Science Teachers of Missouri News

Project Based Learning Resources via Toshiba/NSTA

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 20:50:31 GMT

TOOLS AND TIPS TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN PROJECT BASED LEARNING ARE INCLUDED IN THIS MONTH'S NEWSLETTER!

Gearing up for back to school nights can get hectic! Get back to school ready with these amazing tips from educators!

The Three Most Effective Instructional Strategies for Science—According to Teachers” by Larry Ferlazzo https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-the-three-most-effective-instructional-strategies-for-science-according-to-teachers/2021/07

Four Good Science Teaching Strategies & How to Use Them” by Larry Ferlazzo
https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-four-good-science-teaching-strategies-how-to-use-them/2021/07

Engage Students in Science through Project Based Learning - NSTA Short Mini Course
To learn more about effective questioning strategies to engage students in STEM and how to prepare your students for back to school project based learning, join Acacia McKenna in a week long mini course held August 30-September 3 from 1pm-2pm ET daily. Participants will be prepared to virtually engage with other educators across the US & Canada, develop strategies to engage students in project based learning in the fall of 2021 and interact with several online tools to help facilitate interactive learning with students. There is no cost to participate and the registration deadline is August 21, 2021. Register today by accessing this link here. Note: The meeting will be recorded and shared with participants that register.

If you need access to lesson plans to help get you started, see below.

Problem Solving Using Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision - Grades K-6
Problem Solving Using Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision - Grades 7-12

This year's competition deadline can be found online at www.exploravision.org.

Join the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision community by registering teams today!

K–12 Grants For In-Classroom Teachers
Toshiba America Foundation Project-Based Learning Grants
for Grades K–12 educator
Award: Three categories: Up to $1,000, Up to $5,000 and more than $5,000
Application Deadline:
For K-5 grades: Up to $1,000 on Oct 1;
For 6-10: Up to $5,000 on first day on Mar., June, Sept. and Dec.;
More than $5,000 on May 1 & Nov. 1

Reimagine Earth Week

Mon, 10 May 2021 01:23:12 GMT

"Thursday, April 22 [was] the 51st anniversary of Earth Day, one of the most significant secular movements observed worldwide. Modeled after the anti-war and civil rights movements that preceded it, the first Earth Day, held on April 19, 1970, was a massive demonstration where millions of people took to the streets to rally for environmental justice. Fifty-one years later, the environmental threats we face are no less severe, and Earth Day has lost its teeth."

Read the full blog post by Anti-Racism Daily here.

MAP Testing 2021

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 00:06:00 GMT

Missouri school districts must assess 85% of their students this spring 2021. Districts who do not meet this goal will test the 2 weeks following Labor Day this fall to help meet the 85%.

Other things to know:

All testing will be done in person.
The 85% applies to this year only and will revert to the original requirements for the 2021-2022 school year.
There will be no pilot questions for MAP or EOC, which will make the test a bit shorter.

Congratulations to our newly elected STOM board officers!

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 15:03:00 GMT

We are pleased to announce and welcome our newly elected STOM board officers:

President-Elect - Anne Green

PreSchool and Elementary Director - Paris Bouchard

Region 3 Director - Dr. Kristina Schuler

Region 5 Director - John Casey

Region 7 Director - Dove Hayes

Congratulations and welcome aboard!

Position Letter to the Commissioner of Education

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 16:54:50 GMT

Dear Science Teachers of Missouri,

Below is a copy of the position letter that we sent to the Missouri Commissioner of Education and the members of the Missouri State Board of Education.

The end of the 2019-2020 school year and the beginning of the 2020-21 school year have been challenging. The Coronavirus pandemic has thrust school districts into tailspins as they attempt to account for learning loss. In response, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) formed a task force to support district acceleration of learning efforts. This task force was divided into three workgroups: Assessments of Learning Loss, Acceleration of Learning, and Reaching all Students.

The work of these groups has yielded recommendations to school districts as well as DESE on how to address issues of learning loss and support students. Through communication with the department, it has been stated that one outcome from this task force is the creation of state level Priority Standards. Although evidence within the documents from the task force (The Power in the Process: The Why Behind Priority Standards and Recommendations for DESE) does not specifically state that DESE undergo this work, state-level priority standards have been drafted for English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science.

