Summer Workshop Plans

Summer Workshop Agenda

1. Identify essential content and learning targets in earth science kits for grades K-6.
2. Discuss teachers' content knowledge needs to support teaching earth science kits.
3. Develop a shared understanding for promoting science inquiry in elementary classrooms.
4. Explore strategies to use science kits as starting points for science inquiry.

June 22-25, 1998
Earth Science Content Workshop for all teachers
14 hours
Objectives were to:

1. Increase participants' background knowledge of earth science as related to kit.
2. Provide some general earth science background specifically in topics not covered by the kits.

August 12-13, 1998
Planning Session/Workshop for Lead Teachers and scientists
12 hours
Objectives are to:

1. Prepare for the kit training workshop
2. Participate in professional development activities to support their preparation.

August, January or March 1998/9
Kit Training Workshop for all teachers
7 hours
Objectives are to:

1. Be prepared to teach the science kit in the classroom.
2. Learn science teaching strategies to help in implementing the kit.

	Title	Location	Duration	Districts
Summer 98
June 22-25	Earth Science Content Courses	View Ridge Middle School	14 hours	All
August 12-13	Leadership	WSUV	12 hours	Teachers Pre-Selected
August 17-18	Earth Science Kit Training Level 1, All Kits K-6	WSUV	6 hours	Kalama, Woodland, Evergreen, Battle Ground
Fall 1998
Fall Pilot	Life Science Kits	Building Based	12 weeks	LaCenter, Ridgefield
September 15-18	Physical Science Kit Train Level 1, All Kits K-6	CASEE Center	3 hours, call for kits and times	All New Teachers, Teachers changing Grades
September 21 - October 9	Building Based Inservice	All Battle Ground Schools By Kits	3-3.5 hours	Battle Ground
October 24 November 7 November 21 (Saturdays)	Integrating FOSS Physical Science Kits; Select Teachers develop Companion Guides for kits	TBA	18 hours	Pre-Selected Teachers from all districts Grades 3-6
October 27 November 3 November 10 (Tuesdays)	Integrating FOSS Physical Science Kits; Select Teachers develop Companion Guides for kits	TBA	18 hours	Pre-Selected Teachers from all districts Grades K-2
October 29-31	National Science Teachers Regional Conference	Seattle Convention Ctr via the SMART bus!	18 hours	Open to All Teachers via the SMART bus!
Winter '99
Winter Pilot	Life Science Earth Kits	Building Based	10 weeks	Woodland, Kalama
January 9, 1999	Earth Science Kits Training Level 1, ALL Kits K=6	Hockinson Intermediate	6 hours	Hockinson, Battle Ground, Evergreen (by invitation)
Winter Date TBA	Building Based Service	All Battle Ground Schools By Kits	3-3.5 hours	Battle Ground
February 18, 1999	SMART Conference	Kelso High School	3 hours	All
March	Identify Life Science Lead Teachers			All
Spring '99
Spring Pilot	Life Science Kits	Building Based	12 Weeks	Hockinson
Spring Date TBA	Building Based Inservice	All Battle Ground Schools by kits	3-3.5 hours	Battle Ground
March 18, 1999	Earth Science Kit Training Level 1, All Kits K-6	Either Ridgefield of LaCenter	6 hours	LaCenter, Ridgefield, Battle Ground, Evergreen
April 29, 1999	SMART Conference	Vancouver Area	3 hours	All

More Science Opportunities to be announced: Assessment, Technology, Linking Literacy and Science, Family Science, Study Groups!

Content Courses (For all Teachers)

Activity

Hours

DATE:	April 3, 1998
TO:	Earth Science Lead Teachers, Scientist/Engineer Consultants, Summer Content Course Instructors
FROM:	Anne Kennedy, Project Director (360) 750-7500 ext. 252
RE:	April 28, 1988 - 8(9) am-3:30 pm - WSUV Analysis of Earth Science Kits
CC:	PESE Staff

Thank you for signing up to work with us on this project. Our success to date is largely because of folks like you who are willing to put time and energy into developing your own understanding of elementary science education (ala SW Washington) and then sharing your expertise on how to enhance our professional development and the materials we are working with. On April 28th we will meet for-a day long work session on the earth science kits. We are scheduled to meet in Library Room 265 at Washington State University, Vancouver.

The objectives of the day are to:

1. Identify essential content and learning targets in earth science kits for grades K-6
2. Discuss teachers' content knowledge needs to support teaching earth science kits
3. Develop a shared understanding for promoting science inquiry in elementary classrooms
4. Explore strategies to use science kits as starting points for science inquiry

In the morning, one or two scientists/engineers will work together with lead teachers and earth science content instructors to do a conceptual analysis of each kit. This work will help us develop the courses and field trips offered for earth science this summer.

In the afternoon, we will practice problem solving skills as we engage in an iterative process of exploration and inquiry using "ice balloons". This is a time for us to construct a common understanding of what we mean when we talk about "inquiry" science in the elementary classroom.

For our scientists/engineer friends in the project, you are encouraged to stay for the full day. If however, your schedule does not permit it, lunch is a good breaking point.

