Science Breakout Session February 2010 New Science/Math Teacher Network

Explanations I can distinguish between a description and an explanation.

Describe vs. Explain Explore the Newton’s Cradle for 3 to 4 min. Then, on the paper provided complete the task that you have been given. Do this individually. (10 mins.) Don’t put your name on the paper. When finished, fold the paper once

Describe vs. Explain Swap your paper with another who has the same color paper. Swap 2-3 times. Everyone that has the same color paper should sit together. Read all of the answers. Then, working as a group, decide which are better and which are not so good with respect to the task and goal. Sort the papers into ‘good’ and ‘not so good’ piles. Chart the criteria you used to distinguish between the ‘good’ and ‘not so good.’

Describe vs. Explain Retrieve your own paper from the group and consider based on Part 1: Would your description or explanation have met the criteria? If not, why not? How would knowing the criteria beforehand have affected your description or explanation?

Describe vs. Explain Compare the criteria for a good description to the criteria for a good explanation. What are the distinguishing characteristics for each? If your task was ‘to describe’, write a one sentence summary of a good description and determine a symbol/icon/illustration to represent it. If your task was ‘to explain’, write a one sentence summary of a good explanation and determine a symbol/icon/illustration to represent it. Be prepared to share with the group.

Explanations I can distinguish between a description and an explanation.

Curriculum Topic Study Understanding what students need to know about core content and the program of studies.

Something to think about: Why is it important to think through the flow of learning before choosing or inventing activities? How is this different from what you do now? Turn to a partner and discuss these questions.

Why do this? Kentucky Core Content for Assessment Program of Studies Why do we have them? Are they the same thing? Why should I be concerned with PoS? What about our changing standards?

How were standards developed? Stakeholders in the development of national standards Criteria for inclusion: utility, social responsibility, intrinsic value, philosophical value, and childhood enrichment

What resources can we use to make sense of what we teach? Materials – Science for All Americans, Benchmarks, Atlas, National Science Education Standards, CTS book, Science Matters, Making Sense of Secondary Science.

Benefits to teachers? How can we know what content bullets, understandings, and skills mean in order to provide effective instruction for our students? What misconceptions exist with my students on certain topics? What does instructional research say about the best way to teach the topic?

Curriculum Topic Study Materials needed: Specific content bullets, program of studies skills/understandings Books Time, time, time

Curriculum Topic Study Process Identify the specific topic you wish to study Find the study section in the CTS book Read indicated selections from resources

Energy Transformations pg. 213 CTS We will be working through a topic together. We will all complete Section I and II. At your table, number off 1, 2. –One’s will do section 1 first; two’s will do section 2

Section I ADULT CONTENT What big ideas and major concepts make up this topic? What new content did you learn or improve your understanding of? What examples or contexts were used to explain the ideas? What other new insights about the topic did you gain from the reading?

Section II INSTRUCTIONAL IMPLICATIONS What suggestions are provided for effective instruction of the topic? What student learning difficulties, misconceptions, or developmental considerations are mentioned? Does the reading suggest contexts, phenomena, representations, or everyday experiences that are effective in learning the ideas in the topic? What other new insights about the topic did you gain by reading this section?

Now Pair Up! How can what you have read help you to improve instruction and student understanding?

Section 3 – Identify Concepts and Specific Ideas Which learning goals align well with the topic? What concepts, specific ideas, or skills make up the learning goals in this topic? How do these goals help you clarify what is important to teach in the topic? How do these goals help you determine what you can eliminate or place less emphasis on? How does the level of sophistication in the learning goals change from one grade span to the next?

You’ve made it ½ way! At this point, what value do you see in Curriculum Topic Study? –For New Teachers? –For Veteran Teachers? –For Special Education teachers? –For Curriculum developers?

Next Month We will complete sections 4, 5, and 6. Please bring back to the meeting the work that you completed today.