Science Teachers of Missouri (STOM) takes a firm stand that the drafted priority standards for science deviate from what we believe is the true intent of the Missouri Learning Standards for Science and do not accomplish the goal for which they were intended. Furthermore, STOM believes they will do more harm than good and therefore would recommend that DESE turn their attention to help districts in other ways.

The Science standards were designed to support student learning across the four domains of Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, Life Science, and Engineering and Technology through a three-dimensional approach to teaching and learning. The three dimensions of the Missouri Learning Standards for Science are the Disciplinary Core Ideas, the Crosscutting Concepts, and the Science and Engineering Practices. Since the Priority Standards contain only one of the three facets of science, their structure can be misinterpreted, thus leading individuals to believe that science instruction should only focus on the Science and Engineering Practices. This approach would take us back to the previous standards where scientific method and inquiry were taught in isolation. These practices are only one of the essential three dimensions. A quote that was shared during the priority standards informational meeting on October 5, 2020 stated, “In science, priority instructional content is not defined as specific topics or ideas, but rather the approach to integrating the three dimensions…” (CCSSO, 2020). This quote articulates that by focusing solely on the practices, students will be missing out on important content and conceptual understanding. The content of these standards or performance expectations rely on an intensively researched learning progression that has been modified and is available to educators on the DESE Science webpage. Encouraging districts to pick and choose “priority standards in science could greatly disrupt the intended learning processes for students. ALL of the Missouri Learning Standards for science are important, and priority should not be given to one standard over another. The Framework for K-12 Science Education further supports this position as the core ideas were prioritized at the outset of development of the three-dimensional science learning standards (NRC, 2012).

When thinking about the state assessment for Science, it is a federal requirement for states to assess the depth and breadth of the state standards. Therefore, the assessment should cover a range of performance expectations/standards for science across the life of the assessment. Since that is a federal requirement, the new Priority Standards leave too much open to interpretation for districts. Districts may select a subset of the Missouri Learning Standards for science that may not appear on that year’s state assessment. This is misleading and can be potentially detrimental to school districts’ performance ratings, and more importantly, does not prepare our Missouri students for science success at the next level. Alternatively, an assessment only aligned to the priority standards opens the state up to not meeting federal requirements. Furthermore, careers focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are rapidly developing. We want to ensure that students have the opportunity to compete for these high-paying, and widely needed careers as they enter the workforce.

Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics may be more malleable and acceptable for choosing priorities. Science, however, relies on the content, practices and crosscutting concepts to ensure students are gaining the essential knowledge and skills to become scientifically literate. With that, STOM suggests the Crosscutting Concepts be integrated across all content areas. The applicability of these crosscutting concepts spreads far across many subject areas and can be easily integrated. A common set of practices or skills among core content areas would be something STOM encourages DESE to review.

Finally, STOM encourages districts and DESE to support Science with the same vigor as ELA and Mathematics. To do so, STOM suggests DESE revise the recommended timing guidelines for each content area. Instead of the content areas existing in silos with specified amounts of time (e.g. ELA 90 minutes), we suggest that science and social studies be the context for which ELA is taught. Dr. Nell Duke from the University of Michigan has conducted research (Project PLACE, 2019) to show that embedding the skills of ELA into the rich context of science and social studies increased student state assessment scores in ELA, as well as social studies. Science taps into the natural curiosity and energy of young people, and Missouri science provides content that engages and motivates students to step up and apply themselves to challenging tasks (Gomez-Zwiep & Straits, 2013; Worth, Winokur, Crissman, Heller-Winokur, & Davis, 2009). ELA tasks, including reading complex texts, formulating arguments, constructing explanations, and defending claims, are not so daunting when they are a path to understanding something students really want to figure out. This research is just a sampling among many solid studies that conclude the essential background knowledge and context students need to develop strong reading and writing skills is provided by exposure to science and social studies.

