Summer Workshop Plans

Science Connections Summer Workshop Agenda

June Summer Institute for Cohort I teacher: 3 full days. This is a follow-up Institute after an 8 day Institute last summer and 4 half-day sessions during the school year.

July/August Summer Institute: Total of 8 days, 4 full days each month. This is the beginning of the training cycle for Cohort II schools.

How many teachers do you involve in your workshops?

June: 60 teachers
July/August: 90 teachers

What are your major goals for your workshops in terms of content and pedagogy? (Just one or two paragraphs)

The goals of the Summer Institute are:

Teachers will:

• Recognize the need to implement reform-based science instruction to enhance student achievement

• Develop the skills and knowledge to implement reform-based science instruction

• Increase science content knowledge

• Scientific Problem Solving: (Grade 6-7-8-) Science Sleuths (Videodiscovery)

• Patterns and Relationships: (Grade 6) Measuring Time (NSRC)

• Disease: (Grade 7) Outbreak! (Event-Based Science)

• Atmospheric Phenomena: (Grade 8) Hurricane! (Event-Based Science)

• Technology/On-Line Investigations: (Grade 6-7-8) Middle Years Digital Library (University of Michigan)

Tuesday, July 6, 1999
8:00-9:30 Cafeteria	Coffee and Conversation	MCPS Welcome Dr. Mary Helen Smith	Science Connections Welcome Gerry Consuegra, Pat Hagan
9:30-11:30 Common Experience Lessons	Grade 6: B 207	Grade 7: B 204	Grade 8: B 206
Lunch: 11:30-12:30
12:30-2:00 Breakout Sessions	Why Am I Teaching This? F 209	The Active Classroom F 206	Ins and Outs of Science Teaching F 208
	Reading & Writing in Science Class F 200	Inquiring Minds: Life Science B 204
2:00-3:00 Project: Inquiry Lesson	Grade 6: B 207	Grade 7: B 204	Grade 8: B 206

Wednesday, July 7, 1999
8:00-9:30 Breakout Sessions	SPECIALize Your Science Teaching F 202	Ins and Outs of Science Teaching F 208	Inquiring Minds: Physical Science B 207	Current Issues in Science Education F 208
8-11:30 Special Session	The Middle Years Digital Library A 204
10:00-11:30 Breakout Sessions	Why Am I Teaching This? F 209	Optical Data: Windows on Science B 204	Inquiring Minds: Earth Science B 206	The Active Classroom F 206
Lunch: 11:30-12:30
12:30-2:00 Breakout Sessions	SPECIALize Your Science Teaching F 202	Optical Data: WIndows on Science B 204	Ins and Outs of Science Teaching F 208	Prentice Hall: Textbook Support F 206
12:30-3:00 Special Session	Data Harvest: Ecolog A 204
2:00-3:00 Project: Inquiry Lesson	Grade 6: B 207    Grade 7: B 204    Grade 8: B 206

Thursday, July 8, 1999
8-11:30 Special Session	The Learning Cycle: Follow-up to the Common Experience Lessons Media Center
Lunch: 11:30-12:30
12:30-2:00 Breakout Sessions	Why Am I Teaching This? F 209	Prentice Hall: Textbook Support F 206	Inquiring Minds: Physical Science B 207	Reading & Writing in Science Class F 200	Inquiring Minds: Life Science B 204
2:00-3:00 Project: Inquiry Lesson	Grade 6: B 207    Grade 7: B 204    Grade 8: B 206

Friday, July 9, 1999
8:00-9:30 Breakout Sessions	Ask A Scientist! B 207	SPECIALize Your Science Teaching F 202	The Active Classroom F 206	Current Issues in Science Education F 208	Inquiring Minds: Earth Science B 206
9:30-11:30	School Planning Time
11:30-1:00	Lunch and Celebration
1:00-3:00	School Planning Time

To plan your schedule for the Institute, select one activity for each breakout session. Some sessions are re2quired and the others are electives. The special sessions on Wednesday (MYDL and Ecolog) each run for 3 1/2 hours. Please keep this in mind as you plan your schedule.

• Required Sessions: Ins and Outs of Science Teaching, Why Am I Teaching This?, The Active Classroom, Project: Inquiry Lesson

• Special Sessions: Middle Years Digital Library; Ecolog (computer interface)

• Elective Sessions: Inquiring Minds: Earth, Life and Physical Science, SPECIALize Your Science Teaching, Reading & Writing in Science Class, Current Issues in Science Education, Optical Data: Windows on Science, Prentice Hall: Textbook Support, Ask a Scientist.

Active Classroom (Room F 206)
Working in paris with a CD-ROM, you will experience a constructivist method of learning about constructivism in the middle school classroom. You will "visit" six classrooms and watch experienced teachers at work, practicing the teaching methods discussed here. There will be opportunities for you to reflect on your own and with others about teaching and learning as applied to this method.

Common Experience Lessons
These hands-on sessions will provide participants with the tools to integrate the 5 E's learning cycle model and effective questioning into an inquiry lesson.

