Coweta Science Update
January 2020
GA DOE Science Updates
- New High School 4th Science Standards
- Assessment Updates (includes technology enhanced items)
- Instructional Supports for Struggling Students
- Equity for Instructional Planning "Look Fors"
- New Reading, Writing, & Science Video Series
- Online Professional Learning
- And More!
Use this link to access the webinar. Look for another webinar coming in early 2020.
Join the email list to get the latest science updates by clicking on the links below:
- Science K-5
- join-science-k-5@list.doe.k12.ga.us
- Science 6-8
GSE FAQs
(K-12) The GA DOE has released a document that addresses some of the frequently asked questions regarding the GSE science standards. The FAQs address standards in grades 2-8, high school biology, chemistry, environmental science, physical science, and physics. You can access that document by clicking here.
Milestones Technology Enhanced Items
World Moon Project
SENSE IT Project Curriculum
ScienceHack.com
Garbage Dreams Recycling Game
(6-12) The Garbage Dreams game helps middle and high school students (grades 6-12) understand the enormity of the world’s garbage problem and how recycling not only makes ecological sense but also economic sense, too. The game was developed to accompany a PBS documentary about the Zaballeen, a group of people in Cairo, Egypt, who survive by collecting and recycling the city’s garbage. To play the game, students take on the role of the Zaballeen—to sort, process, and profit from the garbage collected in from Cairo’s neighborhoods. Through gameplay, students discover the benefits of recycling on the environment and learn about different materials that can be recycled. In addition, students learn about different business strategies for recycling, such as hiring workers, acquiring tools (trucks), and recycling in different neighborhoods. Visit the website to play the game, watch the documentary, and access additional materials on the topic, including lesson plans, background information on recycling, and film trailers.
PhysClips
(8-12) PhysClips is a set of multimedia resources to teach physics at the high school and introductory college levels. Developed by the School of Physics at the University of New South Wales in Australia, the resource addresses three main areas of physics—mechanics, sound and waves, and light—and provides resource collections for other topic areas, such as thermal physics and electricity and magnetism. Essentially each PhysClips chapter is a multimedia tutorial on a single physics topic. The chapters are illustrated with film clips of relevant physics demonstrations and include animations and diagrams explaining the topic’s key concepts. Students can watch the tutorials as a topic overview, or teachers can download the individual elements of each chapter to incorporate into their own instruction. Visit the website to access the resources and view an introductory video how to use PhysClips effectively in the classroom.
CeMaST STEM Resources
(K-12) The Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology (CeMaST) at Illinois State University offers a wide variety of STEM curricula and opportunities for K–12 educators and students. For example, the Creative Core elementary science curriculum supports the Next Generation Science Standards and includes a selection of lessons for ELL learners and an extensive assessment data base. Real Science: Pathways to the Next Generation Science Standards—a science curriculum with editions for middle level and high school—presents lessons showcasing real-world applications of science, introducing students to potential careers in forestry, nuclear power, wastewater treatment, genetic testing, and other fields. In addition to curricular resources, the site presents science opportunities for both K–12 students and adults. For example, the Redbird Chopper Challenge (all ages) involves student teams in building and customizing a full-size wooden motorcycle.
K–12 Weather and Data Activities
(K-12) Scientists and teachers developed these K–12 weather resources using data from Oklahoma Mesonet, a network of Oklahoma-based environmental monitoring stations, and the National Weather Service. Most appropriate for middle and high school levels but adaptable for younger grades, the resources include lessons and information about careers in meteorology. Of particular interest are the Bellringers, short classroom activities that provide practice in working with real data and interpreting weather-related graphs, tables, and maps. Longer data-interpretation activities are available in the Study Tools section. In these classroom activities, student read about specific weather phenomena (e.g., fog, ice, watering, soil moisture, severe winds, and other topics), then answer a set of data-related questions based on the article content.
YMI STEM Skills
(K-12) Young Minds Inspired (YMI)—a leading provider of educational outreach programs for preK–college audiences—offers standard-based study guides to engage students of all levels in dynamic learning experiences outside of the classroom. The guides tap into popular culture and address STEM skills, health and safety, sports and fitness, and other subjects. For example, the STEM skills guide Inspiring Imaginations (preK and primary levels) features a series of science learning activities using the popular toy Play-Doh, while the guide Hurricanes (elementary and middle levels) is based on a film of the same name and features hands-on activities, experiments, and internet-based research to help students understand the far-ranging impact of these storms on our ecosystem. The Merchants of Doubt (high school and college levels), another movie-based STEM skills guide, helps students learn to distinguish between truth, propaganda, and misinformation.
Jeopardy Labs
CCSS Science Teacher Directory
Science Google Classroom Codes
Elementary: uz7l4 (that's a lowercase L...not a 1)
Middle: wumkvdb
High: s0ei0d (those are zeros...not Os)
Professional Learning Opportunities
STEM/STEAM Resources
https://www.teachengineering.org
http://www.novelengineering.org
http://www.stemcobb.com/lesson-links.html Elementary STEM Lessons
http://www.stemcobb.com/ms-stem-lessons.html Middle School STEM Lessons
Upcoming Professional Learning
2nd Grade Science Professional Learning
This teacher led session will feature lessons and resources to help you integrate science and literacy in the 2nd grade classroom.
Thursday, Jan 9, 2020, 03:00 PM
167 Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, GA, USA
HS Biology Professional Learning
Thursday, Jan 9, 2020, 04:00 PM
167 Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, GA, USA
Georgia Science Teachers Association Conference
Thursday, Feb 13, 2020, 08:00 AM
Columbus Georgia Convention & Trade Center, Front Avenue, Columbus, GA, USA
Comments, Concerns, Questions?
Email: donald.white@cowetaschools.net
Website: bit.ly/CCSSScience
Location: 167 Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, GA 30263
Phone: 770-254-2800
Twitter: @dwhitesciguy