also related to the transfer of energy from one source to different materials
What happens when you place a jar over a burning candle in 100 mL of water?
Write a prediction

I predict _________ because __________ .

Conduct the experiment
Record your observations and sketch a model (make your thinking visible)
Discuss with your group
Refine and develop a group model

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Understanding NGSS

How are the activities we have experienced this morning different than what we have done in science classrooms previously/currently?

Which NGSS Dimensions did we use in this activity?

Science and Engineering Practices?
Cross Cutting Concepts?
Disciplinary Core Ideas?

Which Physical Science NGSS Performance Expectation is best associated with these investigations?

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NGSS Performance Expectations

Represent what a student should be able to do by the end of instruction
Blend together the three dimensions (practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas/content)
“Physical Science” performance expectations do not make a distinction between chemistry and physics
How do the NGSS performance expectations differ from our previous California Content Standards?
How might assessments differ from our previous CST exams?

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Three Dimensional Learning

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KEY NGSS SHIFTS
Science Education Will Involve Less	Science Education Will Involve More
Rote memorization of facts and terminology	Facts and terminology learned as needed while developing explanations and designing solutions supported by evidence
Learning of ideas disconnected from questions about phenomena	Systems thinking and modeling to explain phenomena and to give a context for the ideas to be learned
Teachers providing information to the whole class	Students conducting investigations, solving problems, and engaging in discussions with teachers’ guidance
Teachers posing questions with only one right answer	Students discussing open-ended questions that focus on the strength of the evidence used to generate claims
Students reading textbooks and answering questions at the end of the chapter	Students reading multiple sources, including science-related magazine, journal articles and web resources; students developing summaries of information.
Pre-planned outcome for “cookbook” laboratories or hands-on activities	Multiple investigations driven by students’ questions with a range of possible outcomes that collectively lead to a deep understanding of core scientific ideas
Worksheets	Writing of journals, reports, posters, and presentations that explain and argue
Oversimplification for students who are perceived to be less able to do science	Provision of supports so that all students can engage in sophisticated science and engineering practices

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Challenges and Opportunities with NGSS

Science is a process and not the accumulation of facts
Standards as assessments (Performance Expectations) versus content alone (Students know…)
Science in Three Dimensions

Science and Engineering Practices
Crosscutting Concepts
Disciplinary Core Ideas

Focus on explaining phenomena
Engineering (designing solutions to problems)
Science for ALL students (access and equity)

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5E Lesson Model

Overview of the 5Es

Identify the 5E Stage for each lesson component

Metal vs. wooden slide
Cube and ice investigation
Candle in a jar demo

All science teachers will implement 5E lesson this school year

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It’s Time to Split...

into Middle and High School Groups

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Middle School

Samantha Thacker

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“All Standards, All Students”

Why do we think it is important for all students to experience content in Earth-Space, Life, Physical Science, and Engineering?

Does our current course sequence support this NGSS philosophy?

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Overview of Middle School Models

Grade Level	Alternate Discipline-Specific	Both Models	Preferred Integrated
6th	Earth-Space	Address all 58 Middle School Performance Expectations (they are arranged differently)	Climate arises from systems interactions and strongly influences organism structures and functions
7th	Life Science		Natural processes and human activities shape earth’s web of life
8th	Physical Science		Earth and Space Science content provides the conceptual “glue” by separately linking with physical science (solar system, orbital motions, and asteroid collisions) and with life science (human impacts on biodiversity and geologic time scale via fossils in rock strata).

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Timeline

Spring

2019

MS: 7th & 8th

HS: 9th, 10th, 11th Grades Implement NGSS Courses

Operational Assessment

(Anticipated 8th & 11th)

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Fall

2019

Fall

2018

MS: 7th & 8th

HS: 9th & 10th Grades Implement NGSS Courses

Spring

2018

Fall

2017

Field Assessment

(Anticipated 8th &11th)

MS: 7th Grade Only

HS: 9th Grade Only Implement NGSS Courses

Spring

2018

Spring

2017

Pilot Assessment

(Anticipated 8th &11th)

Fall

2016

MS: Curricular Planning and Instructional Shifts

HS: Course Model Recommendation and Instructional Shifts

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Teacher Credentialing

All current middle school teachers in our district are credentialed to teach integrated and physical and/or life science for domain-specific model

Link to Teacher Credentialing Document

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Middle School Discussion Continued

As we enter this conceptual shift in how we teach science, how do we support teachers who are reluctant/struggling to change?
7th Grade Life Science Teacher Concerns about Health Standards
Expectation that teachers will teach all science disciplines
What additional questions do you have about middle school science?

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Wrap-Up and Thank You!

What opportunities does NGSS bring that we have heard teachers discuss?

What concerns/challenges accompany NGSS?

What questions remain?

What is your big take-away from today?

Thank you for your support of science!

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High School

Jennifer McCluan

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“All Standards, All Students”

Why do we think it is important for all students to experience content in Earth-Space, Life, Physical Science, and Engineering?

Does our current course sequence support this NGSS philosophy?

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Overview of High School Models

Model A: Modified Science Domains (Three Year with Earth-Space Integrated in Each)
Biology (+ Earth & Space)	Chemistry (+ Earth & Space)	Physics (+ Earth & Space)
Model B: Conceptual Progressions Three Year Integrated (More Coordinated than Integrated)
Integrated Science #1	Integrated Science #2	Integrated Science #3
Model C: Science Domains (Four Course Model)
Biology	Chemistry	Physics	Earth-Space

*Note that these models originate from the CA NGSS Rollout #2, and the table was adapted from the San Diego County Office of Education NGSS Resource Page (scroll down to see possible models) and the CA Science Framework 11-17-15 Draft

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Timeline

Spring

2019

MS: 7th & 8th

HS: 9th, 10th, 11th Grades Implement NGSS Courses

Operational Assessment

(Anticipated 8th & 11th)

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Fall

2019

Fall

2018

MS: 7th & 8th

HS: 9th & 10th Grades Implement NGSS Courses

Spring

2018

Fall

2017

Field Assessment

(Anticipated 8th &11th)

MS: 7th Grade Only

HS: 9th Grade Only Implement NGSS Courses

Spring

2018

Spring

2017

Pilot Assessment

(Anticipated 8th &11th)

Fall

2016

MS: Curricular Planning and Instructional Shifts

HS: Course Model Recommendation and Instructional Shifts

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High School Discussion

NGSS & course sequences represent an ENORMOUS shift for teachers (for all of us)
Magnitude of these changes have not yet “sunk in” for every teacher
Tendency to create separate tracks for students to support current courses
How can we support the conceptual shifts that accompany NGSS?

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Insights and Useful Perspectives

The Biology, Chemistry, Physics high school course sequence is more than 100 years old and order is based on alphabet (B, C, P)
High school science teachers love their content and view themselves as specialists (biologist, chemist, physicist, etc.)
There is a “hierarchy” of sorts that exists in science
The NGSS “Earth-Space” content is very different (think capstone course level) than the current course content
Why does science have to be hard? Why do teachers cling to this?
Scientists are skeptics by nature; they question (and worry) about everything!

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Wrap-Up and Thank You!

What opportunities does NGSS bring that we have heard teachers discuss?

What concerns/challenges accompany NGSS?

What questions remain?

What is your big take-away from today?

Thank you for your support of science!