Enclosures:
Agenda/Logistics; Background Information; Participant List

8-9	Project Orientation (for those who have not attended one previously)
9:00	Teachers Arrive, Welcome, Warm up Activity
9:30	Conceptual Analysis of Earth Science Kits; Teacher comments from classroom experience
11:00	Debrief Each Kit - Look at Scope and Sequence Across Grade Levels
12:00	Lunch
12:45	Ice Balloons or What is this thing called Inquiry Learning?
3:15	Evaluation, Next Steps
3:30	Adjourn

Curriculum materials are the core of the science program. There are many different kinds of curriculum that can be used to implement inquiry centered science experiences for children. One of the most effective approaches is to build the science curriculum around a series of science modules, or kits, each of which focuses on a different area of science and technology. A science kit contains all of the materials needed for a class of students to investigate a particular topic for six to eight weeks. Each kit comes with a comprehensive teachers guide, divided into 12-16 lessons, that describes the activities to be completed within the module.¹

In our project we have adopted the Full Option Science System (FOSS) for use in K-6 classrooms. FOSS is an excellent starting place for involving students in hands-on investigations.² As with any curriculum, its effectiveness is enhanced by teachers background knowledge and experience. Professional development is a critical component to support teachers and students in using kit materials to their fullest.

Our approach to the design of our professional development program begins with an evaluation of each science kit or module to determine how it is constructed. By analyzing the curriculum, we can gain an understanding of the intended use of the materials and their strengths and weaknesses. We will use this information to develop teacher workshops and design extensions to kit materials.

One way to do a science materials analysis is to evaluate for both content and pedagogy. Content refers to scientific knowledge and science concepts presented through the materials. Pedagogy refers to the goals of elementary science teaching and learning, to how students are engaged in inquiry, and to the instructional approaches used to enhance learning. Content and pedagogy are both important attributes of effective science instruction, and sometimes it is useful to separate them in order to gain clarity on the what and the how of science teaching and learning.

Before you begin: Introduce yourselves and tell which of the roles you think you fit into below. Your group is made up of diverse personalities. You include classroom teachers, instructors, and folks with degrees and/or extensive experience in science and engineering. Today is about asking a lot of questions and organizing these questions into a manageable framework for us to develop program from. Each of you play an important role on the team. Some of you fit more than one category. That is fine.

Earth Science Voices - Your job is to help us identify the content of the kits. Select the MOST relevant content and help to identify major science concepts. Help us to identify the general area of science we would want to focus in on as background information for teachers. If possible suggest connections to real examples of the science played out in our own community.

Teacher Voices - Your job is to articulate what part of the content is difficult or unclear. Speak for yourself as well as your colleagues. What would you like to know more about? What is confusing? What do your students find hard to understand? Where do you think your students will have trouble?

Community Voices - As a person with a background in science, your job is to try to understand what is essential about the content of the kits. You can help by asking questions and moderating the other voices in the group.

Purpose:
At the end of the 90 minutes we would like to have a concise list developed of essential content and underlying concepts represented in each kit. We would also like to have the most important ideas highlighted to help us put a value on more important and less important ideas.

Here are some general directions:

1. Review the unit (kit) as a whole, figure out how to divide up your time so that you can cover the entire unit in the 90 minutes given.
2. Read each lesson and talk about what the lesson is about
3. Record questions pertaining to the content underlying the activity
4. Record student questions or snags that come up while teaching
5. At the end of each grouping of lessons (or sub unit) discuss what science knowledge or understanding would support the unit. What disciplinary area(s) can be related to the activities.
6. At the end of the entire unit leave time to summarize your results on one page. This will be shared with the entire group.

View the paper "Conceptual Analysis of Science Curriculum Materials as an Advanced Professional Development Activity" by Ramon Lopez, which was also used in this workshop.

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
8:00p- 11:30p Morning Session	Lab Experiences K- Bonnie Lock 1/2 - Katie Larson 3/4 - Steve Kramer 5/6 - Lean LaRowe	Group A PNW Geology Dick Pugh Group B Water Resources Vicky Ridge-Cooney	Group A Water Resources Vicky Ridge-Cooney Group B PNW Geology Dick Pugh	Lab Experiences K- Bonnie Lock 1/2 - Katie Larson 3/4 - Steve Kramer 5/6 - Lean LaRowe
1:00p - 4:30p Afternoon Session	Lab Experiences 1/2 - Katie Larson 3/4 - Steve Kramer 5/6 - Lean LaRowe	Group A Water Resources Vicky Ridge-Cooney Group B PNW Geology Dick Pugh	Group A PNW Geology Dick Pugh Group B Water Resources Vicky Ridge-Cooney	Lab Experiences 1/2 - Katie Larson 3/4 - Steve Kramer 5/6 - Lean LaRowe

Credit, clockhours, timesheets and other REALLY IMPORTANT stuff will be taken care of as part of the Water Resources break out on Tuesday and Wednesday. We will answer questions at that time.

GOALS:

1. To provide opportunity for participants to reflect on inquiry science in the context of earth science.
2. To acquaint participants with the central concepts in earth science.
3. To acquaint participants with appropriate pedagogic strategies for inquirybased earth science.
4. To familiarize participants with the rich local and regional resources available for teaching earth science.

COURSE OUTLINE:

Day 1

I Benchmarks, Content Standards & Science Kits - Is there content match?

II Physical Science concepts in Earth Science

• Content Circus of Activities
• How concepts explain geological phenomena

Breakout Session - Water Resources

Day 3

Breakout Session - Pacific North West Resources

Day 4

I Building up of Landmass - Constructive Forces
- Concepts related to formation of igneous and sedimentary rocks

II Breaking down of Landmass - Destructive Forces
- Concepts related to weathering, erosion and soil formation

Participants:
Earth Science Lead Teachers
Scientists (Thursday morning only)

Goal: Lead Teachers will prepare for their kit training workshop and participate in professional development activities to support their preparation.

Objectives: Lead Teachers will

1. Identify components of a good workshop
2. Develop a workshop plan in which
   1. the teach all (or a majority) of the activities
   2. model good teaching strategies
3. Explore the role of inquiry learning in science teaching