1. Department Chair Session 1
Sebastian Oddone
District Supervisor
Kirk Nieveen
Curriculum Specialist

2. Department of Mathematics and Science
Norms
Make sure to be kind to the presenters and give them your full attention, and please be on time Don’t be afraid to ask and share, we are all life-long learners Care for your profession and be kind to others Please remember we are guests at Miami SHS Silence your cell phones and turn off your gaming devices
Department of Mathematics and Science

3. Goals for This Session Address District and State Updates
Pacing Guides
Student Progression Plan and SB1076
Common Core State Standards and Science instruction
School Performance and the Biology EOC
Data (EOC and IAs)
Resources in Science
Reflections 3 3

4. Introductions Tell us Who you are? What school you are from?
Are you a new or experienced department chair?

5. Updates

6. Pacing Guides: The District Curriculum
REVISED to reflect the new course descriptions
Biology now built around the 22 annually assessed benchmarks and the item specifications
Physical Science better aligned to CPO Textbook and Lab Activities
Chemistry and Physics updated to reflect course description changes and future graduation requirements
Available through the Learning Village in the teacher portal

7. Why Update the Pacing Guides
The Pacing Guides are always updated to make sure that:
Changes from the state are being addressed when it comes to basic curriculum expectations (Course Descriptions)
Instructional flow is enhanced to improve academic performance of students
Teachers are provided with the latest instructional strategies and resources available
To try to keep everybody informed of the expected curriculum in M-DCPS
Department of Mathematics and Science

8. Who Updated the Pacing Guides
The M-DCPS Pacing Guides in Chemistry and Physics were updated through a collaboration with FIU professors, district supervisors, curriculum specialists, and teachers.
The objective was to make the District curriculum better aligned to the course description determined by the state while still maintaining the integrity of the course expected by content experts.
Department of Mathematics and Science

9. Year at a Glance Physical Science (Regular and Honors)
Biology (Regular and Honors)
Chemistry (Regular and Honors)
Physics (Regular and Honors)

10. Course Description Review
NEW Course Descriptions for all courses found on the Learning Village for most core courses and online at CPALMS:
Nature of Science benchmarks and Common Core State Standards (MACC and LACC benchmarks) are part of the course descriptions and are expected to be implemented throughout the year.
CPALMS is the new site. Redirection occurs at the FLDOE website.
New course descriptions have common core embedded in them.

11. SB1076 Requirements for General Graduation
The General Graduation requirements in Science: (students that meet these requirements will get a standard diploma)
3 credits - (2 must have a lab component)
1 credit in Biology or equivalent course (with the Biology EOC constituting 30% of the final grade)
1 credit in Chemistry or Physics (or equivalent course)
1 equally rigorous course
Industry certification courses that lead to college credit may substitute up to one science credit (not Biology)

12. SB1076 Requirements for Standard Diploma
The Standard Diploma requirements in Science:
3 credits – (2 must have a lab component)
1 credit in Biology or equivalent course (with the Biology EOC constituting 30% of the final grade)
2 credits in equally rigorous courses.

13. Student Progression Plan in HS Science
Based on SB 1076,
What should be the SPP for M-DCPS in ?

14. Science Credits in HS
If a student already completed the 9th grade and or the 10th grade course in Middle school, then that student should continue along the progression.
If a student comes from another district or private school with Earth and Space science (honors in MS) as their 9th grade equivalent, that student may continue along the progression (passing score, etc.) These students may be able to take Physical Science in 11th grade if other options are not viable.

15. Vertical Articulation in High School
Make sure teachers are aware of the content/concepts that are addressed in each subject before and after their current year
Avoid re-teaching the same idea over and over and year-to-year (this is not scaffolding or spiraling)
Address prior knowledge by incorporating into the specific subject area and engage students by raising expectations and promoting HOTS through HOQS.
Students often will say they never learned anything before they stepped into your class…

16. Science Content in HS
Encourage communication, sharing of best practices and instruction:
that is aligned to the district pacing guides.
that promotes the implementation of at least one lab/week.
that utilizes data to drive teaching and learning (QSBA, IA).
Encourage student participation in the SFRSEF (School Board Item) and SECME competitions.
Encourage teachers participation in Professional Development.
Do not prevent students from advancing in Science because of unrealistic Mathematics expectations.

