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Summer Workshop Plans

Summer Workshop Plans

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ASSET Summer Workshop Schedule

submitter: Academic Success for Students and Educators Together (ASSET) Restructuring K-8 Science in Southwest Virginia
published: 06/13/2000
posted to site: 06/13/2000

ASSET
Academic Success for Students and Educators Together

How long do your workshops last?

Summer training will consist of 13 "one-week" workshops for K-5 teachers. Sessions begin at 9:00 a.m. each day and conclude at 3:00 p.m. each afternoon. Seven sessions will be conducted during the week of June 19 through June 23 for K-2 teachers. Six of the sessions are for training on new modules and one special session concentrating on science content has been developed for those who have previously trained on the module being offered for their grade level. Six sessions for grade 3-5 teachers will be conducted during the week of July 31 through August 4. Additional (night) workshops are scheduled for fall to accommodate those who are unable to attend summer workshops.

A weeklong QUILT (questioning skills) workshop is scheduled for staff development (summer faculty and invited Science Support Teachers July 17 through 21.

How many teachers do you involve in your workshops?

Approximately 305 K-5 teachers will participate in at least one of the "weeklong" summer or fall workshops. Although numbers vary according to grade levels and sites, each class can accommodate 25 teachers.

What are your major goals for your workshops in terms of content and Pedagogy?

For all participants our goals are to have elementary faculty:

  • Become competent practitioners in the use of a hands-on, inquiry-based, science curriculum by deepening their understanding of science content and developing the appropriate pedagogical skills and instructional strategies essential for successfully implementing the new curriculum
  • Through the review of current reform literature, develop an awareness of the need to change present methods of teaching and develop strategies for bringing about the needed changes
  • Correlate science module activities with national and Virginia Standards of Learning in science, mathematics, language arts and social studies
  • Develop skills in the use of effective questioning strategies, cooperative learning strategies, alternative methods of assessment, and use of learning cycle to promote learning by inquiry

Are you offering professional development on specific curricula that you are hoping will be used in the classroom? If so, which curricula are you using?

Professional development focuses on the new elementary science curricula which consists primarily of STC modules along with a few select FOSS and Insights modules.


ASSET
Academic Success for Students and Educators Together Summer 2000 Module Training

June 19 - June 23, 2000
(9:00 am - 3:00 PM)
GradeModuleSite

Kindergarten

Myself and Others


Objectives:
  • Develop thinking and process skills
  • Explore similarities, differences and variations in people
  • Investigate concepts of growth and development in terms of past, present and future
  • Develop and practice pedagogical skills that promote inquiry learning (questioning, assessing, cooperative learning)
  • Enhance science content of teacher participants
  • Explore the use of technology to enhance learning (Blue Ridge Public Television Website)
Skills:
  • Observe, measure, compare, classify
  • Use graphs, charts and murals to organize and display data
  1. Vansant Elementary Staff: Mary K. Owens Assistant: Dianna Hagy

  2. Richlands Middle Staff: Pat Fletcher Assistant: Debbie Estep

June 19 - June 23, 2000
(9:00 am - 3:00 PM)
GradeModuleSite

First Grade

Comparing and Measuring


Objectives:
  • Explore standard and non-standard units of measure and interpreting results of measurements
  • Explore different tools used to measure
  • Compare similarities and differences among objects
  • Serially order objects based on their measurements
  • Organize information on representational graphs and charts
  • Predict, test, and communicate results
  • Develop and practice pedagogical skills that promote inquiry learning (questioning, assessing, cooperative learning)
  • Enhance science content of teacher participants
  • Explore the use of technology to enhance learning (Blue Ridge Public Television Website)
Skills:
  • Measure, compare, predict, observe, explore, organize, communicate, apply
  1. Sandlick Elementary Staff: Mary Jackson Assistant: Karen Clay

  2. Richlands Middle Staff: Janie Mullins Assistant: Toni Stokes

June 19 - June 23, 2000
(9:00 am - 3:00 PM)
GradeModuleSite

Second Grade

Liquids


Objectives:
  • Identify common properties of all liquids
  • Contrast and compare different liquids
  • Investigate how liquids interact with other liquids and with solids and the factors that influence those interactions
  • Investigate objects that sink or float in different liquids
  • Develop and practice pedagogical skills that promote inquiry learning (questioning, assessing, cooperative learning)
  • Enhance science content of teacher participants
  • Explore the use of technology to enhance learning (Blue Ridge Public Television Website)
Skills:
  • Observe, explore, compare, predict, solve problems
  1. Russell Prater Elementary Staff: Barbara Cook Assistant: Alice Crigger