In conclusion, STOM encourages DESE to focus their efforts to support districts in ways other than developing statewide priority standards. The priorities were established when the Missouri Learning Standards for science were developed. The workgroup members clearly stated the priorities to be that science educators ensure that by the end of 12th grade, all students have some appreciation of the beauty and wonder of science; possess sufficient knowledge of science and engineering to engage in public discussion on related issues; are careful consumers of scientific and technological information related to their everyday lives; are able to continue to learn about science outside of school; and have the skills to enter careers of their choice, including but not limited to, careers in science, engineering, and technology (NRC, 2012)

Sincerely,

The Science Teachers of Missouri (STOM)

NSTA Elections for 2021

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 16:29:40 GMT

Please take a look at the attached flyer or click here https://www.nsta.org/nominations-nsta-board-directors-and-council and consider opportunities that would fit your leadership abilities. Note: Self-nominations are accepted.

We hope to receive your application!

Best,

Acacia

Acacia McKenna

Director, Competitions

Phone: 703.312.9258| Fax: 703-522-6193 amckenna@nsta.org

Election Flyer - YOUR CHANCE TO JOIN THE TEAM.pdf

Call for Judges

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 13:37:17 GMT

Would you like to be a judge for Exploravision? Please check out the Call for Judges that is attached. I have been a Judge for Exploravision for the last 5 years, and it is absolutely awesome.

If interested, fill out the attached application.

Questions, please let me know.

Liz Petersen

ecpscience@gmail.com

Call for Judges_Educators_2020-2021.pdf

Science: Back-to-School Considerations

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 15:21:07 GMT

What does effective science teaching and learning look like for 2020-2021?

Council-of-State-Supervisors-Back-to-School-Considerations-1.pdf

Middle/High School Science Q & A with STOM

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 15:33:20 GMT

Q & A for virtual teaching

Recorded: Aug 13, 2020 05:42 PM

Meeting Recording:
https://zoom.us/rec/share/2N5UAq_O6TNIfa_P5B2AS5V_F5bieaa8hyMfq6UKzhmuEy4zACAEFt3afvUFR4PT

FREE course to learn how to teach online

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 16:11:33 GMT

Need Help Teaching Online?
Hybrid teaching can be challenging!

Professional Learning Board offers 100% online self-study classes for teachers and substitute teachers to learn how to teach online, in the classroom, or a hybrid of both.

https://renewateachinglicense.com/free-online-pd-for-teachers/#5hour

25 of Missouri's best and brightest STEM students recognized

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 17:20:29 GMT

Recently, the Missouri Chamber recognized 25 outstanding students from across the state for committing to further their education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Inspired by signing days for athletes, the Missouri Chamber Foundation's Mathematics and Science Coalition launched the program in 2019 to raise awareness of STEM pathways for students beyond high school.

"Whether it's to a traditional four-year college, 2-year college or technical school — wherever their passion for STEM takes them — these incoming freshmen are the future of high-demand fields across Missouri. The Missouri Chamber and our partners are thrilled to help tomorrow's nurses, doctors, engineers, welders, IT professionals and scientists reach their postsecondary education goals," said Missouri Chamber President/CEO Daniel P. Mehan.

The second annual Missouri STEM Signing Day award ceremony was a virtual event streamed on the Missouri Chamber's Facebook page. Each student received a $1,000 scholarship and signed a letter of intent to study a STEM field at their postsecondary education institution of choice.

The awardees submitted video messages answering the question, “How do you want to change the world with STEM?” Those videos can be viewed here.

Last year’s inaugural STEM Signing Day program awarded scholarships to 10 recipients. This year, thanks to the generosity of our partners, 25 high school graduates will receive scholarships. The Missouri Chamber offers the 2020 program in partnership with the Boeing Company, Orscheln Industries, Cerner and the Missouri Dept. of Higher Education and Workforce Development.

Watch Awards

Biology Resources

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 13:44:29 GMT

Nutrients For Life Foundation (Plant and Soil Science)

www.h2knowlearning.org

The H2Know case study invites you to investigate a water quality issue in Lake Erie. Here, you will gather information about the problem, consider potential contributors and environmental factors, review data and research happening in the field, and engage in discussions and activities related to effective solutions that will improve the water quality of Lake Erie.

www.nutrientsforlife.org

The Nutrients for Life Foundation was formed in 2004 by leaders in the fertilizer industry with the belief that developing solutions to sustainably feed the world begins with educating the next generation of innovators and decision makers. In 2017, we impacted 4.9 million students with our educational resources.