17. Good Science Instruction
Effective Planning (with the end in mind)
Knowing the objective of each lesson(course description)
Plan together with teachers of the same subject area
Implement a routine of inquiry based, hands-on activities relevant to the objectives of the topic
Applying models to formulate solutions to questions
Discovering answers through systematic observations
1. Effective Planning (with the end in Mind) – Know your objectives, what is the purpose of the lesson
2. Implement a routine of inquiry based, hands-on activities relevant to the objectives of the course – The 5 E Model
3. Develop High Order Questioning Skills -
4. Facilitate, Encourage, and Expect High Order Thinking from your students -
5. Encourage students to Communicate about what they learn using various methods - Writing
Department of Mathematics and Science

18. Good Science Instruction (Cont…)
Implement Higher-Order Questioning Strategies using Explicit-Reflective instruction to enhance student thinking
Asking questions about our surroundings
Facilitate, encourage, and expect Higher Order Thinking (HOT) from your students
Make connections between content learned to real-world events and examples
Encourage students to communicate verbally and in writing
Department of Mathematics and Science

19. Break….
Please take time to ask questions or write your concerns in the Parking Lot
Pacing Guide/Year at a Glance
SPP
Other?
Please describe what you need (we will discuss this and try to find some solutions)

20. Common Core State Standards
What’s the Gist?-dissecting the CCSS
Individually, review the CCSS Literacy Standards in Reading and Writing
What is the main topic for each standard across grade levels?
Individually, review the CCSS Mathematical Practices
What is the main topic for each practice?
In groups, pick 3 standards for Reading and Writing, and 2 Mathematical Practices to create a one-word Gist summary
Be prepared to defend your idea to the entire group

21. Applying CCSS to our Practice
How do we do this?

22. Claim, Evidence, Reasoning
Source: Edutopia.org

23. The “Why” behind Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (Conclusion Writing)
In 2009, NAEP administered TWO types of innovative science assessments that invited students to put their science knowledge into practice:
Hands-on tasks (HOTs)
Interactive computer tasks (ICTs) 
How Did US Students Perform?
Students Able to Perform Simulated Investigations, Challenged to Explain Conclusions

24. The “Why” behind Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (Conclusion Writing)

25. Slip or Trip Adapted from: Hillocks, G
Slip or Trip Adapted from: Hillocks, G. Teaching Argument Writing: Grades 6‐12. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Press.
Was Queenie telling the truth (Did Arthur trip and fall to his death?)
Possible Claims
What is the evidence?
Why is this evidence important?

26. How does this look in our classes: What is the probability that my offspring will look like me?
Claim
There is an uncertain probability that my offspring will look like me, depending on the dominant alleles that I possess.
Evidence
In the Human Variation Essential lab, only the parent’s traits that were dominant were expressed in the offspring. The recessive trait was only expressed when both parents gave those alleles to their offspring. When the Punnett Square was used, the probability for the chance of a specific offspring could be calculated.
Reasoning
My offspring will inherit 50 percent of my genes, as a result of sexual reproduction. There are dominant alleles and recessive alleles that determine the traits of an offspring. However, there is an uncertain probability that he/she will look like me because all the traits that are in my genotype are unknown. Although I am able to observe the phenotype, which are those traits that are visible, there are recessive traits that may be hidden by the dominant traits that are expressed. But, I still hope my baby looks like me with my husband’s eyelashes.

27. Lunch time… Please be back an hour from now
Try to carpool to avoid congestion
BK and BP gas station among preferred stops

28. What Does the Data Tell Us?

29. Largest District Gains in EOC Retrofitted 2012 vs. 2013 EOC

30. Trends to Look for in Biology EOC Miami-Dade County Grades

31. Top Districts in Florida
Highest Performing Counties Biology EOC Comparison to 9th and 10th Grade Reading

32. Lowest Districts in Florida
Lowest Performing Counties Biology EOC Comparison to 9th and 10th Grade Reading

33. Largest Districts in Florida
Largest District Biology EOC Comparison to 9th and 10th Grade Reading

35. District Science Website
Resources
District Science Website

36. Resources found in the Website
STEM Website
Administrator Resources (being updated)
Office of Academics and Transformation
Assessment, Research, and Data Analysis
Weekly Briefings
Science Leaders
Assessments and Data Analysis
Pacing Guides

