Science Snippets

Thank you for staying the course this year. Challenging is an understatement. There were times of frustration, tears, laughter, and smiles. As you wind down this year, I hope you focus on the laughter and the smiles. You have done amazing work, but more importantly, you have shown these kids that they are loved. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to better serve you. Have a wonderful summer!

Wait! Don't buy those posters on TPT or at Mardel's! Try Anchor Charts!

We have all done it. We go "browsing" on TPT to find posters and words wall materials to match our theme or colors of our room. Stop to consider, are the kids even looking at them, or are they just white noise in the background of your room?

Anchor charts are made IN THE MOMENT WITH STUDENTS. As you teach the lessons, you create the chart with your students that captures the most important content and relevant strategies. Hang these around your room and watch your students use them as a reference.

You really don’t need any special materials or artistic skills—just chart paper and a colorful assortment of markers.

Typically, you will prepare the framework of your chart ahead of time, giving it a title, including the learning objective, and creating headers for the main points or strategies you want to highlight. It’s very important not to create the entire poster ahead of time.

They are best used as an interactive tool.

As you model a lesson or learning strategy and interact with your students through discussion, you fill in the blank spaces of the anchor chart. For an awesome tutorial, check out this blog and template from third grade teacher Michael Friermood.

Our first in-person Happy *to teach* Hour will be on May 14th at ChickenNPickle in OKC. Join OSTA for a great chance for venting, networking, and collaborating. Come ask your burning questions, bounce ideas off your peers, and meet teachers in your area.

Registration is free. Just RSVP so we can save you a seat.

This is a time to join together and talk during a time when teachers have never felt more pressure.

May 14th

10 am - 11:30 am

ChickenNPickle, 8400 N Oklahoma Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73114

Saturday will be a day full of sessions at the Betz STEM Research & Learning building on the University of Central Oklahoma's campus! We will also welcome keynote speaker, Forrest Valkai from @RenegadeScienceTeacher. Registration and breakfast start at 8:15 am. Breakfast and lunch are included in the price of registration.

Conference t-shirts are $20 and are now available through our online store. T-shirts will be available for pick up at the conference. OSTA's summer convention will be held June 11th at UCO. Please visit OSTA to register.

If you will be a NEW user for discovery for the 22-23 school year:

Discovery 101

July 26th 9 am - 12 pm

or

July 27th 1 pm - 4pm

If you are a current science teacher using discovery:

Discovery 201

July 26th 1 pm - 4 pm

or

July 27th 9 am - 12 pm

Registration for this sessions is below. All sessions will be held at MNTC at the South Penn Campus.

On July 28th, the MPS Academic Resource Team will start our back-to-school time with an MPS Kickoff! Mark your calendars for July 28th. This will all take place through zoom. There will be 3 breakout sessions each lasting 45 minutes with a wide-range of option from which you can choose.

Calling all presenters!

Would you like to present? You can present solo or as part of a team. Think back to methods you use to teach science, how you collaborate with other subject areas, and what excited your kids in your science class this year. Please share your expertise.

Please contact me if you would like to present. There are a lot of wonderful things happening in Moore! Please consider sharing with our teachers.

WHEN

Wednesday, Aug. 10th,

WHERE

1500 Southeast 4th Street

Moore, OK

MORE INFORMATION

All MPS elementary teachers will meet with appropriate curriculum coordinator(s). We are scheduled to use various rooms at the MPS Administration Services Center, However, if a better venue can be scheduled then the location will change. Carpooling with colleagues is strongly recommended!

Watch your email for more details, including the formal schedule for the day and any changes to the location.

As our first year with IXL comes to a end, we wanted to remind you that science and social studies were included for FREE this year. Next year there will be a charge for these two items. If you would like to keep science and/or social studies for the 22-23 school year, your school will need to purchase these extension. Please talk to your principal about this option if you found IXL science valuable in your classroom.

Did you know our science department has resources for you to have and some that you can borrow? The following are all available for check-out:

Mineral Kits
Rock Kits
Fossil Kits
Planetarium (Available for reservation for the 22-23 school year)

Need some materials for a science activity? We can do that too! Please allow at least a week for common materials and longer for specialty materials.

Summer is closer than we think. There are lots of programs that help our students keep learning about science throughout the summer. Please share this information with the parents of your students.