Linking Science & Literacy for All Learners

Fri, 13 Dec 2019 16:33:37 GMT

The Linking Science & Literacy for All Learners program is accepting applications from teachers of 6^th-8^th grade Life Science, English Language Arts and Special Education for its 2020-2021 cohort.

Visit their website for program information and the application link: https://scienceandliteracy.missouri.edu/

To apply, use this link: https://missouri.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0SsVYTUSlMiI6rP

Modeling Workshops and Courses

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 13:20:37 GMT

Each summer the AMTA sponsors face-to-face workshops across the United States and the world. Summer workshops are typically 2-3 weeks in duration in order to thoroughly treat the pedagogy and content for a typical STEM course, and to have a transformative effect upon the classrooms of our teacher participants. Content addressed includes approximately one semester of a typical high school physics, chemistry, physical science, biology or middle school course. The 2020 Modeling Workshops are already getting posted on the website, as soon as we hear about a new workshop, we will add it.

https://modelinginstruction.org/professional-development/upcoming-workshops/summer-2020/

AMTA offers a variety of distance learning courses based on members’ interests and requests. We also offer opportunities for non-Modelers to learn about Modeling Instruction through introductory courses. Past distance learning courses include: Introduction to Modeling, Mechanics, Chemistry II, Electricity & Magnetism, and Advanced Modeling Instruction. Distance learning can be taken to gain knowledge about the pedagogy, to learn and/or strengthen content knowledge, or to further improve your teaching practices. After the success of the last few years’ distance learning courses, we are adding 3 courses to the spring 2020 line-up.

*Participants may earn graduate credits through university partners for an additional fee

· Intro to Modeling, a 15 week course hosted on Tuesday evenings 7-10 pm EST

For details and registration:

https://www.eweblife.com/prm/AMTA/calendar/event?event=2125

· Advanced Topics for Middle School Modeling, a 5-week course hosted on Wednesday evenings from 7-10 pm EST

For details and registration:

https://www.eweblife.com/prm/AMTA/calendar/event?event=2126

· Electricity & Magnetism Modeling course, a 15 week course hosted on Thursday evenings from 7-10 pm EST

For details and registration:

https://www.eweblife.com/prm/AMTA/calendar/event?event=2123

Wendy Hehemann

American Modeling Teachers Association

Workshop and Outreach Coordinator

wendy@modelinginstruction.org gheheman@asu.edu

www.modelinginstruction.org 480-854-4764

https://tinyurl.com/give2AMTA

Overseas Teaching Positions

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 13:52:25 GMT

Hi there,

I’m Emma from Point to Point Education. We help teachers find teaching positions in Asia and the UK! I taught in England for a year and had the best experience, professionally and personally! I have full-time teaching contracts available for 2020 and skype interviews are happening now. We work for free for teachers, so if you’re wanting some more information just email me your phone number and I can give you a quick call to have a chat about the jobs/locations/schools/interviews and how it all works. I can also skype with you if you would prefer.

You can see a first hand account of what it’s like teaching overseas…check out Sally’s video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JykKdEFKj2E&t=3s.

Kind regards,

Emma Liddell

FREE Professional Development Workshop

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 13:41:06 GMT

Science Coach, the region’s leading supporter for curious students and their maverick research teachers, is pleased to invite you to the premier FREE educator professional development workshop: Innovation to Entrepreneurship presented by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Jorge Valdes and Juan Valentin, Program Advisors to the Office of Education and Outreach of the USPTO, will lead a two-day workshop that will:

Increase your own awareness and understanding about the role of Intellectual Property (IP).
Learn strategies for integrating IP information into STEM/STEAM curriculum.
Motivate students with real-world innovation models for classroom instruction and learning.
Empower students to capitalize on their own creativity.

The event opens with a special presentation by Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO.

