Science Newsletter
February 23, 2016
Tips for prompting students to demonstrate reasoning
Tasks that prompt students to show their reasoning are great for formative assessment purposes, but only if they help you delve deeply into what students are thinking! This form may be useful to consider when asking students to write evidence-‐based explanations.
Table: A New Vision for Science Education
OKSci Blog
OSTA website is back!
Free Speedometry kits available from Hot Wheels
Summer camps for 6-12th graders
These are free to Oklahoma students. Most are focused on STEM topics.
More information available at http://youth.ou.edu
San Diego Zoo teacher workshops
The Conservation Education Division of the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research invites you to apply for our Teacher Workshops in Conservation Science professional learning program in the summer of 2016! To date, we have hosted 805 educators from all 50 states and 3 countries over the course of 10 years, and we are looking forward to selecting our 11th cohort of participants for this summer.
Each year we invite educators from around the nation (and the world!) to our research headquarters in Escondido, CA to learn about headline scenarios in wildlife conservation. During the program, participants engage in activities that focus on critical issues facing endangered species using a variety of advanced technical tools and techniques; all activities support the Next Generation Science Standards and can be implemented back in the classroom. In addition to several cutting-edge lab and field activities, the program includes all meals and lodging (see available session dates below) and a $500 stipend paid upon completion of the full program.
Available sessions:
July 11-14th
July 18-21st
July 25-28th
August 1-4th
This year, we have expanded our program format to include an extra day and night. This is a residency-style program, and full attendance for all 4 days and 3 nights is required. Each session begins at 10am Monday morning and ends at 3pm Thursday afternoon. All costs during this time are covered by the program, and the participant is responsible for any travel expenses incurred outside of the program run-time. Also new this year, participant lodging will be at a local hotel, with transportation to and from the program site provided.
Please use this link to apply for our 2016 program!
institute.sandiegozoo.com/forms/2016-teacher-workshops-conservation-science-application
The Science Friday Educator Collaborative
The Science Friday Initiative is conducting a nationwide search for creative, highly motivated, and dedicated STEM educators to participate in the collaborative development of new multimedia-driven education resources. You’ll work directly with Science Friday staff to produce and share compelling approaches to STEM education inspired by interviews and stories from real scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. Science Friday will support your work with stunning visuals and multimedia, and will then share your content with a larger audience.
Why should I participate?
Participants in the collaborative will receive:
- An opportunity to demonstrate your education expertise and insight to a large audience.
- Creative and editorial guidance from Science Friday to develop educational resources.
- A virtual visit to your classroom from a scientist, engineer, or mathematician, drawn from Science Friday’s community of STEM professionals.
- Materials for implementing your activities with your students.
- Bragging rights! The Science Friday Educator Collaborative is a nationally competitive program with only a select number of participants.
- Connections to educator peers who are creating and sharing compelling approaches to STEM education across the nation.
- Science Friday Swag (T-shirt!).
- A byline. The multimedia-supported educational resource you develop will be featured on www.sciencefriday.com.
Oh, and did we mention that you’ll also receive an honorarium of $500.00 for your work?
Who can participate?
Any educator working full-time with K-12 students in a classroom, after-school program, zoo, museum, or any other informal educational institution or program. Educators must have a proven track record of designing and implementing original educational experiences for students. Educators must have completed a minimum of three years in their setting and must submit the contact information for an administrator or supervisor who can attest to their professional excellence as an instructor and facilitator. Selected applicants must be available for two remote orientation sessions the week of April 11, 2016 after 4 p.m. PST/7 p.m. EST.
This sounds like me! How do I apply?
- Complete the online application.
- Email your resume and one original education resource that you have created to EdCollab2016@sciencefriday.com.
Please save your supporting documents as PDFs with the following naming convention: LastnameFirstname_resume.pdf, and LastnameFirstname_worksample.pdf - All application materials are due Friday March 11, 2016, by 5 p.m. EST.
When will I know I am selected?
Educators will be notified whether or not they have been selected by March 31, 2016.
What happens once I’ve been selected?
We’ll get right down to it! The first two web-based trainings will occur after 4 p.m. PST/7 p.m. EST the week of April 11, 2016. Attendance at these web-based meetings is mandatory. (We will choose specific dates that week based on participant availability).
What are the program requirements in a nutshell?
- Participate in four web-based trainings.
- Orientation/Program Expectations (week of April 11, 2016)
- Resource Creation & Publishing (week of April 11, 2016)
- Creation of Visual Media and Digital Artifacts (week of May 9, 2016)
- Effective Digital Resource Promotion (Late summer 2016)
- Create, revise, refine, and work with Science Friday staff to create an original educational resource (lesson plan, activity, strategy, game, experiment, or other learning experience based on one or more Science Friday multimedia artifacts).
- Provide constructive feedback on two peer-generated resources.
- Create a digital artifact showing the use of your educational resource by students.
- Complete pre- and post-program evaluation surveys.