37. Assessments: Biology IA
Baseline, Fall and Winter Interim
Tool to monitor student progress and to target instruction (page 18 of guide)
Have been reviewed with data and questions revised or deleted accordingly
All benchmarks are addressed in each test
66-70 questions per test, with each question tagged to a specific benchmark
Performance bands tagged to reporting categories

38. Assessments
Great to analyze data by benchmark to identify intervention groups or create remediation activities (through EduSoft, soon through ThinkGate)
Meant to assess content knowledge not necessarily EOC practice
Data shows interim assessments are a good predictor of EOC “success”

40. QSBA
Pretest / Posttest, and Quarterly (QSBA): Chemistry and Physical Science
Found on Edusoft
Benchmark Exams Tab
Assessments Link
District Science Folder
Senior High Science Sub-folder
Benchmark Groups
Revisions being made. Please send if you see a mistake.
Be prepared to give Benchmark groupings

41. Interim Assessments and Data Analysis
Building intervention Groups
By benchmark, NOT overall score
Use group activity time to target those students as small groups
Creating remediation activities
Develop activities for students to work on
Can create portfolio of different weakest benchmarks for each student (student accountability)
Edgenuity
Discovery Education
Explore Learning (GIZMOS)

42. Benchmark Comparison All Schools Biology Baseline

43. Baseline Assessment: Weaknesses High Schools

45. Progress Monitoring Tool
Reporting Categories
Benchmark
Assessed
Description
Benchmark Status
NOTES
PG-Q1
PG-Q2
PG-Q3
PG-Q4
SC.912.N.1.1
Annually Assessed
SC.912.N.1.1 Define a problem based on a specific body of knowledge, for example: biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space science, and do the following: 1. pose questions about the natural world; 2. conduct systematic observations; 3. examine books and other sources of information to see what is already known; 4. review what is known in light of empirical evidence; 5. plan investigations; 6. use tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data (this includes the use of measurement in metric and other systems, and also the generation and interpretation of graphical representations of data, including data tables and graphs); 7. pose answers, explanations, or descriptions of events; 8. generate explanations that explicate or describe natural phenomena (inferences); 9. use appropriate evidence and reasoning to justify these explanations to others; 10. communicate results of scientific investigations; and 11. evaluate the merits of the explanations produced by others. Y
Also Assesses
SC.912.N.1.4 Identify sources of information and assess their reliability according to the strict standards of scientific investigation.
SC.912.N.1.6 Describe how scientific inferences are drawn from scientific observations and provide examples from the content being studied.
SC.912.L.14.4 Compare and contrast structure and function of various types of microscopes.
LA The student will organize information to show understanding or relationships among facts, ideas, and events (e.g., representing key points within text through charting, mapping, paraphrasing, summarizing, comparing, contrasting, or outlining).

46. Data Chats TEST SCORE (% Correct) Baseline Winter Spring Post
Lowest Benchmarks
(Code and summary of content)
Data Chat
Date: __________________
Student: _______________
Teacher:_______________
Strategies/ Activities to be completed for each weakest benchmark
Completion of activities
To be completed by _______
% Activities Completed?
______________________
Teacher _______________

47. Edusoft is transitioning to ThinkGate
Make sure you and all your colleagues download all pertinent data from last year and this year
Most useful reports for the individual teacher are:
Using Report Builder
ITEM ANALYSIS (how classes did as a whole or by class on the individual benchmarks)
ITEM RESPONSE (how individual students did per item or benchmark. Ideal one to use to build groups for intervention and remediation)

48. Pacing Guides Learning Village EOC Resources

49. Item Specifications

50. Middle School Foundational Benchmarks

51. Middle School Foundational Benchmarks
Previously learned content knowledge from K-8 will be considered “Fair Game”
Students could be tested in any previous content knowledge K-8
Teachers must be aware on what knowledge is considered “Fair Game”

52. Department Chair General Information
K-12 Science Plan
Science Leaders Handbook
Safety Handbook
Guideline Use of Animals
School Information (TBD)
Teacher Information (TBD)
Edmodo
Professional Development Guidelines
Textbook Updates
Remediation and Enrichment