K-12 STEM Educators (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), Computer & Art teachers, Counselors, and Administrators will all benefit from this exciting event. Attendance for both days will enable you to receive a certificate of professional development participation from Science Coach. Lunch will be provided both days.

The workshop will be held in the Assembly room at the Innovation Hall at Cortex, 4220 Duncan Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110.

The first 60 attendees will be able to register for the workshop. All others will be waitlisted. Register ASAP by going to:

http://sciencecoach-uspto.eventbrite.com?s=110474935 and feel free to share this with your colleagues.

To learn more about Science Coach and its offerings for students and teachers please visit: ScienceCoach.org

For questions regarding the event, please email Jill@ScienceCoach.org .

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Jill Malcom

Program Director

Science Coach, A program of BioSTL

Jill@ScienceCoach.org

314-472-3302

ScienceCoach.org

2019 STOM Conference Cancelled

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 12:56:55 GMT

Due to low registration and enrollment, the STOM Board of Directors has chosen to cancel this year's fall conference scheduled for October 18-19 in Camdenton.

Please look for STOM at the 2020 Interface Conference in February at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach. There will be wonderful professional development available, as well as opportunities to network and collaborate with other science educators from around the state.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and hope that you will join us at Interface in February.

Clara E. Bennion

Science Teacher, Camdenton High School

President - 2019

Science Teachers of Missouri

New Blog About the Electric Industry

Sat, 17 Aug 2019 14:31:11 GMT

I. David Rosenstein has introduced the launch of a new blog titled Electrifying America. It can be found at https://electrifyingamerica.com.

This site is his retirement hobby after working 40 years in the electric industry. It is free for anyone to use and he does not accept advertising dollars.

During his working years, he found that many well meaning people wanted to effect change in the electric industry such as advocating for lower rates or for reduced emissions. However, those efforts were often ineffective because the advocates did not fully understand the background of electric service and the electric industry. He created Electrifying America in the hopes of providing that background.

Each post in Electrifying America is a short description of a different aspect of electric service or the electric industry. Most of the posts include additional explanations through YouTube videos as well as links to more in depth material on the subject matter.

As a teaching tool, he has included a page titled Electric Industry Tutorials. These tutorials assemble the posts into the following three modules:

Module 1 is titled “The History of the Electric Industry.” In that Module he has included the following posts: “The Electric Current War,” “What is an Electric Utility?” “Determining Just and Reasonable Rates,” “Senator George Norris vs. Henry Ford – Prelude to Federal Hydropower,” “The Rural Electrification Act Brings Electricity to America’s Farms” and “Government Oversight After the 2003 Northeast Power Blackout.”

Module 2 is titled “The Current Status of the Electric Industry.” In that Module he has included the following posts: “The Watts, Volts, Amps and Ohms Post” “Who Controls the Electric Transmission Grid?” “Remote Central Station Generation Stations,” “The Nuclear Industry Headed in Two Directions,” “Electricity Sales in a Power Market,” “Protecting the Grid Against Cyber Attack” and “So You Want to Build a Wind Farm Project”.

Module 3 is titled “The Future of the Electric Industry.” In that Module he has included the following posts: “Distributed Generation – an Old Idea Reconsidered,” “Is the Utility Death Spiral for Real?” “Is a Carbon Tax the Answer to Climate Change?” “Could Increased Electric Usage be the Answer to Climate Change?” “What is a Smart Grid?” and “What is a Micro grid?”

At the conclusion of each of these Modules he has included a series of Study Questions.

While he hopes that this blog is useful for anyone seeking a better understanding of the electric industry, he believes that it should be especially useful for science teachers and their students.

He is already planning additional posts, however, he is hoping to receive feedback from readers that will suggest additional topics and help him make this even more useful.

2019 STOM Conference

Sat, 03 Aug 2019 18:10:07 GMT

Free film and Lesson Plans

Sun, 28 Jul 2019 18:17:56 GMT

THE HUMAN ELEMENT, a new environmental documentary from the producers of RACING EXTINCTION, CHASING ICE, and THE COVE, follows renowned photographer James Balog as he meets everyday Americans on the front lines of climate change.