If you’re excited to improve your professional practice, get your work published, and join an amazing community of STEM educators, please complete the online application and send your resume and one original education resource that you have created to EdCollab2016@sciencefriday.com. We look forward to working with you!
Sincerely,
The Science Friday Education Team
www.sciencefriday.com/educate
Aerospace summer academies for students
Rogers State University Pryor will host two new aerospace-themed academies this summer thanks to a grant from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
AeroCamp Summer Academy will challenge students 8th through 11th grade to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts by working hands-on with aerospace-related devices. OSRHE’s 2016 Summer Academies Program provided an $18,000 grant for the camps, which will allow them to be free for participating students.
RSU Pryor will hold two five-day academies that will give students the theory, skills and application they need to compete on an accelerated level. The academies will be held on June 6-10 and July 11-15 in collaboration with area high schools and industries within the MidAmerica Industrial Park, such as Google, the Cherokee Nation Aerospace Industries and Tulsa Life Flight.
“We want to get junior and high school students excited about STEM-related activities,” said Sherry Alexander, Director of the RSU Pryor campus. “The extended format with these five-day camps will really allow students to explore math and science in a fun way that will spark their desire to learn and excel in these fields.”
AeroCamp Summer Academy has three goals: to equip students to thrive in technology-driven professions; to inform students about the advantages of higher education; and to teach students about teamwork, mentoring and leadership.
During the week, students will be challenged to apply STEM concepts by working hands-on with rockets, remote-controlled helicopters, quads (drones), and blimps. College prep and career exploration components will also be offered to stimulate interest and excitement in higher education.
For more information about AeroCamp Summer Academy, contact the RSU Pryor campus at 918-825-6117 or email Alexander at salexander@rsu.edu.
Authentic Research Experience for Teachers (Grades 6-12)
Great Summer Workshop Opportunity for Secondary Science Teachers!
To register, go to: http://k20.ou.edu/are2016
The University of Oklahoma’s K20 Center as a partner in the National Science Foundation’s Oklahoma EPSCoR project is please to invite Secondary Science Teachers of grades 6-12 to apply for this year’s Authentic Research Experience for Teachers (ARET) summer four-day workshop, studying environments and ecosystems in SE Oklahoma. During the four-day experience teachers actively participate in scientific field research as well as work closely with science curriculum specialists to translate their research into classroom ready learning experiences for their students. This workshop includes follow up meetings with science curriculum specialists during the fall semester to assist in lesson reflection.
ARET will be held June 6-9, 2016 at the Kiamichi Forest Research Center near Idabel. Lodging, travel, breakfast and lunch, a stipend, and support for lesson materials will be provided for the selected teachers.
For more information, contact Quentin Biddy at quentinbiddy@ou.edu 405-325-1267 or Janis Slater at jslater@ou.edu 405-325-1267
Oklahoma Envirothon Competition
The 2016 Oklahoma Envirothon state competition will be held Friday, April 1, at The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, but now is the time to sign up and begin preparations. Noble Academy, the Noble Foundation's youth education and outreach program, will host the competition.
The Oklahoma Envirothon challenges teams from high schools across Oklahoma in a winner-take-all, science-based competition that focuses on natural resources and environmental issues. "This competition is an exciting, fun way for students to learn about the environment and the challenges facing current and future generations," said Frank Hardin, Ph.D., Noble Academy education outreach manager. "The Oklahoma Envirothon will demonstrate the role we have in important environmental issues through in-class curriculum and hands-on field experiences."
Schools will assemble a five-person team, which then will study resource materials to learn the fundamentals of natural resources management in five areas of study: aquatic ecology, forestry, soils and land use, wildlife, and a special topic. The resource materials are available on the website at www.oklaenvirothon.org.
By working alongside natural resource professionals and scientists, students will:
Learn about soil structure, interpret maps, and evaluate land forms and soil characteristics that affect agriculture and development issues.
Asses the quality of delicate aquatic ecosystems, identify aquatic organisms, manage watersheds and determine nonpoint source pollution.
Develop an understanding of the practices for maintaining healthy forest ecosystems and learn the basics of species identification, forest structure and dynamics, as well as management approaches.
Learn about animal populations, their dynamics and the importance of habitat conservation.
Explore the facets of current environmental issues and illustrate the complexity of real-life environmental decisions.
Students will have the opportunity to travel to different parts of Oklahoma and work with experts in each of the areas to address real-life environmental issues affecting the state, gain new perspectives about the world and learn about potential careers.
The Oklahoma Envirothon state competition will include written challenges, presentations and field experiences. Noble Academy will sponsor the winners of the state competition to travel to and compete in the international competition in Ontario, Canada.
A completed team packet must be submitted and postmarked no later than Friday, March 4, 2016. For more information and to register, please visit www.oklaenvirothon.org. For questions, please contact Frank Hardin, Ph.D., at cfhardin@noble.org or Will Moseley at wamoseley@noble.org.