Ins and Outs of Science Teaching (Room F 208)
MSDE objectives are nothing to play around with... or are they? In this lively session, participants will become familiar with Maryland State Department of Education science outcomes and their indicators. Prerequisites: The ability to analyze, debate, and have fun.

Project: Inquiry Lesson (Grade 6 B207; Grade 7 B204; Grade 8 B206)
Participants will plan, produce, revise, and share an inquiry lesson. The lesson should embrace the 5 E's learning cycle, constructivism, and be consistent wiht the MCPS revised middle school science outcomes.

Why Am I Teaching This? (Room F 209)
A brief introduction to the National Science Education Standards (NSES). Includes an overview of the components of the standards, a look at changing emphases in science education and content standards from a developmental perspective.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know: Earth Science (Room B 206)
Participants will evaluate their own questioning skills in inquiry-based instruction. Teachers will explore inquiry-based lessons by conducting an investigation which can be used in many of the Earth Science units that relate to density.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know: Life Science (Room B 204)
Come and experience a guided inquiry lesson investigating the relationship between the structure and function of bones in vertebrates. Work with a team to dissect an owl pellet and construct a rodent skeleton. Compare your finished skeleton with a human skeleton model.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know: Physical Science (Room B 207)
Help save the day from foot long cockroaches invading your community! Participants will build a launching device capable of delivering flaming bug deterrent to destroy the cockroaches. Energy, force and motion outcomes will be addressed in this 5 E's activity. Internet enrichment sites will be utilized.

Ask a Scientist (Room B 207)
This informal session is designed to allow teachers to dialog with professionals on a variety of content and curricular related issues.

Current Issues in Science Education (Room F 208)
Participants will read and discuss articles related to constructivism, national and state standards, and inquiry instruction. Reading selections to be used with the students to enhance the curriculum will also be shared along with strategies to incorporate them into lessons.

Data Harvest: EcoLog (A 204)
The workshop will focus on data collection and analysis techniques and the EcoLog interfacing system from Data Harvest Educational. Participants will use the EcoLog device to measure changes in light, temperature, sound, humidity, and barometric pressure. They will also link the interface to a computer to construct and analyze graphs.

Middle Years Digital Library Room (A 204)
This hands-on workshop provides participants with all the tools to itegrate science inquiry and online technology. Through collaborative interdisciplinary activities, teachers guide students on their quest for science knowledge. Participants will gain experience with Internet research skills and science content while encouraging student-driven questions.

Optical Data: Windows on Science (Room B 204)
Participants will learn strategies to use the laser disc program Windows on Science to engage and motivate students and supplement curricular connections to reading and writing.

Prentice Hall: Textbook Support (Room F 206)
During this hands-on session, participants will work with the teacher support software, Resource Pro, for the new Science Explorer textbook series. Receive a complimentary teachers' edition textbook and CD-ROM

Reading and Writing in Science Class (Room F 200)
Student: "What do I do next?"
Teacher: "What do the directions tell you to do?"
Student: "Oh, we were supposed to read the directions?"
Does this type of dialog happen too often in your science classroom? In this session we will explore strategies for improving students' ability to read for information and to perform tasks. We will also examine ways to improve students' writing abilities by focusing on restructuring writing assignments so their format supports MSPAP and CRT outcomes.

SPECIALize Your Science Teaching (Room F 202)
Feel like you're missing the target when teaching students with special needs or limited English proficiency? Come to this workshop and improve your A.I.M. We'll teach you to Accommodate, Individualize, and Modify for student success.

Welcome to part 2 of the Institute. The next four days will offer you an opportunity to apply much of the information and techniques that were shared during the July Institue. The schdule is arranged to allow grade-level unit instruction with plenty of teacher interaction time. Sign-up sheets for the sessions are in the Media Center Monday morning and in Room B205.

On Thursday, we will conclude our Institute with a guest speaker, Dr. Ron Parise, a research scientist and payload specialist on two Space Shuttle missions. Sharing his work and experiences in space will be the perfect send-off as we begin a new school year!

Science Connections agrees with Jon Saphier and Robert Gower (The Skillful Teacher) that increasing teacher capacity through knowledge is the most important lever for improving our school. We hope that the Institute will provide you the setting to take a risk and open your minds to new areas of teaching and learning.

MONDAY	7:30	Sign-In (Outside Room B205) Coffee and Conversation (B205)
	8:10	Welcome: Media Center
	8:45	Morning Sessions Middle Years Digital Library (Grade 8) A204 Lesson Seminars (Grade 7) F208/F211 Science Sleuths (Grade 6) F209 Prentice Hall Software Support (Grade 6,7,8) F206
	11:30-12:30	LUNCH DAILY ... on your own
	12:30-3:00	Continuation of Morning Sessions
TUESDAY	8:300-3:00	Grade Level Sessions (All Day) Chesapeake Bay Foundation (Grade 6) B207 Measuring Time (Grade 6) B 204 Middle Years Digital Library (Grade 7) A 204 Science Sleuths (Grade 8) F 209
	8:00-11:30 And 12:30-3:00	Half-day Sessions are repeated Lesson Seminars (Grade 7 and 8) F 208/F 211 Active Classroom (Grades 7 and 8) F 206
WEDNESDAY	8:00-3:00	Grade Level Sessions (All Day) Chesapeake Bay Foundation (Grade 6) B 207 Measuring Time (Grade 6) B 204 Science Sleuths (Grade 7) F 209 Hurricane! (Grade 8) B 206
	8:00-11:30 And 12:30-3:00	Half-day Sessions are repeated Lesson Seminars (Grade 7 and 8) F 208/F 211 Ecolog Lesson Development (Grade 6,7,8) A 204 Active Classroom (Grades 6,7,8) F 206
THURSDAY	8:00-11:30	Grade Level Sessions Chesapeake Bay Foundation (grade 6) Smith Center Hurricane! (Grade 8) B 206 Lesson Seminars (Grade 6 and 7) F 208/F 211 Active Classroom (Grades 6,7,8) F 206 Ecolog Lesson Development (Grades 6,7,8) A 204
	12:30-3:00	Dessert Celebration (Media Center) Speaker Evaluation and Closing