About the curriculum: The full film and accompanying lesson plans are available to educators free of charge and aligned to Next Generation Science Standards. The curriculum engages students and teachers in forward-looking dialogue and thoughtful discussions about climate change and its impacts on students' communities and daily lives. Through compelling scientific and visual evidence, students will learn how the Anthropocene—the current epoch of systemic human change in the environment—is affecting four foundational elements: earth, air, water, and fire.

Who it's for: The curriculum balances art and science to mirror the film, and can be used in either humanities or science classes. Though it was initially built for middle and high schoolers, students of any age can benefit from seeing the film and participating in many of the assignments and discussions contained in the lesson plans.

How to get access to it: Click here to sign up for the curriculum. Once you submit your email, you will receive an automated email with six lesson plans as well as Vimeo links to the full film and shorter clips that you can screen to your students. If you have any questions, please contact THE HUMAN ELEMENT's impact coordinator, Caroline Beaton, at caroline@earthvisionfilm.com.

The STOM Milkweed Connection – Using an Outdoor Learning Station PART TWO

Sun, 28 Jul 2019 18:13:05 GMT

“Just like peas and carrots” the saying goes. Basic ecology is all about relationships and simply what goes together. Everywhere you look one plant or animal is relying on another organism, and the more you examine a single plant or animal the more you realize it is connected to another, and then another...The very definition of ecology is the study of relations of living things to each other and to their environment. Some educators and students may think of the savannas of Africa or predators and prey in the Arctic when “ecology” comes to mind, but it can be studied in a scene as small as a raised flowerbed in a schoolyard and most certainly during a field experience to an actual prairie, Ozark woodland or glade.

Ecologists refer to these relationships as symbiotic. A symbiotic relationship is where two species live together in an intimate association and one or both species benefit from the relationship. Symbiotic does not always mean a benefit for each species. Where they both benefit we call that mutualism. The second type of symbiotic relationship is where one living organism clearly benefits, but the other seems to experience no

positive or negative effect. We call these types commensal or commensalism. The third is parasitism, where one organism has a benefit and the other is disadvantaged in some way.

An established plot of selected milkweed species and other prairie forbs and grasses, as discussed in part one in the STOM newsletter, will lend itself to an array of studies and be geared for all ages or grade levels. Upper elementary students to high school students often examine such relationships, which go far beyond one species providing food for another. Relationships dealing with transport of seed, protection from sun or wind, watching for mutual predators, and providing suitable conditions so another may live or raise young are just a few examples.

See if you can distinguish these three different symbiotic relationships that could be observed from a STOM Milkweed Connection Learning Station in a schoolyard.

Commensalism, mutualism, or parasitism?

1) A hackberry butterfly lapping the salty sweat on the forearm of an observing student.

2) A tachinid fly laying eggs on a variety of caterpillar species.

3) An American goldfinch dropping the milkweed seed, but

using the fluff from the seed to line its nest.

4) A hover fly (bee mimic) in the center of a yellow crownbeard flower. The flower is in a sense bartering nectar for pollen transport.

Discussions about or observations of symbiotic relationships can truly engage students who are learning about ecology. Studying symbiotic relationships in turn can lead to more life science studies, collection of mathematical data, creative writing, and application of the fine arts.

Recommended books for observing symbiotic relationships: Butterflies and Moths, Peterson First Guides by Opler. ISBN 0-

395-90665-2

Milkweed, Monarchs and More: A Field Guide to the Invertebrate Community in the Monarch Patch. By Rea, Oberhauser, and Quinn. ISBN 0-9657472-2-0

Nature Smart: A Family Guide to Nature by Tekiela and Shanberg ISBN 1-885061-08-0

Spiders and Their Kin, a Golden Guide. By Levi and Levi ISBN 1- 58238-156-9

STOM member Jeff Cantrell has been teaching landscaping with native plants and how to utilize the naturescaped schoolyard for core curriculum, youth activities, and attracting wanted wildlife for more than 20 years. Educators with questions or

needing recommendations are welcome to contact Jeff at jeff.cantrell@mdc.mo.gov

Invitation to participate in research study

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 16:03:35 GMT

Dear Middle School Science Teacher:

My name is Barbara Nagle. I am a curriculum and assessment developer at the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley. I am planning to conduct a research study, which I invite you to take part in.