  2. Lebanon High School Staff: Ruby Coffey Assistant: Beverly Ratliff

July 31 - August 4, 2000
(9:00 am - 3:00 PM)
GradeModuleSite

Third Grade

Animal Studies


Objectives:
  • Explore relationships between animals and their habitats
  • Explore the methods that animal behaviorists employ to study animals
  • Investigate and explain ways that behaviors and body structures enable animals to survive in particular habitats
  • Develop and practice pedagogical skills that promote inquiry learning (questioning, assessing, cooperative learning)
  • Enhance science content of teacher participants
  • Explore the use of technology to enhance learning (Blue Ridge Public Television Website)
Skills:
  • Observe, record, develop questions, compare, contrast, analyze, predict, communicate
  1. Vansant Elementary Staff: Ruby Coffey Assistant: Debbie Estep

  2. Richlands Middle Staff: Janie Mullins Assistant: Toni Stokes

July 31 - August 4, 2000
(9:00 am - 3:00 PM)
GradeModuleSite

Fourth Grade

Ecosystems


Objectives:
  • Explore the web of relationships that link organisms to each other and to their natural environment
  • Classify organisms by the function they serve in an ecosystem
  • Investigate dependent and independent relationships that exist among organisms in an ecosystem
  • Investigate factors that "disturb" the stability of an ecosystem
  • Develop and practice pedagogical skills that promote inquiry learning (questioning, assessing, cooperative learning)
  • Enhance science content of teacher participants
  • Explore the use of technology to enhance learning (Blue Ridge Public Television Website)
Skills:
  • Observe, measure, test, record, analyze, predict, communicate, apply
  1. Sandlick Elementary Staff: Mary Jackson Assistant: Mythiane Shelton

  2. Richlands Middle Staff: Mary K. Owens Assistant: Karen Clay

July 31 - August 4, 2000
(9:00 am - 3:00 PM)
GradeModuleSite

Fifth Grade

Food Chemistry


Objectives:
  • Investigate the basic nutrients found in a variety of common foods
  • Identify starches, sugars, fats and proteins using specific chemical and physical tests
  • Investigate how nutrients are essential to human health
  • Develop and practice pedagogical skills that promote inquiry learning (questioning, assessing, cooperative learning)
  • Enhance science content of teacher participants
  • Explore the use of technology to enhance learning (Blue Ridge Public Television Website)
Skills:
  • Observe, predict, test, analyze, communicate, reflect, apply
  1. Russell Prater Elementary Staff: Pat Fletcher Assistant: Faye Rose

  2. Lebanon High Co-Staff: Barbara Cook and Libby Watts


ASSET
Summer Staff Development

Thursday, March 2, 2000 Garden High School 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
4:00 - 4:15
4:15 - 4:45
4:45 - 5:30
5:30 - 8:00
Devlop Goals and Objectives for Summer Workshop
Discussion of article, "The Courage to be Constructivist" (Brooks & Brooks)
Dr. Jones (Inquiry)
Begin work in module activities for June Sessions
Friday, March 3, 2000 Garden High School 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
4:00 - 4:30
4:30 - 8:00
Learning Cycle / Strategies for Questioning
Develop activities and plans for module instruction
Saturday, March 4, 2000 Garden High School 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
9:00 - 9:30
9:30 - 2:30
2:30 - 3:00
Discussion of article "Getting the Discussion Started" by McKeown & Beck
Complete work in modules
Wrap Up:
  • React to Evaluation Instrument
  • Concerns?
  • What do you need?
  • Materials to be copied?
  • Set date for session after piloting

Thursday, March 30, 2000 Garden High School 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
4:00 - 4:15
4:15 - 4:45
4:45 - 5:30
5:30 - 8:00
Sharing: (Lessons Learned in June Session?)
Discussion of article "Helping Students Ask the Right Questions" (Richetti & Sheerin)
Implementing QUILT questioning strategies
Begin work in module activities for August Sessions
Friday, March 31, 2000 Garden High School 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
4:00 - 4:30
4:30 - 8:00
Sharing: Icebreakers and new ways of forming cooperative groups
Develop activities and plans for module instruction
Saturday, April 1, 2000 Garden High School 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
9:00 - 9:30
9:30 - 2:30
2:30 - 3:00
Discussion of article "Contructing Knowledge, Reconstructing & Schooling" (Abbott & Ryan)
Complete work in modules
Wrap Up:
  • Concerns?
  • What do you need?
  • Materials to be copied?


ASSET
(2000) Fall Workshops

SVCC Community Center
4:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Grade levelModule/InstructorDates
KindergartenMyself and Others
Staff: TBA
Thursday evenings:
September 14, 21, 28
October 5, 12, 19
First GradeComparing and Measuring
Staff: TBA
Thursday evenings:
September 14, 21, 28
October 5, 12, 19
Second GradeLiquids
Staff: TBA
Monday evenings:
September 11, 18, 25
October 2, 9, 16
Third GradeAnimal Studies
Staff: TBA
Monday evenings:
September 11, 18, 25
October 2, 9, 16
Fourth GradeEcosystems
Staff: TBA
Tuesday evenings:
September 12, 19, 26
October 3, 10, 17
Fifth GradeFood Chemistry
Staff: TBA
Tuesday evenings:
September 12, 19, 26
October 3, 10, 17