53. Edmodo High School Group Name Group Code HS Biology ak0ska
Group Name
Group Code
HS Biology
ak0ska
HS Chemistry
mz51pb
HS Department Chairs
y8yfp1
HS Physical Science
c8h5t1
HS Physics
ers8rj
HS Science
ce5kqo
SFRSEF
2ctseg

54. Professional Development Guidelines
Make sure to check Weekly Briefings for specific information.
Name of Session, Dates, Location.
Name of Instructor/Facilitator.
Find Sessions under Instructor (if applicable).
Check the status of your session and any related s.
Sessions with less than 10 participants will be cancelled by 4 PM two working days prior to the session.
Provide a current schedule

55. Textbook Updates
All general course online access codes are on the Learning Village
Additional access codes have been sent out to all department chairs
Do not use student access codes if a textbook has not been ordered/purchased. District gets use of one code for each textbook purchased.
ExamView resource of each textbook posted on the network

56. Remediation and Enrichment
Edgenuity
NBC Learn – In Pacing Guides
PBS Learning Media
Discovery Education (Title 1 only) – In Pacing Guides
PhET (University of Colorado) – In Pacing Guides
Gizmos – In Pacing Guides
ETO Resources
Extended Learning Modules
Seasonal Packets
Science Website
Copyrights

57. Department of Mathematics and Science
Review of Copyrights
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time. Generally, it is "the right to copy", but also gives the copyright holder the right to be credited for the work, to determine who may adapt the work to other forms, who may perform the work, who may financially benefit from it, and other related rights. It is a form of intellectual property.
Department of Mathematics and Science

58. Department of Mathematics and Science
Copyright facts
Copyright law recognizes the right of an author based on whether the work actually is an original creation, rather than based on whether it is unique; two authors may own copyright on two substantially identical works, if it is determined that the duplication was coincidental, and neither was copied from the other.
The use of copyright notices has become optional to claim copyright, because the Berne Convention makes copyright automatic.
Department of Mathematics and Science

59. Department of Mathematics and Science
So can I copy it?
Several exclusive rights typically attach to the holder of a copyright:
to produce copies or reproductions of the work and to sell those copies (including, typically, electronic copies)
to import or export the work
to create derivative works (works that adapt the original work)
to perform or display the work publicly
to sell or assign these rights to others
to transmit or display by radio or video
The phrase "exclusive right" means that only the copyright holder is free to exercise those rights, and others are prohibited from using the work without the holder's permission.
Department of Mathematics and Science

60. She did not faint from listening to us
She did not faint from listening to us! She fainted from exhaustion after aligning her curriculum to CCSS.

61. Reading in Science Use of Article for content reading in science
High interest
Provides high expectations for reading
Can differentiate based on FCAT reading levels (highlighted texts, chunking, teacher read aloud groups)
Use of reading strategies to complete; use as a resource for a whole unit
Magazines, textbook resources, Discovery, etc.

62. Reading Strategies Need to be ACTIVE strategies
Students reading on own not an effective way
Need to engage them
Use prediction strategies
One chunk at a time
Do a little everyday incorporated into daily content activities

63. Reflections and Closing Questions
Follow up activity
(All Department Chairs must do this)
Provide evidence of presenting information from this professional development to your Administrator and Science department. Use form provided.
Needs principal signature**

64. Department of Mathematics and Science
Session Outcomes
Participants will be able to:
Share instructional Best Practices with other teachers from their Science Department
Identify instructional resources from various District sources
Department of Mathematics and Science

65. Science Department Dr. Ava Rosales, Executive Director Elementary
Middle School
High School
Dr. Millard Lightburn
District Supervisor
Mrs. Yoly McCarthy
Instructional Supervisor
Mr. Sebastian Oddone,
Ms. Mary Tweedy,
Curriculum Support
Specialist
Mr. Dane Jaber
Mr. Kirk Nieveen,
Curriculum Support Specialist
Ms. Keisha Kidd,
Ms. Mildred Farber
Administrative Assistant
Phone:

66. SAVE the Date: October 24 -26, 2013
Florida Association of Science Teachers Conference 2013
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
Miami Airport Convention Center
October 24-26, 2013
Join the magical experience of learning new science curriculum
and methods while gaining new resources and skills
that will spark magic in your teaching.
Go to

67. Thank you