Purpose

We are doing this study to develop assessments to monitor students’ progress towards understanding the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). These assessments are intended for teachers to use at the end of a science unit and will be provided as open educational resources for broad use in a variety of educational settings.

Participation

If you would like to take part in our study, you will be asked to assist with the research activities that will take place in your science classroom, where students will respond to drafts of the assessment items. This will require permission from your principal and/or district. Your participation in our study potentially involves engaging in two activities. The first activity is providing our research team with your written feedback about the assessment items used for testing in your classroom. Your written feedback will help us improve the assessment items for use in classroom practice. After completing the written feedback about the assessment items used for testing in your classroom, you may be invited to take part in a focus group activity. This activity is optional and your participation may depend on your availability. This focus group will meet for up to three 8-hour full-day sessions at the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley, California or at a site convenient to your school district. You and the other group members will discuss the drafts of the assessment items and scoring rubrics, examine student work samples, and work with project staff to revise the items and scoring guides.

Benefits

There will be no direct benefit to you from participating in this study other than an opportunity to see some assessment items developed for NGSS. However, it is hoped that the information gained from the study will allow us to generate a set of high-quality assessment tools that will allow teachers and districts to monitor their students’ progress towards mastery of the Next Generation Science Standards. These tools will be available to you and others at the end of the project.

Who can participate?

To participate, you must be currently teaching the NGSS in your middle school science classroom at a public or private school. Additionally, your principal or district must agree that we can conduct research in your classroom.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Sara Kolar at (510) 642-8719 or via email at srkolar@berkeley.edu.

Sincerely,

Barbara Nagle

Science Education for Public Understanding Program (SEPUP)

Lawrence Hall of Science

University of California, Berkeley

Phone: (510)642-3891

Email: bnagle@berkeley.edu

FREE PDF OF ROSIE THE RIBETER

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 16:46:15 GMT

Available in April, Mims House is pleased to announce the newest book by renowned children's book author, Darcy Pattison, Rosie the Ribeter: the Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. You may view a free pdf of Rosie the Ribeter by clicking here. If you would like to share this with other teachers or colleagues, please feel free to do so using this link for Rosie the Ribeter.

Our hope is that your students will enjoy this historical book detailing the Calaveras County Jumping Frog Jubilee. To place your order, please contact Sue Foster at SueFoster@MimsHouse.com for more information on ordering Rosie the Ribeter.

Rosie the Ribeter: The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

Who holds the world record triple jump record – for bullfrogs?

Rosie, the Ribeter.

She set the record in May 1986 at 21 feet 5 ¾ inches.

Her record has stood for over 30 years.

This is her story.

It all started with Mark Twain and his famous story, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.” After it was published, the 39th Agricultural District in Calaveras County, California started the Jumping Frog Jubilee, which has run since 1928.

Over the years, the frogs have jumped farther.

Why? Scientists say it’s because of the frog jockeys, the men and women who catch and jump the frogs.

Read this extraordinary story of a partnership between a man and a frog.

Interface A: February 21-23, 2019 or Interface B: February 24-26, 2019

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 19:41:46 GMT

Don't forget about Interface A and B in February! Find more info here.

NSTA National Conference in St. Louis: April 11-14, 2019

Wed, 09 Jan 2019 01:29:29 GMT

Have you registered for the NSTA National Conference yet? If not, don't delay! Early bird registration ends on February 1st! You can register here.

We are excited to learn and grow with you in St. Louis!

NABT Professional Development Conference: Nov 9-12 in STL!

Fri, 07 Apr 2017 03:21:19 GMT

We are excited to be helping the National Association of Biology Teachers prepare for their national professional development conference in St. Louis November 9-12!

Visit the NABT website for more information.

STOM Presidential Chain Officially Endorses March for Science 2017

Thu, 30 Mar 2017 13:00:00 GMT

Visit our March for Science 2017 page for more information.