Active Classroom (Room F206)
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (2 1/2 hours)
Working from a CD-ROM, you will "visit" six classrooms and watch experienced teachers at work, practicing constructivism in their classrooms. You will be able to reflect on your own and with others about teaching and learning.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation (Room B207)
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday (3 days)
Teachers will receive training that will enable them to lead students to investigate issues that affect the health of the Chesapeake Bay. This session is part of the Grade 6 revised middle school framework unit on Environmental Science.

Ecolog Lesson Development (A204)
Wednesday and Thrusday (2 1/2 hours)
The session will focus on adapting lessons for use with the EcoLog interfacing system. Participants will use the EcoLog device to measure changes in light, temperature, sound, humidity, and barometric pressure. Data collection and analysis techniques of the graphs produced will also be examined.

Hurricane! (Room B206)
Wednesday and Thursday (2 days)
Teachers will receive training that will enable them to lead students to investigate topics that cover the study of atmospheric phenomena. The event-Based Science learning cycle will be illustrated and connections to inquiry-based science will be explored.

Lesson Seminars (Room F208/F211)
Every day (2 1/2 hours)
In small groups, led by a MST facilitator, teachers will explain and discuss their lessons. Peer review and editing will build on the concepts developed during the July institute.

Measuring Time (Room B204)
Tuesday and Wednesday (2 dyas)
The participants will become familiar with the Grade Six unit Patterns and Relationships. Activities from the NSRC unit Measuring Time will center on the natural cycles of the sun, moon, and stars as well as the mechanical devices used throughout history to measure time and explain natural phenomena. Activities demonstrated will also meet the Process Outcomes of Gathering and Making Sense of Data for Grade Six.

Middle Years Digital Library (Room A204)
Monday and Tuesday (1 day)
This hands-on workshop provides participants with all the tools to integrate science inquiry and online technology. Through collaborative interdisciplinary activities, teachers guide students on their quest for science knowledge. Participants will gain experience with Internet research skills and science content while encouraging student-driven questions.

Prentice Hall Software (Room F206)
Monday (2 1/2 hours)
During this informal hands-on session, participants will work with the teacher support software, for the new Science Explorer textbook series.

Science Sleuths (Room F209)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (1 day)
Science Sleuths is used to teach students the process and methods of scientific problem solving. This highly motivational videodisc program leads students on an interactive search for solutions to a variety of mysteries. This session includes group dynamics, articulation and refinement of theories based on evidence gained, and processing valid and invalid data.

During this session, participants will:

• Develop an understanding of how national documents can be used to clarify and elaborate state and district standards
• Align curricular materials and assessments to learning outcomes
• Design instruction that supports student learning

Grade 6: Room F209
Grade 7: Room F211
Grade 8: Room F213

Participants will plan, produce, revise, and share at least one lesson. This lesson should embrace the philosophies and techniques presented in last summer's Institute. Lessons should include the E's learning cycle, be inquiry-based, constructivist in nature, and support the Maryland State Department of Education Outcomes and MCPS content standards.

This hands-on workshop provides participants with all of the tools to integrate science inquiry and online technology. Through collaborative interdisciplinary activities, teachers guide students on their own quest for science knowledge. Participants will gain experience with Internet research skills and science content while encouraging student-driven questions. Participants will receive curriculum materials, "Scavenger Hunt" and "Tactics and Strategies for Inquiry Support."

Participants will learn strategies to use the laser disc program Windows on Science to engage and motivate students and supplement curricular connections to reading and writing.

Participants will examine the physics of the EBS unit Thrill Ride! Explore Newton's Laws of Motion and other basic physical science concepts in the context of amusement parks and roller coasters.

Participants will explore common misconceptions in astronomy as they relate to the EBS unit Asteroid! Lab activities will be included.

Participants will discuss heredity comparing inherited traits and environmentally determined characteristics. Topics for discussion may also include human genetic disorder, Mendelian Principles, Monohybrid cross, punnet squares, an overview of mitosis and meiosis, and asexual and sexual reproduction. Lab exercises will be included.

Participants will read and discuss articles related to constructivism, national and state standards, and inquiry instruction. Reading selections to be used with students to enhance the curriculum will also be shared along with strategies to incorporate them into lessons.