NJSELA NEWS
February 19, 2015
CHEMICAL INVENTORY OVERSIGHT AND HANDLING WORKSHOP
NJSELA Past President Kevin Doyle will be hosting the member workshop on Chemical Management on May 19th from 8 - 11 am at Morris Knolls High School.
The Workshop will overview:
- Supervisor's role in Chemical Management
- Chemical Hygiene as a duty
- Chemical Inventory
- Common Issues in Chemical and/or Lab Safety
- Chemical Maintenance, Storage, and Ordering
This workshop is open to active NJSELA members for no cost, and additionally each supervisor can bring one teacher along as well.
Space is limited, to register for this workshop please go to: http://goo.gl/forms/DAK0R0YQNZ
DISTRICT SCIENCE SURVEYS
It's always interesting to see how science is handled across the state, and sometimes surprising. Did you know about half of the members who responded to our survey so far have reported course sequences where students can graduate without Physics?
Thinking about your course sequencing in the NGSS era? Who is doing earth science in 9th grade? Fill out the surveys and then check to see what your colleagues reported!
The links to the survey results are below:
SCIENCE KEEPS REMINDING US HOW AWESOME IT IS
By now everyone has heard about the "gravity waves" and that even when Einstein thought he was wrong he was still right.
Even if the study of the Universe and theoretical physics isn't your thing, you have to appreciate the absolute beauty of a discovery like this. Forget that this will provide us with a whole new lens to examine the universe. Forget that it will lead to discoveries that will cause us to reexamine everything we know. And forget about the cynics that will say this is a foolish pursuit of things that have no real application to the ordinary person.
At the end of the day endeavors such as this - going to the moon or creating a humongous particle accelerator - show what we are capable of in terms of imagination, drive, ingenuity, and the thirst for knowledge. It is pure - it's about asking big questions and working as hard as you possibly can to discover truth. This is why I love science, and it's why I hope my students and my children will develop this love too.
But that's just my opinion.
-Tom
NY Times Opinion piece by Lawrence Krauss, theoretical physicist
SPRING 2016 MEMBER WORKSHOPS
Leading Curriculum Change in the NGSS
- This workshop will focus on the action plan for implementing NGSS. Many districts are well into their plans but attendees are encouraged to share their progress and identify areas for modifying implementation. Focus will be on curriculum development, teacher training, and moving towards mastery.
- This workshop is targeted towards the new science supervisor with 1-2 years experience. Topics will focus on defining a leadership direction for your science department and summarizing the scope of responsibilities for a science supervisor. Participants for this workshop will be encouraged to contribute specific topics.
Click here to register your interest for any of these workshops.
This information will be used to determine location and date information.
NJSELA SHARED FOLDER - UPDATES
The NJSELA shared folder is LIVE at this link.
RECENT ADDITIONS: (Contributing Districts in parenthesis)
- Elementary NGSS Introduction Presentation (Madison)
- NGSS Units 6th-12th (New Brunswick)
- Sample Project Scoring Guide (New Brunswick)
- PhET Simulation NGSS Alignment (Hillsborough)
- Science Practices and Verbs (Hillsborough)
- Grades 6-8 NGSS Curriculum Documents (Tom's River)
- QSAC Walkthrough Checklists (Madison)
Reminder, this folder is available to active members. Check to see if we have you current with your 2016 membership at this link. If you have not gotten to renewing your membership yet, please go to the NJSELA Membership sign up page and follow the instructions found there.
If you are listed as an active 2016 member and still have an issue please contact our membership chair Eric Siegal at eric.siegal@wmtps.org.
UPCOMING NJDOE SCIENCE PD WORKSHOPS
No additions since the last newsletter.
Go to: https://education.state.nj.us/events/?p=a for more information and to sign up.
Translating the Biology Model Science Curriculum Framework into Local Curriculum
May 5: East Orange - Register by 4/21/16
Translating the Chemistry Model Science Curriculum Framework into Local Curriculum
March 4: Trenton - Register by 2/19/16
March 11: Stockton University - Register by 2/26/16
May 12: East Orange - Register by 4/28/16
Translating the Physics Model Science Curriculum Framework into Local Curriculum
March 22: East Orange – Register by 3/8/16
May 6: Trenton - Register by 4/22/16
May 26: Stockton University - Register by 5/12/16
Translating Capstone Earth & Space Sciences Model Science Curriculum Framework into Local Curriculum
March 10: Stockton University - Register by 2/25/16
Translating Middle School Earth&Space Sciences Model Sci Curriculum Framework into Local Curriculum
April 20: Stockton University - Register by 4/13/16
May 13: East Orange - Register by 4/29/16
Translating Middle School Life Science Model Science Curriculum Framework into Local Curriculum
April 15: Trenton - Register by 4/11/16
April 25: Stockton University - Register by 5/20/16
May 20: East Orange - Register by 5/6/16
Translating Middle School Physical Science Model Science Curriculum Framework into Local Curriculum
May 3: Trenton - Register by 4/19/16
May 18: Stockton University - Register by 5/23/16
May 23: Trenton - Register by 5/9/16
Structure and Properties of Matter for teachers in grades 2 & 5
Inheritance and Variation of Traits for teachers in grade 3
Interdependent Relationships; & Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems for Grades K, 2, 3, &5
Structure, Function and Information Processing for teachers in grades 1 and 4
March 8: Stockton University - Register by 2/23/16
March 21: Trenton - Register by 3/7/16
Weather and Climate for teachers in grades K and 3
March 15: Stockton University - Register by 3/1/16
April 5: Trenton - Register by 3/31/16
April 19: East Orange - Register by 4/13/16