HSE 21
at GES
SCIENCE and COMPUTER SCIENCE STANDARDS
There has been a great deal of risk-taking and excitement in recent weeks around all things science and inquiry. Students view science as a logical place of curiosity, exploration, and questioning, and as teachers we follow their questioning.
As we wait on the decision of the school board regarding the recommendation for Discovery to support our practice, it's a logical time to reflect on standards. Last year, we reviewed the IDOE's Science Standard Correlation Guides to help us see how and where standards shifted and/or moved in depth of knowledge.
This year, we've been able to think about our non-fiction units of study and science connections. Now that the year's end is around the bend, consider taking another look in retrospect. What worked this year?
What kind of science experience do you want for your students?
Click here to view Kindergarten Science Standards
Click here to view First Grade Science Standards
Click here to view Second Grade Science Standards
Click here to view Third Grade Science StandardsClick here to view Fourth Grade Science Standards
Can you name the five core concepts per our Computer Science Standards? (In a recent meeting, I failed epically which led me to print and close read them.) Only about a page each - take a look if you have not done so lately!
FREE/OPEN INQUIRY
Embracing choice and inquiry in your classroom? Check out this visual a colleague shared with me. Helped me think about how to guide the inquiry without "taking over".
Reading Units of Study
Yet...after this year of reading through sessions, co-teaching, planning with teachers, listening to PLCs, walking from grade level to grade level and seeing the intentional continuity we are using to grow readers, I confidently and humbly proclaim that these units have made me a stronger teacher of readers, and I cannot wait to see the momentum in "year two"!
What about you?
I want to hear a bit of your story with the Reading Units of Study in this launch year. What did you love? What are you still working through? What resources - texts and/or time with colleagues, might you want to keep this working going strong into year two?
For example, a second grade teacher folded in diverse texts (not included in the suggested texts) into her unit 4, Series Book Clubs.
This is survey is the place to request and suggest all things Reading Units of Study! Please have the survey completed by Friday, April 13th, so that I can begin to move forward with your ideas - and thank you!
Geometry and Art
Thank you Mrs. Scott and Mrs. Wolf
We can show place value with base-10 blocks!
YOUR FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED!
Sketchnoting Classrooms
The idea of sketchnoting has been trickling into classrooms from Kindergarten through high school and even college campuses for some time now. When I recently saw this work layered into a reading unit of study in 4th grade, I was hooked! Thanks to several colleagues, I've been exploring sketchnoting ( THINK "Doodles" + "Notes") with students recently.
Students reactions have not disappointed!
A typically shy and quiet first grader with whom I worked recently hugged her first sketch note, and said, Mrs. T I just loved this! Can we teach this to my whole class?"
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
Check out the quick video below.
What else should we add?
"I think all those parts (sun, sprout, rain, soil) are called photosynthesis. "
What surprised you?
Did the illustrations help us?
PASSIONATE ABOUT CONVERSATIONS THAT EMBRACE DIVERSITY?
Would you consider sharing your favorite diverse texts on this BSE and GES collaborative PADLET? Abby Miller from GES started a few months ago, and I was asked to share it across schools. Absolutely!
Click here to to see suggested texts and share your own favorite titles!
SHARED INQUIRY CONNECTION
If you haven't do so, check out Lori Cushman's class using the shared inquiry model in the video Mrs. Thomas sent out.
Could some of the titles on this Padlet be a platform for shared inquiry in your classroom? Kindergarten figured it out with Same, Same but Different and third grade followed with their diverse text collections. Are you next?
A Good Read
Remember, “Kids are born as question marks and leave school periods,” according to Neil Postman (1969). How do we retool our values of conformity and compliance and honor the risk-takers willing and able to upset the apple cart? Are we ready for this kind of sweeping change?
Interested? Check out the full posting by clicking on the hyperlink below!
Megan C. Thompson
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
Email: mcthompson@hse.k12.in.us
Website: www.hse.k12.in.us
Location: Fishers, IN, USA
Phone: 317-915-4260
Twitter: @MeganCThompson