Los Angeles Unified School District Marlene Felix, Director LAUSD Elementary Science Immersion Work

Science Immersion Immersion Units provide a coherent series of lessons designed to guide students in developing deep conceptual understandingImmersion Units provide a coherent series of lessons designed to guide students in developing deep conceptual understanding Aligned with standards and key science conceptsAligned with standards and key science concepts Students learn academic content by working like scientists:Students learn academic content by working like scientists: ObservingObserving Asking questionsAsking questions Doing further investigations to explore and explain natural phenomenaDoing further investigations to explore and explain natural phenomena Communicating their results based on evidenceCommunicating their results based on evidence

Primary Goals for Immersion Improve science teaching and learning for all students through:Improve science teaching and learning for all students through: Inquiry-based and standards-centered instructional materialsInquiry-based and standards-centered instructional materials Research-based professional development to support Immersion Unit implementation and transfer to strengthen all science teachingResearch-based professional development to support Immersion Unit implementation and transfer to strengthen all science teaching Immersion model for professional learningImmersion model for professional learning

Science Lead Teachers Receive professional development focused on the 5 Essential Features of InquiryReceive professional development focused on the 5 Essential Features of Inquiry Provide professional development on Inquiry to every 4 th and 5 th grade teacher in over 450 elementary schoolsProvide professional development on Inquiry to every 4 th and 5 th grade teacher in over 450 elementary schools Science Lead Teachers support implementation of Immersion UnitsScience Lead Teachers support implementation of Immersion Units

Rot it Right: The Cycling of Matter and Transfer of Energy Developed in collaboration with the Bottle Biology Program at UW – Madison, LAUSD, and CSUsDeveloped in collaboration with the Bottle Biology Program at UW – Madison, LAUSD, and CSUs Transforming isolated activities into inquiry- based, coherent units of studyTransforming isolated activities into inquiry- based, coherent units of study Instructional materials to support all teachers and learnersInstructional materials to support all teachers and learners

Past Work July 2005 – June 2006 Three 5-day Rot it Right Immersion Unit InstitutesThree 5-day Rot it Right Immersion Unit Institutes Cadre of 4 th grade Rot it Right facilitatorsCadre of 4 th grade Rot it Right facilitators 3-day conference to deepen cadre’s ability to facilitate3-day conference to deepen cadre’s ability to facilitate Fifteen 2-day professional development sessionsFifteen 2-day professional development sessions Two series of three 2-hour follow-up workshopsTwo series of three 2-hour follow-up workshops

Present Work July 2006 – June 2007 Five Rot it Right 5-day Immersion Unit InstitutesFive Rot it Right 5-day Immersion Unit Institutes Two Saturday follow-up workshopsTwo Saturday follow-up workshops Eighty Rot it Right 2-day professional development sessionsEighty Rot it Right 2-day professional development sessions Nine series of four 2-hour follow-up workshopsNine series of four 2-hour follow-up workshops One Weather Forces and Prediction (5 th grade) Immersion Unit InstituteOne Weather Forces and Prediction (5 th grade) Immersion Unit Institute Pilot/focus groupPilot/focus group Professional development for K-12 facilitatorsProfessional development for K-12 facilitators Leadership trainingLeadership training

By the Numbers… Over 500 teachers trained in Immersion Unit Institutes and 2-day professional development sessionsOver 500 teachers trained in Immersion Unit Institutes and 2-day professional development sessions Over 700 teachers projected to be trained by June 2007Over 700 teachers projected to be trained by June 2007

Future Work July 2007 – June 2008 Three Rot it Right Level I 5-day Immersion Unit Institutes - TPC study to determine the impact.Three Rot it Right Level I 5-day Immersion Unit Institutes - TPC study to determine the impact. Two Rot it Right Level II 4-day Immersion Unit InstitutesTwo Rot it Right Level II 4-day Immersion Unit Institutes Four Weather 5-day Immersion Unit InstitutesFour Weather 5-day Immersion Unit Institutes Begin full implementationBegin full implementation Two Analyzing Animals (Kindergarten) Immersion Unit InstitutesTwo Analyzing Animals (Kindergarten) Immersion Unit Institutes Pilots/focus groupsPilots/focus groups

Future Work July 2007 – June 2008 Continue 2-day Rot it Right professional development sessionsContinue 2-day Rot it Right professional development sessions Begin 2-day Weather professional development sessionsBegin 2-day Weather professional development sessions Continue Follow-up workshopsContinue Follow-up workshops

Immersion Units allow all students to think and act like real scientists.