National Youth Science Camp
Announcing: Great Opportunity for Graduating Seniors!
The National Youth Science Camp is a residential science education program that honors and challenges two graduating high school science students from each state. Scientists from across the nation present lectures and hands-on science seminars and linger to interact informally with student delegates.
The NYSC will be held in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virgina
Delegates must be able to attend the entire NYSC program held June 15, 2016 – July 10, 2016
The NYSC is offered at NO COST to its participants
Students can apply at: https://nysc.fluidreview.com/
Cool Website: What If?
Standards overview videos
Over the past year and a half, we have spent quite a bit of time talking about the new Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science. Yet, the idea of three dimensions of science may still seem a little bit foreign to us. Bozeman Science has created a video series that may help to demystify individual components of each of the three dimensions. Check the videos out! I recommend that PLCs get together and watch as a group. The link to all of the videos is below.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLllVwaZQkS2rtZG_L7ho89oFsaYL3kUWqJSHS High School Competition
The JSHS competition provides high school students with the opportunity to present their original research for cash scholarships (http://www.jshs.org). Students in grades 9-12 who have conducted original research are eligible to compete in this event. It is very similar to OJAS in that students submit a research paper (see JSHS website for requirements and guidelines) and then present their research to a panel of judges. Below is a Save the Date blurb but I have also attached a flyer (see attachment). There is no cost to register. Hotel and food are covered by JSHS. Teachers will also receive a small stipend for sponsoring students and the teacher with the most students in the final round of competition may receive a $500 teacher award. If you have questions please let me know. It is a wonderful opportunity for students to get recognized for their research. Please visit http://education.okstate.edu/oknjshs for registration deadlines and paper expectations.
Boyce Thompson Institute’s Curriculum Development Projects in Plant Biology
Are you a STEM educator interested in plant biology?
Do you want your classroom want to connect with world-class researchers?
Would you like to create curriculum based on the latest discoveries in life sciences?
Join scientists and educators from across the nation to explore the connections among the plant sciences, agriculture, bioenergy, biotechnology, environment, genetics, and your classroom!
The Boyce Thompson Institute’s Curriculum Development Projects in Plant Biology program – a weeklong intensive professional development opportunity for 7-12th grade and community college science teachers - will be held July 18-22, 2016 at BTI, located on Cornell University’s campus in beautiful Ithaca, NY.
Learn and design new plant-based curriculum that integrates into STEM courses and aligns with NGSS standards.
Curriculum Topics and Projects will include:
· Algae and Biodiesel
· Biotechnology and U.S. Agriculture
· Epigenetics
· Plant-Insect Interactions
· Virus Biology
· Research in the Classroom
Teachers interested in bringing scientific discovery and inquiry-based learning to the classroom are encouraged to apply. Selected teachers will receive access to BTI’s Classroom Experiment Kits, Lesson Plans, and Faculty Expertise.
On-campus housing, some meals, a travel award, and stipend will be provided to teachers who successfully complete the program. Up to 70 professional development credit hours can be provided.
Learn more and apply today! http://bti.cornell.edu/teachers
Contact:
Becky Sims
Teaching Lab Coordinator
Boyce Thompson Institute
607-254-2343
This program is funded in part by the National Science Foundation
Traditional vs. 21st Century Learners
Important Dates
- OSTA/OCTM Conference- June 10
- Middle school benchmark windows: March 7-11, May 9-14 (no May benchmark for 8th grade)
- High school benchmark windows: March 7-11, May 9-14 (no May benchmark for Biology/PreAP Biology)
Updated curriculum documents
- 6th grade SOAR guide (also available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gyG7ghAs93HtjQ76XEulJ69HRiBePpsf70oMwD7pluk/edit?usp=sharing)
- 6th grade timeline (also available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gGnRqT-F924_FMd8262jIIycY28_CUVGKVjnSilxiSM/edit?usp=sharing)
- 7th grade SOAR guide (also available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iGcXrhsdJbTXJ5axhVeRy95Gb2stGyHTyk_xEFdXQe0/edit?usp=sharing)
- 7th grade timeline (also available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1riDGFqo6y05IYnHUtAtXksxeMqAvlOkFDUuy_sVPask/edit?usp=sharing)
- Middle school benchmark calendar
- Chemistry and PreAP Chemistry Scope and Sequence Guides (also available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PFmKvC4xjvS6ehLEJfsVx9eIt7n4lnfFVZBj8BcwaSc/edit?usp=sharing)
- High school benchmark calendar
- These, as well as guides for other courses under development
- Please invite me to your PLCs to continue work on these documents
Get connected!
And for those of you Tweeters (Twitterers?), you can connect with other EPS science teachers using the hash tag #EPSstem. I would also encourage you to use this hashtag to show off all of the cool things that are going on in your class! And don't forget to follow the official EPS science page @EPSscience while you're there.
There might be random awesome gifts given to frequent social media users. (hint, hint)